Sample records for metastatic carcinomatous cell

  1. An unusual presentation of carcinomatous meningitis

    PubMed Central

    Foo, Chuan T.; Burrell, Louise M.; Johnson, Douglas F.

    2016-01-01

    A 67-year old previously well male presented with a 1 week history of confusion on a background of 3 weeks of headache. Past history included two superficial melanomas excised 5 years ago. Treatment for meningoencephalitis was commenced based on lumbar puncture (LP) and non-contrast brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results. Lack of a clinical response to antibiotics resulted in a second LP and contrast brain MRI which demonstrated hydrocephalus and leptomeningeal disease. Ongoing deterioration led to a whole-body computed tomographic and spinal MRI that showed widespread metastatic disease and extensive leptomeningeal involvement of the spinal cord. The diagnosis of metastatic melanoma with carcinomatous meningitis was made based on cytological analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. He died 2 weeks later in a palliative care facility. This case illustrates that the diagnosis of carcinomatous meningitis can be difficult to make as the heterogeneous nature of its presentation often delays the diagnosis. PMID:27574561

  2. Rapid Progressive Disease After Nivolumab Therapy in Three Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    KOBARI, YUKI; KONDO, TSUNENORI; TAKAGI, TOSHIO; OMAE, KENJI; NAKAZAWA, HAYAKAZU; TANABE, KAZUNARI

    2017-01-01

    Background/Aim: Rapid progressive disease (RPD), accelerated tumour growth immediate after the initiation of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, has been reported in melanoma and lung cancer. Herein, we describe 3 cases of RPD during the initial phase of nivolumab treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Patients and Methods: The first and second patients received nivolumab in the fourth-line setting. The third patient received nivolumab therapy as third-line treatment. Results: The first patient developed severe respiratory failure due to carcinomatous lymphangiosis 14 days after initiation of nivolumab therapy. The second patient developed leg paraplegia due to rapid growth of the metastatic tumour at the sixth thoracic vertebrae 5 days later. The third patient developed grade 4 hypercalcemia due to RPD on day 3. Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of RPD during the initial phase of nivolumab therapy, especially in patients with critical lesions in the late-line setting. PMID:28652455

  3. [Carcinomatous meningitis revealing a cancer: study of two cases].

    PubMed

    Samet, S; Belahsen, F; Triki, C; Masmoudi, H; Jlidi, R; Mhiri, C

    2001-04-01

    Meningeal Carcinomatosis (MC) is rare (4 to 5% of patients with solid tumors). We report two cases. The first case is a 53 year-old man presenting flaccid paraplegia and the second is a 76 year-old man presenting a clinical picture suggestive of normal pressure hydrocephalus. In the two cases, the diagnosis of MC was achieved by the demonstration of malignant cells in the CSF. Prognosis was poor in the two cases. The clinical presentation of MC is non specific and the diagnosis is only confirmed by demonstrating carcinomatous cells in CSF.

  4. Identification of Metastatic Tumor Stem Cell

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-09-01

    addition to a tumor stem cell , an existence of a metastatic stem cell is predicted. Despite the critical importance of the concept, this idea has not been...isolating stem cell population from a unique set of breast tumor cell lines and by examining their metastatic behavior in an animal model. The overall...will (i) isolate stem - cell population from non-metastatic and metastatic cells of a pair of syngenic breast tumor cell lines, and test their metastatic

  5. [Screening of virulence gene in golden hamster cheek pouch mucosa carcinomatous change induced by 9,10-dimethylene-1,2-benzanthracene].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Guo-dong; Yang, Kai; Mei, Jie

    2010-05-01

    To examine and analyze the global gene expression at the different stages of golden hamster cheek pouch mucosa carcinomatous change induced by 9,10-dimethylene-1,2 benzanthracene (DMBA). The model of golden hamster cheek pouch squamous cell carcinoma was induced by DMBA. The RNA of normal mucosa, precancerous lesions and squamous cell carcinoma of fresh tissue of golden hamsters was extracted and purified and the cRNA labeled by fluorescent Cy3 synthesized, which respectively hybridized with the agilent rat cDNA microarray containing 41 000 genes-expressed sequence tags, scanning with Agilent G2565AA fluorescence scanner. The Ratio>or=2 and Ratiocell carcinoma, of which 2896 was up-regulated and 2359 down-regulated. There were 22 genes that showed continues abnormal expression through the three different stages of carcinomatous change, including 3 up-regulated, 19 down-regulated. The RT-PCR results of Eaf-2 and Ecg-2 were consistent with the gene chip. The development of oral mucosal squamous cell carcinoma involved a number of abnormal genes. The genes showing continues abnormal expression at different stages of carcinomatous change may be the important pathogenetic ones.

  6. Association between shortage of energy supply and nuclear gene mutations leading to carcinomatous transformation.

    PubMed

    DU, Jianping

    2016-01-01

    Anaerobic bacteria use glycolysis, an oxygen-independent metabolic pathway, whereas energy metabolism in the evolved eukaryotic cell is performed via oxidative phosphorylation, with all eukaryotic cell activities depending upon high energy consumption. However, in cancer cells evolving from eukaryotic cells, the energy metabolism switches from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. The shortage of energy supply induces cancer cells to acquire specific characteristics. Base pair renewal is the most energy-consuming process in the cell, and shortage of energy supply may lead to errors in this process; the more prominent the shortage in energy supply, the more errors are likely to occur in base pair renewal, resulting in gene mutations and expression of cancer cell characteristics. Thus, shortage of energy supply is associated with carcinomatous transformation.

  7. Differential Expression of Ccn4 and Other Genes Between Metastatic and Non-metastatic EL4 Mouse Lymphoma Cells

    PubMed Central

    S. CHAHAL, MANPREET; TERESA KU, H.; ZHANG, ZHIHONG; M. LEGASPI, CHRISTIAN; LUO, ANGELA; M. HOPKINS, MANDI; E. MEIER, KATHRYN

    2016-01-01

    Background: Previous work characterized variants of the EL4 murine lymphoma cell line. Some are non-metastatic, and others metastatic, in syngenic mice. In addition, metastatic EL4 cells were stably transfected with phospholipase D2 (PLD2), which further enhanced metastasis. Materials and Methods: Microarray analyses of mRNA expression was performed for non-metastatic, metastatic, and PLD2-expressing metastatic EL4 cells. Results: Many differences were observed between non-metastatic and metastatic cell lines. One of the most striking new findings was up-regulation of mRNA for the matricellular protein WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (CCN4) in metastatic cells; increased protein expression was verified by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. Other differentially expressed genes included those for reproductive homeobox 5 (Rhox5; increased in metastatic) and cystatin 7 (Cst7; decreased in metastatic). Differences between PLD2-expressing and parental cell lines were limited but included the signaling proteins Ras guanyl releasing protein 1 (RGS18; increased with PLD2) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2; decreased with PLD2). Conclusion: The results provide insights into signaling pathways potentially involved in conferring metastatic ability on lymphoma cells. PMID:27807066

  8. CD8+ T-cell immunosurveillance constrains lymphoid pre-metastatic myeloid cell accumulation

    PubMed Central

    Li, Wenzhao; Deng, Jiehui; Herrmann, Andreas; Priceman, Saul J.; Liang, Wei; Shen, Shudan; Pal, Sumanta K.; Hoon, Dave S.B.; Yu, Hua

    2014-01-01

    Increasing evidence suggests that pre-metastatic niches, consisting mainly of myeloid cells, provide microenvironment critical for cancer cell recruitment and survival to facilitate metastasis. While CD8+ T cells exert immunosurveillance in primary human tumors, whether they can exert similar effects on myeloid cells in the pre-metastatic environment is unknown. Here, we show that CD8+ T cells are capable of constraining pre-metastatic myeloid cell accumulation by inducing myeloid cell apoptosis in C57BL/6 mice. Antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity against myeloid cells in pre-metastatic lymph nodes is compromised by Stat3. We demonstrate here that Stat3 ablation in myeloid cells leads to CD8+ T-cell activation and increased levels of IFN-γ and granzyme B in the pre-metastatic environment. Furthermore, Stat3 negatively regulates soluble antigen cross-presentation by myeloid cells to CD8+ T cells in the pre-metastatic niche. Importantly, in tumor-free lymph nodes of melanoma patients, infiltration of activated CD8+ T cells inversely correlates with STAT3 activity, which is associated with a decrease in number of myeloid cells. Our study suggested a novel role for CD8+ T cells in constraining myeloid cell activity through direct killing in the pre-metastatic environment, and the therapeutic potential by targeting Stat3 in myeloid cells to improve CD8+ T-cell immunosurveillance against metastasis. PMID:25310972

  9. Differential Expression of Ccn4 and Other Genes Between Metastatic and Non-metastatic EL4 Mouse Lymphoma Cells.

    PubMed

    Chahal, Manpreet S; Ku, H Teresa; Zhang, Zhihong; Legaspi, Christian M; Luo, Angela; Hopkins, Mandi M; Meier, Kathryn E

    Previous work characterized variants of the EL4 murine lymphoma cell line. Some are non-metastatic, and others metastatic, in syngenic mice. In addition, metastatic EL4 cells were stably transfected with phospholipase D2 (PLD2), which further enhanced metastasis. Microarray analyses of mRNA expression was performed for non-metastatic, metastatic, and PLD2-expressing metastatic EL4 cells. Many differences were observed between non-metastatic and metastatic cell lines. One of the most striking new findings was up-regulation of mRNA for the matricellular protein WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (CCN4) in metastatic cells; increased protein expression was verified by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. Other differentially expressed genes included those for reproductive homeobox 5 (Rhox5; increased in metastatic) and cystatin 7 (Cst7; decreased in metastatic). Differences between PLD2-expressing and parental cell lines were limited but included the signaling proteins Ras guanyl releasing protein 1 (RGS18; increased with PLD2) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2; decreased with PLD2). The results provide insights into signaling pathways potentially involved in conferring metastatic ability on lymphoma cells. Copyright© 2016, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  10. Comparative proteomic investigation of metastatic and non-metastatic osteosarcoma cells of human and canine origin

    PubMed Central

    Roy, Jahnabi; Wycislo, Kathryn L.; Pondenis, Holly; Fan, Timothy M.

    2017-01-01

    Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in dogs and people. In order to improve clinical outcomes, it is necessary to identify proteins that are differentially expressed by metastatic cells. Membrane bound proteins are responsible for multiple pro-metastatic functions. Therefore characterizing the differential expression of membranous proteins between metastatic and non-metastatic clonal variants will allow the discovery of druggable targets and consequently improve treatment methodology. The objective of this investigation was to systemically identify the membrane-associated proteomics of metastatic and non-metastatic variants of human and canine origin. Two clonal variants of divergent in vivo metastatic potential from human and canine origins were used. The plasma membranes were isolated and peptide fingerprinting was used to identify differentially expressed proteins. Selected proteins were further validated using western blotting, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Over 500 proteins were identified for each cell line with nearly 40% of the proteins differentially regulated. Conserved between both species, metastatic variants demonstrated significant differences in expression of membrane proteins that are responsible for pro-metastatic functions. Additionally, CD147, CD44 and vimentin were validated using various biochemical techniques. Taken together, through a comparative proteomic approach we have identified several differentially expressed cell membrane proteins that will help in the development of future therapeutics. PMID:28910304

  11. Comparative proteomic investigation of metastatic and non-metastatic osteosarcoma cells of human and canine origin.

    PubMed

    Roy, Jahnabi; Wycislo, Kathryn L; Pondenis, Holly; Fan, Timothy M; Das, Aditi

    2017-01-01

    Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in dogs and people. In order to improve clinical outcomes, it is necessary to identify proteins that are differentially expressed by metastatic cells. Membrane bound proteins are responsible for multiple pro-metastatic functions. Therefore characterizing the differential expression of membranous proteins between metastatic and non-metastatic clonal variants will allow the discovery of druggable targets and consequently improve treatment methodology. The objective of this investigation was to systemically identify the membrane-associated proteomics of metastatic and non-metastatic variants of human and canine origin. Two clonal variants of divergent in vivo metastatic potential from human and canine origins were used. The plasma membranes were isolated and peptide fingerprinting was used to identify differentially expressed proteins. Selected proteins were further validated using western blotting, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Over 500 proteins were identified for each cell line with nearly 40% of the proteins differentially regulated. Conserved between both species, metastatic variants demonstrated significant differences in expression of membrane proteins that are responsible for pro-metastatic functions. Additionally, CD147, CD44 and vimentin were validated using various biochemical techniques. Taken together, through a comparative proteomic approach we have identified several differentially expressed cell membrane proteins that will help in the development of future therapeutics.

  12. Functionalization of nanotextured substrates for enhanced identification of metastatic breast cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mansur, Nuzhat; Raziul Hasan, Mohammad; Kim, Young-tae; Iqbal, Samir M.

    2017-09-01

    Metastasis is the major cause of low survival rates among cancer patients. Once cancer cells metastasize, it is extremely difficult to contain the disease. We report on a nanotextured platform for enhanced detection of metastatic cells. We captured metastatic (MDA-MDB-231) and non-metastatic (MCF-7) breast cancer cells on anti-EGFR aptamer modified plane and nanotextured substrates. Metastatic cells were seen to change their morphology at higher rates when captured on nanotextured substrates than on plane substrates. Analysis showed statistically different morphological behaviors of metastatic cells that were very pronounced on the nanotextured substrates. Several distance matrices were calculated to quantify the dissimilarity of cell shape change. Nanotexturing increased the dissimilarity of the metastatic cells and as a result the contrast between metastatic and non-metastatic cells increased. Jaccard distance measurements found that the shape change ratio of the non-metastatic and metastatic cells was enhanced from 1:1.01 to 1:1.81, going from plane to nanotextured substrates. The shape change ratio of the non-metastatic to metastatic cells improved from 1:1.48 to 1:2.19 for the Hausdorff distance and from 1:1.87 to 1:4.69 for the Mahalanobis distance after introducing nanotexture. Distance matrix analysis showed that nanotexture increased the shape change ratios of non-metastatic and metastatic cells. Hence, the detectability of metastatic cells increased. These calculated matrices provided clear and explicit measures to discriminate single cells for their metastatic state on functional nanotextured substrates.

  13. [Diffuse splenic metastasis of occult breast cancer with incompatible blood group antigenic determinants].

    PubMed

    Baranyay, Ferenc; Bethlen, Klára

    2002-01-20

    Cancer cells with immunogenic properties having modified blood group substances are widely studied (Kannagi, 1988, Hakomori, 1999). A 78-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital in terminal state with unsusceptible circulatory failure. At autopsy the spleen (weight: 420 g) was extremely firm with diffuse blackberried colored cut surface. There were no signs of carcinomatous process at autopsy. By histology the spleen showed diffuse metastatic carcinomatous infiltration. Antibody to Breast carcinoma antigen (BioGenex) labelled metastatic cells of the spleen and bone marrow. The patient had O blood group according to her blood group phenotype. The authors used lectins with and without blood group antigen (BGA) specificity and monoclonal antibodies, too. They found that the B blood group specific Bandeiraea simplicifolia agglutinin I lectin and the anti-B mab were labelled intensively all the metastatic cells of spleen and bone marrow. The A BGAs (with anti-A mab and Dolichos biflorus agglutinin) were completely negative. These observations raise the possibility that the detected incompatible B blood group antigen determinants on the metastatic cells were immunogenic. The authors propose, that the survived carcinoma cells found place of refuge from the immune surveillance in the spleen and in the bone marrow, where the complement mediated tumor cell lysis, immune-rejection was not effective.

  14. Bowenoid epidermotropic metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Ihm, C W; Park, S L; Sung, S Y; Lee, I S

    1996-10-01

    Epidermotropic metastatic squamous cell carcinoma produced full-thickness cellular atypia of bowenoid carcinoma in situ or vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, grade 3 (VIN 3), in a 73-year-old woman who had past history of uterine cervical carcinoma. The presence of intravascular tumor cell nests and areas showing smooth continuity of the malignant squamous cell nodules with the adjoining benign epidermis supported the possibility of the epidermotropic metastasis. To our knowledge, metastatic epidermotropic squamous carcinoma clinicopathologically simulating primary Bowen's disease has not been reported.

  15. Extracellular matrix mediators of metastatic cell colonization characterized using scaffold mimics of the pre-metastatic niche

    PubMed Central

    Aguado, Brian A.; Caffe, Jordan R.; Nanavati, Dhaval; Rao, Shreyas S.; Bushnell, Grace G.; Azarin, Samira M.; Shea, Lonnie D.

    2016-01-01

    Metastatic tumor cells colonize the pre-metastatic niche, which is a complex microenvironment consisting partially of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. We sought to identify and validate novel contributors to tumor cell colonization using ECM coated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds as mimics of the pre-metastatic niche. Utilizing orthotopic breast cancer mouse models, fibronectin and collagen IV-coated scaffolds implanted in the subcutaneous space captured colonizing tumor cells, showing a greater than 2-fold increase in tumor cell accumulation at the implant site compared to uncoated scaffolds. As a strategy to identify additional ECM colonization contributors, decellularized matrix (DCM) from lungs and livers containing metastatic tumors were characterized. In vitro, metastatic cell adhesion was increased on DCM coatings from diseased organs relative to healthy DCM. Furthermore, in vivo implantations of diseased DCM-coated scaffolds had increased tumor cell colonization relative to healthy DCM coatings. Mass-spectrometry proteomics was performed on healthy and diseased DCM to identify candidates associated with colonization. Myeloperoxidase was identified as abundantly present in diseased organs and validated as a contributor to colonization using myeloperoxidase-coated scaffold implants. This work identified novel ECM proteins associated with colonization using decellularization and proteomics techniques and validated candidates using a scaffold to mimic the pre-metastatic niche. PMID:26844426

  16. Extracellular matrix mediators of metastatic cell colonization characterized using scaffold mimics of the pre-metastatic niche.

    PubMed

    Aguado, Brian A; Caffe, Jordan R; Nanavati, Dhaval; Rao, Shreyas S; Bushnell, Grace G; Azarin, Samira M; Shea, Lonnie D

    2016-03-01

    Metastatic tumor cells colonize the pre-metastatic niche, which is a complex microenvironment consisting partially of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. We sought to identify and validate novel contributors to tumor cell colonization using ECM-coated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds as mimics of the pre-metastatic niche. Utilizing orthotopic breast cancer mouse models, fibronectin and collagen IV-coated scaffolds implanted in the subcutaneous space captured colonizing tumor cells, showing a greater than 2-fold increase in tumor cell accumulation at the implant site compared to uncoated scaffolds. As a strategy to identify additional ECM colonization contributors, decellularized matrix (DCM) from lungs and livers containing metastatic tumors were characterized. In vitro, metastatic cell adhesion was increased on DCM coatings from diseased organs relative to healthy DCM. Furthermore, in vivo implantations of diseased DCM-coated scaffolds had increased tumor cell colonization relative to healthy DCM coatings. Mass-spectrometry proteomics was performed on healthy and diseased DCM to identify candidates associated with colonization. Myeloperoxidase was identified as abundantly present in diseased organs and validated as a contributor to colonization using myeloperoxidase-coated scaffold implants. This work identified novel ECM proteins associated with colonization using decellularization and proteomics techniques and validated candidates using a scaffold to mimic the pre-metastatic niche. The pre-metastatic niche consists partially of ECM proteins that promote metastatic cell colonization to a target organ. We present a biomaterials-based approach to mimic this niche and identify ECM mediators of colonization. Using murine breast cancer models, we implanted microporous PCL scaffolds to recruit colonizing tumor cells in vivo. As a strategy to modulate colonization, we coated scaffolds with various ECM proteins, including decellularized lung and liver matrix from

  17. EphA2 Is a Potential Player of Malignant Cellular Behavior in Non-Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells but Not in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells.

    PubMed

    Cho, Min Chul; Cho, Sung Yong; Yoon, Cheol Yong; Lee, Seung Bae; Kwak, Cheol; Kim, Hyeon Hoe; Jeong, Hyeon

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the role of EphA2 in malignant cellular behavior in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells and whether FAK/RhoA signaling can act as downstream effectors of EphA2 on RCC cells. Expression of EphA2 protein in non-metastatic RCC (Caki-2 and A498), metastatic RCC cells (Caki-1 and ACHN), HEK-293 cells and prostate cancer cells (PC-3 and DU-145; positive controls of EphA2 expression) was evaluated by Western blot. Changes in mRNA or protein expression of EphA2, FAK or membrane-bound RhoA following EphA2, FAK or RhoA small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. The effect of siRNA treatment on cellular viability, apoptosis and invasion was analyzed by cell counting kit-8, Annexin-V and modified Matrigel-Boyden assays, respectively. In all RCC cell lines, the expression of EphA2 protein was detectable at variable levels; however, in HEK-293 cells, EphA2 expression was very low. Treatment with EphA2 siRNA significantly reduced the expression of EphA2 mRNA and protein in all RCC cell lines. For non-metastatic RCC cells (Caki-2 and A498) but not metastatic RCC cells (Caki-1 and ACHN), cellular viability, invasiveness, resistance to apoptosis, expression of membrane-bound RhoA protein and FAK phosphorylation were significantly decreased in EphA2 siRNA-treated cells compared to the control. In non-metastatic RCC cells, FAK siRNA significantly attenuated the invasiveness, resistance to apoptosis, as well as expression of membrane-bound RhoA protein without changing protein expression of EphA2. RhoA siRNA significantly decreased the malignant cellular behavior and expression of membrane-bound RhoA protein without changing EphA2 protein expression or FAK phosphorylation. Our data provide the first functional evidence that the EphA2/FAK/RhoA signaling pathway plays a critical role in the malignant cellular behavior of RCC and appears to be functional particularly in the early stage of

  18. Cell stiffness is a biomarker of the metastatic potential of ovarian cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Wenwei; Mezencev, Roman; Kim, Byungkyu; Wang, Lijuan; McDonald, John; Sulchek, Todd; Sulchek Team; McDonald Team

    2013-03-01

    The metastatic potential of cells is an important parameter in the design of optimal strategies for the personalized treatment of cancer. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we show that ovarian cancer cells are generally softer and display lower intrinsic variability in cell stiffness than non-malignant ovarian epithelial cells. A detailed study of highly invasive ovarian cancer cells (HEY A8) and their less invasive parental cells (HEY), demonstrates that deformability can serve as an accurate biomarker of metastatic potential. Comparative gene expression profiling indicate that the reduced stiffness of highly metastatic HEY A8 cells is associated with actin cytoskeleton remodeling, microscopic examination of actin fiber structure in these cell lines is consistent with this prediction. Our results indicate that cell stiffness not only distinguishes ovarian cancer cells from non-malignant cells, but may also be a useful biomarker to evaluate the relative metastatic potential of ovarian and perhaps other types of cancer cells.

  19. Measuring the metastatic potential of cancer cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morrison, Dennis R.; Gratzner, Howard; Atassi, M. Z.

    1993-01-01

    Cancer cells must secrete proteolytic enzymes to invade adjacent tissues and migrate to a new metastatic site. Urokinase (uPA) is a key enzyme related to metastasis in cancers of the lung, colon, gastric, uterine, breast, brain, and malignant melanoma. A NASA technology utilization project has combined fluorescence microscopy, image analysis, and flow cytometry, using fluorescent dyes, and urokinase-specific antibodies to measure uPA and abnormal DNA levels (related to cancer cell proliferation) inside the cancer cells. The project is focused on developing quantitative measurements to determine if a patient's tumor cells are actively metastasizing. If a significant number of tumor cells contain large amounts of uPA (esp. membrane-bound) then the post-surgical chemotherapy or radiotherapy can be targeted for metastatic cells that have already left the primary tumor. These analytical methods have been applied to a retrospective study of biopsy tissues from 150 node negative, stage 1 breast cancer patients. Cytopathology and image analysis has shown that uPA is present in high levels in many breast cancer cells, but not found in normal breast. Significant amounts of uPA also have been measured in glioma cell lines cultured from brain tumors. Commercial applications include new diagnostic tests for metastatic cells, in different cancers, which are being developed with a company that provides a medical testing service using flow cytometry for DNA analysis and hormone receptors on tumor cells from patient biopsies. This research also may provide the basis for developing a new 'magic bullet' treatment against metastasis using chemotherapeutic drugs or radioisotopes attached to urokinase-specific monoclonal antibodies that will only bind to metastatic cells.

  20. Metastatic human hepatocellular carcinoma models in nude mice and cell line with metastatic potential

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Zhao-You; Sun, Fan-Xian; Tian, Jian; Ye, Sheng-Long; Liu, Yin-Kun; Liu, Kang-Da; Xue, Qiong; Chen, Jie; Xia, Jing-Lin; Qin, Lun-Xiu; Sun, Hui-Chuan; Wang, Lu; Zhou, Jian; Li, Yan; Ma, Zeng-Chen; Zhou, Xin-Da; Wu, Zhi-Quan; Lin, Zhi-Ying; Yang, Bing-Hui

    2001-01-01

    Metastatic human HCC model is needed for the studies on mechanism and interven tion of metastatic recurrence. By using orthotopic implantation of histologically intact tissues of 30 surgical specimens, a patient-like metastatic model of hu man HCC in nude mice (LCI-D20) and a low metastatic model of human HCC in nude mice (LCI-D35) have been established. All mice with transplanted LCI-D20 tumors exhibited extremely high metastatic ability including spontaneous metasta sis to liver, lungs, lymph nodes and peritoneal seeding. Remarkable difference was also found in expression of some of the invasiveness related genes and growth factors between the LCI-D20 and LCI-D35 tumors. PAI-1 increased gradually following tumor progression in LCI-D20 model, and correlated with tumor size and AFP level. Phasic expression of tissue intercellular adhesio nmolecule-1 in this model was also observed. Using corneal micropocket model, it was demonstrated that the vascular response induced by LCI-D20 tumor was stronger than that induced by LCI-D35 tumor. Similar report on metastatic human HCC model in nude mice and human HCC cell line with metastatic potential was rarely found in the literature. This LCI-D20 model has been widely used for the studies on intervention of metastasis, including anti-angiogenesis, antisense approach, metallopro teinase inhibitor, differentiation inducer, etc. It is concluded that the establ ishment of metastatic human HCC model in nude mice and human HCC cell line with metastatic potential will provide important models for the in vivo and in vitro study of HCC invasiveness, angiogenesis as well as intervention of HCC recurrence. PMID:11819839

  1. Trespassing cancer cells: 'fingerprinting' invasive protrusions reveals metastatic culprits.

    PubMed

    Klemke, Richard L

    2012-10-01

    Metastatic cancer cells produce invasive membrane protrusions called invadopodia and pseudopodia, which play a central role in driving cancer cell dissemination in the body. Malignant cells use these structures to attach to and degrade extracellular matrix proteins, generate force for cell locomotion, and to penetrate the vasculature. Recent work using unique subcellular fractionation methodologies combined with spatial genomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic profiling has provided insight into the invadopodiome and pseudopodiome signaling networks that control the protrusion of invasive membranes. Here I highlight how these powerful spatial 'omics' approaches reveal important signatures of metastatic cancer cells and possible new therapeutic targets aimed at treating metastatic disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. KLF4-dependent perivascular cell plasticity mediates pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis

    PubMed Central

    Murgai, Meera; Ju, Wei; Eason, Matthew; Kline, Jessica; Beury, Daniel; Kaczanowska, Sabina; Miettinen, Markku M; Kruhlak, Michael; Lei, Haiyan; Shern, Jack F; Cherepanova, Olga A.; Owens, Gary K; Kaplan, Rosandra N

    2017-01-01

    A deeper understanding of the metastatic process is required for the development of new therapies that improve patient survival. Metastatic tumor cell growth and survival in distant organs is facilitated by the formation of a pre-metastatic niche composed of hematopoietic cells, stromal cells, and extracellular matrix (ECM). Perivascular cells, including vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) and pericytes, are involved in new vessel formation and in promoting stem cell maintenance and proliferation. Given the well-described plasticity of perivascular cells, we hypothesize that perivascular cells similarly regulate tumor cell fate at metastatic sites. Using perivascular cell-specific and pericyte-specific lineage-tracing models, we trace the fate of perivascular cells in the pre-metastatic and metastatic microenvironments. We show that perivascular cells lose the expression of traditional vSMC/pericyte markers in response to tumor-secreted factors and exhibit increased proliferation, migration, and ECM synthesis. Increased expression of the pluripotency gene Klf4 in these phenotypically-switched perivascular cells promotes a less differentiated state characterized by enhanced ECM production that establishes a pro-metastatic fibronectin-rich environment. Genetic inactivation of Klf4 in perivascular cells decreases pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis. Our data reveal a previously unidentified role for perivascular cells in pre-metastatic niche formation and uncover novel strategies for limiting metastasis. PMID:28920957

  3. Trespassing cancer cells: ‘fingerprinting’ invasive protrusions reveals metastatic culprits

    PubMed Central

    Klemke, Richard L.

    2012-01-01

    Metastatic cancer cells produce invasive membrane protrusions called invadopodia and pseudopodia, which play a central role in driving cancer cell dissemination in the body. Malignant cells use these structures to attach to and degrade extracellular matrix proteins, generate force for cell locomotion, and to penetrate the vasculature. Recent work using unique subcellular fractionation methodologies combined with spatial genomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic profiling has provided insight into the invadopodiome and pseudopodiome signaling networks that control the protrusion of invasive membranes. Here I highlight how these powerful spatial “omics” approaches reveal important signatures of metastatic cancer cells and possible new therapeutic targets aimed at treating metastatic disease. PMID:22980730

  4. Merkel Cell Carcinoma Metastatic to Pleural Fluid: A Case Report.

    PubMed

    Rhee, Ye-Young; Kim, Soo Hee; Kim, Eun Kyung; Kim, Se Hoon

    2018-05-01

    Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin that shows locoregional or distant metastasis. Metastasis of MCC to body cavity effusion is extremely rare; only three cases have been reported so far. Metastatic MCC in effusion cytology shows small blue round cells with fine stippled chromatin like other small blue round cell tumors such as small cell lung carcinoma or lymphoma. The diagnosis of metastatic MCC can grant patients good chances at recently advanced therapeutic options. Here, we present a case of metastatic MCC to pleural effusion with characteristic single file-like pattern.

  5. Metastatic Melanoma Secreted IL-10 Down-Regulates CD1 Molecules on Dendritic Cells in Metastatic Tumor Lesions

    PubMed Central

    Gerlini, Gianni; Tun-Kyi, Adrian; Dudli, Christa; Burg, Günter; Pimpinelli, Nicola; Nestle, Frank O.

    2004-01-01

    CD1 molecules are expressed by antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells and mediate primary immune responses to lipids and glycolipids which have been shown to be expressed by various tumors. Glycolipids are expressed by melanoma cells but, despite their immunogenicity, no efficient spontaneous immune responses are elicited. As IL-10 has previously been shown to down-regulate CD1a on dendritic cells and is known to be expressed by various melanoma cell lines, we investigated if melanoma-derived IL-10 could down-regulate CD1 molecule expression on dendritic cells as a possible way to circumvent immune recognition. We found that CD1a, CD1b, CD1c, and CD1d were significantly down-regulated on dendritic cells in metastatic (n = 10) but not in primary melanoma lesions (n = 10). We further detected significantly higher IL-10 protein levels in metastatic than in primary melanomas. Moreover, supernatants from metastatic melanomas were significantly more effective in down-regulating CD1 molecules on dendritic cells than supernatants from primary melanoma cultures. This effect was blocked using a neutralizing IL-10 antibody in a dose dependent manner. Our findings suggest that metastatic but not primary melanomas can down-regulate CD1 molecules on infiltrating dendritic cells by secreting IL-10 which may represent a novel way to escape the immune response directed against the tumor. PMID:15579430

  6. Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Pancreas: A Review.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Shaun Kian Hong; Chuah, Khoon Leong

    2016-06-01

    The pancreas is an unusual site for tumor metastasis, accounting for only 2% to 5% of all malignancies affecting the pancreas. The more common metastases affecting the pancreas include renal cell carcinomas, melanomas, colorectal carcinomas, breast carcinomas, and sarcomas. Although pancreatic involvement by nonrenal malignancies indicates widespread systemic disease, metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the pancreas often represents an isolated event and is thus amenable to surgical resection, which is associated with long-term survival. As such, it is important to accurately diagnose pancreatic involvement by metastatic renal cell carcinoma on histology, especially given that renal cell carcinoma metastasis may manifest more than a decade after its initial presentation and diagnosis. In this review, we discuss the clinicopathologic findings of isolated renal cell carcinoma metastases of the pancreas, with special emphasis on separating metastatic renal cell carcinoma and its various differential diagnoses in the pancreas.

  7. Optical detection of metastatic cancer cells using a scanned laser pico-projection system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Chih-Ling; Chiu, Wen-Tai; Lo, Yu-Lung; Chuang, Chin-Ho; Chen, Yu-Bin; Chang, Shu-Jing; Ke, Tung-Ting; Cheng, Hung-Chi; Wu, Hua-Lin

    2015-03-01

    Metastasis is responsible for 90% of all cancer-related deaths in humans. As a result, reliable techniques for detecting metastatic cells are urgently required. Although various techniques have been proposed for metastasis detection, they are generally capable of detecting metastatic cells only once migration has already occurred. Accordingly, the present study proposes an optical method for physical characterization of metastatic cancer cells using a scanned laser pico-projection system (SLPP). The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated using five pairs of cancer cell lines and two pairs of non-cancer cell lines treated by IPTG induction in order to mimic normal cells with an overexpression of oncogene. The results show that for all of the considered cell lines, the SLPP speckle contrast of the high-metastatic cells is significantly higher than that of the low-metastatic cells. As a result, the speckle contrast measurement provides a reliable means of distinguishing quantitatively between low- and high-metastatic cells of the same origin. Compared to existing metastasis detection methods, the proposed SLPP approach has many advantages, including a higher throughput, a lower cost, a larger sample size and a more reliable diagnostic performance. As a result, it provides a highly promising solution for physical characterization of metastatic cancer cells in vitro.

  8. [A case of gastric metastasis and carcinomatous peritonitis of breast cancer with improved QOL by stent implantation and gemcitabine].

    PubMed

    Mukaibashi, Tomoe; Kojima, Izumi; Yamanaka, Ayumi; Nishiyama, Sachiko; Yamanaka, Takashi; Nakayama, Hirotaka; Matsuura, Hitoshi; Matsuzu, Kenichi; Inaba, Masaaki; Yoshida, Akira; Shimizu, Satoru

    2013-08-01

    A 73-year-old woman had undergone mastectomy for left breast cancer. One year later, bone metastasis was detected. After 7 years, the patient experienced epigastric discomfort, and gastrointestinal endoscopy showed stenosis of the pylorus and enlarged gastric folds. Stomach cancer was suspected at first, but gastric metastasis of breast cancer was diagnosed on the basis of endoscopic reexamination and computed tomography(CT)images. The patient could not drink water, and therefore, gastrointestinal stenting was performed, which facilitated ingestion to some extent. However, at the same time, an elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)level and jaundice were observed. Therefore, biliary tract stenosis due to carcinomatous peritonitis was diagnosed. We attempted to treat the jaundice with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography( ERCP)or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography(PTCD), but the treatment was not successful, and an increase in ascites was noted. Accordingly, gemcitabine was administered as systemic therapy. As a result, ascites decreased and jaundice improved. Patients with gastric metastasis of breast cancer have poor quality of life(QOL)because of difficulties in ingestion or vomiting, and poor prognoses, because of frequent concurrent carcinomatous peritonitis. We experienced a case of gastric metastasis and carcinomatous peritonitis, and were able to improve the patient's QOL by gastrointestinal stenting and gemcitabine administration.

  9. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the nasopharynx.

    PubMed

    Atar, Yavuz; Topaloglu, Ilhan; Ozcan, Deniz

    2013-01-01

    Metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses can be misdiagnosed as primary malignant or benign diseases. A 33-year-old male attended our outpatient clinic complaining of difficulty breathing through the nose, bloody nasal discharge, postnasal drop, snoring, and discharge of phlegm. Endoscopic nasopharyngeal examination showed a vascularized nasopharyngeal mass. Under general anesthesia, multiple punch biopsies were taken from the nasopharynx. Pathologically, the tumor cells had clear cytoplasm and were arranged in a trabecular pattern lined by a layer of endothelial cells. After the initial pathological examination, the pathologist requested more information about the patient's clinical status. A careful history revealed that the patient had undergone left a nephrectomy for a kidney mass diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma 3 years earlier. Subsequently, nasopharyngeal metastatic renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining with CD10 and vimentin. Radiotherapy was recommended for treatment.

  10. Changes in cytoskeletal dynamics and nonlinear rheology with metastatic ability in cancer cell lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coughlin, Mark F.; Fredberg, Jeffrey J.

    2013-12-01

    Metastatic outcome is impacted by the biophysical state of the primary tumor cell. To determine if changes in cancer cell biophysical properties facilitate metastasis, we quantified cytoskeletal biophysics in well-characterized human skin, bladder, prostate and kidney cell line pairs that differ in metastatic ability. Using magnetic twisting cytometry with optical detection, cytoskeletal dynamics was observed through spontaneous motion of surface bound marker beads and nonlinear rheology was characterized through large amplitude forced oscillations of probe beads. Measurements of cytoskeletal dynamics and nonlinear rheology differed between strongly and weakly metastatic cells. However, no set of biophysical parameters changed systematically with metastatic ability across all cell lines. Compared to their weakly metastatic counterparts, the strongly metastatic kidney cancer cells exhibited both increased cytoskeletal dynamics and stiffness at large deformation which are thought to facilitate the process of vascular invasion.

  11. ERBB2 Increases Metastatic Potentials Specifically in Androgen-Insensitive Prostate Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Tome-Garcia, Jessica; Li, Dan; Ghazaryan, Seda; Shu, Limin; Wu, Lizhao

    2014-01-01

    Despite all the blood-based biomarkers used to monitor prostate cancer patients, prostate cancer remains as the second common cause of cancer mortality in men in the United States. This is largely due to a lack of understanding of the molecular pathways that are responsible for the aggressive forms of prostate cancers, the castrate-resistant prostate cancer and the metastatic prostate cancer. Cell signaling pathways activated by the ERBB2 oncogene or the RAS oncogene are frequently found to be altered in metastatic prostate cancers. To evaluate and define the role of the ERBB2/RAS pathway in prostate cancer metastasis, we have evaluated the impact of ERBB2- or RAS-overexpression on the metastatic potentials for four prostate cancer cell lines derived from tumors with different androgen sensitivities. To do so, we transfected the human DU145, LnCaP, and PC3 prostate cancer cells and the murine Myc-CaP prostate cancer cells with the activated form of ERBB2 or H-RAS and assessed their metastatic potentials by three complementary assays, a wound healing assay, a transwell motility assay, and a transwell invasion assay. We showed that while overexpression of ERBB2 increased the metastatic potential of the androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cells (i.e. PC3 and DU145), it did not affect metastatic potentials of the androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells (i.e. LnCaP and Myc-CaP). In contrast, overexpression of H-RAS only increased the cell motility of Myc-CaP cells, which overexpress the human c-MYC oncogene. Our data suggest that ERBB2 collaborates with androgen signaling to promote prostate cancer metastasis, and that although RAS is one of the critical downstream effectors of ERBB2, it does not phenocopy ERBB2 for its impact on the metastatic potentials of prostate cancer cell lines. PMID:24937171

  12. Avelumab: A Review in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Shirley, Matt

    2018-05-24

    Avelumab (Bavencio ® ) is a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that is directed against programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). Avelumab functions as an immune checkpoint inhibitor and has recently been approved in the USA, the EU and Japan for the treatment of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). It is thus the first therapeutic agent specifically approved for use in this indication, and is approved for use independent of line of treatment. Approval for avelumab in metastatic MCC was based on the two-part, single-arm, phase II trial, JAVELIN Merkel 200. In Part A of the study, confirmed objective responses were observed in approximately one-third of patients with chemotherapy-refractory metastatic MCC treated with avelumab. The responses were observed early and appeared to be durable, with an estimated 74% of responses having a duration ≥ 12 months. Furthermore, interim results from a separate cohort of patients (Part B) indicate an objective response rate for avelumab of > 60% in patients who were chemotherapy-naïve in the metastatic disease setting. Avelumab is associated with a risk of immune-related adverse events but, overall, has an acceptable and manageable safety and tolerability profile. In conclusion, currently available data suggest that avelumab presents a clinically beneficial new treatment option for metastatic MCC, a rare but aggressive cancer associated with a poor prognosis.

  13. Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Selectively Ablating Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Mian; Holmes, Benjamin; Cheng, Xiaoqian; Zhu, Wei; Keidar, Michael; Zhang, Lijie Grace

    2013-01-01

    Traditional breast cancer treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy contain many inherent limitations with regards to incomplete and nonselective tumor ablation. Cold atomospheric plasma (CAP) is an ionized gas where the ion temperature is close to room temperature. It contains electrons, charged particles, radicals, various excited molecules, UV photons and transient electric fields. These various compositional elements have the potential to either enhance and promote cellular activity, or disrupt and destroy them. In particular, based on this unique composition, CAP could offer a minimally-invasive surgical approach allowing for specific cancer cell or tumor tissue removal without influencing healthy cells. Thus, the objective of this research is to investigate a novel CAP-based therapy for selectively bone metastatic breast cancer treatment. For this purpose, human metastatic breast cancer (BrCa) cells and bone marrow derived human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were separately treated with CAP, and behavioral changes were evaluated after 1, 3, and 5 days of culture. With different treatment times, different BrCa and MSC cell responses were observed. Our results showed that BrCa cells were more sensitive to these CAP treatments than MSCs under plasma dose conditions tested. It demonstrated that CAP can selectively ablate metastatic BrCa cells in vitro without damaging healthy MSCs at the metastatic bone site. In addition, our study showed that CAP treatment can significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of BrCa cells. The results suggest the great potential of CAP for breast cancer therapy. PMID:24040051

  14. Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Brain Endothelial Cells: Possible Role during Metastatic Extravasation

    PubMed Central

    Krizbai, István A.; Gasparics, Ákos; Nagyőszi, Péter; Fazakas, Csilla; Molnár, Judit; Wilhelm, Imola; Bencs, Rita; Rosivall, László; Sebe, Attila

    2015-01-01

    Cancer progression towards metastasis follows a defined sequence of events described as the metastatic cascade. For extravasation and transendothelial migration metastatic cells interact first with endothelial cells. Yet the role of endothelial cells during the process of metastasis formation and extravasation is still unclear, and the interaction between metastatic and endothelial cells during transendothelial migration is poorly understood. Since tumor cells are well known to express TGF-β, and the compact endothelial layer undergoes a series of changes during metastatic extravasation (cell contact disruption, cytoskeletal reorganization, enhanced contractility), we hypothesized that an EndMT may be necessary for metastatic extravasation. We demonstrate that primary cultured rat brain endothelial cells (BEC) undergo EndMT upon TGF-β1 treatment, characterized by the loss of tight and adherens junction proteins, expression of fibronectin, β1-integrin, calponin and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA). B16/F10 cell line conditioned and activated medium (ACM) had similar effects: claudin-5 down-regulation, fibronectin and SMA expression. Inhibition of TGF-β signaling during B16/F10 ACM stimulation using SB-431542 maintained claudin-5 levels and mitigated fibronectin and SMA expression. B16/F10 ACM stimulation of BECs led to phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3. SB-431542 prevented SMA up-regulation upon stimulation of BECs with A2058, MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 ACM as well. Moreover, B16/F10 ACM caused a reduction in transendothelial electrical resistance, enhanced the number of melanoma cells adhering to and transmigrating through the endothelial layer, in a TGF-β-dependent manner. These effects were not confined to BECs: HUVECs showed TGF-β-dependent SMA expression when stimulated with breast cancer cell line ACM. Our results indicate that an EndMT may be necessary for metastatic transendothelial migration, and this transition may be one of the potential mechanisms occurring

  15. Metastatic Basal cell carcinoma accompanying gorlin syndrome.

    PubMed

    Bilir, Yeliz; Gokce, Erkan; Ozturk, Banu; Deresoy, Faik Alev; Yuksekkaya, Ruken; Yaman, Emel

    2014-01-01

    Gorlin-Goltz syndrome or basal cell nevus syndrome is an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by skeletal anomalies, numerous cysts observed in the jaw, and multiple basal cell carcinoma of the skin, which may be accompanied by falx cerebri calcification. Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly skin tumor with slow clinical course and low metastatic potential. Its concomitance with Gorlin syndrome, resulting from a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene, may substantially change morbidity and mortality. A 66-year-old male patient with a history of recurrent basal cell carcinoma was presented with exophthalmus in the left eye and the lesions localized in the left lateral orbita and left zygomatic area. His physical examination revealed hearing loss, gapped teeth, highly arched palate, and frontal prominence. Left orbital mass, cystic masses at frontal and ethmoidal sinuses, and multiple pulmonary nodules were detected at CT scans. Basal cell carcinoma was diagnosed from biopsy of ethmoid sinus. Based on the clinical and typical radiological characteristics (falx cerebri calcification, bifid costa, and odontogenic cysts), the patient was diagnosed with metastatic skin basal cell carcinoma accompanied by Gorlin syndrome. Our case is a basal cell carcinoma with aggressive course accompanying a rarely seen syndrome.

  16. Comparative Gene Expression Profiling of Primary and Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Stem Cell-Like Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Czarnecka, Anna M.; Lewicki, Sławomir; Helbrecht, Igor; Brodaczewska, Klaudia; Koch, Irena; Zdanowski, Robert; Król, Magdalena; Szczylik, Cezary

    2016-01-01

    Background Recent advancement in cancer research has shown that tumors are highly heterogeneous, and multiple phenotypically different cell populations are found in a single tumor. Cancer development and tumor growth are driven by specific types of cells—stem cell-like cancer cells (SCLCCs)—which are also responsible for metastatic spread and drug resistance. This research was designed to verify the presence of SCLCCs in renal cell cancer cell lines. Subsequently, we aimed to characterize phenotype and cell biology of CD105+ cells, defined previously as renal cell carcinoma tumor-initiating cells. The main goal of the project was to describe the gene-expression profile of stem cell-like cancer cells of primary tumor and metastatic origin. Materials and Methods Real-time PCR analysis of stemness genes (Oct-4, Nanog and Ncam) and soft agar colony formation assay were conducted to check the stemness properties of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines. FACS analysis of CD105+ and CD133+ cells was performed on RCC cells. Isolated CD105+ cells were verified for expression of mesenchymal markers—CD24, CD146, CD90, CD73, CD44, CD11b, CD19, CD34, CD45, HLA-DR and alkaline phosphatase. Hanging drop assay was used to investigate CD105+ cell-cell cohesion. Analysis of free-floating 3D spheres formed by isolated CD105+ was verified, as spheres have been hypothesized to contain undifferentiated multipotent progenitor cells. Finally, CD105+ cells were sorted from primary (Caki-2) and metastatic (ACHN) renal cell cancer cell lines. Gene-expression profiling of sorted CD105+ cells was performed with Agilent’s human GE 4x44K v2 microarrays. Differentially expressed genes were further categorized into canonical pathways. Network analysis and downstream analysis were performed with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Results Metastatic RCC cell lines (ACHN and Caki-1) demonstrated higher colony-forming ability in comparison to primary RCC cell lines. Metastatic RCC cell lines harbor

  17. Establishment and characterization of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cell lines with different metastatic potential from Chinese patients.

    PubMed

    Tan, Xiaojie; He, Songqin; Han, Yifang; Yu, Yongwei; Xiao, Jianru; Xu, Danfeng; Wang, Guoping; Du, Yan; Chang, Wenjun; Yin, Jianhua; Su, Tong; Hou, Jianguo; Cao, Guangwen

    2013-02-26

    Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cell lines with distinct metastatic potential are essential to study the mechanism of ccRCC metastasis. However, none of them originated from Chinese. Primary cell cultures were performed using a primary tumor of a 49-year-old male ccRCC patient and a metastatic tumor of a 62-year-old male patient who had received nephrectomy to excise primary ccRCC 10 years ago. Cell growth, microstructure, cytogenetics, cytometry, expression of metastasis-associated molecules, tumorigenesis and metastasis were subsequently characterized. Two successive cell lines named NRCC from the primary ccRCC and MRCC from the metastatic ccRCC were established, respectively. Compared to NRCC, MRCC exhibited stronger anchorage-independent growth and invasion potentials and contained more glycogen granules in the cytoplasm. Gains of chromosomes and some translocations were the major chromosomal aberrations in both cell strains. CD24 expression was more frequent in MRCC than in NRCC and the same was true for CD56. The transcriptional levels of TNFα, IL-6, VEGF, HIF2α, MMP2, and RhoC were significantly higher in MRCC than in NRCC. Cytosolic IκBα protein was more degraded in MRCC than in NRCC following TNFα treatment. Both cell lines had strong tumorigenicity in athymic nude mice. However, MRCC had strong potential in generating metastasis to lung and hemorrhagic ascites than NRCC following orthotopic transplantations. Cancer cells isolated from metastatic ccRCC have more malignant and metastatic potential than those from the primary tumor from the patients who shared the similar race background. Establishment of MRCC and NRCC may provide suitable models with which to investigate molecular mechanisms of ccRCC metastasis.

  18. Targeting breast to brain metastatic tumours with death receptor ligand expressing therapeutic stem cells

    PubMed Central

    Bagci-Onder, Tugba; Du, Wanlu; Figueiredo, Jose-Luiz; Martinez-Quintanilla, Jordi

    2015-01-01

    Characterizing clinically relevant brain metastasis models and assessing the therapeutic efficacy in such models are fundamental for the development of novel therapies for metastatic brain cancers. In this study, we have developed an in vivo imageable breast-to-brain metastasis mouse model. Using real time in vivo imaging and subsequent composite fluorescence imaging, we show a widespread distribution of micro- and macro-metastasis in different stages of metastatic progression. We also show extravasation of tumour cells and the close association of tumour cells with blood vessels in the brain thus mimicking the multi-foci metastases observed in the clinics. Next, we explored the ability of engineered adult stem cells to track metastatic deposits in this model and show that engineered stem cells either implanted or injected via circulation efficiently home to metastatic tumour deposits in the brain. Based on the recent findings that metastatic tumour cells adopt unique mechanisms of evading apoptosis to successfully colonize in the brain, we reasoned that TNF receptor superfamily member 10A/10B apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) based pro-apoptotic therapies that induce death receptor signalling within the metastatic tumour cells might be a favourable therapeutic approach. We engineered stem cells to express a tumour selective, potent and secretable variant of a TRAIL, S-TRAIL, and show that these cells significantly suppressed metastatic tumour growth and prolonged the survival of mice bearing metastatic breast tumours. Furthermore, the incorporation of pro-drug converting enzyme, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase, into therapeutic S-TRAIL secreting stem cells allowed their eradication post-tumour treatment. These studies are the first of their kind that provide insight into targeting brain metastasis with stem-cell mediated delivery of pro-apoptotic ligands and have important clinical implications. PMID:25910782

  19. (-)-Gossypol reduces invasiveness in metastatic prostate cancer cells

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Acquisition of metastatic ability by prostatic cancer cells is the most lethal aspect of prostatic cancer progression. (-)-Gossypol, a polyphenolic compound present in cottonseeds, possesses anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic effects in various cancer cells. In this study, the differences betwee...

  20. Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma Accompanying Gorlin Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Bilir, Yeliz; Gokce, Erkan; Ozturk, Banu; Deresoy, Faik Alev; Yuksekkaya, Ruken; Yaman, Emel

    2014-01-01

    Gorlin-Goltz syndrome or basal cell nevus syndrome is an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by skeletal anomalies, numerous cysts observed in the jaw, and multiple basal cell carcinoma of the skin, which may be accompanied by falx cerebri calcification. Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly skin tumor with slow clinical course and low metastatic potential. Its concomitance with Gorlin syndrome, resulting from a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene, may substantially change morbidity and mortality. A 66-year-old male patient with a history of recurrent basal cell carcinoma was presented with exophthalmus in the left eye and the lesions localized in the left lateral orbita and left zygomatic area. His physical examination revealed hearing loss, gapped teeth, highly arched palate, and frontal prominence. Left orbital mass, cystic masses at frontal and ethmoidal sinuses, and multiple pulmonary nodules were detected at CT scans. Basal cell carcinoma was diagnosed from biopsy of ethmoid sinus. Based on the clinical and typical radiological characteristics (falx cerebri calcification, bifid costa, and odontogenic cysts), the patient was diagnosed with metastatic skin basal cell carcinoma accompanied by Gorlin syndrome. Our case is a basal cell carcinoma with aggressive course accompanying a rarely seen syndrome. PMID:25506011

  1. Heat shock protein 27 regulates human prostate cancer cell motility and metastatic progression

    PubMed Central

    Voll, Eric A; Ogden, Irene M; Pavese, Janet M; Huang, XiaoKe; Xu, Li; Jovanovic, Borko D; Bergan, Raymond C

    2014-01-01

    Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common form of cancer in American men. Mortality from PCa is caused by the movement of cancer cells from the primary organ to form metastatic tumors at distant sites. Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is known to increase human PCa cell invasion and its overexpression is associated with metastatic disease. The role of HSP27 in driving PCa cell movement from the prostate to distant metastatic sites is unknown. Increased HSP27 expression increased metastasis as well as primary tumor mass. In vitro studies further examined the mechanism of HSP27-induced metastatic behavior. HSP27 did not affect cell detachment, adhesion, or migration, but did increase cell invasion. Cell invasion was dependent upon matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), whose expression was increased by HSP27. In vivo, HSP27 induced commensurate changes in MMP-2 expression in tumors. These findings demonstrate that HSP27 drives metastatic spread of cancer cells from the prostate to distant sites, does so across a continuum of expression levels, and identifies HSP27-driven increases in MMP-2 expression as functionally relevant. These findings add to prior studies demonstrating that HSP27 increases PCa cell motility, growth and survival. Together, they demonstrate that HSP27 plays an important role in PCa progression. PMID:24798191

  2. Perioperative Considerations in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Flavin, Kate; Vasdev, Nikhil; Ashead, Jim; Lane, Tim; Hanbury, Damian; Nathan, Paul; Gowrie-Mohan, Shanmugasundaram

    2016-01-01

    Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma are complex, with the potential for significant complications, and require extensive pre-, peri-, and postoperative management. This article discusses, in depth, the necessary considerations in the treatment of these patients. PMID:27833463

  3. [Small-cell anaplastic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the rectum].

    PubMed

    Molas, G; Bougis-de-Brux, M A; Potet, F

    1987-12-01

    A pediculed tumor of the rectum was discovered in a 63 years old man. Within the tumor adenomatous dysplastic proliferation was associated with a neuroendocrine small-cell anaplastic carcinoma. The neuroendocrine nature of the tumor was suspected on conventional optic microscopy and confirmed by a positive Grimelius technique. Specific typical granules were also found on electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical techniques using neurospecific enolase were also positive. Carcinomatous invasion was limited to the submucosa, but the surgical specimen showed that one lymph node was metastatic. Three months later, hepatic metastasis was suspected on physical examination and the patient died of hepatic failure ten months after the discovery of the tumor. Twenty-two similar cases were found in the literature: of these five cases were associated with benign adenomatous lesions. In all cases the patients died of early metastatic diffusion. This tumor raises the problems of diagnosis, terminology, classification and therapy: only aggressive chemotherapy, similar to that applied to the same type of carcinoma in the respiratory tract might improve prognosis.

  4. Higher cell stiffness indicating lower metastatic potential in B16 melanoma cell variants and in (-)-epigallocatechin gallate-treated cells.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Tatsuro; Kuramochi, Hiromi; Takahashi, Atsushi; Imai, Kazue; Katsuta, Naoko; Nakayama, Tomonobu; Fujiki, Hirota; Suganuma, Masami

    2012-05-01

    To understand how nanomechanical stiffness affects metastatic potential, we studied the relationship between cell migration, a characteristic of metastasis, and cell stiffness using atomic force microscopy (AFM), which can measure stiffness (elasticity) of individual living cells. Migration and cell stiffness of three metastatic B16 melanoma variants (B16-F10, B16-BL6, and B16-F1 cells), and also effects of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), were studied using Transwell assay and AFM. Migration of B16-F10 and B16-BL6 cells was 3 and 2 times higher than that of B16-F1 cells in Transwell assay, and cell stiffness determined by AFM was also different among the three variants, although they have similar morphologies and the same growth rates: Means of Young's modulus were 350.8 ± 4.8 Pa for B16-F10 cells, 661.9 ± 16.5 Pa for B16-BL6 cells, and 727.2 ± 13.0 Pa for B16-F1 cells. AFM measurements revealed that highly motile B16-F10 cells have low cell stiffness, and low motile and metastatic B16-F1 cells have high cell stiffness: Nanomechanical stiffness is inversely correlated with migration potential. Treatment of highly motile B16-F10 cells with EGCG increased cell stiffness 2-fold and inhibited migration of the cells. Our study with AFM clearly demonstrates that cell stiffness is a reliable quantitative indicator of migration potential, and very likely metastatic potential, even in morphologically similar cells. And increased cell stiffness may be a key nanomechanical feature in inhibition of metastasis.

  5. Metastatic potential of tumor-initiating cells in solid tumors.

    PubMed

    Adhikari, Amit S; Agarwal, Neeraj; Iwakuma, Tomoo

    2011-01-01

    The lethality of cancer is mainly caused by its properties of metastasis, drug resistance, and subsequent recurrence. Understanding the mechanisms governing these properties and developing novel strategies to overcome them will greatly improve the survival of cancer patients. Recent findings suggest that tumors are comprised of heterogeneous cell populations, and only a small fraction of these are tumorigenic with the ability to self-renew and produce phenotypically diverse tumor cell populations. Cells in this fraction are called tumor-initiating cells (TICs) or cancer stem cells (CSCs). TICs have been identified from many types of cancer. They share several similarities with normal adult stem cells including sphere-forming ability, self-renewability, and expression of stem cell surface markers and transcription factors. TICs have also been proposed to be responsible for cancer metastasis, however, scarce evidence for their metastatic potential has been provided. In this review article, we have attempted to summarize the studies which have examined the metastatic potential of TICs in solid tumors.

  6. ABCB1 identifies a subpopulation of uveal melanoma cells with high metastatic propensity

    PubMed Central

    Landreville, Solange; Agapova, Olga A.; Kneass, Zachary T.; Salesse, Christian; Harbour, J. William

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Metastasis of tumor cells to distant organs is the leading cause of death in melanoma. Yet, the mechanisms of metastasis remain poorly understood. One key question is whether all cells in a primary tumor are equally likely to metastasize or whether subpopulations of cells preferentially give rise to metastases. Here, we identified a subpopulation of uveal melanoma cells expressing the multidrug resistance transporter ABCB1 that are highly metastatic compared to ABCB1− bulk tumor cells. ABCB1+ cells also exhibited enhanced clonogenicity, anchorage independent growth, tumorigenicity and mitochondrial activity compared to ABCB1− cells. A375 cutaneous melanoma cells contained a similar subpopulation of highly metastatic ABCB1+ cells. These findings suggest that some uveal melanoma cells have greater potential for metastasis than others, and that a better understanding of such cells may be necessary for more successful therapies for metastatic melanoma. PMID:21575142

  7. TAZ is required for metastatic activity and chemoresistance of breast cancer stem cells.

    PubMed

    Bartucci, M; Dattilo, R; Moriconi, C; Pagliuca, A; Mottolese, M; Federici, G; Benedetto, A Di; Todaro, M; Stassi, G; Sperati, F; Amabile, M I; Pilozzi, E; Patrizii, M; Biffoni, M; Maugeri-Saccà, M; Piccolo, S; De Maria, R

    2015-02-05

    Metastatic growth in breast cancer (BC) has been proposed as an exclusive property of cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, formal proof of their identity as cells of origin of recurrences at distant sites and the molecular events that may contribute to tumor cell dissemination and metastasis development are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we analyzed a set of patient-derived breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) lines. We found that in vitro BCSCs exhibit a higher chemoresistance and migratory potential when compared with differentiated, nontumorigenic, breast cancer cells (dBCCs). By developing an in vivo metastatic model simulating the disease of patients with early BC, we observed that BCSCs is the only cell population endowed with metastatic potential. Gene-expression profile studies comparing metastagenic and non-metastagenic cells identified TAZ, a transducer of the Hippo pathway and biomechanical cues, as a central mediator of BCSCs metastatic ability involved in their chemoresistance and tumorigenic potential. Overexpression of TAZ in low-expressing dBCCs induced cell transformation and conferred tumorigenicity and migratory activity. Conversely, loss of TAZ in BCSCs severely impaired metastatic colonization and chemoresistance. In clinical data from 99 BC patients, high expression levels of TAZ were associated with shorter disease-free survival in multivariate analysis, thus indicating that TAZ may represent a novel independent negative prognostic factor. Overall, this study designates TAZ as a novel biomarker and a possible therapeutic target for BC.

  8. Metastatic Growth from Dormant Cells Induced by a Col-I Enriched Fibrotic Environment

    PubMed Central

    Barkan, Dalit; El Touny, Lara H.; Michalowski, Aleksandra M.; Smith, Jane Ann; Chu, Isabel; Davis, Anne Sally; Webster, Joshua D.; Hoover, Shelley; Simpson, R. Mark; Gauldie, Jack; Green, Jeffrey E.

    2010-01-01

    Breast cancer that recurs as metastatic disease many years after primary tumor resection and adjuvant therapy appears to arise from tumor cells that disseminated early in the course of disease but did not develop into clinically apparent lesions. These long-term surviving, disseminated tumor cells maintain a state of dormancy, but may be triggered to proliferate through largely unknown factors. We now demonstrate that the induction of fibrosis, associated with deposition of type I collagen (Col-I) in the in vivo metastatic microenvironment, induces dormant D2.0R cells to form proliferative metastatic lesions through β1-integrin signaling. In vitro studies using a 3D culture system modeling dormancy demonstrated that Col-I induces quiescent D2.0R cells to proliferate through β1-integrin activation of SRC and FAK, leading to ERK-dependent myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation by myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and actin stress fiber formation. Blocking β1-integrin, Src, ERK or MLCK by shRNA or pharmacologic approaches inhibited Col-I-induced activation of this signaling cascade, cytoskeletal reorganization and proliferation. These findings demonstrate that fibrosis with type I collagen enrichment at the metastatic site may be a critical determinant of cytoskeletal reorganization in dormant tumor cells leading to their transition from dormancy to metastatic growth. Thus, inhibiting Col-I production, its interaction with β1-integrin and downstream signaling of β1-integrin may be important strategies for preventing or treating recurrent metastatic disease. PMID:20570886

  9. Intravital imaging of tumor bioenergetics in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rasul, Raisa; Harper, Mason; Rajaram, Narasimhan

    2018-02-01

    Early detection of metastatic cancer can reduce patient mortality and decrease cost of cancer treatment. However, current methods of prognosis or genetic screening are expensive and might not be applicable to all tumors. Although previous studies indicated that cancer cells are glycolytic, the link between metabolism and metastatic progression is not fully understood. To better understand the tumor bioenergetics, we investigated in vivo the vascular oxygenation, glucose intake, and optical redox ratio between a metastatic breast cancer cell line (4T1), a non-metastatic isogenic cell line (168FARN), and a non-metastatic derivative of 4T1 (TWIST gene knockout). The vascular oxygenation was measured by injecting 10,000 cells into mouse dorsal window chambers and acquiring and processing trans-illumination images of the tumor from 520 nm-620 nm light wavelength in 10 nm intervals. Glucose intake was measured by continuous fluorescent imaging of the glucose analog, 2-NBDG, for 90 minutes. Optical redox ratio was measured by intrinsic fluorescence imaging of electron carrying intermediates, NADH and FAD, where an increase in the ratio (FAD/FAD+NADH) meant increased oxidative phosphorylation. Our data show that the optical redox ratio and vascular oxygenation are higher and glucose intake is lower in metastatic tumors compared to non-metastatic tumors, suggesting that metastatic tumors display decreased glycolysis and increased oxidative phosphorylation. We observed a similar trend in vitro, where the redox ratio increased as the cell metastatic potential increased, indicating that metastatic cells can efficiently produce energy. These findings indicate that optical redox ratio can be a potential prognosis tool for detecting malignant tumors.

  10. Metastatic polyp of the gallbladder from renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Shyr, Bor-Uei; Chen, Shih-Chin; Shyr, Yi-Ming; Lee, Rheun-Chuan; Wang, Shin-E

    2017-04-04

    Gallbladder metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is extremely rare. The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of metastatic RCC to gallbladder. The pooled data for analysis were collected from the case of metastatic RCC to gallbladder encountered by our institution along with sporadic cases reported in literature from 1991 to 2015. A total of 50 cases of metastatic RCC to gallbladder were recruited for study. Fifty-seven percentage of the primary RCC was from the right kidney and 43% from the left. The median interval between diagnoses of primary and metastatic RCC to gallbladder was 36 months, with the longest duration up to 324 months. Most (70%) were asymptomatic. The size of metastatic RCC to gallbladder ranged from 0.8 cm to 9 cm, with median of 2.6 cm. Majority (91%) of the metastatic RCCs presented as a polypoid mass with narrow stalk, and 82% were hypervascular lesion. The overall 1 year, 3 year and 5 year survival rate was 91.5%, 76.2% and 59.3% respectively, with a median of 26.5 months. Number of the metastatic site, timing of gallbladder metastasis, symptom, tumor size and operation type of cholecystectomy seemed to have no impact on survival. Metastatic RCC to the gallbladder should be taken into account for a gallbladder polypoid mass with narrow hypervascular stalk during the diagnosis and/or follow-up of primary RCC. Gallbladder metastasis from RCC is not necessarily to be an advanced stage with poor outcome, and cholecystectomy is recommended whenever possible.

  11. Metastatic potential of melanoma cells is not affected by electrochemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Todorovic, Vesna; Sersa, Gregor; Mlakar, Vid; Glavac, Damjan; Flisar, Karel; Cemazar, Maja

    2011-06-01

    Electrochemotherapy is a local treatment combining chemotherapy and application of electric pulses to the tumour. Electrochemotherapy with bleomycin and cisplatin has shown its effectiveness in controlling local tumour growth in the treatment of malignant melanoma. However, the effect of electrochemotherapy on the metastatic potential of tumour cells is not known. Prevention of metastasis is an important aspect of successful treatment; however, it is known that metastasis can be induced by different treatment modalities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of electrochemotherapy with cisplatin on the metastatic potential of human malignant melanoma cells. Cells treated by electrochemotherapy with cisplatin were tested for their ability to migrate and invade through Matrigel-coated porous membrane. In addition, RNA was isolated from cells after treatment and differentially expressed genes were investigated by microarray analysis to evaluate the effect of electrochemotherapy with cisplatin on gene expression. There were no significant changes observed in cell migration and invasion of melanoma cells after electrochemotherapy. In addition, there were no changes observed in cell adhesion on Matrigel. Gene expression analysis showed that a very low number of genes were differentially expressed after electrochemotherapy with cisplatin. Two genes, LAMB3 and CD63 involved in cell migration, were both downregulated after electrochemotherapy with cisplatin and the expression of metastasis promoting genes was not increased after electrochemotherapy. Our data suggest that electrochemotherapy does not increase the metastatic behaviour of human melanoma cells.

  12. Metastatic tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma masquerading as a pancreatic cystic tumor and diagnosed by EUS-guided FNA.

    PubMed

    Glass, Ryan; Andrawes, Sherif A; Hamele-Bena, Diane; Tong, Guo-Xia

    2017-11-01

    Metastatic carcinoma to the pancreas is uncommon and head and neck squamous carcinoma metastatic to the pancreas is extremely rare. Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the pancreas presents a unique diagnostic challenge: in addition to mimicking the rare primary squamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas based on cytologic, histologic, and immunohistochemical features, it may be mistaken for a cystic neoplasm of the pancreas because of its high predilection for cystic degeneration in metastatic sites. Herein, we report a case of tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma with a cystic pancreatic metastasis diagnosed by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA). This represents a third reported case of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the pancreas from the head and neck region. Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of EUS-FNA during evaluation of pancreatic cystic lesion. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Cytoskeletal stiffness, friction, and fluidity of cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential.

    PubMed

    Coughlin, Mark F; Bielenberg, Diane R; Lenormand, Guillaume; Marinkovic, Marina; Waghorne, Carol G; Zetter, Bruce R; Fredberg, Jeffrey J

    2013-03-01

    We quantified mechanical properties of cancer cells differing in metastatic potential. These cells included normal and H-ras-transformed NIH3T3 fibroblast cells, normal and oncoprotein-overexpressing MCF10A breast cancer cells, and weakly and strongly metastatic cancer cell line pairs originating from human cancers of the skin (A375P and A375SM cells), kidney (SN12C and SN12PM6 cells), prostate (PC3M and PC3MLN4 cells), and bladder (253J and 253JB5 cells). Using magnetic twisting cytometry, cytoskeletal stiffness (g') and internal friction (g″) were measured over a wide frequency range. The dependencies of g' and g″ upon frequency were used to determine the power law exponent x which is a direct measure of cytoskeletal fluidity and quantifies where the cytoskeleton resides along the spectrum of solid-like (x = 1) to fluid-like (x = 2) states. Cytoskeletal fluidity x increased following transformation by H-ras oncogene expression in NIH3T3 cells, overexpression of ErbB2 and 14-3-3-ζ in MCF10A cells, and implantation and growth of PC3M and 253J cells in the prostate and bladder, respectively. Each of these perturbations that had previously been shown to enhance cancer cell motility and invasion are shown here to shift the cytoskeleton towards a more fluid-like state. In contrast, strongly metastatic A375SM and SN12PM6 cells that disseminate by lodging in the microcirculation of peripheral organs had smaller x than did their weakly metastatic cell line pairs A375P and SN12C, respectively. Thus, enhanced hematological dissemination was associated with decreased x and a shift towards a more solid-like cytoskeleton. Taken together, these results are consistent with the notion that adaptations known to enhance metastatic ability in cancer cell lines define a spectrum of fluid-like versus solid-like states, and the position of the cancer cell within this spectrum may be a determinant of cancer progression.

  14. HSP-enriched properties of extracellular vesicles involve survival of metastatic oral cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Ono, Kisho; Eguchi, Takanori; Sogawa, Chiharu; Calderwood, Stuart K; Futagawa, Junya; Kasai, Tomonari; Seno, Masaharu; Okamoto, Kuniaki; Sasaki, Akira; Kozaki, Ken-Ichi

    2018-05-16

    Cancer cells often secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) that carry heat shock proteins (HSPs) with roles in tumor progression. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) belongs to head and neck cancers (HNC) whose lymph-node-metastases often lead to poor prognosis. We have examined the EV proteome of OSCC cells and found abundant secretion of HSP90-enriched EVs in lymph-node-metastatic OSCC cells. Double knockdown of HSP90α and HSP90β, using small interfering RNA significantly reduced the survival of the metastatic OSCC cells, although single knockdown of each HSP90 was ineffective. Elevated expression of these HSP90 family members was found to correlate with poor prognosis of HNC cases. Thus, elevated HSP90 levels in secreted vesicles are potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in metastatic OSCC. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Expressions of topoisomerase IIα and BCRP in metastatic cells are associated with overall survival in small cell lung cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Rijavec, Matija; Silar, Mira; Triller, Nadja; Kern, Izidor; Cegovnik, Urška; Košnik, Mitja; Korošec, Peter

    2011-09-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the mRNA expression levels of multidrug resistance-associated proteins in chemo-naïve metastatic lung cancer cells and to determine the correlation with response to chemotherapy and overall survival. Metastatic cells were obtained by transbronchial fine needle aspiration biopsy of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes in 14 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 7 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). After cytological confirmation of lung cancer type, total RNA was extracted from biopsy samples and reverse transcribed to cDNA, and real-time PCR for the genes of interest [P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), lung resistance protein (LRP) and topoisomerase IIα (TOPIIα)], was performed. We observed significantly decreased expression of BCRP and significantly increased expression of TOPIIα in metastatic SCLC cells compared to NSCLC. Furthermore, in SCLC high topoisomerase IIα and low BCRP expression levels positively correlated with longer overall survival. Our results showed higher expression levels of BCRP as well as lower levels of topoisomerase IIα in chemo-naïve metastatic cells in NSCLC than in SCLC. These results correlate with previous observations that metastatic SCLC cells at the beginning of chemotherapy are potentially more sensitive to chemotherapeutic agents while in metastatic NSCLC cells resistance is usually inherent. We also showed that altered levels of topoisomerase IIα and BCRP in SCLC are important factors that contribute to resistance to chemotherapeutics that interfere with the enzyme and/or DNA and are highly associated with overall survival.

  16. Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma thyroid from functionally cured cancer cervix

    PubMed Central

    Vamsy, Mohana; Dattatreya, Palanki Satya; Sarma, Lella Yugandhar; Dayal, Monal; Janardhan, Nandigam; Rao, Vatturi Venkata Satya Prabhakar

    2013-01-01

    The authors report a very unusual occurrence of a metastatic squamous carcinoma to thyroid gland from a treated squamous cell carcinoma cervix 12 years before with no recurrence at the primary site. The case also has an additional complexity of rapid progression of the metastatic thyroid carcinoma to wide spread dissemination to lungs and bones while on concurrent chemo radio therapy confirming the aggressiveness of the entity. PMID:24163519

  17. Metastatic clear-cell hidradenocarcinoma of the vulva.

    PubMed

    Messing, M J; Richardson, M S; Smith, M T; King, L; Gallup, D G

    1993-02-01

    Clear-cell hidradenocarcinoma is a malignant tumor of sweat gland origin. It is most often found on the trunk, head, and extremities. This case report describes a rare occurrence of this tumor on the vulva of a young woman. The discovery of metastatic disease reflects the potentially aggressive nature of this tumor.

  18. Avelumab for the treatment of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Cordes, L M; Gulley, J L

    2017-07-01

    Avelumab is a promising new therapeutic agent for patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive type of neuroendocrine tumor of the skin. Until the recent approval of avelumab (Bavencio), no therapies were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. In a recent trial, avelumab, an anti-programmed death ligand-1 antibody, demonstrated an objective response in 28 of 88 patients (31.8% [95.9% CI, 21.9-43.1]) with advanced, chemotherapy-refractory Merkel cell carcinoma. Overall, avelumab was well tolerated at a dose of 10 mg/kg administered intravenously every 2 weeks. Serious treatment-related adverse events were reported in 5 patients (6%), but no grade 4 adverse events or treatment-related deaths were reported. Preliminary data evaluating avelumab in chemotherapy-naive patients is also encouraging. Copyright 2017 Clarivate Analytics.

  19. Organ-specific isogenic metastatic breast cancer cell lines exhibit distinct Raman spectral signatures and metabolomes

    PubMed Central

    Winnard, Paul T.; Zhang, Chi; Vesuna, Farhad; Kang, Jeon Woong; Garry, Jonah; Dasari, Ramachandra Rao; Barman, Ishan; Raman, Venu

    2017-01-01

    Molecular characterization of organ-specific metastatic lesions, which distinguish them from the primary tumor, will provide a better understanding of tissue specific adaptations that regulate metastatic progression. Using an orthotopic xenograft model, we have isolated isogenic metastatic human breast cancer cell lines directly from organ explants that are phenotypically distinct from the primary tumor cell line. Label-free Raman spectroscopy was used and informative spectral bands were ascertained as differentiators of organ-specific metastases as opposed to the presence of a single universal marker. Decision algorithms derived from the Raman spectra unambiguously identified these isogenic cell lines as unique biological entities – a finding reinforced through metabolomic analyses that indicated tissue of origin metabolite distinctions between the cell lines. Notably, complementarity of the metabolomics and Raman datasets was found. Our findings provide evidence that metastatic spread generates tissue-specific adaptations at the molecular level within cancer cells, which can be differentiated with Raman spectroscopy. PMID:28145887

  20. Organ-specific isogenic metastatic breast cancer cell lines exhibit distinct Raman spectral signatures and metabolomes.

    PubMed

    Winnard, Paul T; Zhang, Chi; Vesuna, Farhad; Kang, Jeon Woong; Garry, Jonah; Dasari, Ramachandra Rao; Barman, Ishan; Raman, Venu

    2017-03-21

    Molecular characterization of organ-specific metastatic lesions, which distinguish them from the primary tumor, will provide a better understanding of tissue specific adaptations that regulate metastatic progression. Using an orthotopic xenograft model, we have isolated isogenic metastatic human breast cancer cell lines directly from organ explants that are phenotypically distinct from the primary tumor cell line. Label-free Raman spectroscopy was used and informative spectral bands were ascertained as differentiators of organ-specific metastases as opposed to the presence of a single universal marker. Decision algorithms derived from the Raman spectra unambiguously identified these isogenic cell lines as unique biological entities - a finding reinforced through metabolomic analyses that indicated tissue of origin metabolite distinctions between the cell lines. Notably, complementarity of the metabolomics and Raman datasets was found. Our findings provide evidence that metastatic spread generates tissue-specific adaptations at the molecular level within cancer cells, which can be differentiated with Raman spectroscopy.

  1. Genotoxic stress induces Sca-1 expressing metastatic mammary cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Gong, Jianlin; Lang, Benjamin J; Weng, Desheng; Eguchi, Takanori; Murshid, Ayesha; Borges, Thiago J; Doshi, Sachin; Song, Baizheng; Stevenson, Mary Ann; Calderwood, Stuart K

    2018-05-08

    We describe a cell damage-induced phenotype in mammary carcinoma cells involving acquisition of enhanced migratory and metastatic properties. Induction of this state by radiation required increased activity of the Ptgs2 gene product cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox2), secretion of its bioactive lipid product prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and the activity of the PGE2 receptor EP4. Although largely transient, decaying to low levels in a few days to a week, this phenotype was cumulative with damage and levels of cell markers Sca-1 and ALDH1 increased with treatment dose. The Sca-1 + , metastatic phenotype was inhibited by both Cox2 inhibitors and PGE2 receptor antagonists suggesting novel approaches to radiosensitization. Molecular Oncology (2018) © 2018 The Authors. Published by FEBS Press and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. ErbB2 and bone sialoprotein as markers for metastatic osteosarcoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Valabrega, G; Fagioli, F; Corso, S; Madon, E; Brach del Prever, A; Biasin, E; Linari, A; Aglietta, M; Giordano, S

    2003-01-01

    Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone neoplasia occurring in young patients in the first two decades of life, and represents 20% of all primitive malignant bone tumours. At present, treatment of metastatic osteosarcoma is unsatisfactory. High-dose chemotherapy followed by CD34+ leukapheresis rescue may improve these poor results. Neoplastic cells contaminating the apheresis may, however, contribute to relapse. To identify markers suitable for detecting osteosarcoma cells in aphereses we analysed the expression of bone-specific genes (Bone Sialoprotein (BSP) and Osteocalcin) and oncogenes (Met and ErbB2) in 22 patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and six healthy stem cell donors. The expression of these genes in aphereses of patients affected by metastatic osteosarcoma was assessed by RT–PCR and Southern blot analysis. Met and Osteocalcin proved to be not useful markers since they are positive in aphereses of both patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and healthy stem cell donors. On the contrary, BSP was expressed at significant levels in 85% of patients. Moreover, 18% of patients showed a strong and significantly positive (seven to 16 times higher than healthy stem cell donors) ErbB2 expression. In all positive cases, neoplastic tissue also expressed ErbB2. Our data show that ErbB2 can be a useful marker for tumour contamination in aphereses of patients affected by ErbB2-expressing osteosarcomas and that analysis of Bone Sialoprotein expression can be an alternative useful marker. PMID:12569382

  3. Patient-Specific B-Cell Antibody Factories to Treat Metastatic Disease

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-08-01

    Immortalization of these selected clones using Epstein - Barr viral transformation provides a method to maintain these antibody producing cell lines as a...2013 Please see next page. None provided. Patient-Specific B-Cell Antibody Factories to Treat Metastatic Disease Kevin Claffey University of

  4. Identification of Lectins from Metastatic Cancer Cells through Magnetic Glyconanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Kavunja, Herbert W.; Voss, Patricia G.

    2016-01-01

    Cancer cells can have characteristic carbohydrate binding properties. Previously, it was shown that a highly metastatic melanoma cell line B16F10 bound to galacto-side-functionalized nanoparticles much stronger than the corresponding less metastatic B16F1 cells. To better understand the carbohydrate binding properties of cancer cells, herein, we report the isolation and characterization of endogenous galactose binding proteins from B16F10 cells using magnetic glyconanoparticles. The galactose-coated magnetic glyconanoparticles could bind with lectins present in the cells and be isolated through magnet-mediated separation. Through Western blot and mass spectrometry, the arginine/serine rich splicing factor Sfrs1 was identified as a galactose-selective endogenous lectin, overexpressed in B16F10 cells, compared with B16F1 cells. In addition, galactin-3 was found in higher amounts in B16F10 cells. Finally, the glyconanoparticles exhibited a superior efficiency in lectin isolation, from both protein mixtures and live cells, than the corresponding more traditional microparticles functionalized with carbohydrates. Thus, the magnetic glyconanoparticles present a useful tool for discovery of endogenous lectins, as well as binding partners of lectins, without prior knowledge of protein identities. PMID:27110035

  5. The CEA-/lo colorectal cancer cell population harbors cancer stem cells and metastatic cells.

    PubMed

    Yan, Chang; Hu, Yibing; Zhang, Bo; Mu, Lei; Huang, Kaiyu; Zhao, Hui; Ma, Chensen; Li, Xiaolan; Tao, Deding; Gong, Jianping; Qin, Jichao

    2016-12-06

    Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is the most commonly used tumor marker in a variety of cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC) for tumor diagnosis and monitoring. Recent studies have shown that colonic crypt cells expressing little or no CEA may enrich for stem cells. Numerous studies have clearly shown that there exist CRC patients with normal serum CEA levels during tumor progression or even tumor relapse, although CEA itself is considered to promote metastasis and block cell differentiation. These seemingly contradictory observations prompted us to investigate, herein, the biological properties as well as tumorigenic and metastatic capacity of CRC cells that express high (CEA+) versus low CEA (CEA-/lo) levels of CEA. Our findings show that the abundance of CEA-/lo cells correlate with poor differentiation and poor prognosis, and moreover, CEA-/lo cells form more spheres in vitro, generate more tumors and exhibit a higher potential in developing liver and lung metastases than corresponding CEA+ cells. Applying RNAi-mediated approach, we found that IGF1R mediated tumorigenic and capacity of CEA-/lo cells but did not mediate those of CEA+ cells. Notably, our data demonstrated that CEA molecule was capable of protecting CEA-/lo cells from anoikis, implying that CEA+ cells, although themselves possessing less tumorigenic and metastatic capacity, may promote metastasis of CEA-/lo cells via secreting CEA molecule. Our observations suggest that, besides targeting CEA molecule, CEA-/lo cells may represent a critical source of tumor progression and metastasis, and should therefore be the target of future therapies.

  6. Proteomic profiling of isogenic primary and metastatic medulloblastoma cell lines reveals differential expression of key metastatic factors.

    PubMed

    Gu, Shuo; Chen, Kai; Yin, Minzhi; Wu, Zhixiang; Wu, Yeming

    2017-05-08

    Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Around 30% of medulloblastoma patients are diagnosed with metastasis, which often results in a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, molecular mechanisms of medulloblastoma metastasis remain largely unknown. In this study, we employed the recently developed deep proteome analysis approach to quantitatively profile the expression of >10,000 proteins from CHLA-01-MED and CHLA-01R-MED isogenic cell lines derived from the primary and metastatic tumor of the same patient diagnosed with a group IV medulloblastoma. Using statistical analysis, we identified ~1400 significantly altered proteins between the primary and metastatic cell lines including known factors such as placental growth factor (PLGF), LIM homeobox 1 (LHX1) and prominim 1 (PROM1), as well as the negative regulator secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC). Additional transwell experiments and immunohistochemical analysis of clinical medulloblastoma samples implicated yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) as a potential key factor contributing to metastasis. Taken together, our data broadly defines the metastasis-relevant regulated proteome and provides a precious resource for further investigating potential mechanisms of medulloblastoma metastasis. This study represented the first deep proteome analysis of metastatic medulloblastomas and provided a valuable candidate list of altered proteins in metastatic medulloblastomas. The primary data suggested YAP1 as a potential driver for the metastasis of medulloblastoma. These results open up numerous avenues for further investigating the underlying mechanisms of medulloblastoma metastasis and improving the prognosis of medulloblastoma patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Case report: diffuse splenic metastasis of occult breast cancer with incompatible blood group antigenic determinants.

    PubMed

    Baranyay, Ferenc

    2009-01-01

    Cancer cells with immunogenic properties having altered protein glycosilation, modified blood group substances have been widely studied [Kannagi R, Miyake M, Zenita KM, Itai S, Hiraiwa N, Shigeta K, et al. Cancer-associated carbohydrate antigens: modified blood group substances and oncodevelopmental antigens on tumor cells. Gann Monogr Cancer Res 1988; 34: p. 15-28; Hakomori S. Antigen structure and genetic basis of histo-blood groups A, B and O their changes associated with human cancer. Biochem Biophys Acta 1999; 1473: p. 247-266; Brooks SA, Carter TM, Royle L, Harvey DJ, Fry SA, Kinch C, et al. Altered glycosilation of proteins in cancer: what is the potential for new anti-tumour strategies. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2008; 8: p. 2-21]. In the study reported here, a 78-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital with circulatory failure. At autopsy, the spleen (weight: 420 g) was extremely firm with a diffusely blackberry-colored cut surface. There were no signs of carcinomatous process at autopsy. By histology, the spleen showed diffuse metastatic carcinomatous infiltration. Using immunohistochemistry, an antibody to breast carcinoma antigen (BioGenex) labelled metastatic cells of the spleen and bone marrow. The patient was blood group O. Labelling for binding of lectins with and without blood group antigen specificity and monoclonal antibodies was carried out. The B blood group specific Banderiaea simplicifolia agglutinin I and an anti-B blood group monoclonal antibody labelled all the metastatic cells of spleen and bone marrow intensely. There was no detection of blood group A antigen by either binding of Dolichos biflorus agglutinin or anti-blood group A monoclonal antibodies. These observations raise the possibility that the detected incompatible B blood group antigen determinants on the metastatic cells were immunogenic. The surviving carcinoma cells may have found a place of refuge from immune surveillance in the spleen and in the bone marrow

  8. Mechanical entrapment is insufficient and intercellular adhesion is essential for metastatic cell arrest in distant organs.

    PubMed

    Glinskii, Olga V; Huxley, Virginia H; Glinsky, Gennadi V; Pienta, Kenneth J; Raz, Avraham; Glinsky, Vladislav V

    2005-05-01

    In this report, we challenge a common perception that tumor embolism is a size-limited event of mechanical arrest, occurring in the first capillary bed encountered by blood-borne metastatic cells. We tested the hypothesis that mechanical entrapment alone, in the absence of tumor cell adhesion to blood vessel walls, is not sufficient for metastatic cell arrest in target organ microvasculature. The in vivo metastatic deposit formation assay was used to assess the number and location of fluorescently labeled tumor cells lodged in selected organs and tissues following intravenous inoculation. We report that a significant fraction of breast and prostate cancer cells escapes arrest in a lung capillary bed and lodges successfully in other organs and tissues. Monoclonal antibodies and carbohydrate-based compounds (anti-Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen antibody, anti-galectin-3 antibody, modified citrus pectin, and lactulosyl-l-leucine), targeting specifically beta-galactoside-mediated tumor-endothelial cell adhesive interactions, inhibited by >90% the in vivo formation of breast and prostate carcinoma metastatic deposits in mouse lung and bones. Our results indicate that metastatic cell arrest in target organ microvessels is not a consequence of mechanical trapping, but is supported predominantly by intercellular adhesive interactions mediated by cancer-associated Thomsen-Friedenreich glycoantigen and beta-galactoside-binding lectin galectin-3. Efficient blocking of beta-galactoside-mediated adhesion precludes malignant cell lodging in target organs.

  9. Circulating tumor cells promote the metastatic colonization of disseminated carcinoma cells by inducing systemic inflammation

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Chao; Shu, Yu; Luo, Jing; Qin, Jian; Wang, Yu; Li, Dong; Wang, Shan-Shan; Chi, Gang; Guo, Fang; Zhang, Gui-Mei; Feng, Zuo-Hua

    2017-01-01

    Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been studied well in the prognosis for malignant diseases as liquid biopsy, but their contribution to tumor metastasis is not clearly defined. Here we report that CTCs could promote the metastatic colonization of disseminated carcinoma cells by inducing systemic inflammation and neutrophil recruitment to pre-metastatic organs. Depletion of neutrophils in vivo could effectively abrogate the promoting effect of CTCs on tumor cell metastasis. In the presence of CTCs, the pro-tumor function of neutrophils was augmented, whereas the antitumor function of neutrophils was suppressed. Mechanically, CTC-derived ligands for TLR2 and TLR4 (TLR2/4) induced the systemic inflammation, thus increasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as G-CSF and IL-6 that could induce the conversion of neutrophil function from tumor-suppressing to tumor-promoting. Moreover, CTCs induced the production of endogenous TLR2/4 ligands such as S100A8, S100A9, and SAA3, which may amplify the stimulating effect that induces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. The promoting effect of CTCs on tumor cell metastasis could be abrogated by suppressing inflammatory response with IL-37, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, or blocking CTC-derived ligands for TLR2/4. Identification of the metastatic axis of CTCs/systemic inflammation/neutrophils may provide potential targets for preventing tumor cell metastasis. PMID:28415700

  10. Paranuclear blue inclusions in metastatic undifferentiated small cell carcinoma in the bone marrow.

    PubMed

    Wittchow, R; Laszewski, M; Walker, W; Dick, F

    1992-09-01

    Paranuclear blue inclusions (PBIs) are frequently identified within metastatic undifferentiated small cell carcinoma (SCC) cells on air-dried bone marrow aspirates stained with Wright's stain. To determine the sensitivity and specificity of this finding, 116 bone marrow aspirates containing metastatic neoplasms were evaluated for the presence and frequency of PBIs. Bone marrow specimens included 47 cases of metastatic SCC of the lung, 13 cases of large cell lymphoma, 19 cases of neuroblastoma, five cases of small, noncleaved cell lymphoma, seven cases of rhabdomyosarcoma, three cases of Ewing's sarcoma, three cases of other sarcomas, and 19 cases of non-small cell carcinoma (adenocarcinoma). PBIs were identified in 40 of 47 (85%) cases of SCC and their frequency varied from 0 to 24% of tumor cells among different cases. In approximately half the cases of SCC, PBIs were identified in 1 to 4% tumor cells; and in eight cases, PBIs were present in 5% or more of tumor cells. PBIs were also identified in two of seven (29%) cases of rhabdomyosarcoma and one case of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, but they were not seen in Ewing's sarcoma, small non-cleaved cell lymphoma, large cell lymphoma, neuroblastoma, or non-small cell carcinoma. In addition, PBIs were not seen in alcohol-fixed, Papanicolaou-stained cytology specimens containing SCC. Ultrastructurally, PBIs may represent phagocytized nuclear/cellular material. PBIs are a feature of small cell carcinoma on air-dried, cytologic material stained with Romanowsky type stains. Their presence may provide diagnostic information with regard to the differential diagnosis of metastatic SCC in the bone marrow. Future studies evaluating non-bone marrow Wright's stained fine-needle aspiration specimens are needed to determine if PBIs are useful in distinguishing SCC from other poorly differentiated tumors in the cytology laboratory.

  11. A Study of Varlilumab (Anti-CD27) and Sunitinib in Patients With Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-11-10

    Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Kidney Diseases; Kidney Neoplasms; Urogenital Neoplasms; Urologic Diseases; Urologic Neoplasms; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Clear-cell Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

  12. Advances in the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma: Adoptive T Cell Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Bernatchez, Chantale; Radvanyi, Laszlo G.; Hwu, Patrick

    2012-01-01

    Metastatic melanoma is notoriously resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens. The prospect for newly diagnosed metastatic melanoma patients is grim with a median survival of less than a year. Currently, the only therapies resulting in long term disease free intervals, high dose Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and more recently anti-CTLA-41, work through activation of the immune system. However, with both therapies the response rate is low. Advances in our knowledge of how the immune system interacts with cancer have led to a number of strategies to manipulate anti-tumor immune responses through immunotherapy. This review will focus on one avenue of immunotherapy using the transfer of T cells referred to as “Adoptive Cell Therapy” (ACT), which involves the ex vivo expansion of autologous tumor-specific T cells to large numbers that are ultimately transferred back to the patient to boost anti-tumor immunity. This approach has been shown to be effective in the treatment of virally induced cancers, as well as metastatic melanoma. Recent successes with ACT hold promise and further emphasize the tremendous potential benefit of harnessing the immune system in the fight against cancer. PMID:22484193

  13. Intracellular esterase activity in living cells may distinguish between metastatic and tumor-free lymph nodes.

    PubMed

    Afrimzon, Elena; Deutsch, Assaf; Shafran, Yana; Zurgil, Naomi; Sandbank, Judith; Pappo, Itzhak; Deutsch, Mordechai

    2008-01-01

    One of the major clinical problems in breast cancer detection is the relatively high incidence of occult lymph node metastases undetectable by standard procedures. Since the ascertainment of breast cancer stage determines the following treatment, such a "hypo-diagnosis" leads to inadequate therapy, and hence is detrimental for the outcome and survival of the patients. The purpose of our study was to investigate functional metabolic characteristics of living cells derived from metastatic and tumor-free lymph nodes of breast cancer (BC) patients. Our methodology is based on the ability of living cells to hydrolyze fluorescein diacetate (FDA) by intracellular esterases and on the association of FDA hydrolysis rates with a specific cell status, both in physiological and pathological conditions. The present study demonstrates a significant difference in the ability to utilize FDA by lymph node cells derived from metastatic and tumor-free lymph nodes in general average, as well as in the metastatic and tumor-free lymph nodes of individual patients. Cells from metastatic lymph nodes had a higher capacity for FDA hydrolysis, and increased this activity after additional activation by autologous tumor tissue (tt). The association between increased FDA hydrolysis rate and activated T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells (APC) was shown. The results of the present study may contribute to predicting the risk of involvement of seemingly "tumor-free" axillary lymph nodes in occult metastatic processes, and to reducing false-negative results of axillary examination.

  14. Design and use of an artificial capillary in the study of metastatic cell adhesion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rafi, Adam; Peramo, Antonio; Boren, Rebecca; Heim, August; Matthews, William G.

    2006-03-01

    To improve the quality of life of patients with cancer, treatments will need to both minimize existing tumors and reduce the metastasis of cancer cells. The effectiveness of potential treatments on existing tumors can be directly probed, but anti-metastasis treatments are difficult to quantify. Therefore, a detailed understanding of the metastatic process is required for drug design. Details of the metastatic deposition of tumor cells in the circulatory system are not well understood. We are investigating the binding of tumor cells to an artificial endothelium. The model system allows for control over molecular composition at the interface, presenting the proteoglycans (PGs) found in the glycocalyx to tumor cells under shear flow conditions. Whether rolling or static adhesion is preferred, as well as what mechanical properties of the interaction between the cells and the PGs are important is to be determined. The outcomes of these experiments will help guide the search for pharmaceuticals that can disrupt the metastatic process at the endothelial adhesion step.

  15. Melanoma exosomes educate bone marrow progenitor cells toward a pro-metastatic phenotype through MET

    PubMed Central

    Peinado, Héctor; Alečković, Maša; Lavotshkin, Simon; Matei, Irina; Costa-Silva, Bruno; Moreno-Bueno, Gema; Hergueta-Redondo, Marta; Williams, Caitlin; García-Santos, Guillermo; Nitadori-Hoshino, Ayuko; Hoffman, Caitlin; Badal, Karen; Garcia, Benjamin A.; Callahan, Margaret K.; Yuan, Jianda; Martins, Vilma R.; Skog, Johan; Kaplan, Rosandra N.; Brady, Mary S.; Wolchok, Jedd D.; Chapman, Paul B.; Kang, Yibin; Bromberg, Jacqueline; Lyden, David

    2013-01-01

    Tumor-derived exosomes are emerging mediators of tumorigenesis with tissue-specific addresses and messages. We explored the function of melanoma-derived exosomes in the formation of primary tumor and metastases in mouse and human subjects. Exosomes from highly metastatic melanoma increased the metastatic behavior of primary tumors by permanently “educating” bone marrow (BM) progenitors via the MET receptor. Melanoma-derived exosomes also induced vascular leakiness at pre-metastatic sites, and reprogrammed BM progenitors towards a c-Kit+Tie2+Met+ pro-vasculogenic phenotype. Reducing Met expression in exosomes diminished the pro-metastatic behavior of BM cells. Importantly, MET expression was elevated in circulating CD45−C-KITlow/+TIE2+ BM progenitors from metastatic melanoma subjects. RAB1a, RAB5b, RAB7, and RAB27a were highly expressed in melanoma cells and Rab27a RNA interference decreased exosome production, preventing BM education, tumor growth and metastasis. Finally, we identified an exosome-specific “melanoma signature” with prognostic and therapeutic potential, comprised of TYRP2, VLA-4, HSP70, an HSP90 isoform and the MET oncoprotein. PMID:22635005

  16. Arctigenin Inhibits Lung Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer by Regulating Cell Viability and Metastatic Phenotypes.

    PubMed

    Han, Yo-Han; Kee, Ji-Ye; Kim, Dae-Seung; Mun, Jeong-Geon; Jeong, Mi-Young; Park, Sang-Hyun; Choi, Byung-Min; Park, Sung-Joo; Kim, Hyun-Jung; Um, Jae-Young; Hong, Seung-Heon

    2016-08-27

    Arctigenin (ARC) has been shown to have an anti-cancer effect in various cell types and tissues. However, there have been no studies concerning metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we investigated the anti-metastatic properties of ARC on colorectal metastasis and present a potential candidate drug. ARC induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in CT26 cells through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway via MAPKs signaling. In several metastatic phenotypes, ARC controlled epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through increasing the expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin and decreasing the expressions of mesenchymal markers; N-cadherin, vimentin, β-catenin, and Snail. Moreover, ARC inhibited migration and invasion through reducing of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expressions. In an experimental metastasis model, ARC significantly inhibited lung metastasis of CT26 cells. Taken together, our study demonstrates the inhibitory effects of ARC on colorectal metastasis.

  17. Tumor-educated mesenchymal stem cells promote pro-metastatic phenotype

    PubMed Central

    Passaro, Nunzia; Zannetti, Antonella

    2017-01-01

    Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are recruited into tumor microenvironment in response to multiple signals produced by cancer cells. Molecules involved in their homing to tumors are the same inflammatory mediators produced by injured tissues: chemokines, cytokines and growth factors. When MSCs arrive into the tumor microenvironment these are “educated” to have pro-metastatic behaviour. Firstly, they promote cancer immunosuppression modulating both innate and adaptive immune systems. Moreover, tumor associated-MSCs trans-differentiating into cancer-associated fibroblasts can induce epithelial-mesenchymal-transition program in tumor cells. This process determinates a more aggressive phenotype of cancer cells by increasing their motility and invasiveness and favoring their dissemination to distant sites. In addition, MSCs are involved in the formation and modelling of pre-metastatic niches creating a supportive environment for colonization of circulating tumor cells. The development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting the different functions of MSCs in promoting tumor progression as well as the mechanisms underlying their activities could enhance the efficacy of conventional and immune anti-cancer therapies. Furthermore, many studies report the use of MSCs engineered to express different genes or as vehicle to specifically deliver novel drugs to tumors exploiting their strong tropism. Importantly, this approach can enhance local therapeutic efficacy and reduce the risk of systemic side effects. PMID:29069870

  18. Cancer stemness and metastatic potential of the novel tumor cell line K3: an inner mutated cell of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

    PubMed

    Qian, Hui; Ding, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Jiao; Mao, Fei; Sun, Zixuan; Jia, Haoyuan; Yin, Lei; Wang, Mei; Zhang, Xu; Zhang, Bin; Yan, Yongmin; Zhu, Wei; Xu, Wenrong

    2017-06-13

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation has been used for therapeutic applications in various diseases. Here we report MSCs can malignantly transform in vivo. The novel neoplasm was found on the tail of female rat after injection with male rat bone marrow-derived MSCs (rBM-MSCs) and the new tumor cell line, K3, was isolated from the neoplasm. The K3 cells expressed surface antigens and pluripotent genes similar to those of rBM-MSCs and presented tumor cell features. Moreover, the K3 cells contained side population cells (SP) like cancer stem cells (CSCs), which might contribute to K3 heterogeneity and tumorigenic capacity. To investigate the metastatic potential of K3 cells, we established the nude mouse models of liver and lung metastases and isolated the corresponding metastatic cell lines K3-F4 and K3-B6. Both K3-F4 and K3-B6 cell lines with higher metastatic potential acquired more mesenchymal and stemness-related features. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is a potential mechanism of K3-F4 and K3-B6 formation.

  19. Analytical cell adhesion chromatography reveals impaired persistence of metastatic cell rolling adhesion to P-selectin

    PubMed Central

    Oh, Jaeho; Edwards, Erin E.; McClatchey, P. Mason; Thomas, Susan N.

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Selectins facilitate the recruitment of circulating cells from the bloodstream by mediating rolling adhesion, which initiates the cell–cell signaling that directs extravasation into surrounding tissues. To measure the relative efficiency of cell adhesion in shear flow for in vitro drug screening, we designed and implemented a microfluidic-based analytical cell adhesion chromatography system. The juxtaposition of instantaneous rolling velocities with elution times revealed that human metastatic cancer cells, but not human leukocytes, had a reduced capacity to sustain rolling adhesion with P-selectin. We define a new parameter, termed adhesion persistence, which is conceptually similar to migration persistence in the context of chemotaxis, but instead describes the capacity of cells to resist the influence of shear flow and sustain rolling interactions with an adhesive substrate that might modulate the probability of extravasation. Among cell types assayed, adhesion persistence to P-selectin was specifically reduced in metastatic but not leukocyte-like cells in response to a low dose of heparin. In conclusion, we demonstrate this as an effective methodology to identify selectin adhesion antagonist doses that modulate homing cell adhesion and engraftment in a cell-subtype-selective manner. PMID:26349809

  20. Green tea extract selectively targets nanomechanics of live metastatic cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cross, Sarah E.; Jin, Yu-Sheng; Lu, Qing-Yi; Rao, JianYu; Gimzewski, James K.

    2011-05-01

    Green tea extract (GTE) is known to be a potential anticancer agent (Yang et al 2009 Nat. Rev. Cancer 9 429-39) with various biological activities (Lu et al 2005 Clin. Cancer Res. 11 1675-83 Yang et al 1998 Carcinogenesis 19 611-6) yet the precise mechanism of action is still unclear. The biomechanical response of GTE treated cells taken directly from patient's body samples was measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM) (Binnig et al 1986 Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 930). We found significant increase in stiffness of GTE treated metastatic tumor cells, with a resulting value similar to untreated normal mesothelial cells, whereas mesothelial cell stiffness after GTE treatment is unchanged. Immunofluorescence analysis showed an increase in cytoskeletal-F-actin in GTE treated tumor cells, suggesting GTE treated tumor cells display mechanical, structural and morphological features similar to normal cells, which appears to be mediated by annexin-I expression, as determined by siRNA analysis of an in vitro cell line model. Our data indicates that GTE selectively targets human metastatic cancer cells but not normal mesothelial cells, a finding that is significantly advantageous compared to conventional chemotherapy agents.

  1. Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Modified Gold Nanoparticles for the Delivery of Doxorubicin to Brain Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Morshed, Ramin A; Muroski, Megan E; Dai, Qing; Wegscheid, Michelle L; Auffinger, Brenda; Yu, Dou; Han, Yu; Zhang, Lingjiao; Wu, Meijing; Cheng, Yu; Lesniak, Maciej S

    2016-06-06

    As therapies continue to increase the lifespan of patients with breast cancer, the incidence of brain metastases has steadily increased, affecting a significant number of patients with metastatic disease. However, a major barrier toward treating these lesions is the inability of therapeutics to penetrate into the central nervous system and accumulate within intracranial tumor sites. In this study, we designed a cell-penetrating gold nanoparticle platform to increase drug delivery to brain metastatic breast cancer cells. TAT peptide-modified gold nanoparticles carrying doxorubicin led to improved cytotoxicity toward two brain metastatic breast cancer cell lines with a decrease in the IC50 of at least 80% compared to free drug. Intravenous administration of these particles led to extensive accumulation of particles throughout diffuse intracranial metastatic microsatellites with cleaved caspase-3 activity corresponding to tumor foci. Furthermore, intratumoral administration of these particles improved survival in an intracranial MDA-MB-231-Br xenograft mouse model. Our results demonstrate the promising application of gold nanoparticles for improving drug delivery in the context of brain metastatic breast cancer.

  2. Retinal infiltrates secondary to metastatic squamous cell carcinoma masquerading as infectious retinitis.

    PubMed

    Singh, Rishi P; Steinle, Nathan C; Bedi, Rumneek; Kaiser, Peter; Lowder, Careen Y

    2014-01-01

    This report presents a case of metastatic carcinoma to the retina. Retrospective chart review and systematic literature review. The patient was a 78-year-old man with history of small-cell lung cancer and with the development of metastatic carcinoma to the retina. The review of this case and previous literature reveals that the presentation of retinal metastases can occasionally be misinterpreted as infectious retinitis, which can delay the diagnosis of the disease. Metastatic carcinoma to the retina is a rare condition, which should be considered in patients who are suspected of having infectious retinopathy and who fail to respond to traditional antimicrobial therapies.

  3. Ketone supplementation decreases tumor cell viability and prolongs survival of mice with metastatic cancer

    PubMed Central

    Poff, AM; Ari, C; Arnold, P; Seyfried, TN; D’Agostino, DP

    2014-01-01

    Cancer cells express an abnormal metabolism characterized by increased glucose consumption owing to genetic mutations and mitochondrial dysfunction. Previous studies indicate that unlike healthy tissues, cancer cells are unable to effectively use ketone bodies for energy. Furthermore, ketones inhibit the proliferation and viability of cultured tumor cells. As the Warburg effect is especially prominent in metastatic cells, we hypothesized that dietary ketone supplementation would inhibit metastatic cancer progression in vivo. Proliferation and viability were measured in the highly metastatic VM-M3 cells cultured in the presence and absence of β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB). Adult male inbred VM mice were implanted subcutaneously with firefly luciferase-tagged syngeneic VM-M3 cells. Mice were fed a standard diet supplemented with either 1,3-butanediol (BD) or a ketone ester (KE), which are metabolized to the ketone bodies βHB and acetoacetate. Tumor growth was monitored by in vivo bioluminescent imaging. Survival time, tumor growth rate, blood glucose, blood βHB and body weight were measured throughout the survival study. Ketone supplementation decreased proliferation and viability of the VM-M3 cells grown in vitro, even in the presence of high glucose. Dietary ketone supplementation with BD and KE prolonged survival in VM-M3 mice with systemic metastatic cancer by 51 and 69%, respectively (p < 0.05). Ketone administration elicited anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo independent of glucose levels or calorie restriction. The use of supplemental ketone precursors as a cancer treatment should be further investigated in animal models to determine potential for future clinical use. PMID:24615175

  4. Optical imaging of metabolic adaptability in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rebello, Lisa; Rajaram, Narasimhan

    2018-02-01

    Accurate methods for determining metastatic risk from the primary tumor are crucial for patient survival. Cell metabolism could potentially be used as a marker of metastatic risk. Optical imaging of the endogenous fluorescent molecules nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) provides a non-destructive and label-free method for determining cell metabolism. The optical redox ratio (FAD/FAD+NADH) is sensitive to the balance between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). We have previously established that hypoxia-reoxygenation stress leads to metastatic potential-dependent changes in optical redox ratio. The objective of this study was to monitor the changes in optical redox ratio in breast cancer cells in response to different periods of hypoxic stress as well various levels of hypoxia to establish an optimal protocol. We measured the optical redox ratio of highly metastatic 4T1 murine breast cancer cells under normoxic conditions and after exposure to 30, 60, and 120 minutes of 0.5% O2. This was followed by an hour of reoxygenation. We found an increase in the optical redox ratio following reoxygenation from hypoxia for all durations. Statistically significant differences were observed at 60 and 120 minutes (p˂0.01) compared with normoxia, implying an ability to adapt to OXPHOS after reoxygenation. The switch to OXPHOS has been shown to be a key promoter of cell invasion. We will present our results from these investigations in human breast cancer cells as well as non-metastatic breast cancer cells exposed to various levels of hypoxia.

  5. Avelumab: a new standard for treating metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Baker, Mairead; Cordes, Lisa; Brownell, Isaac

    2018-04-01

    Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer. Although MCC is chemosensitive, responses to traditional chemotherapeutic agents are not durable. Avelumab, a novel anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, recently became the first FDA-approved agent for the treatment of metastatic MCC and represents a new option to improve patient survival. Areas covered: This article presents an overview of MCC and summarizes the development of avelumab in the treatment of metastatic MCC. Preclinical studies, phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials, and the safety profile of avelumab are reviewed. Future perspectives and ongoing studies are also discussed. Expert commentary: Avelumab demonstrated rapid and durable responses and a manageable safety profile in the treatment of metastatic MCC. Patient outcomes are favorable when compared to historical responses to standard chemotherapy. Ongoing clinical trials will continue to characterize avelumab and its optimal use in MCC therapy.

  6. Monocytic and granulocytic myeloid derived suppressor cells differentially regulate spatiotemporal tumour plasticity during metastatic cascade.

    PubMed

    Ouzounova, Maria; Lee, Eunmi; Piranlioglu, Raziye; El Andaloussi, Abdeljabar; Kolhe, Ravindra; Demirci, Mehmet F; Marasco, Daniela; Asm, Iskander; Chadli, Ahmed; Hassan, Khaled A; Thangaraju, Muthusamy; Zhou, Gang; Arbab, Ali S; Cowell, John K; Korkaya, Hasan

    2017-04-06

    It is widely accepted that dynamic and reversible tumour cell plasticity is required for metastasis, however, in vivo steps and molecular mechanisms are poorly elucidated. We demonstrate here that monocytic (mMDSC) and granulocytic (gMDSC) subsets of myeloid-derived suppressor cells infiltrate in the primary tumour and distant organs with different time kinetics and regulate spatiotemporal tumour plasticity. Using co-culture experiments and mouse transcriptome analyses in syngeneic mouse models, we provide evidence that tumour-infiltrated mMDSCs facilitate tumour cell dissemination from the primary site by inducing EMT/CSC phenotype. In contrast, pulmonary gMDSC infiltrates support the metastatic growth by reverting EMT/CSC phenotype and promoting tumour cell proliferation. Furthermore, lung-derived gMDSCs isolated from tumour-bearing animals enhance metastatic growth of already disseminated tumour cells. MDSC-induced 'metastatic gene signature' derived from murine syngeneic model predicts poor patient survival in the majority of human solid tumours. Thus spatiotemporal MDSC infiltration may have clinical implications in tumour progression.

  7. Monocytic and granulocytic myeloid derived suppressor cells differentially regulate spatiotemporal tumour plasticity during metastatic cascade

    PubMed Central

    Ouzounova, Maria; Lee, Eunmi; Piranlioglu, Raziye; El Andaloussi, Abdeljabar; Kolhe, Ravindra; Demirci, Mehmet F.; Marasco, Daniela; Asm, Iskander; Chadli, Ahmed; Hassan, Khaled A.; Thangaraju, Muthusamy; Zhou, Gang; Arbab, Ali S.; Cowell, John K.; Korkaya, Hasan

    2017-01-01

    It is widely accepted that dynamic and reversible tumour cell plasticity is required for metastasis, however, in vivo steps and molecular mechanisms are poorly elucidated. We demonstrate here that monocytic (mMDSC) and granulocytic (gMDSC) subsets of myeloid-derived suppressor cells infiltrate in the primary tumour and distant organs with different time kinetics and regulate spatiotemporal tumour plasticity. Using co-culture experiments and mouse transcriptome analyses in syngeneic mouse models, we provide evidence that tumour-infiltrated mMDSCs facilitate tumour cell dissemination from the primary site by inducing EMT/CSC phenotype. In contrast, pulmonary gMDSC infiltrates support the metastatic growth by reverting EMT/CSC phenotype and promoting tumour cell proliferation. Furthermore, lung-derived gMDSCs isolated from tumour-bearing animals enhance metastatic growth of already disseminated tumour cells. MDSC-induced ‘metastatic gene signature' derived from murine syngeneic model predicts poor patient survival in the majority of human solid tumours. Thus spatiotemporal MDSC infiltration may have clinical implications in tumour progression. PMID:28382931

  8. Biometric assessment of prostate cancer's metastatic potential.

    PubMed

    Cooper, C R; Emmett, N; Harris-Hooker, S; Patterson, R; Cooke, D B

    1994-01-01

    Currently, no protocol exists that can assess the metastatic potential of prostate adenocarcinoma. The reason for this is partly due to the lack of information on cellular changes that result in a tumor cell's becoming metastatic. In this investigation, attempts were made to devise a method that correlated with the metastatic potential of AT-1, Mat-Lu, and Mat-LyLu cell lines of the Dunning R-3327 rat prostatic adenocarcinoma system. To accomplish this, we applied BioQuant biometric parameters, i.e., area, shape factor, and cell motility. AT-1 had a lower shape factor and a greater area as compared with the more highly metastatic Mat-Lu subline. No significant difference in area or shape factor was detected between the AT-1 cell line and the highly metastatic Mat-LyLu line. However, the lowly metastatic AT-1 line had less motility as compared with the Mat-Lu and Mat-LyLu lines. This study revealed that metastatic potential could be partially predicted via area and shape factor and accurately predicted via cell motility.

  9. Uncovering cancer cell behavioral phenotype in 3-D in vitro metastatic landscapes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Liyu; Sun, Bo; Duclos, Guillaume; Kam, Yoonseok; Gatenby, Robert; Stone, Howard; Austin, Robert

    2012-02-01

    One well-known fact is that cancer cell genetics determines cell metastatic potentials. However, from a physics point of view, genetics as cell properties cannot directly act on metastasis. An agent is needed to unscramble the genetics first before generating dynamics for metastasis. Exactly this agent is cell behavioral phenotype, which is rarely studied due to the difficulties of real-time cell tracking in in vivo tissue. Here we have successfully constructed a micro in vitro environment with collagen based Extracellular Matrix (ECM) structures for cell 3-D metastasis. With stable nutrition (glucose) gradient inside, breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 is able to invade inside the collagen from the nutrition poor site towards the nutrition rich site. Continuous confocal microscopy captures images of the cells every 12 hours and tracks their positions in 3-D space. The micro fluorescent beads pre-mixed inside the ECM demonstrate that invasive cells have altered the structures through mechanics. With the observation and the analysis of cell collective behaviors, we argue that game theory may exist between the pioneering cells and their followers in the metastatic cell group. The cell collaboration may explain the high efficiency of metastasis.

  10. Decreased metastatic phenotype in cells resistant to Aminolevulinic acid-Photodynamic therapy

    PubMed Central

    Casas, Adriana; Di Venosa, Gabriela; Vanzulli, Silvia; Perotti, Christian; Mamome, Leandro; Rodriguez, Lorena; Simian, Marina; Juarranz, Angeles; Pontiggia, Osvaldo; Hasan, Tayyaba; Batlle, Alcira

    2008-01-01

    Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel cancer treatment utilising a photosensitiser, visible light and oxygen. PDT often leaves a significant number of surviving tumour cells. In a previous work, we isolated and studied two PDT resistant clones derived from the mammary adenocarcinoma LM3 line (Int. J. Oncol. 29 (2006) 397–405). The isolated Clon 4 and Clon 8 exhibited a more fibroblastic, dendritic pattern and were larger than the parentals. In the present work we studied the metastatic potential of the two clones in comparison with LM3. We found that 100 % of LM3 invaded Matrigel, whereas only 19 ± 6 % and 24 ± 7 % of Clon 4 and Clon 8 cells invaded. In addition, 100% of LM3 cells migrated towards a chemotactic stimulus whereas 38 ± 8 % and 73 ± 10 % of Clones 4 and 8 respectively were able to migrate. In vivo, 100% of the LM3 injected mice developed spontaneous lung metastasis, whereas none of the Clon 8 did, and only one of the mice injected with Clon 4 did. No differences were found in the proteolytic enzyme profiles among the cells. Anchorage-dependent adhesion was also impaired in vivo in the resistant clones, evidenced by the lower tumour take, latency time and growth rates, although both clones showed in vitro higher binding to collagen I without overexpression of β1 integrin. This is the first work where the metastatic potential of cells surviving to PDT has been studied. PDT strongly affects the invasive phenotype of these cells, probably related to a higher binding to collagen. These findings may be crucial for the outcome of ALA-PDT of metastatic tumours, although further studies are needed to extrapolate the results to the clinic employing another photosensitisers and cell types. PMID:18662847

  11. A physical sciences network characterization of non-tumorigenic and metastatic cells

    PubMed Central

    Agus, David B.; Alexander, Jenolyn F.; Arap, Wadih; Ashili, Shashanka; Aslan, Joseph E.; Austin, Robert H.; Backman, Vadim; Bethel, Kelly J.; Bonneau, Richard; Chen, Wei-Chiang; Chen-Tanyolac, Chira; Choi, Nathan C.; Curley, Steven A.; Dallas, Matthew; Damania, Dhwanil; Davies, Paul C. W.; Decuzzi, Paolo; Dickinson, Laura; Estevez-Salmeron, Luis; Estrella, Veronica; Ferrari, Mauro; Fischbach, Claudia; Foo, Jasmine; Fraley, Stephanie I.; Frantz, Christian; Fuhrmann, Alexander; Gascard, Philippe; Gatenby, Robert A.; Geng, Yue; Gerecht, Sharon; Gillies, Robert J.; Godin, Biana; Grady, William M.; Greenfield, Alex; Hemphill, Courtney; Hempstead, Barbara L.; Hielscher, Abigail; Hillis, W. Daniel; Holland, Eric C.; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Jacks, Tyler; Johnson, Roger H.; Joo, Ahyoung; Katz, Jonathan E.; Kelbauskas, Laimonas; Kesselman, Carl; King, Michael R.; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos; Kraning-Rush, Casey M.; Kuhn, Peter; Kung, Kevin; Kwee, Brian; Lakins, Johnathon N.; Lambert, Guillaume; Liao, David; Licht, Jonathan D.; Liphardt, Jan T.; Liu, Liyu; Lloyd, Mark C.; Lyubimova, Anna; Mallick, Parag; Marko, John; McCarty, Owen J. T.; Meldrum, Deirdre R.; Michor, Franziska; Mumenthaler, Shannon M.; Nandakumar, Vivek; O’Halloran, Thomas V.; Oh, Steve; Pasqualini, Renata; Paszek, Matthew J.; Philips, Kevin G.; Poultney, Christopher S.; Rana, Kuldeepsinh; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A.; Ros, Robert; Semenza, Gregg L.; Senechal, Patti; Shuler, Michael L.; Srinivasan, Srimeenakshi; Staunton, Jack R.; Stypula, Yolanda; Subramanian, Hariharan; Tlsty, Thea D.; Tormoen, Garth W.; Tseng, Yiider; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Verbridge, Scott S.; Wan, Jenny C.; Weaver, Valerie M.; Widom, Jonathan; Will, Christine; Wirtz, Denis; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan; Wu, Pei-Hsun

    2013-01-01

    To investigate the transition from non-cancerous to metastatic from a physical sciences perspective, the Physical Sciences–Oncology Centers (PS-OC) Network performed molecular and biophysical comparative studies of the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast epithelial cell lines, commonly used as models of cancer metastasis. Experiments were performed in 20 laboratories from 12 PS-OCs. Each laboratory was supplied with identical aliquots and common reagents and culture protocols. Analyses of these measurements revealed dramatic differences in their mechanics, migration, adhesion, oxygen response, and proteomic profiles. Model-based multi-omics approaches identified key differences between these cells' regulatory networks involved in morphology and survival. These results provide a multifaceted description of cellular parameters of two widely used cell lines and demonstrate the value of the PS-OC Network approach for integration of diverse experimental observations to elucidate the phenotypes associated with cancer metastasis. PMID:23618955

  12. A physical sciences network characterization of non-tumorigenic and metastatic cells.

    PubMed

    Agus, David B; Alexander, Jenolyn F; Arap, Wadih; Ashili, Shashanka; Aslan, Joseph E; Austin, Robert H; Backman, Vadim; Bethel, Kelly J; Bonneau, Richard; Chen, Wei-Chiang; Chen-Tanyolac, Chira; Choi, Nathan C; Curley, Steven A; Dallas, Matthew; Damania, Dhwanil; Davies, Paul C W; Decuzzi, Paolo; Dickinson, Laura; Estevez-Salmeron, Luis; Estrella, Veronica; Ferrari, Mauro; Fischbach, Claudia; Foo, Jasmine; Fraley, Stephanie I; Frantz, Christian; Fuhrmann, Alexander; Gascard, Philippe; Gatenby, Robert A; Geng, Yue; Gerecht, Sharon; Gillies, Robert J; Godin, Biana; Grady, William M; Greenfield, Alex; Hemphill, Courtney; Hempstead, Barbara L; Hielscher, Abigail; Hillis, W Daniel; Holland, Eric C; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Jacks, Tyler; Johnson, Roger H; Joo, Ahyoung; Katz, Jonathan E; Kelbauskas, Laimonas; Kesselman, Carl; King, Michael R; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos; Kraning-Rush, Casey M; Kuhn, Peter; Kung, Kevin; Kwee, Brian; Lakins, Johnathon N; Lambert, Guillaume; Liao, David; Licht, Jonathan D; Liphardt, Jan T; Liu, Liyu; Lloyd, Mark C; Lyubimova, Anna; Mallick, Parag; Marko, John; McCarty, Owen J T; Meldrum, Deirdre R; Michor, Franziska; Mumenthaler, Shannon M; Nandakumar, Vivek; O'Halloran, Thomas V; Oh, Steve; Pasqualini, Renata; Paszek, Matthew J; Philips, Kevin G; Poultney, Christopher S; Rana, Kuldeepsinh; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A; Ros, Robert; Semenza, Gregg L; Senechal, Patti; Shuler, Michael L; Srinivasan, Srimeenakshi; Staunton, Jack R; Stypula, Yolanda; Subramanian, Hariharan; Tlsty, Thea D; Tormoen, Garth W; Tseng, Yiider; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Verbridge, Scott S; Wan, Jenny C; Weaver, Valerie M; Widom, Jonathan; Will, Christine; Wirtz, Denis; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan; Wu, Pei-Hsun

    2013-01-01

    To investigate the transition from non-cancerous to metastatic from a physical sciences perspective, the Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OC) Network performed molecular and biophysical comparative studies of the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast epithelial cell lines, commonly used as models of cancer metastasis. Experiments were performed in 20 laboratories from 12 PS-OCs. Each laboratory was supplied with identical aliquots and common reagents and culture protocols. Analyses of these measurements revealed dramatic differences in their mechanics, migration, adhesion, oxygen response, and proteomic profiles. Model-based multi-omics approaches identified key differences between these cells' regulatory networks involved in morphology and survival. These results provide a multifaceted description of cellular parameters of two widely used cell lines and demonstrate the value of the PS-OC Network approach for integration of diverse experimental observations to elucidate the phenotypes associated with cancer metastasis.

  13. A physical sciences network characterization of non-tumorigenic and metastatic cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers Network; Agus, David B.; Alexander, Jenolyn F.; Arap, Wadih; Ashili, Shashanka; Aslan, Joseph E.; Austin, Robert H.; Backman, Vadim; Bethel, Kelly J.; Bonneau, Richard; Chen, Wei-Chiang; Chen-Tanyolac, Chira; Choi, Nathan C.; Curley, Steven A.; Dallas, Matthew; Damania, Dhwanil; Davies, Paul C. W.; Decuzzi, Paolo; Dickinson, Laura; Estevez-Salmeron, Luis; Estrella, Veronica; Ferrari, Mauro; Fischbach, Claudia; Foo, Jasmine; Fraley, Stephanie I.; Frantz, Christian; Fuhrmann, Alexander; Gascard, Philippe; Gatenby, Robert A.; Geng, Yue; Gerecht, Sharon; Gillies, Robert J.; Godin, Biana; Grady, William M.; Greenfield, Alex; Hemphill, Courtney; Hempstead, Barbara L.; Hielscher, Abigail; Hillis, W. Daniel; Holland, Eric C.; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Jacks, Tyler; Johnson, Roger H.; Joo, Ahyoung; Katz, Jonathan E.; Kelbauskas, Laimonas; Kesselman, Carl; King, Michael R.; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos; Kraning-Rush, Casey M.; Kuhn, Peter; Kung, Kevin; Kwee, Brian; Lakins, Johnathon N.; Lambert, Guillaume; Liao, David; Licht, Jonathan D.; Liphardt, Jan T.; Liu, Liyu; Lloyd, Mark C.; Lyubimova, Anna; Mallick, Parag; Marko, John; McCarty, Owen J. T.; Meldrum, Deirdre R.; Michor, Franziska; Mumenthaler, Shannon M.; Nandakumar, Vivek; O'Halloran, Thomas V.; Oh, Steve; Pasqualini, Renata; Paszek, Matthew J.; Philips, Kevin G.; Poultney, Christopher S.; Rana, Kuldeepsinh; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A.; Ros, Robert; Semenza, Gregg L.; Senechal, Patti; Shuler, Michael L.; Srinivasan, Srimeenakshi; Staunton, Jack R.; Stypula, Yolanda; Subramanian, Hariharan; Tlsty, Thea D.; Tormoen, Garth W.; Tseng, Yiider; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Verbridge, Scott S.; Wan, Jenny C.; Weaver, Valerie M.; Widom, Jonathan; Will, Christine; Wirtz, Denis; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan; Wu, Pei-Hsun

    2013-04-01

    To investigate the transition from non-cancerous to metastatic from a physical sciences perspective, the Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OC) Network performed molecular and biophysical comparative studies of the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast epithelial cell lines, commonly used as models of cancer metastasis. Experiments were performed in 20 laboratories from 12 PS-OCs. Each laboratory was supplied with identical aliquots and common reagents and culture protocols. Analyses of these measurements revealed dramatic differences in their mechanics, migration, adhesion, oxygen response, and proteomic profiles. Model-based multi-omics approaches identified key differences between these cells' regulatory networks involved in morphology and survival. These results provide a multifaceted description of cellular parameters of two widely used cell lines and demonstrate the value of the PS-OC Network approach for integration of diverse experimental observations to elucidate the phenotypes associated with cancer metastasis.

  14. "Cercariform" cells: a clue to the cytodiagnosis of transitional cell origin of metastatic neoplasms?

    PubMed

    Powers, C N; Elbadawi, A

    1995-07-01

    The "cercariform" cell is described as a distinct cytomorphologic clue that may be helpful in the diagnosis of metastatic transitional cell neoplasms, particularly low grade. This cell has a nucleated globular body and a cytoplasmic process with a nontapering, flattened, bulbous or fishtail-like end. The cercariform cell corresponds to intermediate cells in histologic and ultrastructural preparations of normal urothelium. The cercariform appearance is the result of pseudostratification of both normal and low-grade neoplastic urothelium. The unique features of cercariform cells make them readily distinguishable from neoplastic squamous cells as well as spindle cells of mesenchymal origin.

  15. Heterogeneity of Estrogen Receptor Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells from Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients

    PubMed Central

    Babayan, Anna; Hannemann, Juliane; Spötter, Julia; Müller, Volkmar

    2013-01-01

    Background Endocrine treatment is the most preferable systemic treatment in metastatic breast cancer patients that have had an estrogen receptor (ER) positive primary tumor or metastatic lesions, however, approximately 20% of these patients do not benefit from the therapy and demonstrate further metastatic progress. One reason for failure of endocrine therapy might be the heterogeneity of ER expression in tumor cells spreading from the primary tumor to distant sites which is reflected in detectable circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Methods A sensitive and specific staining protocol for ER, keratin 8/18/19, CD45 was established. Peripheral blood from 35 metastatic breast cancer patients with ER-positive primary tumors was tested for the presence of CTCs. Keratin 8/18/19 and DAPI positive but CD45 negative cells were classified as CTCs and evaluated for ER staining. Subsequently, eight individual CTCs from four index patients (2 CTCs per patient) were isolated and underwent whole genome amplification and ESR1 gene mutation analysis. Results CTCs were detected in blood of 16 from 35 analyzed patients (46%), with a median of 3 CTCs/7.5 ml. In total, ER-negative CTCs were detected in 11/16 (69%) of the CTC positive cases, including blood samples with only ER-negative CTCs (19%) and samples with both ER-positive and ER-negative CTCs (50%). No correlation was found between the intensity and/or percentage of ER staining in the primary tumor with the number and ER status of CTCs of the same patient. ESR1 gene mutations were not found. Conclusion CTCs frequently lack ER expression in metastatic breast cancer patients with ER-positive primary tumors and show a considerable intra-patient heterogeneity, which may reflect a mechanism to escape endocrine therapy. Provided single cell analysis did not support a role of ESR1 mutations in this process. PMID:24058649

  16. Cell cycle-tailored targeting of metastatic melanoma: Challenges and opportunities.

    PubMed

    Haass, Nikolas K; Gabrielli, Brian

    2017-07-01

    The advent of targeted therapies of metastatic melanoma, such as MAPK pathway inhibitors and immune checkpoint antagonists, has turned dermato-oncology from the "bad guy" to the "poster child" in oncology. Current targeted therapies are effective, although here is a clear need to develop combination therapies to delay the onset of resistance. Many antimelanoma drugs impact on the cell cycle but are also dependent on certain cell cycle phases resulting in cell cycle phase-specific drug insensitivity. Here, we raise the question: Have combination trials been abandoned prematurely as ineffective possibly only because drug scheduling was not optimized? Firstly, if both drugs of a combination hit targets in the same melanoma cell, cell cycle-mediated drug insensitivity should be taken into account when planning combination therapies, timing of dosing schedules and choice of drug therapies in solid tumors. Secondly, if the combination is designed to target different tumor cell subpopulations of a heterogeneous tumor, one drug effective in a particular subpopulation should not negatively impact on the other drug targeting another subpopulation. In addition to the role of cell cycle stage and progression on standard chemotherapeutics and targeted drugs, we discuss the utilization of cell cycle checkpoint control defects to enhance chemotherapeutic responses or as targets themselves. We propose that cell cycle-tailored targeting of metastatic melanoma could further improve therapy outcomes and that our real-time cell cycle imaging 3D melanoma spheroid model could be utilized as a tool to measure and design drug scheduling approaches. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Prophylactic Dendritic Cell-Based Vaccines Efficiently Inhibit Metastases in Murine Metastatic Melanoma

    PubMed Central

    Sennikov, Sergey V.; Vlassov, Valentin V.; Zenkova, Marina A.

    2015-01-01

    Recent data on the application of dendritic cells (DCs) as anti-tumor vaccines has shown their great potential in therapy and prophylaxis of cancer. Here we report on a comparison of two treatment schemes with DCs that display the models of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination using three different experimental tumor models: namely, Krebs-2 adenocarcinoma (primary tumor), melanoma (B16, metastatic tumor without a primary node) and Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC, metastatic tumor with a primary node). Dendritic cells generated from bone marrow-derived DC precursors and loaded with lysate of tumor cells or transfected with the complexes of total tumor RNA with cationic liposomes were used for vaccination. Lipofectamine 2000 and liposomes consisting of helper lipid DOPE (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine) and cationic lipid 2D3 (1,26-Bis(1,2-de-O-tetradecyl-rac-glycerol)-7,11,16,20-tetraazahexacosan tetrahydrocloride) were used for RNA transfection. It was shown that DCs loaded with tumor lysate were ineffective in contrast to tumor-derived RNA. Therapeutic vaccination with DCs loaded by lipoplexes RNA/Lipofectamine 2000 was the most efficient for treatment of non-metastatic Krebs-2, where a 1.9-fold tumor growth retardation was observed. Single prophylactic vaccination with DCs loaded by lipoplexes RNA/2D3 was the most efficient to treat highly aggressive metastatic tumors LLC and B16, where 4.7- and 10-fold suppression of the number of lung metastases was observed, respectively. Antimetastatic effect of single prophylactic DC vaccination in metastatic melanoma model was accompanied by the reductions in the levels of Th2-specific cytokines however the change of the levels of Th1/Th2/Th17 master regulators was not found. Failure of double prophylactic vaccination is explained by Th17-response polarization associated with autoimmune and pro-inflammatory reactions. In the case of therapeutic DC vaccine the polarization of Th1-response was found nevertheless

  18. Prophylactic Dendritic Cell-Based Vaccines Efficiently Inhibit Metastases in Murine Metastatic Melanoma.

    PubMed

    Markov, Oleg V; Mironova, Nadezhda L; Sennikov, Sergey V; Vlassov, Valentin V; Zenkova, Marina A

    2015-01-01

    Recent data on the application of dendritic cells (DCs) as anti-tumor vaccines has shown their great potential in therapy and prophylaxis of cancer. Here we report on a comparison of two treatment schemes with DCs that display the models of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination using three different experimental tumor models: namely, Krebs-2 adenocarcinoma (primary tumor), melanoma (B16, metastatic tumor without a primary node) and Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC, metastatic tumor with a primary node). Dendritic cells generated from bone marrow-derived DC precursors and loaded with lysate of tumor cells or transfected with the complexes of total tumor RNA with cationic liposomes were used for vaccination. Lipofectamine 2000 and liposomes consisting of helper lipid DOPE (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine) and cationic lipid 2D3 (1,26-Bis(1,2-de-O-tetradecyl-rac-glycerol)-7,11,16,20-tetraazahexacosan tetrahydrocloride) were used for RNA transfection. It was shown that DCs loaded with tumor lysate were ineffective in contrast to tumor-derived RNA. Therapeutic vaccination with DCs loaded by lipoplexes RNA/Lipofectamine 2000 was the most efficient for treatment of non-metastatic Krebs-2, where a 1.9-fold tumor growth retardation was observed. Single prophylactic vaccination with DCs loaded by lipoplexes RNA/2D3 was the most efficient to treat highly aggressive metastatic tumors LLC and B16, where 4.7- and 10-fold suppression of the number of lung metastases was observed, respectively. Antimetastatic effect of single prophylactic DC vaccination in metastatic melanoma model was accompanied by the reductions in the levels of Th2-specific cytokines however the change of the levels of Th1/Th2/Th17 master regulators was not found. Failure of double prophylactic vaccination is explained by Th17-response polarization associated with autoimmune and pro-inflammatory reactions. In the case of therapeutic DC vaccine the polarization of Th1-response was found nevertheless

  19. Avelumab: A Review of Its Application in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Joseph, Jocelyn; Zobniw, Chrystia; Davis, Jennifer; Anderson, Jaime; Trinh, Van Anh

    2018-04-01

    To summarize the clinical development of avelumab and its clinical relevance in metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). An English-language literature search using PubMed was performed using the terms avelumab, anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, and MCC from January of 1950 to March 2018. Data were also obtained from package inserts, meeting abstracts, and clinical registries. All relevant published articles of avelumab were reviewed. Clinical trial registries and meeting abstracts were used for information about ongoing trials. Avelumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits programmed death ligand-1, which reverses T-cell exhaustion and induces antitumor responses. Avelumab is safe and effective in previously treated metastatic MCC based on a phase II trial of previously treated patients with objective response rates in 28 of 88 patients, including 10 complete responses and 19 partial responses. Median overall survival (OS) was 12.9 months, and 1-year progression-free survival and OS were 30% and 52%, respectively. Grade 3 treatment-related side effects included lymphopenia (2 patients), serum creatine phosphokinase increase (1 patient), aminotransferase elevation (1 patient), and serum cholesterol increase (1 patient). Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This review outlines the pharmacology and clinical trial data for avelumab in metastatic MCC and guides clinicians on avelumab's place in therapy. Avelumab is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved medication for metastatic MCC and provides an advantage of durable responses and possibly improved tolerability compared with traditional platinum-based chemotherapy. Clinical trials are under way to expand its utility into the adjuvant and frontline settings.

  20. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma complicated with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage: a rare adverse effect of sunitinib.

    PubMed

    Yamada, Tadaaki; Ohtsubo, Koushiro; Izumi, Kouji; Takeuchi, Shinji; Mouri, Hisatsugu; Yamashita, Kaname; Yasumoto, Kazuo; Ghenev, Peter; Kitagawa, Satoshi; Yano, Seiji

    2010-12-01

    We report the case of a 67-year-old man with metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who developed bloody sputum after the administration of sunitinib. Chest computed tomography revealed diffuse ground-glass opacity lesions, and bloody bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was obtained by flexible bronchoscopy. The abnormal shadows promptly regressed after withdrawal of sunitinib. In four cycles of sunitinib treatment, he suffered from controllable diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Finally, he died of respiratory failure 8 months after onset. This is the first case report of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage as an adverse effect of sunitinib in metastatic papillary RCC. Care should be taken with pulmonary hemorrhage in the use of anti-angiogenesis agents in not only squamous cell lung cancer, but also metastatic lung tumors.

  1. CDX2 immunostaining in primary and metastatic germ cell tumours of the testis.

    PubMed

    Oz Atalay, Fatma; Aytac Vuruskan, Berna; Vuruskan, Hakan

    2016-12-01

    Objective To evaluate the immunohistochemical staining pattern of caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2) protein in germ cell tumours (GCTs) of the testis. Methods This study reassessed archival tissue samples collected from patients diagnosed with primary and metastatic testicular GCTs for CDX2 immunoreactivity using standard immunohistochemical techniques. Positive nuclear immunostaining was evaluated with regard to both the staining intensity and the extent of the staining. Results Tissue sections from primary and metastatic testicular GCTs ( n = 104), germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNis) ( n = 5) and benign testicles ( n = 15) were analysed. The GCNis and benign testicular tissues showed no immunoreactivity for CDX2. Strong and diffuse staining of CDX2 was demonstrated only in the mature colonic epithelium of teratomas in both primary and metastatic GCTs. CDX2 positivity in other tumours (one pure yolk sac tumour, one yolk sac component of a mixed GCT and one pure seminoma) was infrequent, and was only weak and focal. Conclusions CDX2 immunostaining should be interpreted based on both the staining intensity and the extent of staining so as not to cause misdiagnosis. Teratomas with colonic-type epithelium should be considered in the differential diagnosis if a metastatic tumour with an unknown primary shows prominent CDX2 immunostaining.

  2. Injection of Syngeneic Murine Melanoma Cells to Determine Their Metastatic Potential in the Lungs.

    PubMed

    Timmons, Joshua J; Cohessy, Sean; Wong, Eric T

    2016-05-24

    Approximately 90% of human cancer deaths are linked to metastasis. Despite the prevalence and relative harm of metastasis, therapeutics for treatment or prevention are lacking. We report a method for the establishment of pulmonary metastases in mice, useful for the study of this phenomenon. Tail vein injection of B57BL/6J mice with B16-BL6 is among the most used models for melanoma metastases. Some of the circulating tumor cells establish themselves in the lungs of the mouse, creating "experimental" metastatic foci. With this model it is possible to measure the relative effects of therapeutic agents on the development of cancer metastasis. The difference in enumerated lung foci between treated and untreated mice indicates the efficacy of metastases neutralization. However, prior to the investigation of a therapeutic agent, it is necessary to determine an optimal number of injected B16-BL6 cells for the quantitative analysis of metastatic foci. Injection of too many cells may result in an overabundance of metastatic foci, impairing proper quantification and overwhelming the effects of anti-cancer therapies, while injection of too few cells will hinder the comparison between treated and controls.

  3. Injection of Syngeneic Murine Melanoma Cells to Determine Their Metastatic Potential in the Lungs

    PubMed Central

    Timmons, Joshua J.; Cohessy, Sean; Wong, Eric T.

    2016-01-01

    Approximately 90% of human cancer deaths are linked to metastasis. Despite the prevalence and relative harm of metastasis, therapeutics for treatment or prevention are lacking. We report a method for the establishment of pulmonary metastases in mice, useful for the study of this phenomenon. Tail vein injection of B57BL/6J mice with B16-BL6 is among the most used models for melanoma metastases. Some of the circulating tumor cells establish themselves in the lungs of the mouse, creating "experimental" metastatic foci. With this model it is possible to measure the relative effects of therapeutic agents on the development of cancer metastasis. The difference in enumerated lung foci between treated and untreated mice indicates the efficacy of metastases neutralization. However, prior to the investigation of a therapeutic agent, it is necessary to determine an optimal number of injected B16-BL6 cells for the quantitative analysis of metastatic foci. Injection of too many cells may result in an overabundance of metastatic foci, impairing proper quantification and overwhelming the effects of anti-cancer therapies, while injection of too few cells will hinder the comparison between treated and controls. PMID:27285567

  4. Assessment of the tumourigenic and metastatic properties of SK-MEL28 melanoma cells surviving electrochemotherapy with bleomycin

    PubMed Central

    Todorovic, Vesna; Sersa, Gregor; Mlakar, Vid; Glavac, Damjan; Cemazar, Maja

    2012-01-01

    Background Electrochemotherapy is a local treatment combining chemotherapy and electroporation and is highly effective treatment approach for subcutaneous tumours of various histologies. Contrary to surgery and radiation, the effect of electrochemotherapy on metastatic potential of tumour cells has not been extensively studied. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of electrochemotherapy with bleomycin on the metastatic potential of human melanoma cells in vitro. Materials and methods Viable cells 48 hours after electrochemotherapy were tested for their ability to migrate and invade through Matrigel coated porous membrane. In addition, microarray analysis and quantitative Real-Time PCR were used to detect changes in gene expression after electrochemotherapy. Results Cell migration and invasion were not changed in melanoma cells surviving electrochemotherapy. Interestingly, only a low number of tumourigenesis related genes was differentially expressed after electrochemotherapy. Conclusions Our data suggest that metastatic potential of human melanoma cells is not affected by electrochemotherapy with bleomycin, confirming safe role of electrochemotherapy in the clinics. PMID:22933978

  5. Assessment of the tumourigenic and metastatic properties of SK-MEL28 melanoma cells surviving electrochemotherapy with bleomycin.

    PubMed

    Todorovic, Vesna; Sersa, Gregor; Mlakar, Vid; Glavac, Damjan; Cemazar, Maja

    2012-03-01

    Electrochemotherapy is a local treatment combining chemotherapy and electroporation and is highly effective treatment approach for subcutaneous tumours of various histologies. Contrary to surgery and radiation, the effect of electrochemotherapy on metastatic potential of tumour cells has not been extensively studied. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of electrochemotherapy with bleomycin on the metastatic potential of human melanoma cells in vitro. Viable cells 48 hours after electrochemotherapy were tested for their ability to migrate and invade through Matrigel coated porous membrane. In addition, microarray analysis and quantitative Real-Time PCR were used to detect changes in gene expression after electrochemotherapy. Cell migration and invasion were not changed in melanoma cells surviving electrochemotherapy. Interestingly, only a low number of tumourigenesis related genes was differentially expressed after electrochemotherapy. Our data suggest that metastatic potential of human melanoma cells is not affected by electrochemotherapy with bleomycin, confirming safe role of electrochemotherapy in the clinics.

  6. Pleiotropic function of ezrin in human metastatic melanomas.

    PubMed

    Federici, Cristina; Brambilla, Daria; Lozupone, Francesco; Matarrese, Paola; de Milito, Angelo; Lugini, Luana; Iessi, Elisabetta; Cecchetti, Serena; Marino, Marialucia; Perdicchio, Maurizio; Logozzi, Mariantonia; Spada, Massimo; Malorni, Walter; Fais, Stefano

    2009-06-15

    The membrane cytoskeleton cross-linker, ezrin, has recently been depicted as a key regulator in the progression and metastasis of several pediatric tumors. Less defined appears the role of ezrin in human adult tumors, especially melanoma. We therefore addressed ezrin involvement in the metastatic phenotype of human adult metastatic melanoma cells. Our results show that cells resected from melanoma metastatic lesions of patients, display marked metastatic spreading capacity in SCID mice organs. Stable transfection of human melanoma cells with an ezrin deletion mutant comprising only 146 N-terminal aminoacids led to the abolishment of metastatic dissemination. In vitro experiments revealed ezrin direct molecular interactions with molecules related to metastatic functions such as CD44, merlin and Lamp-1, consistent with its participation to the formation of phagocitic vacuoles, vesicular sorting and migration capacities of melanoma cells. Moreover, the ezrin fragment capable of binding to CD44 was shorter than that previously reported, and transfection with the ezrin deletion mutant abrogated plasma membrane Lamp-1 recruitment. This study highlights key involvement of ezrin in a complex machinery, which allows metastatic cancer cells to migrate, invade and survive in very unfavorable conditions. Our in vivo and in vitro data reveal that ezrin is the hub of the metastatic behavior also in human adult tumors. Copyright 2008 UICC.

  7. Metastatic cancer stem cells: from the concept to therapeutics.

    PubMed

    Liao, Wen-Ting; Ye, Ya-Ping; Deng, Yong-Jian; Bian, Xiu-Wu; Ding, Yan-Qing

    2014-01-01

    Metastatic cancer stem cells (MCSCs) refer to a subpopulation of cancer cells with both stem cell properties and invasion capabilities that contribute to cancer metastasis. MCSCs have capability of self-renewal, potentials of multiple differentiation and development and/or reconstruction of cancer tissues. As compared with stationary cancer stem cells, MCSCs are capable of invasion to normal tissues such as vasculatures, resistance to chemo- and/or radio-therapies, escape from immune surveillance, survival in circulation and formation of metastasis. MCSCs are derived from invasive cancer stem cells (iCSCs) due to the plasticity of cancer stem cells, which is one of the characteristics of cancer cell heterogeneity. Both stages of iCSCs and MSCSs are the potential therapeutic targets for cancer metastasis in the future strategies of personalized cancer therapy.

  8. Isolation and characterization of a metastatic hybrid cell line generated by ER negative and ER positive breast cancer cells in mouse bone marrow.

    PubMed

    Mukhopadhyay, Keya De; Bandyopadhyay, Abhik; Chang, Ting-Tung A; Elkahloun, Abdel G; Cornell, John E; Yang, Junhua; Goins, Beth A; Yeh, I-Tien; Sun, Lu-Zhe

    2011-01-01

    The origin and the contribution of breast tumor heterogeneity to its progression are not clear. We investigated the effect of a growing orthotopic tumor formed by an aggressive estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer cell line on the metastatic potential of a less aggressive ER-positive breast cancer cell line for the elucidation of how the presence of heterogeneous cancer cells might affect each other's metastatic behavior. ER positive ZR-75-1/GFP/puro cells, resistant to puromycin and non-tumorigenic/non-metastatic without exogenous estrogen supplementation, were injected intracardiacally into mice bearing growing orthotopic tumors, formed by ER negative MDA-MB-231/GFP/Neo cells resistant to G418. A variant cell line B6, containing both estrogen-dependent and -independent cells, were isolated from GFP expressing cells in the bone marrow and re-inoculated in nude mice to generate an estrogen-independent cell line B6TC. The presence of ER negative orthotopic tumors resulted in bone metastasis of ZR-75-1 without estrogen supplementation. The newly established B6TC cell line was tumorigenic without estrogen supplementation and resistant to both puromycin and G418 suggesting its origin from the fusion of MDA-MB-231/GFP/Neo and ZR-75-1/GFP/puro in the mouse bone marrow. Compared to parental cells, B6TC cells were more metastatic to lung and bone after intracardiac inoculation. More significantly, B6TC mice also developed brain metastasis, which was not observed in the MDA-MB-231/GFP/Neo cell-inoculated mice. Low expression of ERα and CD24, and high expression of EMT-related markers such as Vimentin, CXCR4, and Integrin-β1 along with high CD44 and ALDH expression indicated stem cell-like characteristics of B6TC. Gene microarray analysis demonstrated a significantly different gene expression profile of B6TC in comparison to those of parental cell lines. Spontaneous generation of the novel hybrid cell line B6TC, in a metastatic site with stem cell-like properties

  9. A Case of Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Cisplatin and Adriamycin.

    PubMed

    Kanzaki, Akiko; Ansai, Shin-Ichi; Ueno, Takashi; Kawana, Seiji; Shimizu, Akira; Naito, Zenya; Saeki, Hidehisa

    2017-01-01

    A 72-year-old man was referred to our hospital for treatment of an ulcer that had been growing on his back for 10 years. Physical examination showed an ulcerated tumor from the neck to the back and swollen cervical lymph nodes. The tumor size was 12×9 cm. Histology of the biopsy showed a nodular and morpheic basal cell carcinoma (BCC). A chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed multiple lung tumors. CT-guided biopsy of the lung and the cervical lymph node revealed metastatic basal cell carcinoma (MBCC). The primary skin tumor was resected and a total of 10 courses of cisplatin (25 mg/m 2 /day×75%) and adriamycin (50 mg/m 2 ×75%) were administered for metastatic basal cell carcinoma (MBCC). The patient died 5 years and 3 months after his first visit. Autopsy revealed MBCC in the lung, kidney, pancreas, several lymph nodes, liver and bone. A portion of the tumor cells were composed of squamoid cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, large nuclei, lack of the characteristic peripheral palisading and retraction artifacts, and variable cytoplasmic keratinization. These pathological findings were compatible with basosquamous cell carcinoma. Chemotherapy was effective for MBCC in this patient.

  10. Elevated Na+/H+ exchanger-1 expression enhances the metastatic collective migration of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Kaminota, Teppei; Yano, Hajime; Shiota, Kohei; Nomura, Noriko; Yaguchi, Haruna; Kirino, Yui; Ohara, Kentaro; Tetsumura, Issei; Sanada, Tomoyoshi; Ugumori, Toru; Tanaka, Junya; Hato, Naohito

    2017-04-22

    Cancer cells can migrate as collectives during invasion and/or metastasis; however, the precise molecular mechanisms of this form of migration are less clear compared with single cell migration following epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Elevated Na + /H + exchanger1 (NHE1) expression has been suggested to have malignant roles in a number of cancer cell lines and in vivo tumor models. Furthermore, a metastatic human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell line (SASL1m) that was isolated based on its increased metastatic potential also exhibited higher NHE1 expression than its parental line SAS. Time-lapse video recordings indicated that both cell lines migrate as collectives, although with different features, e.g., SASL1m was much more active and changed the direction of migration more frequently than SAS cells, whereas locomotive activities were comparable. SASL1m cells also exhibited higher invasive activity than SAS in Matrigel invasion assays. shRNA-mediated NHE1 knockdown in SASL1m led to reduced locomotive and invasive activities, suggesting a critical role for NHE1 in the collective migration of SASL1m cells. SASL1m cells also exhibited a higher metastatic rate than SAS cells in a mouse lymph node metastasis model, while NHE1 knockdown suppressed in vivo SASL1m metastasis. Finally, elevated NHE1 expression was observed in human HNSCC tissue, and Cariporide, a specific NHE1 inhibitor, reduced the invasive activity of SASL1m cells, implying NHE1 could be a target for anti-invasion/metastasis therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Emerging insights into recurrent and metastatic human papillomavirus‐related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Faraji, Farhoud; Eisele, David W.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective To review recent literature on human papillomavirus‐related (HPV‐positive) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPC) and focus on implications of recurrent and metastatic disease. Methods Primary articles from 1990 to 2016 indexed in MEDLINE (1) pertaining to the epidemiology of HPV‐positive OPC and (2) providing clinical insight into recurrent and metastatic OPC. Results The incidence of HPV‐positive OPC is increasing globally. HPV‐positive OPC is a subtype with distinct molecular and clinical features including enhanced treatment response and improved overall survival. While disease recurrence is less common in patients with HPV‐positive OPC, up to 36% of patients experience treatment failure within eight years. Recurrent and metastatic OPC has historically signified poor prognosis, however recent data are challenging this dogma. Here, we discuss recurrent and metastatic OPC in the context of HPV tumor status. Conclusion HPV‐positive OPC exhibits distinct genetic, cellular, epidemiological, and clinical features from HPV‐negative OPC. HPV tumor status is emerging as a marker indicative of improved prognosis after disease progression in both locoregionally recurrent and distant metastatic OPC. Level of Evidence N/A. PMID:28894817

  12. Real Time Visualization and Manipulation of the Metastatic Trajectory ofBreast Cancer Cell

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-09-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0173 TITLE: Real-Time Visualization and Manipulation of the Metastatic Trajectory of Breast Cancer Cells ...of this work was to engineer breast cancer cells to irreversibly alter the genome of nearby cells through exosomal transfer of Cre recombinase from...the cancer cells to surrounding cells . Our goal was to use this study to activate green fluorescent protein in the host reporter cells in the

  13. PD-L1 inhibition with avelumab for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Gaiser, Maria Rita; Bongiorno, Michelle; Brownell, Isaac

    2018-04-01

    Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer that lacks durable responses to traditional chemotherapy. Areas covered: After MCC was shown to be an immunogenic tumor, small trials revealed high objective response rates to PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors. The JAVELIN Merkel 200 (NCT02155647) trial tested the use of avelumab, a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody against PD-L1, in metastatic MCC. Avelumab recently became the first approved drug for metastatic MCC. Expert commentary: By conducting broad phase I studies assessing the safety of avelumab and a small phase II study demonstrating efficacy in this rare orphan tumor type, avelumab gained accelerated approval for the treatment of metastatic MCC. Additional studies are needed to determine how the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) competent Fc region of avelumab contributes to disease control. Remaining questions: Longer follow-up will determine the durability of checkpoint blockade in controlling metastatic MCC. Additional studies will assess the utility and safety of adjuvant checkpoint blockade in patients with excised MCC. How to increase response rates by combining PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with other treatment approaches needs to be explored. In addition, treatment options for MCC patients who fail or do not respond to avelumab need to be identified.

  14. High fidelity of driver chromosomal alterations among primary and metastatic renal cell carcinomas: implications for tumor clonal evolution and treatment.

    PubMed

    Kouba, Eril J; Eble, John N; Simper, Novae; Grignon, David J; Wang, Mingsheng; Zhang, Shaobo; Wang, Lisha; Martignoni, Guido; Williamson, Sean R; Brunelli, Matteo; Luchini, Claudio; Calió, Anna; Cheng, Liang

    2016-11-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated considerable genomic heterogeneity in both primary and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This mutational diversity has serious implications for the development and implementation of targeted molecular therapies. We evaluated 39 cases of primary RCC tumors with their matched metastatic tumors to determine if the hallmark chromosomal anomalies of these tumors are preserved over the course of disease progression. Thirty-nine matched pairs of primary and metastatic RCCs (20 clear cell RCC, 16 papillary RCC, and 3 chromophobe RCC) were analyzed. All clear cell RCC and papillary RCC tumors were evaluated for chromosome 3p deletion, trisomy 7 and 17 using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Chromophobe RCC tumors were evaluated for genetic alterations in chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, and 17. Of the 20 clear cell RCC tumors, 18 primary tumors (90%) showed a deletion of chromosome 3p and were disomic for chromosomes 7 and 17. All molecular aberrations were conserved within the matched metastatic tumor. Of the 16 papillary RCC tumors, 10 primary tumors (62%) showed trisomy for both chromosomes 7 and 17 without 3p deletion. These molecular aberrations and others were conserved in the paired metastatic tumors. Of the three chromophobe RCC tumors, multiple genetic anomalies were identified in chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, and 17. These chromosomal aberrations were conserved in the matched metastatic tumors. Our results demonstrated genomic fidelity among the primary and metastatic lesions in RCCs. These findings may have important clinical and diagnostic implications.

  15. Metastatic patterns of myxoid/round cell liposarcoma: a review of a 25-year experience.

    PubMed

    Asano, Naofumi; Susa, Michiro; Hosaka, Seiichi; Nakayama, Robert; Kobayashi, Eisuke; Takeuchi, Katsuhito; Horiuchi, Keisuke; Suzuki, Yoshihisa; Anazawa, Ukei; Mukai, Makio; Toyama, Yoshiaki; Yabe, Hiroo; Morioka, Hideo

    2012-01-01

    Myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (MRCL), unlike other soft tissue sarcomas, has been associated with unusual pattern of metastasis to extrapulmonary sites. In an attempt to elucidate the clinical features of MRCL with metastatic lesions, 58 cases, from the medical database of Keio University Hospital were used for the evaluation. 47 patients (81%) had no metastases, whereas 11 patients (11%) had metastases during their clinical course. Among the 11 patients with metastatic lesions, 8 patients (73%) had extrapulmonary metastases and 3 patients (27%) had pulmonary metastases. Patients were further divided into three groups; without metastasis, with extrapulmonary metastasis, and with pulmonary metastasis. When the metastatic patterns were stratified according to tumor size, there was statistical significance between the three groups (P = 0.028). The 8 cases with extrapulmonary metastases were all larger than 10 cm. Similarly, histological grading had a significant impact on metastatic patterns (P = 0.027). 3 cases with pulmonary metastatic lesions were all diagnosed as high grade. In conclusion, large size and low histological grade were significantly associated with extrapulmonary metastasis.

  16. A direct comparison of CellSearch and ISET for circulating tumour-cell detection in patients with metastatic carcinomas

    PubMed Central

    Farace, F; Massard, C; Vimond, N; Drusch, F; Jacques, N; Billiot, F; Laplanche, A; Chauchereau, A; Lacroix, L; Planchard, D; Le Moulec, S; André, F; Fizazi, K; Soria, J C; Vielh, P

    2011-01-01

    Background: Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) can provide information on patient prognosis and treatment efficacy. However, there is no universal method to detect CTC currently available. Here, we compared the performance of two CTC detection systems based on the expression of the EpCAM antigen (CellSearch assay) or on cell size (ISET assay). Methods: Circulating tumour cells were enumerated in 60 patients with metastatic carcinomas of breast, prostate and lung origins using CellSearch according to the manufacturer's protocol and ISET by studying cytomorphology and immunolabelling with anti-cytokeratin or lineage-specific antibodies. Results: Concordant results were obtained in 55% (11 out of 20) of the patients with breast cancer, in 60% (12 out of 20) of the patients with prostate cancer and in only 20% (4 out of 20) of lung cancer patients. Conclusion: Our results highlight important discrepancies between the numbers of CTC enumerated by both techniques. These differences depend mostly on the tumour type. These results suggest that technologies limiting CTC capture to EpCAM-positive cells, may present important limitations, especially in patients with metastatic lung carcinoma. PMID:21829190

  17. Current Treatment Algorithms for Patients with Metastatic Non-Small Cell, Non-Squamous Lung Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Melosky, Barbara

    2017-01-01

    The treatment paradigm for metastatic non-small cell, non-squamous lung cancer is continuously evolving due to new treatment options and our increasing knowledge of molecular signal pathways. As a result of treatments becoming more efficacious and more personalized, survival for selected groups of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is increasing. In this paper, three algorithms will be presented for treating patients with metastatic non-squamous, NSCLC. These include treatment algorithms for NSCLC patients whose tumors have EGFR mutations, ALK rearrangements, or wild-type/wild-type tumors. As the world of immunotherapy continues to evolve quickly, a future algorithm will also be presented. PMID:28373963

  18. Metabolic Profile of Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cell Lines Relies on a Higher Demand of Lipid Metabolism in Metastatic Cells

    PubMed Central

    Sant’Anna-Silva, Ana Carolina B.; Santos, Gilson C.; Campos, Samir P. Costa; Oliveira Gomes, André Marco; Pérez-Valencia, Juan Alberto; Rumjanek, Franklin David

    2018-01-01

    Tumor cells are subjected to a broad range of selective pressures. As a result of the imposed stress, subpopulations of surviving cells exhibit individual biochemical phenotypes that reflect metabolic reprograming. The present work aimed at investigating metabolic parameters of cells displaying increasing degrees of metastatic potential. The metabolites present in cell extracts fraction of tongue fibroblasts and of cell lines derived from human tongue squamous cell carcinoma lineages displaying increasing metastatic potential (SCC9 ZsG, LN1 and LN2) were analyzed by 1H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy. Living, intact cells were also examined by the non-invasive method of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) based on the auto fluorescence of endogenous NADH. The cell lines reproducibly exhibited distinct metabolic profiles confirmed by Partial Least-Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) of the spectra. Measurement of endogenous free and bound NAD(P)H relative concentrations in the intact cell lines showed that ZsG and LN1 cells displayed high heterogeneity in the energy metabolism, indicating that the cells would oscillate between glycolysis and oxidative metabolism depending on the microenvironment’s composition. However, LN2 cells appeared to have more contributions to the oxidative status, displaying a lower NAD(P)H free/bound ratio. Functional experiments of energy metabolism, mitochondrial physiology, and proliferation assays revealed that all lineages exhibited similar energy features, although resorting to different bioenergetics strategies to face metabolic demands. These differentiated functions may also promote metastasis. We propose that lipid metabolism is related to the increased invasiveness as a result of the accumulation of malonate, methyl malonic acid, n-acetyl and unsaturated fatty acids (CH2)n in parallel with the metastatic potential progression, thus suggesting that the NAD(P)H reflected the lipid catabolic

  19. The influences of a novel anti-adhesion device, thermally cross-linked gelatin film on peritoneal dissemination of tumor cells: The in vitro and in vivo experiments using murine carcinomatous peritonitis models.

    PubMed

    Miyamoto, Hiroe; Tsujimoto, Hiroyuki; Horii, Tsunehito; Ozamoto, Yuki; Ueda, Joe; Takagi, Toshitaka; Saitoh, Naoto; Hagiwara, Akeo

    2017-10-10

    To create anti-adhesive materials to be more effective and safer, we developed a thermally cross-linked gelatin film that showed superior anti-adhesive effects with excellent peritoneal regeneration. However, it may act as a convenient scaffold for tumor cell growth, thereby accelerating peritoneal dissemination when used in surgery for abdominal tumors. In this study, we tried to clarify this issue using mouse carcinomatous peritonitis models. First, we examined the in vitro tumor cell growth of mouse B16 melanoma or Colon26 cells on the gelatin film or the conventional hyarulonate/carboxymethylcellulose film. Tumor cell growth on each film was significantly lower than that of the control (no film). Next, we conducted the following in vivo experiments: After the parietal peritoneum was partially removed and covered with each film or without any film, mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with B16 melanoma or Colon26/Nluc cells expressing NanoLuc luciferase gene. At 7 days after the operation, we measured the weight of B16 melanoma tumors or the NanoLuc activity of Colon26/Nluc cells using in vivo imaging at the injured sites. There were no significant differences in the weight of the tumors and the NanoLuc activity among the three groups. We also observed the survival time of mice receiving the same operation and treatments. There was no significant difference in the survival time among the three groups. These results suggest that the gelatin film will likely not accelerate peritoneal dissemination as a convenient scaffold for tumor cell growth when used in surgery for abdominal tumors. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Analysis of autophagic flux in response to sulforaphane in metastatic prostate cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Watson, Gregory W; Wickramasekara, Samanthi; Fang, Yufeng; Palomera-Sanchez, Zoraya; Maier, Claudia S; Williams, David E; Dashwood, Roderick H; Perez, Viviana I; Ho, Emily

    2015-01-01

    Scope The phytochemical sulforaphane has been shown to decrease prostate cancer metastases in a genetic mouse model of prostate carcinogenesis, though the mechanism of action is not fully known. Sulforaphane has been reported to stimulate autophagy, and modulation of autophagy has been proposed to influence sulforaphane cytotoxicity; however, no conclusions about autophagy can be drawn without assessing autophagic flux, which has not been characterized in prostate cancer cells following sulforaphane treatment. Methods and Results We conducted an investigation to assess the impact of sulforaphane on autophagic flux in two metastatic prostate cancer cell lines at a concentration shown to decrease metastasis in vivo. Autophagic flux was assessed by multiple autophagy related proteins and substrates. We found that sulforaphane can stimulate autophagic flux and cell death only at high concentrations, above what has been observed in vivo. Conclusion These results suggest that sulforaphane does not directly stimulate autophagy or cell death in metastatic prostate cancer cells under physiologically relevant conditions, but instead supports the involvement of in vivo factors as important effectors of sulforaphane- mediated prostate cancer suppression. PMID:26108801

  1. Novel metastatic models of esophageal adenocarcinoma derived from FLO-1 cells highlight the importance of E-cadherin in cancer metastasis.

    PubMed

    Liu, David S; Hoefnagel, Sanne J M; Fisher, Oliver M; Krishnadath, Kausilia K; Montgomery, Karen G; Busuttil, Rita A; Colebatch, Andrew J; Read, Matthew; Duong, Cuong P; Phillips, Wayne A; Clemons, Nicholas J

    2016-12-13

    There is currently a paucity of preclinical models available to study the metastatic process in esophageal cancer. Here we report FLO-1, and its isogenic derivative FLO-1LM, as two spontaneously metastatic cell line models of human esophageal adenocarcinoma. We show that FLO-1 has undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasizes following subcutaneous injection in mice. FLO-1LM, derived from a FLO-1 liver metastasis, has markedly enhanced proliferative, clonogenic, anti-apoptotic, invasive, immune-tolerant and metastatic potential. Genome-wide RNAseq profiling revealed a significant enrichment of metastasis-related pathways in FLO-1LM cells. Moreover, CDH1, which encodes the adhesion molecule E-cadherin, was the most significantly downregulated gene in FLO-1LM compared to FLO-1. Consistent with this, repression of E-cadherin expression in FLO-1 cells resulted in increased metastatic activity. Importantly, reduced E-cadherin expression is commonly reported in esophageal adenocarcinoma and independently predicts poor patient survival. Collectively, these findings highlight the biological importance of E-cadherin activity in the pathogenesis of metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma and validate the utility of FLO-1 parental and FLO-1LM cells as preclinical models of metastasis in this disease.

  2. Conditionally reprogrammed cells (CRC) methodology does not allow the in vitro expansion of patient-derived primary and metastatic lung cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Sette, Giovanni; Salvati, Valentina; Giordani, Ilenia; Pilozzi, Emanuela; Quacquarini, Denise; Duranti, Enrico; De Nicola, Francesca; Pallocca, Matteo; Fanciulli, Maurizio; Falchi, Mario; Pallini, Roberto; De Maria, Ruggero; Eramo, Adriana

    2018-07-01

    Availability of tumor and non-tumor patient-derived models would promote the development of more effective therapeutics for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, conditionally reprogrammed cells (CRC) methodology demonstrated exceptional potential for the expansion of epithelial cells from patient tissues. However, the possibility to expand patient-derived lung cancer cells using CRC protocols is controversial. Here, we used CRC approach to expand cells from non-tumoral and tumor biopsies of patients with primary or metastatic NSCLC as well as pulmonary metastases of colorectal or breast cancers. CRC cultures were obtained from both tumor and non-malignant tissues with extraordinary high efficiency. Tumor cells were tracked in vitro through tumorigenicity assay, monitoring of tumor-specific genetic alterations and marker expression. Cultures were composed of EpCAM+ lung epithelial cells lacking tumorigenic potential. NSCLC biopsies-derived cultures rapidly lost patient-specific genetic mutations or tumor antigens. Similarly, pulmonary metastases of colon or breast cancer generated CRC cultures of lung epithelial cells. All CRC cultures examined displayed epithelial lung stem cell phenotype and function. In contrast, brain metastatic lung cancer biopsies failed to generate CRC cultures. In conclusion, patient-derived primary and metastatic lung cancer cells were negatively selected under CRC conditions, limiting the expansion to non-malignant lung epithelial stem cells from either tumor or non-tumor tissue sources. Thus, CRC approach cannot be applied for direct therapeutic testing of patient lung tumor cells, as the tumor-derived CRC cultures are composed of (non-tumoral) airway basal cells. © 2018 UICC.

  3. An in vitro correlation of mechanical forces and metastatic capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Indra, Indrajyoti; Undyala, Vishnu; Kandow, Casey; Thirumurthi, Umadevi; Dembo, Micah; Beningo, Karen A.

    2011-02-01

    Mechanical forces have a major influence on cell migration and are predicted to significantly impact cancer metastasis, yet this idea is currently poorly defined. In this study we have asked if changes in traction stress and migratory properties correlate with the metastatic progression of tumor cells. For this purpose, four murine breast cancer cell lines derived from the same primary tumor, but possessing increasing metastatic capacity, were tested for adhesion strength, traction stress, focal adhesion organization and for differential migration rates in two-dimensional and three-dimensional environments. Using traction force microscopy (TFM), we were surprised to find an inverse relationship between traction stress and metastatic capacity, such that force production decreased as the metastatic capacity increased. Consistent with this observation, adhesion strength exhibited an identical profile to the traction data. A count of adhesions indicated a general reduction in the number as metastatic capacity increased but no difference in the maturation as determined by the ratio of nascent to mature adhesions. These changes correlated well with a reduction in active beta-1 integrin with increasing metastatic ability. Finally, in two dimensions, wound healing, migration and persistence were relatively low in the entire panel, maintaining a downward trend with increasing metastatic capacity. Why metastatic cells would migrate so poorly prompted us to ask if the loss of adhesive parameters in the most metastatic cells indicated a switch to a less adhesive mode of migration that would only be detected in a three-dimensional environment. Indeed, in three-dimensional migration assays, the most metastatic cells now showed the greatest linear speed. We conclude that traction stress, adhesion strength and rate of migration do indeed change as tumor cells progress in metastatic capacity and do so in a dimension-sensitive manner.

  4. Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Masquerading as Jugular Foramen Paraganglioma: A Role for Novel Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Andrew J; Wiggins, Richard H; Gurgel, Richard K

    2017-08-01

    To describe a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) masquerading as a jugular foramen paraganglioma (JP). To compare imaging findings between skull base metastatic RCC and histologically proven paraganglioma. A case of unexpected metastatic skull base RCC is reviewed. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were compared between 3 confirmed cases of JP and our case of metastatic RCC. Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) sequences and computed apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were compared between these entities. A 55-year-old man presents with what appears clinically and radiographically to be JP. The tumor was resected, then discovered on postoperative pathology to be metastatic RCC. Imaging was retrospectively compared between 3 histologically confirmed cases of JP and our case of skull base RCC. The RCC metastasis was indistinguishable from JP on CT and traditional MRI but distinct by ADC values calculated from DW-MRI. Metastatic RCC at the skull base may mimic the clinical presentation and radiographic appearance of JP. The MRI finding of flow voids is seen in both paraganglioma and metastatic RCC. Diffusion-weighted MRI is able to distinguish these entities, highlighting its potential utility in distinguishing skull base lesions.

  5. CD147 and matrix-metalloproteinase-2 expression in metastatic and non-metastatic uveal melanomas.

    PubMed

    Lüke, Julia; Vukoja, Vlatka; Brandenbusch, Tim; Nassar, Khaled; Rohrbach, Jens Martin; Grisanti, Salvatore; Lüke, Matthias; Tura, Aysegül

    2016-06-03

    Extracellular matrix remodelling regulated by matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) inducer (CD147) is a crucial process during tumor cell invasion and regulation of blood supply. In this study, we evaluated the correlation of CD147 and MMP-2 expression with major prognostic factors for uveal melanoma and the development of metastasis. The expression of CD147 and MMP-2 was analyzed in 49 samples of uveal melanomas. Triple immunofluorescence stainings using markers against glial cells (GFAP), endothelial cells (CD34) and macrophages (CD68) were performed to further analyse the exact localisation of CD147 and MMP-2 positivity. In 28 cases clinical metastatic disease were found. The remaining 21 cases showed no signs of metastatic disease for an average follow-up of 10 years. Correlation analysis (Pearson correlation) was performed to analyse the association of CD147 and MMP-2 expression with known prognostic factors, vasculogenic mimicry (VM), the mature vasculature (von Willebrand Factor) and tumor induced angiogenesis (by means of Endoglin expression). CD147 and MMP-2 were expressed in 47 (96.0 %) of the uveal melanomas. CD147 up-regulation was significantly correlated with a higher MMP-2 expression. The overall expression analysis revealed no significant difference in the metastatic (p = 0.777) and non-metastatic subgroup (p = 0.585). No correlation of CD147 expression and any system of blood supply was evident. In the non-metastatic sub-group a significant correlation of clustered CD147 positive cells with largest basal diameter (p = 0.039), height (p = 0.047) and TNM-stage (p = 0.013) was evident. These data may indicate that CD147 regulates MMP-2 expression in uveal melanoma cells.

  6. Unforeseen clonal evolution of tumor cell population in recurrent and metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

    PubMed

    Oh, Ensel; Jeong, Hae Min; Kwon, Mi Jeong; Ha, Sang Yun; Park, Hyung Kyu; Song, Ji-Young; Kim, Yu Jin; Choi, Jong-Sun; Lee, Eun Hee; Lee, Jeeyun; Choi, Yoon-La; Shin, Young Kee

    2017-01-01

    Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a very rare soft tissue sarcoma, generally of low-grade malignancy. DFSP is locally aggressive with a high recurrence rate, but metastasis occurs rarely. To investigate the mechanism of metastasis in DFSP, we analyzed the whole exome sequencing data of serial tumor samples obtained from a patient who had a 10-year history of recurrent and metastatic DFSP. Tracking various genomic alterations, namely somatic mutations, copy number variations, and chromosomal rearrangements, we observed a dramatic change in tumor cell population during the occurrence of metastasis in this DFSP case. The new subclone that emerged in metastatic DFSP harbored a completely different set of somatic mutations and new focal amplifications, which had not been observed in the primary clone before metastasis. The COL1A1-PDGFB fusion, characteristic of DFSP, was found in all of the serial samples. Moreover, the break position on the fusion gene was identical in all samples. Based on these observations, we suggest a clonal evolution model to explain the mechanism underlying metastasis in DFSP and identified several candidate target genes responsible for metastatic DFSP by utilizing The Cancer Genome Atlas database. This is the first study to observe clonal evolution in metastatic DFSP and provide insight for a possible therapeutic strategy for imatinib-resistant or metastatic DFSP.

  7. Orbitofacial Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma: Report of 10 Cases.

    PubMed

    Branson, Sara V; McClintic, Elysa; Ozgur, Omar; Esmaeli, Bita; Yeatts, R Patrick

    To explore the clinical features, management, and prognosis of metastatic basal cell carcinoma originating in the orbitofacial region. Ten cases of orbitofacial metastatic basal cell carcinoma were identified by searching databases at 2 institutions from 1995 to 2015. A retrospective chart review was performed. Main outcome measures included patient demographics, lesion size, location of metastases, histologic subtype, recurrence rate, time between primary tumor diagnosis and metastasis, perineural invasion, treatment modalities, and survival from time of metastasis. The median tumor size at largest dimension was 3.3 cm (range, 1.9-11.5 cm), and 6 of 10 patients had at least 1 local recurrence before metastasis (range, 0-2 recurrences). The most common sites of metastasis included the ipsilateral parotid gland (n = 6) and cervical lymph nodes (n = 5). Histologic subtypes included infiltrative (n = 5), basosquamous (n = 2), nodular (n = 1), and mixed (n = 1). The median time from primary tumor diagnosis to metastasis was 7.5 years (range, 0-13). The median survival time from diagnosis of metastasis to last documented encounter or death was 5.3 years (range, 7 months-22.8 years). Treatment regimens included surgical excision, radiotherapy, and hedgehog inhibitors. Based on our findings, the following features may be markers of high risk orbitofacial basal cell carcinoma: 1) increasing tumor size, 2) local recurrence of the primary tumor, 3) aggressive histologic subtype, and 4) perineural invasion. Screening should include close observation of the primary site and tissues in the distribution of regional lymphatics, particularly the parotid gland and cervical lymph nodes.

  8. Self-renewal of CD133(hi) cells by IL6/Notch3 signalling regulates endocrine resistance in metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Sansone, Pasquale; Ceccarelli, Claudio; Berishaj, Marjan; Chang, Qing; Rajasekhar, Vinagolu K; Perna, Fabiana; Bowman, Robert L; Vidone, Michele; Daly, Laura; Nnoli, Jennifer; Santini, Donatella; Taffurelli, Mario; Shih, Natalie N C; Feldman, Michael; Mao, Jun J; Colameco, Christopher; Chen, Jinbo; DeMichele, Angela; Fabbri, Nicola; Healey, John H; Cricca, Monica; Gasparre, Giuseppe; Lyden, David; Bonafé, Massimiliano; Bromberg, Jacqueline

    2016-02-09

    The mechanisms of metastatic progression from hormonal therapy (HT) are largely unknown in luminal breast cancer. Here we demonstrate the enrichment of CD133(hi)/ER(lo) cancer cells in clinical specimens following neoadjuvant endocrine therapy and in HT refractory metastatic disease. We develop experimental models of metastatic luminal breast cancer and demonstrate that HT can promote the generation of HT-resistant, self-renewing CD133(hi)/ER(lo)/IL6(hi) cancer stem cells (CSCs). HT initially abrogates oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) generating self-renewal-deficient cancer cells, CD133(hi)/ER(lo)/OXPHOS(lo). These cells exit metabolic dormancy via an IL6-driven feed-forward ER(lo)-IL6(hi)-Notch(hi) loop, activating OXPHOS, in the absence of ER activity. The inhibition of IL6R/IL6-Notch pathways switches the self-renewal of CD133(hi) CSCs, from an IL6/Notch-dependent one to an ER-dependent one, through the re-expression of ER. Thus, HT induces an OXPHOS metabolic editing of luminal breast cancers, paradoxically establishing HT-driven self-renewal of dormant CD133(hi)/ER(lo) cells mediating metastatic progression, which is sensitive to dual targeted therapy.

  9. Tumor Mutational Load and Immune Parameters across Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Risk Groups.

    PubMed

    de Velasco, Guillermo; Miao, Diana; Voss, Martin H; Hakimi, A Ari; Hsieh, James J; Tannir, Nizar M; Tamboli, Pheroze; Appleman, Leonard J; Rathmell, W Kimryn; Van Allen, Eliezer M; Choueiri, Toni K

    2016-10-01

    Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have better overall survival when treated with nivolumab, a cancer immunotherapy that targets the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), rather than everolimus (a chemical inhibitor of mTOR and immunosuppressant). Poor-risk mRCC patients treated with nivolumab seemed to experience the greatest overall survival benefit, compared with patients with favorable or intermediate risk, in an analysis of the CheckMate-025 trial subgroup of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) prognostic risk groups. Here, we explore whether tumor mutational load and RNA expression of specific immune parameters could be segregated by prognostic MSKCC risk strata and explain the survival seen in the poor-risk group. We queried whole-exome transcriptome data in renal cell carcinoma patients (n = 54) included in The Cancer Genome Atlas who ultimately developed metastatic disease or were diagnosed with metastatic disease at presentation and did not receive immune checkpoint inhibitors. Nonsynonymous mutational load did not differ significantly by the MSKCC risk group, nor was the expression of cytolytic genes-granzyme A and perforin-or selected immune checkpoint molecules different across MSKCC risk groups. In conclusion, this analysis revealed that mutational load and expression of markers of an active tumor microenvironment did not correlate with MSKCC risk prognostic classification in mRCC. Cancer Immunol Res; 4(10); 820-2. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  10. Enhanced metastatic capacity of breast cancer cells after interaction and hybrid formation with mesenchymal stroma/stem cells (MSC).

    PubMed

    Melzer, Catharina; von der Ohe, Juliane; Hass, Ralf

    2018-01-05

    Fusion of breast cancer cells with tumor-associated populations of the microenvironment including mesenchymal stroma/stem-like cells (MSC) represents a rare event in cell communication whereby the metastatic capacity of those hybrid cells remains unclear. Functional changes were investigated in vitro and in vivo following spontaneous fusion and hybrid cell formation between primary human MSC and human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Thus, lentiviral eGFP-labeled MSC and breast cancer cells labeled with mcherry resulted in dual-fluorescing hybrid cells after co-culture. Double FACS sorting and single cell cloning revealed two different aneuploid male hybrid populations (MDA-hyb1 and MDA-hyb2) with different STR profiles, pronounced telomerase activities, and enhanced proliferative capacities as compared to the parental cells. Microarray-based mRNA profiling demonstrated marked regulation of genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased expression of metastasis-associated genes including S100A4. In vivo studies following subcutaneous injection of the breast cancer and the two hybrid populations substantiated the in vitro findings by a significantly elevated tumor growth of the hybrid cells. Moreover, both hybrid populations developed various distant organ metastases in a much shorter period of time than the parental breast cancer cells. Together, these data demonstrate spontaneous development of new tumor cell populations exhibiting different parental properties after close interaction and subsequent fusion of MSC with breast cancer cells. This formation of tumor hybrids contributes to continuously increasing tumor heterogeneity and elevated metastatic capacities.

  11. Vaccination with Irradiated Autologous Melanoma Cells Engineered to Secrete Human Granulocyte--Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Generates Potent Antitumor Immunity in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soiffer, Robert; Lynch, Thomas; Mihm, Martin; Jung, Ken; Rhuda, Catherine; Schmollinger, Jan C.; Hodi, F. Stephen; Liebster, Laura; Lam, Prudence; Mentzer, Steven; Singer, Samuel; Tanabe, Kenneth K.; Benedict Cosimi, A.; Duda, Rosemary; Sober, Arthur; Bhan, Atul; Daley, John; Neuberg, Donna; Parry, Gordon; Rokovich, Joseph; Richards, Laurie; Drayer, Jan; Berns, Anton; Clift, Shirley; Cohen, Lawrence K.; Mulligan, Richard C.; Dranoff, Glenn

    1998-10-01

    We conducted a Phase I clinical trial investigating the biologic activity of vaccination with irradiated autologous melanoma cells engineered to secrete human granulocyte--macrophage colony-stimulating factor in patients with metastatic melanoma. Immunization sites were intensely infiltrated with T lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages, and eosinophils in all 21 evaluable patients. Although metastatic lesions resected before vaccination were minimally infiltrated with cells of the immune system in all patients, metastatic lesions resected after vaccination were densely infiltrated with T lymphocytes and plasma cells and showed extensive tumor destruction (at least 80%), fibrosis, and edema in 11 of 16 patients examined. Antimelanoma cytotoxic T cell and antibody responses were associated with tumor destruction. These results demonstrate that vaccination with irradiated autologous melanoma cells engineered to secrete granulocyte--macrophage colony-stimulating factor stimulates potent antitumor immunity in humans with metastatic melanoma.

  12. The Metastatic Potential and Chemoresistance of Human Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells

    PubMed Central

    Bhagwandin, Vikash J.; Bishop, J. Michael; Wright, Woodring E.; Shay, Jerry W.

    2016-01-01

    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) typically have the capacity to evade chemotherapy and may be the principal source of metastases. CSCs for human pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC) have been identified, but neither the metastatic potential nor the chemoresistance of these cells has been adequately evaluated. We have addressed these issues by examining side-population (SP) cells isolated from the Panc-1 and BxPC3 lines of human PDAC cells, the oncogenotypes of which differ. SP cells could be isolated from monolayers of Panc-1, but only from spheroids of BxPC3. Using orthotopic xenografts into the severely immunocompromised NSG mouse, we found that SP cells isolated from both cell lines produced tumors that were highly metastatic, in contrast to previous experience with PDAC cell lines. SP cells derived from both cell lines expressed the ABCG2 transporter, which was demonstrably responsible for the SP phenotype. SP cells gave rise to non-SP (NSP) cells in vitro and in vivo, a transition that was apparently due to posttranslational inhibition of the ABCG2 transporter. Twenty-two other lines of PDAC cells also expressed ABCG2. The sensitivity of PDAC SP cells to the vinca alkaloid vincristine could be greatly increased by verapamil, a general inhibitor of transporters. In contrast, verapamil had no effect on the killing of PDAC cells by gemcitabine, the current first-line therapeutic for PDAC. We conclude that the isolation of SP cells can be a convenient and effective tool for the study of PDAC CSCs; that CSCs may be the principal progenitors of metastasis by human PDAC; that the ABCG2 transporter is responsible for the SP phenotype in human PDAC cells, and may be a ubiquitous source of drug-resistance in PDAC, but does not confer resistance to gemcitabine; and that inhibition of ABCG2 might offer a useful adjunct in a therapeutic attack on the CSCs of PDAC. PMID:26859746

  13. VEGF inhibitors in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: current therapies and future perspective.

    PubMed

    Choueiri, Toni K

    2011-08-01

    Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is predominantly refractory to treatment with traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies, and until recently management options were limited to immunotherapy, palliative care, or phase I trials. The past five years have witnessed a major change in the treatment of advanced RCC with the introduction of targeted therapies that derive their efficacy through affecting angiogenesis. The main class of agents involves drugs that target the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Several VEGF inhibitors are now approved for the treatment of metastatic RCC. The field is expanding rapidly with goals including 1) developing novel more potent and better tolerated agents and 2) defining the role of combination and sequential anti-VEGF regimens.

  14. Quantitative method of measuring cancer cell urokinase and metastatic potential

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morrison, Dennis R. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    The metastatic potential of tumors can be evaluated by the quantitative detection of urokinase and DNA. The cell sample selected for examination is analyzed for the presence of high levels of urokinase and abnormal DNA using analytical flow cytometry and digital image analysis. Other factors such as membrane associated urokinase, increased DNA synthesis rates and certain receptors can be used in the method for detection of potentially invasive tumors.

  15. CD133 expression is not restricted to stem cells, and both CD133+ and CD133– metastatic colon cancer cells initiate tumors

    PubMed Central

    Shmelkov, Sergey V.; Butler, Jason M.; Hooper, Andrea T.; Hormigo, Adilia; Kushner, Jared; Milde, Till; St. Clair, Ryan; Baljevic, Muhamed; White, Ian; Jin, David K.; Chadburn, Amy; Murphy, Andrew J.; Valenzuela, David M.; Gale, Nicholas W.; Thurston, Gavin; Yancopoulos, George D.; D’Angelica, Michael; Kemeny, Nancy; Lyden, David; Rafii, Shahin

    2008-01-01

    Colon cancer stem cells are believed to originate from a rare population of putative CD133+ intestinal stem cells. Recent publications suggest that a small subset of colon cancer cells expresses CD133, and that only these CD133+ cancer cells are capable of tumor initiation. However, the precise contribution of CD133+ tumor-initiating cells in mediating colon cancer metastasis remains unknown. Therefore, to temporally and spatially track the expression of CD133 in adult mice and during tumorigenesis, we generated a knockin lacZ reporter mouse (CD133lacZ/+), in which the expression of lacZ is driven by the endogenous CD133 promoters. Using this model and immunostaining, we discovered that CD133 expression in colon is not restricted to stem cells; on the contrary, CD133 is ubiquitously expressed on differentiated colonic epithelium in both adult mice and humans. Using Il10–/–CD133lacZ mice, in which chronic inflammation in colon leads to adenocarcinomas, we demonstrated that CD133 is expressed on a full gamut of colonic tumor cells, which express epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). Similarly, CD133 is widely expressed by human primary colon cancer epithelial cells, whereas the CD133– population is composed mostly of stromal and inflammatory cells. Conversely, CD133 expression does not identify the entire population of epithelial and tumor-initiating cells in human metastatic colon cancer. Indeed, both CD133+ and CD133– metastatic tumor subpopulations formed colonospheres in in vitro cultures and were capable of long-term tumorigenesis in a NOD/SCID serial xenotransplantation model. Moreover, metastatic CD133– cells form more aggressive tumors and express typical phenotypic markers of cancer-initiating cells, including CD44 (CD44+CD24–), whereas the CD133+ fraction is composed of CD44lowCD24+ cells. Collectively, our data suggest that CD133 expression is not restricted to intestinal stem or cancer-initiating cells, and during the metastatic

  16. Increased metastatic potential of tumor cells in von Willebrand factor-deficient mice.

    PubMed

    Terraube, V; Pendu, R; Baruch, D; Gebbink, M F B G; Meyer, D; Lenting, P J; Denis, C V

    2006-03-01

    The key role played by von Willebrand factor (VWF) in platelet adhesion suggests a potential implication in various pathologies, where this process is involved. In cancer metastasis development, tumor cells interact with platelets and the vessel wall to extravasate from the circulation. As a potential mediator of platelet-tumor cell interactions, VWF could influence this early step of tumor spread and therefore play a role in cancer metastasis. To investigate whether VWF is involved in metastasis development. In a first step, we characterized the interaction between murine melanoma cells B16-BL6 and VWF in vitro. In a second step, an experimental metastasis model was used to compare the formation of pulmonary metastatic foci in C57BL/6 wild-type and VWF-null mice following the injection of B16-BL6 cells or Lewis lung carcinoma cells. In vitro adhesion assays revealed that VWF is able to promote a dose-dependent adhesion of B16-BL6 cells via its Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence. In the experimental metastasis model, we found a significant increase in the number of pulmonary metastatic foci in VWF-null mice compared with the wild-type mice, a phenotype that could be corrected by restoring VWF plasma levels. We also showed that increased survival of the tumor cells in the lungs during the first 24 h in the absence of VWF was the cause of this increased metastasis. These findings suggest that VWF plays a protective role against tumor cell dissemination in vivo. Underlying mechanisms remain to be investigated.

  17. Simulated microgravity reduces mRNA levels of multidrug resistance genes 4 and 5 in non-metastatic human melanoma cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eiermann, Peter; Tsiockas, Wasiliki; Hauslage, Jens; Hemmersbach, Ruth; Gerzer, Rupert; Ivanova, Krassimira

    Multidrug resistance proteins (MRP) are members of the ATP-binding cassette transporter superfamily that are able to export a large variety of substances into the extracellular space in-cluding nucleoside and nucleotide base analogs used in antiviral and anticancer therapy. MRP4 and 5 (MRP4/5) particularly transport cyclic nucleotides, e.g. guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophos-phate (cGMP). The second messenger cGMP, which is synthesized by the catalytic activity of the guanylyl cyclase (GC), plays an import role in vasodilatation, smooth muscle relaxation, and nitric oxide (NO)-induced perturbation of melanocyte-extracellular matrix interactions. In previous studies we have reported that different GC isoforms are responsible for cGMP synthe-sis in melanocytic cells. Normal human melanocytes and non-metastatic melanoma cell lines predominantly express the NO-sensitive soluble GC isoform (sGC), a heterodimeric protein consisting of α and β subunits. Metastatic melanoma cells lack the expression of the β sub-unit and show up-regulated activities of the particulate isoforms. We have further found that long-term exposure to hypergravity (5 g for 24 h) induced an increased cGMP export in normal human melanocytes, and non-metastatic, but not in metastatic human melanoma cells as a re-sult of up-regulated MRP4/5 expression. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether simulated microgravity may also alter the expression of MRP4/5 in non-metastatic melanoma cells. Experiments were performed using a fast-rotating clinostat (60 rpm) with one rotation axis. The non-metastatic 1F6 melanoma cells were exposed to simulated microgravity (up to 1.21x10-2 g) for 24 h. The mRNA analyses were performed by a relative calibrator-normalized and efficiency corrected quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Light Cycler R , Roche). Our data show a reduced expression of approximately 35% for MRP4 and of 50% for MRP5 in simulated microgravity in comparison to 1 g controls. Also, the

  18. The role of Runx2 in facilitating autophagy in metastatic breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Tandon, Manish; Othman, Ahmad H; Ashok, Vivek; Stein, Gary S; Pratap, Jitesh

    2018-01-01

    Breast cancer metastases cause significant patient mortality. During metastases, cancer cells use autophagy, a catabolic process to recycle nutrients via lysosomal degradation, to overcome nutritional stress for their survival. The Runt-related transcription factor, Runx2, promotes cell survival under metabolic stress, and regulates breast cancer progression and bone metastases. Here, we identify that Runx2 enhances autophagy in metastatic breast cancer cells. We defined Runx2 function in cellular autophagy by monitoring microtubule-associated protein light chain (LC3B-II) levels, an autophagy-specific marker. The electron and confocal microscopic analyses were utilized to identify alterations in autophagic vesicles. The Runx2 knockdown cells accumulate LC3B-II protein and autophagic vesicles due to reduced turnover. Interestingly, Runx2 promotes autophagy by enhancing trafficking of LC3B vesicles. Our mechanistic studies revealed that Runx2 promotes autophagy by increasing acetylation of α-tubulin sub-units of microtubules. Inhibiting autophagy decreased cell adhesion and survival of Runx2 knockdown cells. Furthermore, analysis of LC3B protein in clinical breast cancer specimens and tumor xenografts revealed significant association between high Runx2 and low LC3B protein levels. Our studies reveal a novel regulatory mechanism of autophagy via Runx2 and provide molecular insights into the role of autophagy in metastatic cancer cells. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. The Significance of the Stromal Response in Breast Cancer: An Immunohistochemical Study of Myofibroblasts in Primary and Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Roozdar, Alale; Hayes, Malcolm M; Pourseyedei, Bahram; Zeinalinejad, Hamid; Shamsi Meymandi, Manzumeh; Dabiri, Bahram; Dabiri, Shahriar

    2018-05-01

    Gene expression profiling of breast cancer has demonstrated the importance of stromal response in determining the prognosis of invasive breast cancer. The host response to breast cancer is of increasing interest to pathologists and may be a future focus for novel pharmacological treatments. This study describes the pattern of distribution of stromal myofibroblasts using immunostains for CD10 and smooth muscle actin (SMA) in 50 primary breast cancers and their matched nodal metastases (68.6% nodes positive and 31.4% nodes negative). The stroma within the tumor (intratumoral) and at the advancing tumor edge (peri-tumoral) was studied in both primary and nodal sites. A simple quantitative scoring system was employed for both immunostains. The correlation between expression of these markers by stromal cells and standard pathological prognostic factors of stage, grade, hormone receptor and Her-2 status was analysed. SMA-positive stromal cells were more abundant in peri-tumoral stroma compared with intratumoral stroma in both primary and metastatic lesions. SMA expression in the lymph node metastases showed a significant correlation with tumor stage. SMA expression in peri-tumoral stroma correlated with Her-2 status. The results of this study suggest that myofibroblasts, particularly those expressing SMA, might potentiate the progression of the carcinomatous process especially in nodal metastases. Thus these cells may be a potential therapeutic target. © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

  20. High OCT4A levels drive tumorigenicity and metastatic potential of medulloblastoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Gonçalves da Silva, Patrícia Benites; Teixeira dos Santos, Márcia Cristina; Rodini, Carolina Oliveira; Kaid, Carolini; Leite Pereira, Márcia Cristina; Furukawa, Gabriela; Gimenes da Cruz, Daniel Sanzio; Goldfeder, Mauricio Barbugiani; Reily Rocha, Clarissa Ribeiro; Rosenberg, Carla; Okamoto, Oswaldo Keith

    2017-01-01

    Medulloblastoma is a highly aggressive pediatric brain tumor, in which sporadic expression of the pluripotency factor OCT4 has been recently correlated with poor patient survival. However the contribution of specific OCT4 isoforms to tumor aggressiveness is still poorly understood. Here, we report that medulloblastoma cells stably overexpressing the OCT4A isoform displayed enhanced clonogenic, tumorsphere generation, and invasion capabilities. Moreover, in an orthotopic metastatic model of medulloblastoma, OCT4A overexpressing cells generated more developed, aggressive and infiltrative tumors, with tumor-bearing mice attaining advanced metastatic disease and shorter survival rates. Pro-oncogenic OCT4A effects were expression-level dependent and accompanied by distinct chromosomal aberrations. OCT4A overexpression in medulloblastoma cells also induced a marked differential expression of non-coding RNAs, including poorly characterized long non-coding RNAs and small nucleolar RNAs. Altogether, our findings support the relevance of pluripotency-related factors in the aggravation of medulloblastoma traits classically associated with poor clinical outcome, and underscore the prognostic and therapeutic value of OCT4A in this challenging type of pediatric brain cancer. PMID:28186969

  1. High OCT4A levels drive tumorigenicity and metastatic potential of medulloblastoma cells.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Patrícia Benites Gonçalves; Teixeira Dos Santos, Márcia Cristina; Rodini, Carolina Oliveira; Kaid, Carolini; Pereira, Márcia Cristina Leite; Furukawa, Gabriela; da Cruz, Daniel Sanzio Gimenes; Goldfeder, Mauricio Barbugiani; Rocha, Clarissa Ribeiro Reily; Rosenberg, Carla; Okamoto, Oswaldo Keith

    2017-03-21

    Medulloblastoma is a highly aggressive pediatric brain tumor, in which sporadic expression of the pluripotency factor OCT4 has been recently correlated with poor patient survival. However the contribution of specific OCT4 isoforms to tumor aggressiveness is still poorly understood. Here, we report that medulloblastoma cells stably overexpressing the OCT4A isoform displayed enhanced clonogenic, tumorsphere generation, and invasion capabilities. Moreover, in an orthotopic metastatic model of medulloblastoma, OCT4A overexpressing cells generated more developed, aggressive and infiltrative tumors, with tumor-bearing mice attaining advanced metastatic disease and shorter survival rates. Pro-oncogenic OCT4A effects were expression-level dependent and accompanied by distinct chromosomal aberrations. OCT4A overexpression in medulloblastoma cells also induced a marked differential expression of non-coding RNAs, including poorly characterized long non-coding RNAs and small nucleolar RNAs. Altogether, our findings support the relevance of pluripotency-related factors in the aggravation of medulloblastoma traits classically associated with poor clinical outcome, and underscore the prognostic and therapeutic value of OCT4A in this challenging type of pediatric brain cancer.

  2. Solitary breast mass as initial presentation of clinically silent metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    McLauglin, Sarah A; Thiel, David D; Smith, Stephen L; Wehle, Michael J; Menke, David M

    2006-06-01

    Metastasis to the breast from extramammary tumors is rare. Breast metastases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) origin have been described in sporadic case reports. We present a patient with a solitary breast mass representing the manifestation of clinically silent, metastatic RCC. A 76-year-old female was 12 years prior removed from radical nephrectomy for localized RCC. Her new breast mass was identified on physical examination. Pathology of the resected mass was diagnostic of metastatic RCC and subsequent imaging studies demonstrated a 1.9 cm renal mass in her solitary kidney. The patient elected subcutaneous Interleukin-2 immunotherapy as primary treatment for her recurrent RCC.

  3. Fine-Needle Aspiration of Metastatic Central Type Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors in Patients with a Germ Cell Tumor.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shaoxiong; Idrees, Muhammad; Lin, Jingmei; Wu, Howard H

    2017-01-01

    Central type primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) are some of the most frequent somatic type tumors derived from germ cell tumors and can metastasize. We studied the cytomorphological features of metastatic central type PNET by fine-needle aspiration (FNA). A computerized search of our laboratory information system was performed for the 9-year period from 2005 through 2014 to identify all cytology cases in which a diagnosis of metastatic central type PNET had been rendered. A total of 5 FNA cases were collected and direct smears were reexamined. All patients had a history of testicular or ovarian germ cell tumors. Direct smears displayed single and clusters of atypical round to oval cells with scant to moderate cytoplasm. Abundant naked nuclei were present in Diff-Quik-stained smears with mild to marked crushed artifacts and nuclear molding. Tumor cells showed fine granular chromatin, nuclear size variation (up to 1:3), and one or more small nucleoli. Pseudorosettes (Homer Wright-like rosette) were noticed in 1 case. Tumor cells were commonly positive for synaptophysin. Metastatic PNET can be reliably diagnosed by FNA. Differential diagnoses include Ewing sarcoma/peripheral PNET, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, etc. It is important to be familiar with this entity to avoid diagnostic pitfalls. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Cysts mark the early stage of metastatic tumor development in non-small cell lung cancer

    PubMed Central

    Thakur, Chitra; Rapp, Ulf R.; Rudel, Thomas

    2018-01-01

    Identifying metastatic tumor growth at an early stage has been one of the biggest challenges in the treatment of lung cancer. By genetic lineage tracing approach in a conditional model of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in mice, we demonstrate that cystic lesions represent an early stage of metastatic invasion. We generated a mouse model for NSCLC which incorporated a heritable DsRed fluorescent tag driven by the ubiquitous CAG promoter in the alveolar type II cells of the lung. We found early cystic lesions in a secondary organ (liver) that lacked the expression of bona fide lung makers namely Scgb1a1 and surfactant protein C Sftpc and were DsRed positive hence identifying lung as their source of origin. This demonstrates the significant potential of alveolar type II cells in orchestrating the process of metastasis, rendering it as one of the target cell types of the lung of therapeutic importance in human NSCLC. PMID:29464089

  5. Anticancer immune reactivity and long-term survival after treatment of metastatic ovarian cancer with dendritic cells

    PubMed Central

    BERNAL, SAMUEL D.; ONA, ENRIQUE T.; RIEGO-JAVIER, AILEEN; DE VILLA, ROMULO; CRISTAL-LUNA, GLORIA R.; LAGUATAN, JOSEPHINE B.; BATAC, EUNICE R.; CANLAS, OSCAR Q.

    2012-01-01

    Hematopoietic stem cells collected by leukapheresis of a patient with metastatic ovarian carcinoma (OVCA) were induced into dendritic cell (DC) differentiation and fused with liposomal constructs of autologous and allogeneic ovarian carcinoma antigens (DC-OVCA). The proliferation of autologous T cells induced by DCs was determined by [3H]-thymidine uptake. Maximal T-cell proliferation was observed in co-cultures of DCs fused with liposomal OVCA constructs compared with intact autologous OVCA cells. The combination of autologous and allogeneic liposomal OVCA constructs induced greater T-cell proliferation than either alone. The cytotoxicity of DC-activated T cells against various target cells were analyzed by a 51Cr-release assay. The combination of autologous and allogeneic liposomal OVCA constructs showed the highest stimulation of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity against OVCA cells, but had minimal cytotoxicity against normal fibroblasts or leukemia cells. The liposomal preparations of DC-OVCA were injected monthly into a patient with metastatic ovarian carcinoma whose tumors progressed following multiple courses of chemotherapy. DCs analyzed from the patient post-immunization showed 2- to 3-fold greater OVCA cytotoxicity compared to pre-immunization DCs. Immunoblots using the patient's serum showed reactivity with a number of proteins from ovarian cancer extracts, but not in normal fibroblasts and breast cancer. Following the DC-OVCA treatment, the metastatic lesions progressively decreased in size to the point of being undetectable by serial CAT scans. Seven years following the initial diagnosis, the patient continues to be free of cancer. This report described the anticancer immune reactivity and anti-tumor response induced by DCs sensitized with liposomal constructs of OVCA antigens. Immune cell therapy may therefore be a useful adjunct to surgery and chemotherapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer. PMID:22740858

  6. Metastatic clear cell eccrine hidradenocarcinoma of the vulva: survival after primary surgical resection.

    PubMed

    Massad, L S; Bitterman, P; Clarke-Pearson, D L

    1996-05-01

    A case of clear cell eccrine hidradenocarcinoma of the vulva metastatic to regional lymph nodes with long survival after surgical resection is presented. Like the only other case reported to date, this suggests that surgical therapy alone may be adequate, even when metastasis is present.

  7. Changing costs of metastatic non small cell lung cancer in the Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Keusters, W R; de Weger, V A; Hövels, A; Schellens, J H M; Frederix, G W J

    2017-12-01

    The primary objective of this study was to identify the total intramural cost of illness of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the Netherlands between 2006-2012. Secondary objective was to identify whether changes in cost patterns of metastatic NSCLC have occurred over the last years. Patients diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC between 1-1-2006 and 31-12-2012, who had follow-up to death or the date of data cut-off and no trial participation were included. A structured chart review was performed using a case report form. Data collection started after diagnosis of metastatic NSCLC and ended at death or April first, 2015. Data regarding outpatient visits, clinical attendance, oncolytic drug use, imaging, lab tests, radiotherapy and surgery were collected. Sixty-seven patients were included with a median age of 67 years. The median follow-up was 234days. On average patients had 28 outpatient visits and 11 inpatient days. Oncolytic drugs were administered to 76% of the patients. Mean per patient expenditures amounted up to €17,463, with oncolytic drugs (€6,390) as the main cost driver. In comparison with the time-period of 2003-2005 total per patient per year expenses decreased by 44%. The contribution to total yearly costs of oncolytic drugs increased from 18% to 35%, while costs for inpatient stay decreased from 52% to 28% of total expenditures. Outcomes in this study demonstrate that average treatment costs for metastatic NSCLC in the Netherlands Cancer Institute amount to €17,463. Compared to a prior study the average cost for metastatic NSCLC over time in the Netherlands has decreased. A shift of main cost drivers seems to have occurred from inpatient stay, to oncolytic drugs as main contributor. The shift towards treatment cost might become more visible with the introduction of immunotherapy. These results mark the importance of up-to-date cost of illness studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Differential expression of c-Met between primary and metastatic sites in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma and its association with PD-L1 expression.

    PubMed

    Lalani, Aly-Khan A; Gray, Kathryn P; Albiges, Laurence; Callea, Marcella; Pignon, Jean-Christophe; Pal, Soumitro; Gupta, Mamta; Bhatt, Rupal S; McDermott, David F; Atkins, Michael B; Woude, G F Vande; Harshman, Lauren C; Choueiri, Toni K; Signoretti, Sabina

    2017-11-28

    In preclinical models, c-Met promotes survival of renal cancer cells through the regulation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). However, this relationship in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is not well characterized. We evaluated c-Met expression in ccRCC patients using paired primary and metastatic samples and assessed the association with PD-L1 expression and other clinical features. Areas with predominant and highest Fuhrman nuclear grade (FNG) were selected. c-Met expression was evaluated by IHC using an anti-Met monoclonal antibody (MET4 Ab) and calculated by a combined score (CS, 0-300): intensity of c-Met staining (0-3) x % of positive cells (0-100). PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was previously assessed by IHC and PD-L1+ was defined as PD-L1 > 0% positive cells. Our cohort consisted of 45 pairs of primary and metastatic ccRCC samples. Overall, c-Met expression was higher in metastatic sites compared to primary sites (average c-Met CS: 55 vs. 28, p = 0.0003). Higher c-Met expression was associated with higher FNG (4 vs. 3) in primary tumors (average c-Met CS: 52 vs. 20, p = 0.04). c-Met expression was numerically greater in PD-L1+ vs. PD-L1- tumors. Higher c-Met expression in metastatic sites compared to primary tumors suggests that testing for biomarkers of response to c-Met inhibitors should be conducted in metastases. While higher c-Met expression in PD-L1+ tumors requires further investigation, it supports exploring these targets in combination clinical trials.

  9. gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase overexpression increases metastatic growth of B16 melanoma cells in the mouse liver.

    PubMed

    Obrador, Elena; Carretero, Julian; Ortega, Angel; Medina, Ignacio; Rodilla, Vicente; Pellicer, José A; Estrela, José M

    2002-01-01

    B16 melanoma (B16M) cells with high glutathione (GSH) content show rapid proliferation in vitro and high metastatic activity in the liver in vivo. gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)-mediated extracellular GSH cleavage and intracellular GSH synthesis were studied in vitro in B16M cells with high (F10) and low (F1) metastatic potential. GGT activity was modified by transfection with the human GGT gene (B16MF1/Tet-GGT cells) or by acivicin-induced inhibition. B16MF1/Tet-GGT and B16MF10 cells exhibited higher GSH content (35 +/- 6 and 40 +/- 5 nmol/10(6) cells, respectively) and GGT activity (89 +/- 9 and 37 +/- 7 mU/10(6) cells, respectively) as compared (P <.05) with B16MF1 cells (10 +/- 3 nmol GSH and 4 mU GGT/10(6) cells). Metastasis (number of foci/100 mm(3) of liver) increased in B16MF1 cells pretreated with GSH ester ( approximately 3-fold, P <.01), and decreased in B16MF1/Tet-GGT and B16MF10 cells pretreated with the GSH synthesis inhibitor L-buthionine (S,R)-sulphoximine ( approximately 5-fold and 2-fold, respectively, P <.01). Liver, kidney, brain, lung, and erythrocyte GSH content in B16MF1/Tet-GGT- or B16MF10-bearing mice decreased as compared with B16MF1- and non-tumor-bearing mice. Organic anion transporting polypeptide 1-independent sinusoidal GSH efflux from hepatocytes increased in B16MF1/Tet-GGT- or B16MF10-bearing mice ( approximately 2-fold, P <.01) as compared with non-tumor-bearing mice. Our results indicate that tumor GGT activity and an intertissue flow of GSH can regulate GSH content of melanoma cells and their metastatic growth in the liver.

  10. Metastatic basal cell carcinoma: case series and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Tang, Simon; Thompson, Stephen; Smee, Robert

    2017-05-01

    Metastatic basal cell carcinoma is exceedingly uncommon, with a poorly defined natural history, and its incidence, risk factors, patterns of spread, prognosis and potential treatment options are not well understood. This retrospective single institution case series aims to shed light on these issues. Aggressive local management in patients with locoregional disease may result in long-term survivors. © 2016 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

  11. Small bowel perforation secondary to metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. A rare entity with a dismal prognosis.

    PubMed

    Salemis, Nikolaos S; Nikou, Efstathios; Liatsos, Christos; Gakis, Christos; Karagkiouzis, Grigorios; Gourgiotis, Stavros

    2012-09-01

    The incidence of gastrointestinal metastases from lung cancer is higher than previously thought as they have been reported in 2-14% of the cases in autopsy studies. However, clinically significant metastases are rare. Small bowel perforation secondary to metastatic non-small cell lung cancer is a very rare clinical entity. The aim of this study is to describe a case of ileal perforation in a patient with intestinal metastases of a non-small cell lung cancer, along with a review of the literature. A 57-year-old male with a history of non-small cell lung cancer was referred to our emergency department with signs and symptoms of acute surgical abdomen. A computed tomography scan demonstrated dilated small bowel loops, liver deposits, and signs of perforation of an intra-abdominal hollow viscus. Emergency exploratory laparotomy revealed diffuse purulent peritonitis and a perforated ileal tumor. A segmental small bowel resection and primary anastomosis were performed. Histological and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with a metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma. Additional evaluation revealed widespread metastatic disease. Unfortunately, despite adjuvant treatment, the patient died of progressive disease 2 months after surgery. Small bowel perforation due to metastatic non-small cell lung cancer is a very rare clinical entity. The possibility of small bowel metastases should be kept in mind in patients with lung cancer presenting with an acute abdomen. Intestinal perforation occurs in advanced stages and is usually a sign of widespread disease. Aggressive surgery can provide effective palliation and may improve short-term survival. The prognosis is however dismal.

  12. Zn{sup 2+} induces apoptosis in human highly metastatic SHG-44 glioma cells, through inhibiting activity of the voltage-gated proton channel Hv1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Yifan; Zhang, Shangrong; Li, Shu Jie, E-mail: shujieli@nankai.edu.cn

    Highlights: •Hv1 is expressed in highly metastatic glioma cell. •Zn{sup 2+} ions induces apoptosis in highly metastatic glioma cells. •Zn{sup 2+} ions markedly inhibit proton secretion. •Zn{sup 2+} ions reduce the gelatinase activity. •Inhibition of Hv1 activity via Zn{sup 2+} ions can effectively retard the cancer growth. -- Abstract: In contrast to the voltage-gated K{sup +} channels, the voltage-gated proton channel Hv1 contains a voltage-sensor domain but lacks a pore domain. Here, we showed that Hv1 is expressed in the highly metastatic glioma cell SHG-44, but lowly in the poorly metastatic glioma cell U-251. Inhibition of Hv1 activity by 140more » μM zinc chloride induces apoptosis in the human highly metastatic glioma cells. Zn{sup 2+} ions markedly inhibit proton secretion, and reduce the gelatinase activity in the highly metastatic glioma cells. In vivo, the glioma tumor sizes of the implantation of the SHG-44 xenografts in nude mice that were injected zinc chloride solution, were dramatically smaller than that in the controlled groups. The results demonstrated that the inhibition of Hv1 activity via Zn{sup 2+} ions can effectively retard the cancer growth and suppress the cancer metastasis by the decrease of proton extrusion and the down-regulation of gelatinase activity. Our results suggest that Zn{sup 2+} ions may be used as a potential anti-glioma drug for glioma therapy.« less

  13. Berberine-induced AMPK activation inhibits the metastatic potential of melanoma cells via reduction of ERK activity and COX-2 protein expression.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hak-Su; Kim, Myung-Jin; Kim, Eun Ju; Yang, Young; Lee, Myeong-Sok; Lim, Jong-Seok

    2012-02-01

    Berberine is clinically important natural isoquinoline alkaloid that affects various biological functions, such as cell proliferation, migration and survival. The activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates tumor cell migration. However, the specific role of AMPK on the metastatic potential of cancer cells remains largely unknown. The present study investigated whether berberine induces AMPK activation and whether this induction directly affects mouse melanoma cell migration, adhesion and invasion. Berberine strongly increased AMPK phosphorylation via reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR), a well-known AMPK activator, also inhibited tumor cell adhesion and invasion and reduced the expression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes. Knockdown of AMPKα subunits using siRNAs significantly abated the berberine-induced inhibition of tumor cell invasion. Furthermore, berberine inhibited the metastatic potential of melanoma cells through a decrease in ERK activity and protein levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by a berberine-induced AMPK activation. These data were confirmed using specific MEK inhibitor, PD98059, and a COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib. Berberine- and AICAR-treated groups demonstrated significantly decreased lung metastases in the pulmonary metastasis model in vivo. Treatment with berberine also decreased the metastatic potential of A375 human melanoma cells. Collectively, our results suggest that berberine-induced AMPK activation inhibits the metastatic potential of tumor cells through a reduction in the activity of the ERK signaling pathway and COX-2 protein levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Human metastatic melanoma cell lines express high levels of growth hormone receptor and respond to GH treatment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sustarsic, Elahu G.; Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH; Junnila, Riia K.

    2013-11-08

    Highlights: •Most cancer types of the NCI60 have sub-sets of cell lines with high GHR expression. •GHR is highly expressed in melanoma cell lines. •GHR is elevated in advanced stage IV metastatic tumors vs. stage III. •GH treatment of metastatic melanoma cell lines alters growth and cell signaling. -- Abstract: Accumulating evidence implicates the growth hormone receptor (GHR) in carcinogenesis. While multiple studies show evidence for expression of growth hormone (GH) and GHR mRNA in human cancer tissue, there is a lack of quantification and only a few cancer types have been investigated. The National Cancer Institute’s NCI60 panel includesmore » 60 cancer cell lines from nine types of human cancer: breast, CNS, colon, leukemia, melanoma, non-small cell lung, ovarian, prostate and renal. We utilized this panel to quantify expression of GHR, GH, prolactin receptor (PRLR) and prolactin (PRL) mRNA with real-time RT qPCR. Both GHR and PRLR show a broad range of expression within and among most cancer types. Strikingly, GHR expression is nearly 50-fold higher in melanoma than in the panel as a whole. Analysis of human metastatic melanoma biopsies confirmed GHR gene expression in melanoma tissue. In these human biopsies, the level of GHR mRNA is elevated in advanced stage IV tumor samples compared to stage III. Due to the novel finding of high GHR in melanoma, we examined the effect of GH treatment on three NCI60 melanoma lines (MDA-MB-435, UACC-62 and SK-MEL-5). GH increased proliferation in two out of three cell lines tested. Further analysis revealed GH-induced activation of STAT5 and mTOR in a cell line dependent manner. In conclusion, we have identified cell lines and cancer types that are ideal to study the role of GH and PRL in cancer, yet have been largely overlooked. Furthermore, we found that human metastatic melanoma tumors express GHR and cell lines possess active GHRs that can modulate multiple signaling pathways and alter cell proliferation

  15. Circulating Tumor Cells Predict Occult Metastatic Disease and Prognosis in Pancreatic Cancer.

    PubMed

    Court, Colin M; Ankeny, Jacob S; Sho, Shonan; Winograd, Paul; Hou, Shuang; Song, Min; Wainberg, Zev A; Girgis, Mark D; Graeber, Thomas G; Agopian, Vatche G; Tseng, Hsian-Rong; Tomlinson, James S

    2018-04-01

    Occult metastatic tumors, below imaging thresholds, are a limitation of staging systems that rely on cross-sectional imaging alone and are a cause of the routine understaging of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). We investigated circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as a preoperative predictor of occult metastatic disease and as a prognostic biomarker for PDAC patients. A total of 126 patients (100 with cancer, 26 with benign disease) were enrolled in our study and CTCs were identified and enumerated from 4 mL of venous blood using the microfluidic NanoVelcro assay. CTC enumeration was correlated with clinicopathologic variables and outcomes following both surgical and systemic therapies. CTCs were identified in 78% of PDAC patients and CTC counts correlated with increasing stage (ρ = 0.42, p < 0.001). Of the 53 patients taken for potentially curative surgery, 13 (24.5%) had occult metastatic disease intraoperatively. Patients with occult disease had significantly more CTCs than patients with local disease only (median 7 vs. 1 CTC, p < 0.0001). At a cut-off of three or more CTCs/4 mL, CTCs correctly identified patients with occult metastatic disease preoperatively (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76-0.98, p < 0.0001). CTCs were a univariate predictor of recurrence-free survival following surgery [hazard ratio (HR) 2.36, 95% CI 1.17-4.78, p = 0.017], as well as an independent predictor of overall survival on multivariate analysis (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.01-1.88, p = 0.040). CTCs show promise as a prognostic biomarker for PDAC patients at all stages of disease being treated both medically and surgically. Furthermore, CTCs demonstrate potential as a preoperative biomarker for identifying patients at high risk of occult metastatic disease.

  16. The human homologue of Dictyostelium discoideum phg1A is expressed by human metastatic melanoma cells.

    PubMed

    Lozupone, Francesco; Perdicchio, Maurizio; Brambilla, Daria; Borghi, Martina; Meschini, Stefania; Barca, Stefano; Marino, Maria Lucia; Logozzi, Mariantonia; Federici, Cristina; Iessi, Elisabetta; de Milito, Angelo; Fais, Stefano

    2009-12-01

    Tumour cannibalism is a characteristic of malignancy and metastatic behaviour. This atypical phagocytic activity is a crucial survival option for tumours in conditions of low nutrient supply, and has some similarities to the phagocytic activity of unicellular microorganisms. In fact, Dictyostelium discoideum has been used widely as a model to study phagocytosis. Recently, phg1A has been described as a protein that is primarily involved in the phagocytic process of this microorganism. The closest human homologue to phg1A is transmembrane 9 superfamily protein member 4 (TM9SF4). Here, we report that TM9SF4 is highly expressed in human malignant melanoma cells deriving from metastatic lesions, whereas it is undetectable in healthy human tissues and cells. TM9SF4 is predominantly expressed in acidic vesicles of melanoma cells, in which it co-localizes with the early endosome antigens Rab5 and early endosome antigen 1. TM9SF4 silencing induced marked inhibition of cannibal activity, which is consistent with a derangement of intracellular pH gradients, with alkalinization of acidic vesicles and acidification of the cell cytosol. We propose TM9SF4 as a new marker of malignancy, representing a potential new target for anti-tumour strategies with a specific role in tumour cannibalism and in the establishment of a metastatic phenotype.

  17. Downregulation of TFPI in breast cancer cells induces tyrosine phosphorylation signaling and increases metastatic growth by stimulating cell motility

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Increased hemostatic activity is common in many cancer types and often causes additional complications and even death. Circumstantial evidence suggests that tissue factor pathway inhibitor-1 (TFPI) plays a role in cancer development. We recently reported that downregulation of TFPI inhibited apoptosis in a breast cancer cell line. In this study, we investigated the effects of TFPI on self-sustained growth and motility of these cells, and of another invasive breast cancer cell type (MDA-MB-231). Methods Stable cell lines with TFPI (both α and β) and only TFPIβ downregulated were created using RNA interference technology. We investigated the ability of the transduced cells to grow, when seeded at low densities, and to form colonies, along with metastatic characteristics such as adhesion, migration and invasion. Results Downregulation of TFPI was associated with increased self-sustained cell growth. An increase in cell attachment and spreading was observed to collagen type I, together with elevated levels of integrin α2. Downregulation of TFPI also stimulated migration and invasion of cells, and elevated MMP activity was involved in the increased invasion observed. Surprisingly, equivalent results were observed when TFPIβ was downregulated, revealing a novel function of this isoform in cancer metastasis. Conclusions Our results suggest an anti-metastatic effect of TFPI and may provide a novel therapeutic approach in cancer. PMID:21849050

  18. The role of cytokeratins 20 and 7 and estrogen receptor analysis in separation of metastatic lobular carcinoma of the breast and metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract.

    PubMed

    Tot, T

    2000-06-01

    Metastatic signet ring cell carcinomas of unknown primary site can represent a clinical problem. Gastrointestinal signet ring cell carcinomas and invasive lobular carcinomas of the breast are the most common sources of these metastases. Immunohistochemical algorithms have been successfully used in the search for the unknown primary adenocarcinomas. In the present study a series of primary invasive lobular breast carcinomas (79 cases) and their metastases and a series of gastrointestinal signet ring cell carcinomas (22 primary and 13 metastases) were stained with monoclonal antibodies for cytokeratin (CK) 20 and CK7 and for estrogen receptors (ER). The staining was evaluated as negative (no staining), focally (less than 10% of the tumor cells stained) or diffusely positive. All the primary and metastatic gastrointestinal signet ring cell carcinomas proved to be CK20 positive, while only 2/79 (3%) of the primary and 1/21 metastatic lobular carcinomas (5%) stained positively for this CK. None of the gastrointestinal carcinomas and the majority of the lobular carcinomas expressed ER. The majority of the tumors were CK7+. Using CK20 alone, 33 of 34 metastases could be properly classified as gastrointestinal (CK20+) or mammary (CK20-). ER identified 31/34 of breast cancer metastases. By combining the results of CK20 and ER staining all the metastases could be properly classified as the CK20+/ER- pattern identified all the gastrointestinal tumors.

  19. Autophagy induction by silibinin positively contributes to its anti-metastatic capacity via AMPK/mTOR pathway in renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Li, Feng; Ma, Zhenkun; Guan, Zhenfeng; Chen, Yule; Wu, Kaijie; Guo, Peng; Wang, Xinyang; He, Dalin; Zeng, Jin

    2015-04-15

    Silibinin, a dietary cancer chemopreventive flavonoid from the seeds of milk thistle, has been reported to exhibit anti-metastatic effects on renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is not fully understood. The present study aimed at examining the potential role of autophagy in regulating silibinin-induced anti-metastatic effects on RCC cells. Using RCC ACHN and 786-O cells as a model system in vitro, we found that silibinin treatment increased the expression of LC3-II, resulted in the formation of autophagolysosome vacuoles, and caused a punctate fluorescence pattern with the monomeric red fluorescence protein-enhanced green fluorescence protein-LC3 (mRFP-EGFP-LC3) protein, which all are markers for cellular autophagy. Autophagy flux was induced by silibinin in RCC cells, as determined by LC3 turnover assay. Mechanically, the adenosine 5'-monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was identified as involved in regulation of silibinin-induced autophagy. Furthermore, autophagy induction was demonstrated to positively contribute to silibinin-induced anti-metastatic effects on RCC cells in vitro. Activation of autophagy enhanced silibinin-induced inhibition of migration and invasion of RCC cells, while inhibition of autophagy attenuated it. These findings thus provide new information about the potential link between autophagy and metastasis inhibition induced by silibinin, and the induction of autophagy may shed some light into future treatment strategies for metastatic RCC.

  20. Autophagy Induction by Silibinin Positively Contributes to Its Anti-Metastatic Capacity via AMPK/mTOR Pathway in Renal Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Li, Feng; Ma, Zhenkun; Guan, Zhenfeng; Chen, Yule; Wu, Kaijie; Guo, Peng; Wang, Xinyang; He, Dalin; Zeng, Jin

    2015-01-01

    Silibinin, a dietary cancer chemopreventive flavonoid from the seeds of milk thistle, has been reported to exhibit anti-metastatic effects on renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is not fully understood. The present study aimed at examining the potential role of autophagy in regulating silibinin-induced anti-metastatic effects on RCC cells. Using RCC ACHN and 786-O cells as a model system in vitro, we found that silibinin treatment increased the expression of LC3-II, resulted in the formation of autophagolysosome vacuoles, and caused a punctate fluorescence pattern with the monomeric red fluorescence protein-enhanced green fluorescence protein-LC3 (mRFP-EGFP-LC3) protein, which all are markers for cellular autophagy. Autophagy flux was induced by silibinin in RCC cells, as determined by LC3 turnover assay. Mechanically, the adenosine 5'-monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was identified as involved in regulation of silibinin-induced autophagy. Furthermore, autophagy induction was demonstrated to positively contribute to silibinin-induced anti-metastatic effects on RCC cells in vitro. Activation of autophagy enhanced silibinin-induced inhibition of migration and invasion of RCC cells, while inhibition of autophagy attenuated it. These findings thus provide new information about the potential link between autophagy and metastasis inhibition induced by silibinin, and the induction of autophagy may shed some light into future treatment strategies for metastatic RCC. PMID:25884331

  1. Circulating tumor cells in metastatic breast cancer: timing of blood extraction for analysis.

    PubMed

    Martín, Miguel; García-Sáenz, José Angel; Maestro De las Casas, Maria Luisa; Vidaurreta, Marta; Puente, Javier; Veganzones, Silvia; Rodríguez-Lajusticia, Laura; De la Orden, Virginia; Oliva, Belén; De la Torre, Julio-César; López-Tarruella, Sara; Casado, Antonio; Sastre, Javier; Díaz-Rubio, Eduardo

    2009-10-01

    Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected in the peripheral blood of around 50% of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Their numbers are an independent predictor of the patient's progression-free survival (PFS) and of overall survival (OS). However, to date, none of the studies carried out with the most commonly used system of CTC determination (the CellSearch System, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration) has examined the intra-patient variation in CTC numbers, a variation that could impact on prognosis assessment. To evaluate possible circadian variations in the number of CTCs in patients with breast cancer a pilot study was conducted in which these cells were quantified 12 h apart (at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. of the same day) in a cohort of hospitalized patients with metastatic breast cancer. Out of the 58 patients included in the study, 51 were evaluable. No statistically significant differences between day-time and night-time CTC numbers were observed (p=0.8427, Wilcoxon matched pair test). Only two of the patients were classified in different prognostic categories in the morning and night determinations (5 or more CTCs=poor prognosis group; <5 CTCs=good prognosis group). The prognostic classification of the remaining 49 patients was the same at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The number of peripheral blood CTCs in metastatic breast cancer patients is not significantly different at 8:00 a.m. from that at 8:00 p.m. and, as such, indicates a lack of circadian rhythm with respect to CTC numbers in these patients.

  2. Patient with Gorlin syndrome and metastatic basal cell carcinoma refractory to smoothened inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Gefei A; Li, Angela S; Chang, Anne Lynn S

    2014-08-01

    Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) in patients with Gorlin syndrome have been reported to be extremely sensitive to Smoothened (SMO) inhibitors, a novel targeted therapy against the Hedgehog pathway, because of characteristic mutations in these patients. A few cases of disease refractory to oral therapy with SMO inhibitors have been reported in patients with Gorlin syndrome and nonmetastatic BCCs, but refractory disease in distantly metastatic tumors has not been documented in this high-risk group. A man with Gorlin syndrome and innumerable cutaneous BCCs presented with biopsy-proven BCC in his lungs. After SMO inhibitor therapy, almost all of his cutaneous tumors shrank, but his lung metastases did not. These lung metastases remained refractory to treatment despite institution of a second SMO inhibitor. We report a case of Gorlin syndrome in a patient with metastatic BCC refractory to SMO inhibitors. Furthermore, clinical responses in this patient's cutaneous tumors did not parallel the responses in the distant site. However, serial imaging after diagnosis of metastatic disease can be critical to monitor for response to therapy.

  3. Self-targeting of TNF-releasing cancer cells in preclinical models of primary and metastatic tumors.

    PubMed

    Dondossola, Eleonora; Dobroff, Andrey S; Marchiò, Serena; Cardó-Vila, Marina; Hosoya, Hitomi; Libutti, Steven K; Corti, Angelo; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2016-02-23

    Circulating cancer cells can putatively colonize distant organs to form metastases or to reinfiltrate primary tumors themselves through a process termed "tumor self-seeding." Here we exploit this biological attribute to deliver tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), a potent antitumor cytokine, directly to primary and metastatic tumors in a mechanism that we have defined as "tumor self-targeting." For this purpose, we genetically engineered mouse mammary adenocarcinoma (TSA), melanoma (B16-F10), and Lewis lung carcinoma cells to produce and release murine TNF. In a series of intervention trials, systemic administration of TNF-expressing tumor cells was associated with reduced growth of both primary tumors and metastatic colonies in immunocompetent mice. We show that these malignant cells home to tumors, locally release TNF, damage neovascular endothelium, and induce massive cancer cell apoptosis. We also demonstrate that such tumor-cell-mediated delivery avoids or minimizes common side effects often associated with TNF-based therapy, such as acute inflammation and weight loss. Our study provides proof of concept that genetically modified circulating tumor cells may serve as targeted vectors to deliver anticancer agents. In a clinical context, this unique paradigm represents a personalized approach to be translated into applications potentially using patient-derived circulating tumor cells as self-targeted vectors for drug delivery.

  4. The Janus-faced role of ezrin in "linking" cells to either normal or metastatic phenotype.

    PubMed

    Brambilla, Daria; Fais, Stefano

    2009-11-15

    In the majority of eukaryotic cells, the ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM) proteins are involved in many physiologic functions including regulation of actin cytoskeleton, control of cell shape, adhesion, motility and modulation of signal transduction pathways. In a previous study, we used a dominant negative ezrin-mutant to address ezrin involvement in remodeling of actin cytoskeleton and subsequently we depicted ezrin key role in melanoma cell migration and progression. Herein, we highlight recent advances on ezrin involvement in the metastatic phenomenon, including also some more neglected ezrin-related functions. Novel molecular processes driven by ezrin activation include: phagocytosis, acquisition of resistance to chemotherapeutics and triggering of programmed cell death signals. Recent data support an integrated role of ezrin also in development of tumor malignancy. On one hand, ezrin may be responsible of deranged execution of specific known functions such as adhesion and motility and on the other, it may also participate to unique metastatic determinants, through the establishment of aberrant linkages with tumor-related proteins. For instance, ezrin misslocalization, absence or deranged activity has started to be correlated with tumor progression in many tumors of different species, including humans. Concomitantly, ezrin may act simultaneously as a regulatory or deregulatory chaperon in both normal and tumor cells. It is still to be established whether this Janus-faced feature of ezrin is due to some unknown transforming Zelig-like property or to the fact that a tumor-associated molecule preferentially links to ezrin thus distracting it from its normal connections. However, the contribution of ezrin functional deregulation to the acquisition of the metastatic phenotype appears clear and ezrin or ezrin aberrant associations may represent good candidates for future anti-tumor therapies.

  5. Metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and renal cell carcinoma treated with gemcitabine and sunitinib malate. A case report.

    PubMed

    Bharthuar, Anubha; Pearce, Lori; Litwin, Alan; LeVea, Charles; Kuvshinoff, Boris; Iyer, Renuka

    2009-09-04

    Pancreatic adenocarcinoma and renal cell carcinoma are relatively frequent cancers that have been rarely reported as synchronous primary malignancies. When present simultaneously, they pose a therapeutic challenge given the many available targeted agents with reported efficacy in renal cell cancer and limited options for metastatic pancreatic cancer. We report the case of a 43-year-old Caucasian gentleman diagnosed simultaneously with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and localized renal cell carcinoma treated with combination chemotherapy, consisting of gemcitabine and sunitinib. Patient had a radiographic response and prolonged progression free survival of twenty six weeks; side effects were manageable and included grade 3 neutropenia and grade 2 hypertension. This encouraging response, safety profile and progression free survival response suggest that we should further examine this and other such regimens to improve clinical outcomes for maximum efficacy with minimal side-effects.

  6. Recent advances in circulating tumor cells and cell-free DNA in metastatic prostate cancer: a review.

    PubMed

    Parimi, Sunil; Ko, Jenny J

    2017-10-01

    The treatment landscape of metastatic prostate cancer has changed dramatically over the past five years. As new discoveries are made and further novel therapies become available, there is a heightened urgency to develop biomarkers that can guide prognoses and predict therapy responses. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood have emerged as potential promising tumor avatars. Areas covered: In this review, we describe technological breakthroughs and clinical implementation of the CTCs and ctDNA. We also discuss the key challenges that must be overcome before circulating blood-based biomarkers can be universally adopted into the management of patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Expert commentary: Both CTCs and ctDNA have the potential to be incorporated into routine patient care, with increasing numbers of prospective trials incorporating them into clinical designs. CTCs and ctDNA will thus have an increasingly valuable role in augmenting our understanding of prostate cancer at a molecular level, aiding in prognostication of prostate cancer patients, acting as a surrogate for OS in clinical trials, and helping us prioritize our treatment selections by elucidating resistance mechanisms.

  7. Adoptive transfer of MART-1 T cell receptor transgenic lymphocytes and dendritic cell vaccination in patients with metastatic melanoma

    PubMed Central

    Chodon, Thinle; Comin-Anduix, Begonya; Chmielowski, Bartosz; Koya, Richard C; Wu, Zhongqi; Auerbach, Martin; Ng, Charles; Avramis, Earl; Seja, Elizabeth; Villanueva, Arturo; McCannel, Tara A.; Ishiyama, Akira; Czernin, Johannes; Radu, Caius G.; Wang, Xiaoyan; Gjertson, David W.; Cochran, Alistair J.; Cornetta, Kenneth; Wong, Deborah J.L.; Kaplan-lefko, Paula; Hamid, Omid; Samlowski, Wolfram; Cohen, Peter A.; Daniels, Gregory A.; Mukherji, Bijay; Yang, Lili; Zack, Jerome A.; Kohn, Donald B.; Heath, James R.; Glaspy, John A.; Witte, Owen N.; Baltimore, David; Economou, James S.; Ribas, Antoni

    2014-01-01

    Purpose It has been demonstrated that large numbers of tumor-specific T cells for adoptive cell transfer (ACT) can be manufactured by retroviral genetic engineering of autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes and expanding them over several weeks. In mouse models, this therapy is optimized when administered with dendritic cell (DC) vaccination. We developed a short one-week manufacture protocol to determine the feasibility, safety and antitumor efficacy of this double cell therapy. Experimnetal Design A clinical trial (NCT00910650) adoptively transferring MART-1 T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic lymphocytes together with MART-1 peptide pulsed DC vaccination in HLA-A2.1 patients with metastatic melanoma. Autologous TCR transgenic cells were manufactured in 6 to 7 days using retroviral vector gene transfer, and re-infused with (n = 10) or without (n = 3) prior cryopreservation. Results 14 patients with metastatic melanoma were enrolled and nine out of 13 treated patients (69%) showed evidence of tumor regression. Peripheral blood reconstitution with MART-1-specific T cells peaked within two weeks of ACT indicating rapid in vivo expansion. Administration of freshly manufactured TCR transgenic T cells resulted in a higher persistence of MART-1-specific T cells in the blood as compared to cryopreserved. Evidence that DC vaccination could cause further in vivo expansion was only observed with ACT using non-cryopreserved T cells. Conclusion Double cell therapy with ACT of TCR engineered T cells with a very short ex vivo manipulation and DC vaccines is feasible and results in antitumor activity, but improvements are needed to maintain tumor responses. PMID:24634374

  8. Human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells as cellular delivery vehicles for treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Su, Weijun; Wang, Lina; Zhou, Manqian; Liu, Ze; Hu, Shijun; Tong, Lingling; Liu, Yanhua; Fan, Yan; Kong, Deling; Zheng, Yizhou; Han, Zhongchao; Wu, Joseph C; Xiang, Rong; Li, Zongjin

    2013-01-01

    Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have shown tropism towards primary tumors or metastases and are thus potential vehicles for targeting tumor therapy. However, the source of adult EPCs is limited, which highlights the need for a consistent and renewable source of endothelial cells for clinical applications. Here, we investigated the potential of human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells (hESC-ECs) as cellular delivery vehicles for therapy of metastatic breast cancer. In order to provide an initial assessment of the therapeutic potency of hESC-ECs, we treated human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells with hESC-EC conditioned medium (EC-CM) in vitro. The results showed that hESC-ECs could suppress the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and thereby inhibit the proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. To track and evaluate the possibility of hESC-EC-employed therapy, we employed the bioluminescence imaging (BLI) technology. To study the therapeutic potential of hESC-ECs, we established lung metastasis models by intravenous injection of MDA-MB-231 cells labeled with firefly luciferase (Fluc) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) to NOD/SCID mice. In mice with lung metastases, we injected hESC-ECs armed with herpes simplex virus truncated thymidine kinase (HSV-ttk) intravenously on days 11, 16, 21, and 26 after MDA-MB-231 cell injection. The NOD/SCID mice were subsequently treated with ganciclovir (GCV), and the growth status of tumor was monitored by Fluc imaging. We found that MDA-MB-231 tumors were significantly inhibited by intravenously injected hESC-ECs. The tumor-suppressive effects of the hESC-ECs, by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and inducing tumor cell death through bystander effect in human metastatic breast cancer model, provide previously unexplored therapeutic modalities for cancer treatment.

  9. Management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the era of targeted therapies.

    PubMed

    Webber, K; Cooper, A; Kleiven, H; Yip, D; Goldstein, D

    2011-08-01

    Metastatic renal cell cancer is associated with poor prognosis and survival and is resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Therapeutic targeting of molecular pathways for tumour angiogenesis and other specific activation mechanisms offers improved tumour response and prolonged survival. To conduct a retrospective audit of metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients treated with targeted therapies. Data were extracted from clinical records of patients undergoing targeted treatment between 2005 and 2009 at two hospital sites. Data collected included pathology, systemic therapy class, toxicity and survival. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed. Sixty-one patients were treated with 102 lines of therapy with a median overall survival (OS) of 23 months, median time to failure of first-line treatment (TTF1) of 10 months and median time to failure of second-line treatment (TTF2) of 5.2 months. Time from first diagnosis to treatment >12 months was significantly associated with improved OS, longer TTF1, TTF2 and response to first-line anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (anti-VEGF TKI) therapy. Variables associated with tumour biology, natural history and the systemic inflammatory response were associated with improved OS and TTF1. Development of hypertension was predictive of anti-VEGF TKI outcome. Toxicities were as expected for each drug class.   Survival and toxicity outcomes from two Australian sites are comparable to published data. The adverse event profile differs to conventional chemotherapy. Clinicians caring for patients with metastatic renal cancer will need to become familiar with these toxicities and their management as these agents enter widespread use. © 2011 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal © 2011 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  10. Elevated phospholipase D activity in androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cells promotes both survival and metastatic phenotypes.

    PubMed

    Utter, Matthew; Chakraborty, Sohag; Goren, Limor; Feuser, Lucas; Zhu, Yuan-Shan; Foster, David A

    2018-06-01

    Prostate cells are hormonally driven to grow and divide. Typical treatments for prostate cancer involve blocking activation of the androgen receptor by androgens. Androgen deprivation therapy can lead to the selection of cancer cells that grow and divide independently of androgen receptor activation. Prostate cancer cells that are insensitive to androgens commonly display metastatic phenotypes and reduced long-term survival of patients. In this study we provide evidence that androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cells have elevated PLD activity relative to the androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells. PLD activity has been linked with promoting survival in many human cancer cell lines; and consistent with the previous studies, suppression of PLD activity in the prostate cancer cells resulted in apoptotic cell death. Of significance, suppressing the elevated PLD activity in androgen resistant prostate cancer lines also blocked the ability of these cells to migrate and invade Matrigel™. Since survival signals are generally an early event in tumorigenesis, the apparent coupling of survival and metastatic phenotypes implies that metastasis is an earlier event in malignant prostate cancer than generally thought. This finding has implications for screening strategies designed to identify prostate cancers before dissemination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Noninvasive Optical Tracking of Red Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Cancer Cells in a Model of Metastatic Breast Cancer 1*

    PubMed Central

    Winnard, Paul T; Kluth, Jessica B; Raman, Venu

    2006-01-01

    Abstract We have evaluated the use of the Xenogen IVIS 200 imaging system for real-time fluorescence protein-based optical imaging of metastatic progression in live animals. We found that green fluorescent protein-expressing cells (100 x 106) were not detectable in a mouse cadaver phantom experiment. However, a 10-fold lower number of tdTomato-expressing cells were easily detected. Mammary fat pad xenografts of stable MDA-MB-231-tdTomato cells were generated for the imaging of metastatic progression. At 2 weeks postinjection, barely palpable tumor burdens were easily detected at the sites of injection. At 8 weeks, a small contralateral mammary fat pad metastasis was imaged and, by 13 weeks, metastases to lymph nodes were detectable. Metastases with nodular composition were detectable within the rib cage region at 15 weeks. 3-D image reconstructions indicated that the detection of fluorescence extended to approximately 1 cm below the surface. A combination of intense tdTomato fluorescence, imaging at ≥ 620 nm (where autofluorescence is minimized), and the sensitivity of the Xenogen imager made this possible. This study demonstrates the utility of the noninvasive optical tracking of cancer cells during metastatic progression with endogenously expressed fluorescence protein reporters using detection wavelengths of ≥ 620 nm. PMID:17032496

  12. Signal transduction and downregulation of C-MET in HGF stimulated low and highly metastatic human osteosarcoma cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Husmann, Knut, E-mail: khusmann@research.balgrist.ch; Ducommun, Pascal; Division of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich

    2015-09-04

    The poor outcome of osteosarcoma (OS), particularly in patients with metastatic disease and a five-year survival rate of only 20%, asks for more effective therapeutic strategies targeting malignancy-promoting mechanisms. Dysregulation of C-MET, its ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the fusion oncogene product TPR-MET, first identified in human MNNG-HOS OS cells, have been described as cancer-causing factors in human cancers. Here, the expression of these molecules at the mRNA and the protein level and of HGF-stimulated signaling and downregulation of C-MET was compared in the parental low metastatic HOS and MG63 cell lines and the respective highly metastatic MNNG-HOS andmore » 143B and the MG63-M6 and MG63-M8 sublines. Interestingly, expression of TPR-MET was only observed in MNNG-HOS cells. HGF stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 in all cell lines investigated, but phospho-Stat3 remained at basal levels. Downregulation of HGF-stimulated Akt and Erk1/2 phosphorylation was much faster in the HGF expressing MG63-M8 cells than in HOS cells. Degradation of HGF-activated C-MET occurred predominantly through the proteasomal and to a lesser extent the lysosomal pathway in the cell lines investigated. Thus, HGF-stimulated Akt and Erk1/2 signaling as well as proteasomal degradation of HGF activated C-MET are potential therapeutic targets in OS. - Highlights: • Expression of TPR-MET was only observed in MNNG-HOS cells. • HGF stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 but not of Stat3 in osteosarcoma cell lines. • Degradation of HGF-activated C-MET occurred predominantly through the proteasomal pathway.« less

  13. Deep-proteome mapping of WM-266-4 human metastatic melanoma cells: From oncogenic addiction to druggable targets

    PubMed Central

    Litou, Zoi I.; Konstandi, Ourania A.; Giannopoulou, Aikaterini F.; Anastasiadou, Ema; Voutsinas, Gerassimos E.; Tsangaris, George Th.; Stravopodis, Dimitrios J.

    2017-01-01

    Cutaneous melanoma is a malignant tumor of skin melanocytes that are pigment-producing cells located in the basal layer (stratum basale) of epidermis. Accumulation of genetic mutations within their oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes compels melanocytes to aberrant proliferation and spread to distant organs of the body, thereby resulting in severe and/or lethal malignancy. Metastatic melanoma’s heavy mutational load, molecular heterogeneity and resistance to therapy necessitate the development of novel biomarkers and drug-based protocols that target key proteins involved in perpetuation of the disease. To this direction, we have herein employed a nano liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS) proteomics technology to profile the deep-proteome landscape of WM-266-4 human metastatic melanoma cells. Our advanced melanoma-specific catalogue proved to contain 6,681 unique proteins, which likely constitute the hitherto largest single cell-line-derived proteomic collection of the disease. Through engagement of UNIPROT, DAVID, KEGG, PANTHER, INTACT, CYTOSCAPE, dbEMT and GAD bioinformatics resources, WM-266-4 melanoma proteins were categorized according to their sub-cellular compartmentalization, function and tumorigenicity, and successfully reassembled in molecular networks and interactomes. The obtained data dictate the presence of plastically inter-converted sub-populations of non-cancer and cancer stem cells, and also indicate the oncoproteomic resemblance of melanoma to glioma and lung cancer. Intriguingly, WM-266-4 cells seem to be subjected to both epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) and mesenchymal-to-epithelial (MET) programs, with 1433G and ADT3 proteins being identified in the EMT/MET molecular interface. Oncogenic addiction of WM-266-4 cells to autocrine/paracrine signaling of IL17-, DLL3-, FGF(2/13)- and OSTP-dependent sub-routines suggests their critical contribution to the metastatic melanoma chemotherapeutic refractoriness. Interestingly, the

  14. Peripheral White Blood Cell Subsets in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients Treated with Cetuximab: The Potential Clinical Relevance.

    PubMed

    Matić, Ivana Z; Kolundžija, Branka; Damjanović, Ana; Spasić, Jelena; Radosavljević, Davorin; Đorđić Crnogorac, Marija; Grozdanić, Nađa; Juranić, Zorica D

    2017-01-01

    It was demonstrated that cetuximab-induced tumor regression is based on the effects exerted by immune cells included mainly in the innate immune response. Therefore, the focus of this study was to explore the alterations in the percentages of CD16+, and/or CD56+ lymphocytes, which are comprised of NK cells, and minority of CD56+CD3+ cells, in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer before or 2 months after the treatment with cetuximab-based regimens associated with the response to therapy. The changes in the percentages of lymphocytes and granulocytes in these patients were evaluated as well. We enrolled 50 patients with wild-type KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer. Disease progression was observed in 11/50 patients (non-responders), while other patients achieved partial response or stable disease (responders). Control groups included up to 72 healthy individuals. A significant decrease in the percentages of CD56+ and CD16+CD56+ lymphocytes together with a significant decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes and an increase in the ratio of granulocyte to lymphocyte percentages were observed in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer before therapy, compared with those in the healthy individuals. In contrast to those in the responders, the percentage of CD16+ lymphocytes in the overall white blood cell pool was shown to be significantly decreased in the non-responders, together with a significantly decreased percentage of lymphocytes, a significantly increased percentage of granulocytes, and an increased ratio of granulocyte to lymphocyte percentages before treatment compared with those in the healthy controls. Two months after the initiation of the treatment, significantly decreased percentages of CD16+, CD56+, and CD16+CD56+ lymphocytes were observed in patients, compared with those determined in the healthy controls. The same changes in the amounts of circulating immune cells were also observed in the responder subgroup, but the percentages of CD16+, CD56

  15. Control of Metastatic Progression by microRNA Regulatory Networks

    PubMed Central

    Pencheva, Nora; Tavazoie, Sohail F.

    2015-01-01

    Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression is a defining feature of human malignancy. Specific miRNAs have been identified as promoters or suppressors of metastatic progression. These miRNAs control metastasis through divergent or convergent regulation of metastatic gene pathways. Some miRNA regulatory networks govern cell-autonomous cancer phenotypes, while others modulate the cell-extrinsic composition of the metastatic microenvironment. The use of small RNAs as probes into the molecular and cellular underpinnings of metastasis holds promise for the identification of candidate genes for potential therapeutic intervention. PMID:23728460

  16. Alterations of p53 in tumorigenic human bronchial epithelial cells correlate with metastatic potential

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Piao, C. Q.; Willey, J. C.; Hei, T. K.; Hall, E. J. (Principal Investigator)

    1999-01-01

    The cellular and molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced lung cancer are not known. In the present study, alterations of p53 in tumorigenic human papillomavirus-immortalized human bronchial epithelial (BEP2D) cells induced by a single low dose of either alpha-particles or 1 GeV/nucleon (56)Fe were analyzed by PCR-single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) coupled with sequencing analysis and immunoprecipitation assay. A total of nine primary and four secondary tumor cell lines, three of which were metastatic, together with the parental BEP2D and primary human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells were studied. The immunoprecipitation assay showed overexpression of mutant p53 proteins in all the tumor lines but not in NHBE and BEP2D cells. PCR-SSCP and sequencing analysis found band shifts and gene mutations in all four of the secondary tumors. A G-->T transversion in codon 139 in exon 5 that replaced Lys with Asn was detected in two tumor lines. One mutation each, involving a G-->T transversion in codon 215 in exon 6 (Ser-->lle) and a G-->A transition in codon 373 in exon 8 (Arg-->His), was identified in the remaining two secondary tumors. These results suggest that p53 alterations correlate with tumorigenesis in the BEP2D cell model and that mutations in the p53 gene may be indicative of metastatic potential.

  17. Actomyosin tension as a determinant of metastatic cancer mechanical tropism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGrail, Daniel J.; Kieu, Quang Minh N.; Iandoli, Jason A.; Dawson, Michelle R.

    2015-04-01

    Despite major advances in the characterization of molecular regulators of cancer growth and metastasis, patient survival rates have largely stagnated. Recent studies have shown that mechanical cues from the extracellular matrix can drive the transition to a malignant phenotype. Moreover, it is also known that the metastatic process, which results in over 90% of cancer-related deaths, is governed by intracellular mechanical forces. To better understand these processes, we identified metastatic tumor cells originating from different locations which undergo inverse responses to altered matrix elasticity: MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells that prefer rigid matrices and SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells that prefer compliant matrices as characterized by parameters such as tumor cell proliferation, chemoresistance, and migration. Transcriptomic analysis revealed higher expression of genes associated with cytoskeletal tension and contractility in cells that prefer stiff environments, both when comparing MDA-MB-231 to SKOV-3 cells as well as when comparing bone-metastatic to lung-metastatic MDA-MB-231 subclones. Using small molecule inhibitors, we found that blocking the activity of these pathways mitigated rigidity-dependent behavior in both cell lines. Probing the physical forces exerted by cells on the underlying substrates revealed that though force magnitude may not directly correlate with functional outcomes, other parameters such as force polarization do correlate directly with cell motility. Finally, this biophysical analysis demonstrates that intrinsic levels of cell contractility determine the matrix rigidity for maximal cell function, possibly influencing tissue sites for metastatic cancer cell engraftment during dissemination. By increasing our understanding of the physical interactions of cancer cells with their microenvironment, these studies may help develop novel therapeutic strategies.

  18. Effect of vernolide-A, a sesquiterpene lactone from Vernonia cinerea L., on cell-mediated immune response in B16F-10 metastatic melanoma-bearing mice.

    PubMed

    Pratheeshkumar, P; Kuttan, Girija

    2011-09-01

    One of the major reasons for the rapid progression of cancers is the ability of tumor cells to escape from the immune surveillance mechanism of the body. Modulation of immune responses is highly relevant in tumor cell destruction. Effect of vernolide-A on the cell-mediated immune (CMI) response in metastatic condition was studied using C57BL/6 mice model. Administration of vernolide-A enhanced natural killer (NK) cell activity, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and antibody-dependent complement-mediated cytotoxicity (ACC) and the activity was observed in treated group much earlier compared with the metastatic tumor-bearing control. Administration of vernolide-A significantly enhanced the production of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in metastatic tumor-bearing animals. In addition, vernolide-A significantly down-regulated the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) during metastasis. All these results demonstrate that vernolide-A could enhance the immune response against metastatic progression of B16F-10 melanoma cells in mice.

  19. Correlating confocal microscopy and atomic force indentation reveals metastatic cancer cells stiffen during invasion into collagen I matrices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Staunton, Jack R.; Doss, Bryant L.; Lindsay, Stuart; Ros, Robert

    2016-01-01

    Mechanical interactions between cells and their microenvironment dictate cell phenotype and behavior, calling for cell mechanics measurements in three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrices (ECM). Here we describe a novel technique for quantitative mechanical characterization of soft, heterogeneous samples in 3D. The technique is based on the integration of atomic force microscopy (AFM) based deep indentation, confocal fluorescence microscopy, finite element (FE) simulations and analytical modeling. With this method, the force response of a cell embedded in 3D ECM can be decoupled from that of its surroundings, enabling quantitative determination of the elastic properties of both the cell and the matrix. We applied the technique to the quantification of the elastic properties of metastatic breast adenocarcinoma cells invading into collagen hydrogels. We found that actively invading and fully embedded cells are significantly stiffer than cells remaining on top of the collagen, a clear example of phenotypical change in response to the 3D environment. Treatment with Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor significantly reduces this stiffening, indicating that actomyosin contractility plays a major role in the initial steps of metastatic invasion.

  20. Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-06-19

    Recurrent Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma; Recurrent Lip and Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Neck With Occult Primary; Recurrent Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Oral Cavity Verrucous Carcinoma; Recurrent Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Salivary Gland Carcinoma; Salivary Gland Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Squamous Cell Carcinoma Metastatic in the Neck With Occult Primary; Stage IV Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IV Major Salivary Gland Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IVA Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVA Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVA Lip and Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IVA Major Salivary Gland Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IVA Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVA Oral Cavity Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IVA Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVB Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVB Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVB Lip and Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IVB Major Salivary Gland Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IVB Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVB Oral Cavity Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IVB Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVC Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVC Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVC Lip and Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IVC Major Salivary Gland Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IVC Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVC Oral Cavity Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IVC Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma AJCC v7; Tongue Carcinoma; Untreated Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma to Neck With Occult Primary

  1. Genetic landscape of metastatic and recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Hedberg, Matthew L.; Goh, Gerald; Chiosea, Simion I.; Bauman, Julie E.; Freilino, Maria L.; Zeng, Yan; Wang, Lin; Diergaarde, Brenda B.; Gooding, William E.; Lui, Vivian W.Y.; Herbst, Roy S.; Lifton, Richard P.; Grandis, Jennifer R.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND. Recurrence and/or metastasis occurs in more than half of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and these events pose the greatest threats to long-term survival. We set out to identify genetic alterations that underlie recurrent/metastatic HNSCC. METHODS. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on genomic DNA extracted from fresh-frozen whole blood and patient-matched tumor pairs from 13 HNSCC patients with synchronous lymph node metastases and 10 patients with metachronous recurrent tumors. Mutational concordance within and between tumor pairs was used to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of HNSCC in individual patients and to identify potential therapeutic targets for functional evaluation. RESULTS. Approximately 86% and 60% of single somatic nucleotide variants (SSNVs) identified in synchronous nodal metastases and metachronous recurrent tumors, respectively, were transmitted from the primary index tumor. Genes that were mutated in more than one metastatic or recurrent tumor, but not in the respective primary tumors, include C17orf104, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor, type 3 (ITPR3), and discoidin domain receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (DDR2). Select DDR2 mutations have been shown to confer enhanced sensitivity to SRC-family kinase (SFK) inhibitors in other malignancies. Similarly, HNSCC cell lines harboring endogenous and engineered DDR2 mutations were more sensitive to the SFK inhibitor dasatinib than those with WT DDR2. CONCLUSION. In this WES study of patient-matched tumor pairs in HNSCC, we found synchronous lymph node metastases to be genetically more similar to their paired index primary tumors than metachronous recurrent tumors. This study outlines a compendium of somatic mutations in primary, metastatic, and/or recurrent HNSCC cancers, with potential implications for precision medicine approaches. FUNDING. National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, Agency for Science, Technology and Research of Singapore

  2. Circulating Cell-free DNA for Metastatic Cervical Cancer Detection, Genotyping, and Monitoring.

    PubMed

    Kang, Zhigang; Stevanović, Sanja; Hinrichs, Christian S; Cao, Liang

    2017-11-15

    Purpose: Circulating cell-free (ccf) human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA may serve as a unique tumor marker for HPV-associated malignancies, including cervical cancer. We developed a method to genotype and quantify circulating HPV DNA in patients with HPV16- or HPV18-positive metastatic cervical cancer for potential disease monitoring and treatment-related decision making. Experimental Design: In this retrospective study, HPV ccfDNA was measured in serum samples from 19 metastatic cervical cancer patients by duplex digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). Nine patients had received tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) immunotherapy. ccfDNA data were aligned with the tumor HPV genotype, drug treatment, and clinical outcome. Results: In blinded tests, HPV ccfDNA was detected in 19 of 19 (100%) patients with HPV-positive metastatic cervical cancer but not in any of the 45 healthy blood donors. The HPV genotype harbored in the patients' tumors was correctly identified in 87 of 87 (100%) sequential patient serum samples from 9 patients who received TIL immunotherapy. In three patients who experienced objective cancer regression after TIL treatment, a transient HPV ccfDNA peak was detected 2-3 days after TIL infusion. Furthermore, persistent clearance of HPV ccfDNA was only observed in two patients who experienced complete response (CR) after TIL immunotherapy. Conclusions: HPV ccfDNA represents a promising tumor marker for noninvasive HPV genotyping and may be used in selecting patients for HPV type-specific T-cell-based immunotherapies. It may also have value in detecting antitumor activity of therapeutic agents and in the long-term follow-up of cervical cancer patients in remission. Clin Cancer Res; 23(22); 6856-62. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  3. Breast Metastatic Localization of Signet-Ring Cell Gastric Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Parrell Soler, C.; Palacios Marqués, A.; Saco López, L.; Bermejo De las Heras, R.; Pertusa Martínez, S.

    2011-01-01

    Metastatic tumors in the breast are quite rare and constitute 0,5 to 6% of all breast malignancies. They often occur in a polymetastatic context. Gastrointestinal lesions rarely metastasize to the breast. The first case of a metastasis deposit to the breast and ovary from gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma was reported in the literature in 1999. Since this report, only 5 cases have been reported. We present a case report of a 37-year-old woman who complained of a lump in the left breast. Two months earlier, the woman underwent a subtotal gastrectomy and a total hysterectomy with double anexectomy, which histologically was diagnosed of gastric signet-ring carcinoma, disseminated with Krukenberg's tumor. In those days, the patient was following a chemotherapy treatment. A core needle biopsy of the lesion in left breast revealed cells with signet-ring features, with probably gastric origin. PMID:21637360

  4. Adoptive Cell Therapy for Patients With Metastatic Melanoma: Evaluation of Intensive Myeloablative Chemoradiation Preparative Regimens

    PubMed Central

    Dudley, Mark E.; Yang, James C.; Sherry, Richard; Hughes, Marybeth S.; Royal, Richard; Kammula, Udai; Robbins, Paul F.; Huang, JianPing; Citrin, Deborah E.; Leitman, Susan F.; Wunderlich, John; Restifo, Nicholas P.; Thomasian, Armen; Downey, Stephanie G.; Smith, Franz O.; Klapper, Jacob; Morton, Kathleen; Laurencot, Carolyn; White, Donald E.; Rosenberg, Steven A.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose The two approved treatments for patients with metastatic melanoma, interleukin (IL)-2 and dacarbazine, mediate objective response rates of 12% to 15%. We previously reported that adoptive cell therapy (ACT) with autologous antitumor lymphocytes in lymphodepleted hosts mediated objective responses in 51% of 35 patients. Here, we update that study and evaluate the safety and efficacy of two increased-intensity myeloablative lymphodepleting regimens. Patients and Methods We performed two additional sequential trials of ACT with autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in patients with metastatic melanoma. Increasing intensity of host preparative lymphodepletion consisting of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine with either 2 (25 patients) or 12 Gy (25 patients) of total-body irradiation (TBI) was administered before cell transfer. Objective response rates by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and survival were evaluated. Immunologic correlates of effective treatment were studied. Results Although nonmyeloablative chemotherapy alone showed an objective response rate of 49%, when 2 or 12 Gy of TBI was added, the response rates were 52% and 72% respectively. Responses were seen in all visceral sites including brain. There was one treatment-related death in the 93 patients. Host lymphodepletion was associated with increased serum levels of the lymphocyte homeostatic cytokines IL-7 and IL-15. Objective responses were correlated with the telomere length of the transferred cells. Conclusion Host lymphodepletion followed by autologous TIL transfer and IL-2 results in objective response rates of 50% to 70% in patients with metastatic melanoma refractory to standard therapies. PMID:18809613

  5. [Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma].

    PubMed

    Arnoux, V; Lechevallier, E; Pamela, A; Long, J-A; Rambeaud, J-J

    2013-06-01

    The objective was to perform a systematic review of literature concerning epidemiology, clinical and biological data, prognosis and therapy of sarcomatoid renal cell carcinomas. Data on sarcomatoid renal cell carcinomas have been sought by querying the server Medline with MeSH terms following or combination of them: "renal carcinoma", "renal cell carcinoma," "renal cancer", "sarcomatoid" "sarcomatoid transformation" and "sarcomatoid differentiation." The articles obtained were selected according to their methodology, the language in English or French, the relevance and the date of publication. Twenty papers were selected. According to the literature, a sarcomatoid contingent can be observed in all subtypes of renal cell carcinomas, with a frequency of 1 to 15% of cases. The median age at diagnosis was 60 years with a majority of symptomatic patients (90%), mainly with abdominal pain and hematuria. These tumors were often found in patients with locally advanced or metastatic (45-77%). The imaging was not specific for the diagnosis and biopsy had a low sensitivity for identifying a sarcomatoid contingent. The treatment was based on a combination of maximal surgical resection whenever possible and systemic therapy for metastastic disease. Pathological data often showed large tumors, Furhman 4 grades, combined biphasic carcinomatous contingent (clear cell carcinoma in most cases) and sarcomatoid. Genetically, there was no specific abnormality but a complex association of chromosomal additions and deletions. The prognosis was pejorative with a specific median survival of 5 to 19 months without any impact of the sarcomatoid contingent rate. Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma is a form not to ignore despite its rarity. Mainly symptomatic and discovered at an advanced stage, it has a poor prognosis, requiring multidisciplinary management quickly and correctly. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Third-line Targeted Therapy in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium.

    PubMed

    Wells, J Connor; Stukalin, Igor; Norton, Craig; Srinivas, Sandy; Lee, Jae Lyun; Donskov, Frede; Bjarnason, Georg A; Yamamoto, Haru; Beuselinck, Benoit; Rini, Brian I; Knox, Jennifer J; Agarwal, Neeraj; Ernst, D Scott; Pal, Sumanta K; Wood, Lori A; Bamias, Aristotelis; Alva, Ajjai S; Kanesvaran, Ravindran; Choueiri, Toni K; Heng, Daniel Y C

    2017-02-01

    The use of third-line targeted therapy (TTT) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is not well characterized and varies due to the lack of robust data to guide treatment decisions. This study examined the use of third-line therapy in a large international population. To evaluate the use and efficacy of targeted therapy in a third-line setting. Twenty-five international cancer centers provided consecutive data on 4824 mRCC patients who were treated with an approved targeted therapy. One thousand and twelve patients (21%) received TTT and were included in the analysis. Patients were analyzed for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival using Kaplan-Meier curves, and were evaluated for overall response. Cox regression analyses were used to determine the statistical association between OS and the six factors included in the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) prognostic model. Subgroup analysis was performed on patients stratified by their IMDC prognostic risk status. Everolimus was the most prevalent third-line therapy (27.5%), but sunitinib, sorafenib, pazopanib, temsirolimus, and axitinib were all utilized in over ≥9% of patients. Patients receiving any TTT had an OS of 12.4 mo, a progression-free survival of 3.9 mo, and 61.1% of patients experienced an overall response of stable disease or better. Patients not receiving TTT had an OS of 2.1 mo. Patients with favorable- (7.2%) or intermediate-risk (65.3%) disease had the highest OS with TTT, 29.9 mo and 15.5 mo, respectively, while poor-risk (27.5%) patients survived 5.5 mo. Results are limited by the retrospective nature of the study. TTT remains highly heterogeneous. The IMDC prognostic criteria can be used to stratify third-line patients. TTT use in favorable- and intermediate-risk patients was associated with the greatest OS. Patients with favorable- and intermediate-prognostic criteria disease treated with third-line targeted therapy have an associated

  7. A novel synthetic oleanane triterpenoid suppresses adhesion, migration and invasion of highly metastatic melanoma cells by modulating gelatinase signaling axis

    PubMed Central

    Sinha, Dona; Dutta, Kaustav; Ganguly, Kirat K.; Biswas, Jaydip; Bishayee, Anupam

    2014-01-01

    Background A methyl derivative natural triterpenoid amooranin (methyl-25-hydroxy-3-oxoolean-12-en-28-oate, AMR-Me) has been found to possess antiproliferative, proapoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects against established tumor cells. Large-scale synthesis of pure AMR-Me has eliminated the need of the natural phytochemical for further development of AMR-Me as an anticancer drug. Metastatic melanoma is a fatal form of cutaneous malignancy with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. It was hypothesized that antitumor pharmacological effect of AMR-Me could be linked to AMR-Me-mediated suppression of the metastatic potential of B16F10 murine melanoma. Methods AMR-Me was assessed for its antimetastatic efficacy by cell adhesion, migration and invasion assays in B16F10 cells. The signaling crosstalk was explored by gelatin zymography, Western blot, ELISA and immunocytochemistry. Results The results elicited that AMR-Me was successful in restricting the adhesion, migration and invasion of highly metastatic cells. The antimetastatic potential of this compound may be attributed to the reduced expression of membrane type 1 metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9). AMR-Me was found to downregulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/prosphorylated forms of focal adhesion kinase (pFAK397)/Jun N-terminus kinase (pJNK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK). This, in turn, inhibited transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and transactivation of MMPs. Moreover the activation of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) might have influenced the downmodulation of MT1-MMP, MMP-2 and MMP-9. Conclusion AMR-Me suppresses the activity of MT1-MMP, MMP-2 and MMP-9 by downregulation of VEGF/pFAK397/pJNK/pERK/NF-κB and activation of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in metastatic melanoma cell line, B16F10. General significance AMR-Me has the potential as an effective anticancer drug for metastatic melanoma which is a

  8. Apicidin and Docetaxel Combination Treatment Drives CTCFL Expression and HMGB1 Release Acting as Potential Antitumor Immune Response Inducers in Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells12

    PubMed Central

    Buoncervello, Maria; Borghi, Paola; Romagnoli, Giulia; Spadaro, Francesca; Belardelli, Filippo; Toschi, Elena; Gabriele, Lucia

    2012-01-01

    Currently approved combination regimens available for the treatment of metastatic tumors, such as breast cancer, have been shown to increase response rates, often at the cost of a substantial increase in toxicity. An ideal combination strategy may consist of agents with different mechanisms of action leading to complementary antitumor activities and safety profiles. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the epigenetic modulator apicidin in combination with the cytotoxic agent docetaxel in tumor breast cell lines characterized by different grades of invasiveness. We report that combined treatment of apicidin and docetaxel, at low toxicity doses, stimulates in metastatic breast cancer cells the expression of CTCF-like protein and other cancer antigens, thus potentially favoring an antitumor immune response. In addition, apicidin and docetaxel co-treatment specifically stimulates apoptosis, characterized by an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-8 activation. Importantly, following combined exposure to these agents, metastatic cells were also found to induce signals of immunogenic apoptosis such as cell surface expression of calreticulin and release of considerable amounts of high-mobility group box 1 protein, thus potentially promoting the translation of induced cell death into antitumor immune response. Altogether, our results indicate that the combined use of apicidin and docetaxel, at a low toxicity profile, may represent a potential innovative strategy able to activate complementary antitumor pathways in metastatic breast cancer cells, associated with a potential control of metastatic growth and possible induction of antitumor immunity. PMID:23019417

  9. Effect of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) on hematogenic lung metastatic model mice.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Kazuki; Konoha, Keiko; Yoshikawa, Noriko; Yamaguchi, Yu; Kagota, Satomi; Shinozuka, Kazumasa; Kunitomo, Masaru

    2005-01-01

    We investigated the anti-metastatic effect of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) on a hematogenic metastatic mouse model which was intravenously injected with B16-BL6 melanoma cells. A 3-hour exposure to various concentrations of cordycepin (0.3, 1 and 3 microg/ml) dose-dependently reduced the number of nodules formed in lung at 15 days after the tumor injection. To elucidate the mechanism of this anti-metastatic effect, we examined the effect of cordycepin on the invasiveness of B16-BL6 cells using a chemo-invasion chamber in vitro. The B16-BL6 cells pretreated with cordycepin (3 microg/ml) for 3 hours showed a significant decrease in invasiveness. Under the same conditions, however, cordycepin did not influence the growth curve of B16-BL6 cells at concentrations up to 3 microg/ml. These results suggest that cordycepin exerts an anti-metastatic action, in part, by inhibiting the invasiveness of mouse melanoma cells.

  10. Tumor mutational load and immune parameters across metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC) risk groups

    PubMed Central

    de Velasco, Guillermo; Miao, Diana; Voss, Martin H.; Hakimi, A. Ari; Hsieh, James J.; Tannir, Nizar M.; Tamboli, Pheroze; Appleman, Leonard J.; Rathmell, W. Kimryn; Van Allen, Eliezer M.; Choueiri, Toni K.

    2016-01-01

    Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have better overall survival when treated with nivolumab, a cancer immunotherapy that targets the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), rather than everolimus (a chemical inhibitor of mTOR and immunosuppressant). Poor-risk mRCC patients treated with nivolumab seemed to experience the greatest overall survival benefit, compared to patients with favorable or intermediate-risk, in an analysis of the CheckMate-025 trial subgroup of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) prognostic risk groups. Here we explore whether tumor mutational load and RNA expression of specific immune parameters could be segregated by prognostic MSKCC risk strata and explain the survival seen in the poor-risk group. We queried whole exome transcriptome data in RCC patients (n = 54) included in The Cancer Genome Atlas that ultimately developed metastatic disease or were diagnosed with metastatic disease at presentation and did not receive immune checkpoint inhibitors. Nonsynonymous mutational load did not differ significantly by MSKCC risk group, nor was the expression of cytolytic genes –granzyme A and perforin – or selected immune checkpoint molecules different across MSKCC risk groups. In conclusion, this analysis found that mutational load and expression of markers of an active tumor microenvironment did not correlate with MSKCC risk prognostic classification in mRCC. PMID:27538576

  11. Slug/SNAI2 regulates cell proliferation and invasiveness of metastatic prostate cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Emadi Baygi, Modjtaba; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Essmann, Frank; Deezagi, Abdolkhaleg; Engers, Rainer; Goering, Wolfgang; Schulz, Wolfgang A

    2010-08-01

    Many metastatic cancers recapitulate the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) resulting in enhanced cell motility and invasiveness. The EMT is regulated by several transcription factors, including the zinc finger protein SNAI2, also named Slug, which appears to exert additional functions during development and cancer progression. We have studied the function of SNAI2 in prostate cancer cells. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed strong SNAI2 expression particularly in the PC-3 and PC3-16 prostate carcinoma cell lines. Knockdown of SNAI2 by specific siRNA induced changes in EMT markers and inhibited invasion of both cell lines into a matrigel matrix. SNAI2 siRNA-treated cells did not tolerate detachment from the culture plates, likely at least in part due to downregulation of integrin alpha6beta4. SNAI2 knockdown disturbed the microtubular and actin cytoskeletons, especially severely in PC-3 cells, resulting in grossly enlarged, flattened, and sometimes multinuclear cells. Knockdown also decreased cell proliferation, with a prominent G0/G1 arrest in PC3-16. Together, our data imply that SNAI2 exerts strong effects on the cytoskeleton and adhesion of those prostate cancer cells that express it and is necessary for their proliferation and invasiveness.

  12. Expression of hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha in early-stage and in metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Ribeiro, Maisa; Teixeira, Sarah R; Azevedo, Monarko N; Fraga, Ailton C; Gontijo, Antônio Pm; Vêncio, Eneida F

    2017-04-01

    To investigate hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha expression in distinct oral squamous cell carcinoma subtypes and topographies and correlate with clinicopathological data. Hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 93 cases of OSCC. Clinical and histopathological data were reviewed from medical records. Hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha status was distinct according to tumor location, subtype and topography affect. In superficial oral squamous cell carcinomas, most tumor cells overexpressed hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha, whereas hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha was restricted to the intratumoral region in conventional squamous cell carcinomas. All basaloid squamous cell carcinomas exhibited downregulation of hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha. Interestingly, metastatic lymph nodes (91.7%, p = 0.001) and the intratumoral regions of corresponding primary tumors (58.3%, p = 0.142) showed hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha-positive tumor cells. Overall survival was poor in patients with metastatic lymph nodes. Hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha has distinct expression patterns in different oral squamous cell carcinoma subtypes and topographies, suggesting that low oxygen tension promotes the growth pattern of superficial and conventional squamous cell carcinoma, but not basaloid squamous cell carcinoma. Indeed, a hypoxic environment may facilitate regional metastasis, making it a useful diagnostic and prognostic marker in primary tumors.

  13. Radiation Therapy and MK-3475 for Patients With Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer, Renal Cell Cancer, Melanoma, and Lung Cancer

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-10-25

    Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer; Recurrent Head and Neck Carcinoma; Recurrent Lung Carcinoma; Recurrent Renal Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Skin Carcinoma; Stage III Renal Cell Cancer; Stage IV Lung Cancer; Stage IV Skin Melanoma

  14. Longitudinal Assessment of Vascular Function With Sunitinib in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Catino, Anna B; Hubbard, Rebecca A; Chirinos, Julio A; Townsend, Ray; Keefe, Stephen; Haas, Naomi B; Puzanov, Igor; Fang, James C; Agarwal, Neeraj; Hyman, David; Smith, Amanda M; Gordon, Mary; Plappert, Theodore; Englefield, Virginia; Narayan, Vivek; Ewer, Steven; ElAmm, Chantal; Lenihan, Daniel; Ky, Bonnie

    2018-03-01

    Sunitinib, used widely in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, can result in hypertension, left ventricular dysfunction, and heart failure. However, the relationships between vascular function and cardiac dysfunction with sunitinib are poorly understood. In a multicenter prospective study of 84 metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients, echocardiography, arterial tonometry, and BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) measures were performed at baseline and at 3.5, 15, and 33 weeks after sunitinib initiation, correlating with sunitinib cycles 1, 3, and 6. Mean change in vascular function parameters and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Linear regression models were used to estimate associations between vascular function and left ventricular ejection fraction, longitudinal strain, diastolic function (E/e'), and BNP. After 3.5 weeks of sunitinib, mean systolic blood pressure increased by 9.5 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, 2.0-17.1; P =0.02) and diastolic blood pressure by 7.2 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, 4.3-10.0; P <0.001) across all participants. Sunitinib resulted in increases in large artery stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity) and resistive load (total peripheral resistance and arterial elastance; all P <0.05) and changes in pulsatile load (total arterial compliance and wave reflection). There were no statistically significant associations between vascular function and systolic dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction and longitudinal strain). However, baseline total peripheral resistance, arterial elastance, and aortic impedance were associated with worsening diastolic function and filling pressures over time. In patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, sunitinib resulted in early, significant increases in blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and resistive and pulsatile load within 3.5 weeks of treatment. Baseline vascular function parameters were associated with worsening diastolic but not systolic function. © 2018 American Heart

  15. Carcinomatous meningitis: Leptomeningeal metastases in solid tumors

    PubMed Central

    Le Rhun, Emilie; Taillibert, Sophie; Chamberlain, Marc C.

    2013-01-01

    Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) results from metastatic spread of cancer to the leptomeninges, giving rise to central nervous system dysfunction. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma are the most frequent causes of LM among solid tumors in adults. An early diagnosis of LM, before fixed neurologic deficits are manifest, permits earlier and potentially more effective treatment, thus leading to a better quality of life in patients so affected. Apart from a clinical suspicion of LM, diagnosis is dependent upon demonstration of cancer in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or radiographic manifestations as revealed by neuraxis imaging. Potentially of use, though not commonly employed, today are use of biomarkers and protein profiling in the CSF. Symptomatic treatment is directed at pain including headache, nausea, and vomiting, whereas more specific LM-directed therapies include intra-CSF chemotherapy, systemic chemotherapy, and site-specific radiotherapy. A special emphasis in the review discusses novel agents including targeted therapies, that may be promising in the future management of LM. These new therapies include anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors erlotinib and gefitinib in nonsmall cell lung cancer, anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab in breast cancer, anti-CTLA4 ipilimumab and anti-BRAF tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as vermurafenib in melanoma, and the antivascular endothelial growth factor monoclonal antibody bevacizumab are currently under investigation in patients with LM. Challenges of managing patients with LM are manifold and include determining the appropriate patients for treatment as well as the optimal route of administration of intra-CSF drug therapy. PMID:23717798

  16. Sorafenib Tosylate, Cisplatin, and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-05-22

    Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary; Recurrent Salivary Gland Cancer; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Recurrent Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Recurrent Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Salivary Gland Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx; Stage IVA Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVA Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVA Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVA Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Stage IVB Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVB Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVB Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Stage IVC Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVC Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IVC Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Tongue Cancer; Untreated Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary

  17. Immunoregulatory protein B7-H3 promotes growth and decreases sensitivity to therapy in metastatic melanoma cells.

    PubMed

    Flem-Karlsen, Karine; Tekle, Christina; Andersson, Yvonne; Flatmark, Kjersti; Fodstad, Øystein; Nunes-Xavier, Caroline E

    2017-09-01

    B7-H3 (CD276) belongs to the B7 family of immunoregulatory proteins and has been implicated in cancer progression and metastasis. In this study, we found that metastatic melanoma cells with knockdown expression of B7-H3 showed modest decrease in proliferation and glycolytic capacity and were more sensitive to dacarbazine (DTIC) chemotherapy and small-molecule inhibitors targeting MAP kinase (MAPK) and AKT/mTOR pathways: vemurafenib (PLX4032; BRAF inhibitor), binimetinib (MEK-162; MEK inhibitor), everolimus (RAD001; mTOR inhibitor), and triciribidine (API-2; AKT inhibitor). Similar effects were observed in melanoma cells in the presence of an inhibitory B7-H3 monoclonal antibody, while the opposite was seen in B7-H3-overexpressing cells. Further, combining B7-H3 inhibition with small-molecule inhibitors resulted in significantly increased antiproliferative effect in melanoma cells, as well as in BRAF V 600E mutated cell lines derived from patient biopsies. Our findings indicate that targeting B7-H3 may be a novel alternative to improve current therapy of metastatic melanoma. © 2017 The Authors Pigment Cell & Melonoma Research Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Effects of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase on PANC-1 cells proliferation, metastatic potential and survival under metabolic stress.

    PubMed

    Yu, Tao; Wang, Yong-Tao; Chen, Pan; Li, Yu-Hua; Chen, Yi-Xin; Zeng, Hang; Yu, Ai-Ming; Huang, Min; Bi, Hui-Chang

    2015-01-01

    Aberrant expression of Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) has been reported in pancreatic cancer. However, the role of NNMT in pancreatic cancer development remains elusive. Therefore, the present study was to investigate the impact of NNMT on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, metastatic potential and survival under metabolic stress. Pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 was transfected with NNMT expression plasmid or small interfering RNA of NNMT to overexpress or knockdown intracellular NNMT expression, respectively. Rate of cell proliferation was monitored. Transwell migration and matrigel invasion assays were conducted to assess cell migration and invasion capacity. Resistance to glucose deprivation, sensitivity to glycolytic inhibition, mitochondrial inhibtion and resistance to rapamycin were examined to evaluate cell survival under metabolic stress. NNMT silencing markedly reduced cell proliferation, whereas NNMT overexpression promoted cell growth moderately. Knocking down NNMT also significantly suppressed the migration and invasion capacities of PANC-1 cells. Conversely, NNMT upregulation enhanced cell migration and invasion capacities. In addition, NNMT knockdown cells were much less resistant to glucose deprivation and rapamycin as well as glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose whereas NNMT-expressing cells showed opposite effects although the effects were not so striking. These data sugguest that NNMT plays an important role in PANC-1 cell proliferation, metastatic potential and survival under metabolic stress. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  19. Successful pemetrexed-containing chemotherapy for epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the lung: A case report

    PubMed Central

    WATANABE, HIROKO; TAMURA, TOMOHIRO; KAGOHASHI, KATSUNORI; KAWAGUCHI, MIO; KURISHIMA, KOICHI; SATOH, HIROAKI

    2016-01-01

    Pemetrexed-containing chemotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, although adenosquamous cell lung cancer (ASCLC) is a type of NSCLC, the availability of studies investigating its response to pemetrexed-containing chemotherapy is limited. A 66-year-old woman was referred to Mito Medical Center, University of Tsukuba with hemoptysis and a chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a large cavitary mass in the lower lobe of the left lung. The patient underwent left lower lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. The tumor was staged as pT2bN2M0. An epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletion was identified in the adenocarcinomatous as well as the squamous cell carcinomatous components. Despite gefitinib therapy for pulmonary metastases, the patient developed cavitary metastases in both lungs. Therefore, treatment with pemetrexed-containing chemotherapy was initiated. A chest CT scan revealed significant regression of the metastatic lesions in both lungs, with thinning of the walls. The patient remains well and recurrence-free 19 months after the initiation of pemetrexed-containing chemotherapy. Therefore, the clinical response of EGFR mutation-positive ASCLC to pemetrexed-containing chemotherapy was promising, suggesting pemetrexed to be one of the key drugs for this subset of ASCLC patients. PMID:27073680

  20. Genome-wide methylation sequencing of paired primary and metastatic cell lines identifies common DNA methylation changes and a role for EBF3 as a candidate epigenetic driver of melanoma metastasis

    PubMed Central

    Chatterjee, Aniruddha; Stockwell, Peter A; Ahn, Antonio; Rodger, Euan J; Leichter, Anna L; Eccles, Michael R

    2017-01-01

    Epigenetic alterations are increasingly implicated in metastasis, whereas very few genetic mutations have been identified as authentic drivers of cancer metastasis. Yet, to date, few studies have identified metastasis-related epigenetic drivers, in part because a framework for identifying driver epigenetic changes in metastasis has not been established. Using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), we mapped genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in three cutaneous primary and metastatic melanoma cell line pairs to identify metastasis-related epigenetic drivers. Globally, metastatic melanoma cell lines were hypomethylated compared to the matched primary melanoma cell lines. Using whole genome RRBS we identified 75 shared (10 hyper- and 65 hypomethylated) differentially methylated fragments (DMFs), which were associated with 68 genes showing significant methylation differences. One gene, Early B Cell Factor 3 (EBF3), exhibited promoter hypermethylation in metastatic cell lines, and was validated with bisulfite sequencing and in two publicly available independent melanoma cohorts (n = 40 and 458 melanomas, respectively). We found that hypermethylation of the EBF3 promoter was associated with increased EBF3 mRNA levels in metastatic melanomas and subsequent inhibition of DNA methylation reduced EBF3 expression. RNAi-mediated knockdown of EBF3 mRNA levels decreased proliferation, migration and invasion in primary and metastatic melanoma cell lines. Overall, we have identified numerous epigenetic changes characterising metastatic melanoma cell lines, including EBF3-induced aggressive phenotypic behaviour with elevated EBF3 expression in metastatic melanoma, suggesting that EBF3 promoter hypermethylation may be a candidate epigenetic driver of metastasis. PMID:28030832

  1. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 modulates invasion and metastatic potential of colorectal cancer cells.

    PubMed

    David, Muriel; Naudin, Cécile; Letourneur, Martine; Polrot, Mélanie; Renoir, Jack-Michel; Lazar, Vladimir; Dessen, Philippe; Roche, Serge; Bertoglio, Jacques; Pierre, Josiane

    2014-07-01

    Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1 is an inducible negative regulator of cytokine signaling but its role in human cancer is not completely established. Here we report that, while SOCS1 is expressed in normal colonic epithelium and colon adenocarcinomas, its level decreases during progression of colon adenocarcinomas, the lowest level being found in the most aggressive stage and least differentiated carcinomas. Forced expression of SOCS1 in metastatic colorectal SW620 cells reverses many characteristics of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), as highlighted by the disappearance of the transcription factor ZEB1 and the mesenchymal form of p120ctn and the re-expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, miRNA profiling indicated that SOCS1 also up-regulates the expression of the mir-200 family of miRNAs, which can promote the mesenchymal-epithelial transition and reduce tumor cell migration. Accordingly, overexpression of SOCS1 induced cell morphology changes and dramatically reduced tumor cell invasion in vitro. When injected in nude mice, SOCS1-expressing SW620 cells induced metastases in a smaller number of animals than parental SW620 cells, and did not generate any adrenal gland or bone metastasis. Overall, our results suggest that SOCS1 controls metastatic progression of colorectal tumors by preventing the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), including E-cadherin expression. This pathway may be associated with survival to colorectal cancer by reducing the capacity of generating metastases. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Tumor cell-driven extracellular matrix remodeling drives haptotaxis during metastatic progression

    PubMed Central

    Oudin, Madeleine J.; Jonas, Oliver; Kosciuk, Tatsiana; Broye, Liliane C.; Guido, Bruna C.; Wyckoff, Jeff; Riquelme, Daisy; Lamar, John M.; Asokan, Sreeja B.; Whittaker, Charlie; Ma, Duanduan; Langer, Robert; Cima, Michael J.; Wisinski, Kari B.; Hynes, Richard O.; Lauffenburger, Douglas A.; Keely, Patricia J.; Bear, James E.; Gertler, Frank B.

    2016-01-01

    Fibronectin (FN) is a major component of the tumor microenvironment, but its role in promoting metastasis is incompletely understood. Here we show that FN gradients elicit directional movement of breast cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo. Haptotaxis on FN gradients requires direct interaction between α5β1 integrin and Mena, an actin regulator, and involves increases in focal complex signaling and tumor-cell-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Compared to Mena, higher levels of the pro-metastatic MenaINV isoform associate with α5, which enables 3D haptotaxis of tumor cells towards the high FN concentrations typically present in perivascular space and in the periphery of breast tumor tissue. MenaINV and FN levels were correlated in two breast cancer cohorts, and high levels of MenaINV were significantly associated with increased tumor recurrence as well as decreased patient survival. Our results identify a novel tumor-cell-intrinsic mechanism that promotes metastasis through ECM remodeling and ECM guided directional migration. PMID:26811325

  3. Tetraspan TM4SF5-dependent direct activation of FAK and metastatic potential of hepatocarcinoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Jung, Oisun; Choi, Suyong; Jang, Sun-Bok; Lee, Sin-Ae; Lim, Ssang-Taek; Choi, Yoon-Ju; Kim, Hye-Jin; Kim, Do-Hee; Kwak, Tae Kyoung; Kim, Hyeonjung; Kang, Minkyung; Lee, Mi-Sook; Park, Sook Young; Ryu, Jihye; Jeong, Doyoung; Cheong, Hae-Kap; Kim, Hyun Jeong; Park, Ki Hun; Lee, Bong-Jin; Schlaepfer, David D.; Lee, Jung Weon

    2012-01-01

    Summary Transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) plays an important role in cell migration, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity is essential for homeostatic and pathological migration of adherent cells. However, it is unclear how TM4SF5 signaling mediates the activation of cellular migration machinery, and how FAK is activated during cell adhesion. Here, we showed that direct and adhesion-dependent binding of TM4SF5 to FAK causes a structural alteration that may release the inhibitory intramolecular interaction in FAK. In turn, this may activate FAK at the cell's leading edge, to promote migration/invasion and in vivo metastasis. TM4SF5-mediated FAK activation occurred during integrin-mediated cell adhesion. TM4SF5 was localized at the leading edge of the cells, together with FAK and actin-organizing molecules, indicating a signaling link between TM4SF5/FAK and actin reorganization machinery. Impaired interactions between TM4SF5 and FAK resulted in an attenuated FAK phosphorylation (the signaling link to actin organization machinery) and the metastatic potential. Our findings demonstrate that TM4SF5 directly binds to and activates FAK in an adhesion-dependent manner, to regulate cell migration and invasion, suggesting that TM4SF5 is a promising target in the treatment of metastatic cancer. PMID:23077174

  4. [Metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma to the breast from stomach].

    PubMed

    Krichen Makni, S; Abbes, K; Khanfir, A; Frikha, M; Sellami Boudawara, T

    2007-09-01

    Metastatic tumors in the breast are quite rare and constitute 0.5 to 6% of all breast malignancies. They often occur in a polymetastatic context. The most frequent primitive tumors are lymphoma, leukaemia and malignant melanoma. The gastric origin is seldom reported. We report here the observation of a 40-years woman operated in urgency for an acute abdominal syndrome. A gastric tumor was discovered intraoperatively with ovarian metastasis and peritoneal carcinosis. The pathological examination revealed a gastric signet ring cell carcinoma with an infiltration of the right ovary. Four months later, the patient presented with a lump of the right breast. The histologic examination corresponded to a mammary metastasis by a signet ring cell carcinoma from stomach. The objective of our work is to discuss through this observation the anatomoclinical and evolutionary characteristics of breast metastasis.

  5. High levels of circulating VEGFR2+ Bone marrow-derived progenitor cells correlate with metastatic disease in patients with pediatric solid malignancies.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Melissa; Rössler, Jochen; Geoerger, Birgit; Laplanche, Agnès; Hartmann, Olivier; Vassal, Gilles; Farace, Françoise

    2009-07-15

    Pediatric solid malignancies display important angiogenic potential, and blocking tumor angiogenesis represents a new therapeutic approach for these patients. Recent studies have evidenced rare circulating cells with endothelial features contributing to tumor neovascularization and have shown the pivotal role of bone marrow-derived (BMD) progenitor cells in metastatic disease progression. We measured these cells in patients with pediatric solid malignancies as a prerequisite to clinical trials with antiangiogenic therapy. Peripheral blood was drawn from 45 patients with localized (n = 23) or metastatic (n = 22) disease, and 20 healthy subjects. Subsets of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)2+-BMD progenitor cells, defined as CD45-CD34+VEGFR2(KDR)+7AAD- and CD45(dim)CD34+VEGFR2+7AAD- events, were measured in progenitor-enriched fractions by flow cytometry. Mature circulating endothelial cells (CEC) were measured in whole blood as CD31+CD146+CD45-7AAD- viable events. Data were correlated with VEGF and sVEGFR2 plasma levels. The CD45-CD34+VEGFR2(KDR)+7AAD- subset represented <0.003% of circulating BMD progenitor cells (< or =0.05 cells/mL). However, the median level (range) of the CD45(dim)CD34+VEGFR2+7AAD- subset was higher in patients compared with healthy subjects, 1.5% (0%-10.3%) versus 0.3% (0%-1.6%) of circulating BMD progenitors (P < 0.0001), and differed significantly between patients with localized and metastatic disease, 0.7% (0%-8.6%) versus 2.9% (0.6%-10.3%) of circulating BMD progenitors (P < 0.001). Median CEC value was 7 cells/mL (0-152 cells/mL) and similar in all groups. Unlike VEGFR2+-BMD progenitors, neither CECs, VEGF, or sVEGFR2 plasma levels correlated with disease status. High levels of circulating VEGFR2+-BMD progenitor cells correlated with metastatic disease. Our study provides novel insights for angiogenesis mechanisms in pediatric solid malignancies for which antiangiogenic targeting of VEGFR2+-BMD progenitors

  6. The key role of extracellular vesicles in the metastatic process.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Hongyun; Achreja, Abhinav; Iessi, Elisabetta; Logozzi, Mariantonia; Mizzoni, Davide; Di Raimo, Rossella; Nagrath, Deepak; Fais, Stefano

    2018-01-01

    Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, have a key role in the paracrine communication between organs and compartments. EVs shuttle virtually all types of biomolecules such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, metabolites and even pharmacological compounds. Their ability to transfer their biomolecular cargo into target cells enables EVs to play a key role in intercellular communication that can regulate cellular functions such as proliferation, apoptosis and migration. This has led to the emergence of EVs as a key player in tumor growth and metastasis through the formation of "tumor niches" in target organs. Recent data have also been shown that EVs may transform the microenvironment of primary tumors thus favoring the selection of cancer cells with a metastatic behavior. The release of EVs from resident non-malignant cells may contribute to the metastatic processes as well. However, cancer EVs may induce malignant transformation in resident mesenchymal stem cells, suggesting that the metastatic process is not exclusively due to circulating tumor cells. In this review, we outline and discuss evidence-based roles of EVs in actively regulating multiple steps of the metastatic process and how we can leverage EVs to impair metastasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Silencing the hsp25 Gene Eliminates Migration Capability of the Highly Metastatic Murine 4T1 Breast Adenocarcinoma Cell

    PubMed Central

    Bausero, Maria A.; Bharti, Ajit; Page, Diana T.; Perez, Kristen D.; Eng, Jason W.-L.; Ordonez, Susana L.; Jantschitsch, Christian; Kindas-Muegge, Ingela; Ciocca, Daniel; Asea, Alexzander

    2006-01-01

    The 25-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp25) is associated with various malignancies and is expressed at high levels in biopsies as well as circulating in the serum of breast cancer patients. In this study, we used RNA interference technology to silence the hsp25 gene in 4T1 breast adenocarcinoma cells, known as a poorly immunogenic, highly metastatic cell line. We demonstrate that transfection of 4T1 cells with short interference RNA-Hsp25 dramatically inhibits proliferation as compared with control transfected cells. In addition, we show that 4T1 cells transfected with short interference RNA-Hsp25 abrogates tumor migration potential by a mechanism that is in part due to the repression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression and a concomitant upregulation of its antagonist, tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase 1. Taken together, these findings provide a model system for the study of metastatic potential of tumors and are suggestive of an earlier unrecognized role for Hsp25 in tumor migration. PMID:16340246

  8. Efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer assessed by metastatic potential associated with ACTN4

    PubMed Central

    Miura, Nami; Kamita, Masahiro; Kakuya, Takanori; Fujiwara, Yutaka; Tsuta, Koji; Shiraishi, Hideaki; Takeshita, Fumitaka; Ochiya, Takahiro; Shoji, Hirokazu; Huang, Wilber; Ohe, Yuichiro; Yamada, Tesshi; Honda, Kazufumi

    2016-01-01

    Although several clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of platinum-combined adjuvant chemotherapy for resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), predictive biomarkers for the efficacy of such therapy have not yet been identified. Selection of patients with high metastatic ability in the early stage of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has the potential to predict clinical benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy (ADJ). In order to develop a predictive biomarker for efficacy of ADJ, we reanalyzed patient data using a public database enrolled by JBR.10, which was a clinical trial to probe the clinical benefits of ADJ in stage-IB/II patients with NSCLC. The patients who were enrolled by JBR.10 were classified into 2 subgroups according to expression of the ACTN4 transcript: ACTN4 positive (ACTN4 (+)) and ACTN4 negative (ACTN4 (−)). In the ACTN4 (+) group, overall survival (OS) was significantly higher in the ADJ subgroup compared with the observation subgroup (OBS), indicating a significant survival benefit of ADJ. However, no difference in OS was found between ADJ and OBS groups in ACTN4 (−). Although ACTN4 expression level did not correlate with the chemosensitivity of cancer cell lines for cytotoxic drugs, the metastatic potential of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells was significantly reduced by ACTN4 shRNA in in vitro assays and in an animal transplantation model. The clinical and preclinical data suggested that ACTN4 is a potential predictive biomarker for efficacy of ADJ in stage-IB/II patients with NSCLC, by reflecting the metastatic potential of tumor cells. PMID:27121206

  9. Efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer assessed by metastatic potential associated with ACTN4.

    PubMed

    Miura, Nami; Kamita, Masahiro; Kakuya, Takanori; Fujiwara, Yutaka; Tsuta, Koji; Shiraishi, Hideaki; Takeshita, Fumitaka; Ochiya, Takahiro; Shoji, Hirokazu; Huang, Wilber; Ohe, Yuichiro; Yamada, Tesshi; Honda, Kazufumi

    2016-05-31

    Although several clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of platinum-combined adjuvant chemotherapy for resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), predictive biomarkers for the efficacy of such therapy have not yet been identified. Selection of patients with high metastatic ability in the early stage of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has the potential to predict clinical benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy (ADJ).In order to develop a predictive biomarker for efficacy of ADJ, we reanalyzed patient data using a public database enrolled by JBR.10, which was a clinical trial to probe the clinical benefits of ADJ in stage-IB/II patients with NSCLC. The patients who were enrolled by JBR.10 were classified into 2 subgroups according to expression of the ACTN4 transcript: ACTN4 positive (ACTN4 (+)) and ACTN4 negative (ACTN4 (-)). In the ACTN4 (+) group, overall survival (OS) was significantly higher in the ADJ subgroup compared with the observation subgroup (OBS), indicating a significant survival benefit of ADJ. However, no difference in OS was found between ADJ and OBS groups in ACTN4 (-). Although ACTN4 expression level did not correlate with the chemosensitivity of cancer cell lines for cytotoxic drugs, the metastatic potential of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells was significantly reduced by ACTN4 shRNA in in vitro assays and in an animal transplantation model. The clinical and preclinical data suggested that ACTN4 is a potential predictive biomarker for efficacy of ADJ in stage-IB/II patients with NSCLC, by reflecting the metastatic potential of tumor cells.

  10. Phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity of tumor tissue and circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic castrationresistant prostate cancer: a report from the PETRUS prospective study

    PubMed Central

    Massard, Christophe; Oulhen, Marianne; Le Moulec, Sylvestre; Auger, Nathalie; Foulon, Stéphanie; Abou-Lovergne, Aurélie; Billiot, Fanny; Valent, Alexander; Marty, Virginie; Loriot, Yohann; Fizazi, Karim; Vielh, Philippe; Farace, Francoise

    2016-01-01

    Molecular characterization of cancer samples is hampered by tumor tissue availability in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. We reported the results of prospective PETRUS study of biomarker assessment in paired primary prostatic tumors, metastatic biopsies and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Among 54 mCRPC patients enrolled, 38 (70%) had biopsies containing more than 50% tumour cells. 28 (52%) patients were analyzed for both tissue samples and CTCs. FISH for AR-amplification and TMPRSS2-ERG translocation were successful in 54% and 32% in metastatic biopsies and primary tumors, respectively. By comparing CellSearch and filtration (ISET)-enrichment combined to four color immunofluorescent staining, we showed that CellSearch and ISET isolated distinct subpopulations of CTCs: CTCs undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, CTC clusters and large CTCs with cytomorphological characteristics but no detectable markers were isolated using ISET. Epithelial CTCs detected by the CellSearch were mostly lost during the ISET-filtration. AR-amplification was detected in CellSearch-captured CTCs, but not in ISET-enriched CTCs which harbor exclusively AR gain of copies. Eighty-eight percent concordance for ERG-rearrangement was observed between metastatic biopsies and CTCs even if additional ERG-alteration patterns were detected in ISET-enriched CTCs indicating a higher heterogeneity in CTCs. Molecular screening of metastatic biopsies is achievable in a multicenter context. Our data indicate that CTCs detected by the CellSearch and the ISET-filtration systems are not only phenotypically but also genetically different. Close attention must be paid to CTC characterization since neither approach tested here fully reflects the tremendous phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity present in CTCs from mCRPC patients. PMID:27391263

  11. Comparative label-free LC-MS/MS analysis of colorectal adenocarcinoma and metastatic cells treated with 5-fluorouracil.

    PubMed

    Bauer, Kerry M; Lambert, Paul A; Hummon, Amanda B

    2012-06-01

    A label-free mass spectrometric strategy was used to examine the effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the primary and metastatic colon carcinoma cell lines, SW480 and SW620, with and without treatment. 5-FU is the most common chemotherapeutic treatment for colon cancer. Pooled biological replicates were analyzed by nanoLC-MS/MS and protein quantification was determined via spectral counting. Phenotypic and proteomic changes were evident and often similar in both cell lines. The SW620 cells were more resistant to 5-FU treatment, with an IC(50) 2.7-fold higher than that for SW480. In addition, both cell lines showed pronounced abundance changes in pathways relating to antioxidative stress response and cell adhesion remodeling due to 5-FU treatment. For example, the detoxification enzyme NQO1 was increased with treatment in both cell lines, while disparate members of the peroxiredoxin family, PRDX2 or PRDX5 and PRDX6, were elevated with 5-FU exposure in either SW480 or SW620, respectively. Cell adhesion-associated proteins CTNNB1 and RhoA showed decreased expression with 5-FU treatment in both cell lines. The differential quantitative response in the proteomes of these patient-matched cell lines to drug treatment underscores the subtle molecular differences separating primary and metastatic cancer cells. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. The secreted factors responsible for pre-metastatic niche formation: old sayings and new thoughts.

    PubMed

    Peinado, Héctor; Lavotshkin, Simon; Lyden, David

    2011-04-01

    Metastasis is a multistep process that requires acquisition of malignant cell phenotypes which allow tumor cells to escape from the primary tumor site. Each of the steps during metastatic progression involves co-evolution of the tumor and its microenvironment. Although tumor cells are the driving force of metastasis, new findings suggest that the host cells within the tumor microenvironment play a key role in influencing metastatic behavior. Many of these contributing cells are derived from the bone marrow; in particular, recruited bone marrow progenitor cells generate the "pre-metastatic niche" to which the tumor cells metastasize. Analysis of the molecular mechanisms involved in pre-metastatic niche formation has revealed that secreted soluble factors are key players in bone marrow cell mobilization during metastasis. In addition, membrane vesicles derived from both tumor and host cells have recently been recognized as new candidates with important roles in the promotion of tumor growth and metastasis. This review describes old ideas and presents new insights into the role of tumor and bone marrow-derived microvesicles and exosomes in pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Estrogen promotes the brain metastatic colonization of triple negative breast cancer cells via an astrocyte-mediated paracrine mechanism.

    PubMed

    Sartorius, C A; Hanna, C T; Gril, B; Cruz, H; Serkova, N J; Huber, K M; Kabos, P; Schedin, T B; Borges, V F; Steeg, P S; Cittelly, D M

    2016-06-02

    Brain metastases (BM) are a devastating consequence of breast cancer. BM occur more frequently in patients with estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer subtypes; HER2 overexpressing (HER2+) tumors and triple-negative (TN) (ER-, progesterone receptor-negative (PR-) and normal HER2) tumors. Young age is an independent risk factor for the development of BM, thus we speculated that higher circulating estrogens in young, pre-menopausal women could exert paracrine effects through the highly estrogen-responsive brain microenvironment. Using a TN experimental metastases model, we demonstrate that ovariectomy decreased the frequency of magnetic resonance imaging-detectable lesions by 56% as compared with estrogen supplementation, and that the combination of ovariectomy and letrozole further reduced the frequency of large lesions to 14.4% of the estrogen control. Human BM expressed 4.2-48.4% ER+ stromal area, particularly ER+ astrocytes. In vitro, E2-treated astrocytes increased proliferation, migration and invasion of 231BR-EGFP cells in an ER-dependent manner. E2 upregulated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands Egf, Ereg and Tgfa mRNA and protein levels in astrocytes, and activated EGFR in brain metastatic cells. Co-culture of 231BR-EGFP cells with E2-treated astrocytes led to the upregulation of the metastatic mediator S100 Calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) (1.78-fold, P<0.05). Exogenous EGF increased S100A4 mRNA levels in 231BR-EGFP cells (1.40±0.02-fold, P<0.01 compared with vehicle control) and an EGFR/HER2 inhibitor blocked this effect, suggesting that S100A4 is a downstream effector of EGFR activation. Short hairpin RNA-mediated S100A4 silencing in 231BR-EGFP cells decreased their migration and invasion in response to E2-CM, abolished their increased proliferation in co-cultures with E2-treated astrocytes and decreased brain metastatic colonization. Thus, S100A4 is one effector of the paracrine action of E2 in brain metastatic cells. These

  14. Estrogen promotes the brain metastatic colonization of triple negative breast cancer cells via an astrocyte-mediated paracrine mechanism

    PubMed Central

    Sartorius, Carol A.; Hanna, Colton T.; Gril, Brunilde; Cruz, Hazel; Serkova, Natalie J.; Huber, Kendra M.; Kabos, Peter; Schedin, Troy B.; Borges, Virginia F.; Steeg, Patricia S.; Cittelly, Diana M.

    2015-01-01

    Brain metastases (BM) are a devastating consequence of breast cancer. BM occur more frequently in patients with estrogen receptor-negative (ER−) breast cancer subtypes; HER2 overexpressing (HER2+) tumors and triple-negative (TN) (ER−, progesterone receptor-negative (PR−) and normal HER2) tumors. Young age is an independent risk factor for development of BM, thus we speculated that higher circulating estrogens in young, pre-menopausal women could exert paracrine effects through the highly estrogen-responsive brain microenvironment. Using a TN experimental metastases model, we demonstrate that ovariectomy decreased the frequency of MRI detectable lesions by 56% as compared to estrogen supplementation, and that the combination of ovariectomy and letrozole further reduced the frequency of large lesions to 14.4% of the estrogen control. Human BM expressed 4.2-48.4% ER+ stromal area, particularly ER+ astrocytes. In vitro, E2-treated astrocytes increased proliferation, migration and invasion of 231BR-EGFP cells in an ER-dependent manner. E2 upregulated EGFR ligands Egf, Ereg, and Tgfa mRNA and protein levels in astrocytes, and activated EGFR in brain metastatic cells. Co-culture of 231BR-EGFP cells with E2-treated astrocytes led to upregulation of the metastatic mediator S100 Calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) (1.78-fold, P<0.05). Exogenous EGF increased S100A4 mRNA levels in 231BR-EGFP cells (1.40±0.02 fold, P<0.01 compared to vehicle-control) and an EGFR/HER2 inhibitor blocked this effect, suggesting that S100A4 is a downstream effector of EGFR activation. ShRNA-mediated S100A4 silencing in 231BR-EGFP cells decreased their migration and invasion in response to E2-CM, abolished their increased proliferation in co-cultures with E2-treated astrocytes, and decreased brain metastatic colonization. Thus, S100A4 is one effector of the paracrine action of E2 in brain metastatic cells. These studies provide a novel mechanism by which estrogens, acting through ER

  15. Minimizing metastatic risk in radiotherapy fractionation schedules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Badri, Hamidreza; Ramakrishnan, Jagdish; Leder, Kevin

    2015-11-01

    Metastasis is the process by which cells from a primary tumor disperse and form new tumors at distant anatomical locations. The treatment and prevention of metastatic cancer remains an extremely challenging problem. This work introduces a novel biologically motivated objective function to the radiation optimization community that takes into account metastatic risk instead of the status of the primary tumor. In this work, we consider the problem of developing fractionated irradiation schedules that minimize production of metastatic cancer cells while keeping normal tissue damage below an acceptable level. A dynamic programming framework is utilized to determine the optimal fractionation scheme. We evaluated our approach on a breast cancer case using the heart and the lung as organs-at-risk (OAR). For small tumor α /β values, hypo-fractionated schedules were optimal, which is consistent with standard models. However, for relatively larger α /β values, we found the type of schedule depended on various parameters such as the time when metastatic risk was evaluated, the α /β values of the OARs, and the normal tissue sparing factors. Interestingly, in contrast to standard models, hypo-fractionated and semi-hypo-fractionated schedules (large initial doses with doses tapering off with time) were suggested even with large tumor α/β values. Numerical results indicate the potential for significant reduction in metastatic risk.

  16. Circulating Tumor Cell Count Correlates with Colorectal Neoplasm Progression and Is a Prognostic Marker for Distant Metastasis in Non-Metastatic Patients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsai, Wen-Sy; Chen, Jinn-Shiun; Shao, Hung-Jen; Wu, Jen-Chia; Lai-Ming, Jr.; Lu, Si-Hong; Hung, Tsung-Fu; Chiu, Yen-Chi; You, Jeng-Fu; Hsieh, Pao-Shiu; Yeh, Chien-Yuh; Hung, Hsin-Yuan; Chiang, Sum-Fu; Lin, Geng-Ping; Tang, Reiping; Chang, Ying-Chih

    2016-04-01

    Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been proven as a prognostic marker for metastatic colorectal cancer (m-CRC) patients. However, the currently available techniques for capturing and enumerating CTCs lack of required sensitivity to be applicable as a prognostic marker for non-metastatic patients as CTCs are even more rare. We have developed a microfluidic device utilizing antibody-conjugated non-fouling coating to eliminate nonspecific binding and to promote the multivalent binding of target cells. We then established the correlation of CTC counts and neoplasm progression through applying this platform to capture and enumerate CTCs in 2 mL of peripheral blood from healthy (n = 27), benign (n = 21), non-metastatic (n = 95), and m-CRC (n = 15) patients. The results showed that the CTC counts progressed from 0, 1, 5, to 36. Importantly, after 2-year follow-up on the non-metastatic CRC patients, we found that those who had ≥5 CTCs were 8 times more likely to develop distant metastasis within one year after curable surgery than those who had <5. In conclusion, by employing a sensitive device, CTC counts show good correlation with colorectal neoplasm, thus CTC may be as a simple, independent prognostic marker for the non-metastatic CRC patients who are at high risk of early recurrence.

  17. Comparative clinical utility of tumor genomic testing and cell-free DNA in metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Maxwell, Kara N; Soucier-Ernst, Danielle; Tahirovic, Emin; Troxel, Andrea B; Clark, Candace; Feldman, Michael; Colameco, Christopher; Kakrecha, Bijal; Langer, Melissa; Lieberman, David; Morrissette, Jennifer J D; Paul, Matt R; Pan, Tien-Chi; Yee, Stephanie; Shih, Natalie; Carpenter, Erica; Chodosh, Lewis A; DeMichele, Angela

    2017-08-01

    Breast cancer metastases differ biologically from primary disease; therefore, metastatic biopsies may assist in treatment decision making. Commercial genomic testing of both tumor and circulating tumor DNA have become available clinically, but utility of these tests in breast cancer management remains unclear. Patients undergoing a clinically indicated metastatic tumor biopsy were consented to the ongoing METAMORPH registry. Tumor and blood were collected at the time of disease progression before subsequent therapy, and patients were followed for response on subsequent treatment. Tumor testing (n = 53) and concurrent cell-free DNA (n = 32) in a subset of patients was performed using CLIA-approved assays. The proportion of patients with a genomic alteration was lower in tumor than in blood (69 vs. 91%; p = 0.06). After restricting analysis to alterations covered on both platforms, 83% of tumor alterations were detected in blood, while 90% of blood alterations were detected in tumor. Mutational load specific for the panel genes was calculated for both tumor and blood. Time to progression on subsequent treatment was significantly shorter for patients whose tumors had high panel-specific mutational load (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12-0.78) or a TP53 mutation (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.20-0.79), after adjusting for stage at presentation, hormone receptor status, prior treatment type, and number of lines of metastatic treatment. Treating oncologists must distinguish platform differences from true biological heterogeneity when comparing tumor and cfDNA genomic testing results. Tumor and concurrent cfDNA contribute unique genomic information in metastatic breast cancer patients, providing potentially useful biomarkers for aggressive metastatic disease.

  18. Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2), a new regulator of cell polarity required for metastatic dissemination of basal-like breast carcinomas

    PubMed Central

    Moreno-Bueno, Gema; Salvador, Fernando; Martín, Alberto; Floristán, Alfredo; Cuevas, Eva P; Santos, Vanesa; Montes, Amalia; Morales, Saleta; Castilla, Maria Angeles; Rojo-Sebastián, Alejandro; Martínez, Alejandra; Hardisson, David; Csiszar, Katalin; Portillo, Francisco; Peinado, Héctor; Palacios, José; Cano, Amparo

    2011-01-01

    Basal-like breast carcinoma is characterized by the expression of basal/myoepithelial markers, undifferentiated phenotype, highly aggressive behaviour and frequent triple negative status (ESR−, PR−, Her2neu−). We have previously shown that epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs in basal-like breast tumours and identified Lysyl-oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) as an EMT player and poor prognosis marker in squamous cell carcinomas. We now show that LOXL2 mRNA is overexpressed in basal-like human breast carcinomas. Breast carcinoma cell lines with basal-like phenotype show a specific cytoplasmic/perinuclear LOXL2 expression, and this subcellular distribution is significantly associated with distant metastatic incidence in basal-like breast carcinomas. LOXL2 silencing in basal-like carcinoma cells induces a mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) associated with a decrease of tumourigenicity and suppression of metastatic potential. Mechanistic studies indicate that LOXL2 maintains the mesenchymal phenotype of basal-like carcinoma cells by a novel mechanism involving transcriptional downregulation of Lgl2 and claudin1 and disorganization of cell polarity and tight junction complexes. Therefore, intracellular LOXL2 is a new candidate marker of basal-like carcinomas and a target to block metastatic dissemination of this aggressive breast tumour subtype. PMID:21732535

  19. Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress in the Metastatic Microenvironment

    PubMed Central

    Ortega, Ángel L.; Mena, Salvador; Estrela, José M.

    2010-01-01

    Metastases that are resistant to conventional therapies are the main cause of most cancer-related deaths in humans. Tumor cell heterogeneity, which associates with genomic and phenotypic instability, represents a major problem for cancer therapy. Additional factors, such as the attack of immune cells or organ-specific microenvironments, also influence metastatic cell behavior and the response to therapy. Interaction of cancer and endothelial cells in capillary beds, involving mechanical contact and transient adhesion, is a critical step in the initiation of metastasis. This interaction initiates a cascade of activation pathways that involves cytokines, growth factors, bioactive lipids and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) produced by either the cancer cell or the endothelium. Vascular endothelium-derived NO and H2O2 are cytotoxic for the cancer cells, but also help to identify some critical molecular targets that appear essential for survival of invasive metastatic cell subsets. Surviving cancer cells that extravasate and start colonization of an organ or tissue can still be attacked by macrophages and be influenced by specific intraorgan microenvironment conditions. At all steps; from the primary tumor until colonization of a distant organ; metastatic cells undergo a dynamic process of constant adaptations that may lead to the survival of highly resistant malignant cell subsets. In this sequence of molecular events both ROS and RNS play key roles. PMID:24281071

  20. Adoptive Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Patients with Metastatic Melanoma

    PubMed Central

    Rosenberg, Steven A.; Dudley, Mark E.

    2012-01-01

    Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is the best available treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma. In a recent series of three consecutive clinical trials using increasing lymphodepletion prior to infusion of autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), objective response rates between 49% and 72% were seen. Persistence of infused cells in the circulation at one month was highly correlated with anti-tumor response as was the mean telomere length of the cells infused and the number of CD8+ CD27+ cells infused. Responses occur at all sites and appear to be durable with many patients in ongoing response beyond three years. In the most recent trial of 25 patients receiving maximum lymphodepletion, seven of the 25 patients (28%) achieved a complete response. Of the 12 patients in the three trials who achieved a complete response all but one are ongong between 18 and 75 months. We recently demonstrated that ACT using autologous lymphocytes genetically modified to express anti-tumor T cell receptors can mediate tumor regression and this approach is now being applied to patients with common epithelial cancers. PMID:19304471

  1. Genome-wide in vivo screen identifies novel host regulators of metastatic colonization.

    PubMed

    van der Weyden, Louise; Arends, Mark J; Campbell, Andrew D; Bald, Tobias; Wardle-Jones, Hannah; Griggs, Nicola; Velasco-Herrera, Martin Del Castillo; Tüting, Thomas; Sansom, Owen J; Karp, Natasha A; Clare, Simon; Gleeson, Diane; Ryder, Edward; Galli, Antonella; Tuck, Elizabeth; Cambridge, Emma L; Voet, Thierry; Macaulay, Iain C; Wong, Kim; Spiegel, Sarah; Speak, Anneliese O; Adams, David J

    2017-01-12

    Metastasis is the leading cause of death for cancer patients. This multi-stage process requires tumour cells to survive in the circulation, extravasate at distant sites, then proliferate; it involves contributions from both the tumour cell and tumour microenvironment ('host', which includes stromal cells and the immune system). Studies suggest the early steps of the metastatic process are relatively efficient, with the post-extravasation regulation of tumour growth ('colonization') being critical in determining metastatic outcome. Here we show the results of screening 810 mutant mouse lines using an in vivo assay to identify microenvironmental regulators of metastatic colonization. We identify 23 genes that, when disrupted in mouse, modify the ability of tumour cells to establish metastatic foci, with 19 of these genes not previously demonstrated to play a role in host control of metastasis. The largest reduction in pulmonary metastasis was observed in sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) transporter spinster homologue 2 (Spns2)-deficient mice. We demonstrate a novel outcome of S1P-mediated regulation of lymphocyte trafficking, whereby deletion of Spns2, either globally or in a lymphatic endothelial-specific manner, creates a circulating lymphopenia and a higher percentage of effector T cells and natural killer (NK) cells present in the lung. This allows for potent tumour cell killing, and an overall decreased metastatic burden.

  2. Genome-wide in vivo screen identifies novel host regulators of metastatic colonization

    PubMed Central

    van der Weyden, Louise; Arends, Mark J.; Campbell, Andrew D.; Bald, Tobias; Wardle-Jones, Hannah; Griggs, Nicola; Velasco-Herrera, Martin Del Castillo; Tüting, Thomas; Sansom, Owen J.; Karp, Natasha A.; Clare, Simon; Gleeson, Diane; Ryder, Edward; Galli, Antonella; Tuck, Elizabeth; Cambridge, Emma L.; Voet, Thierry; Macaulay, Iain C.; Wong, Kim; Spiegel, Sarah; Speak, Anneliese O.; Adams, David J.

    2017-01-01

    Metastasis is the leading cause of death for cancer patients. This multi-stage process requires tumour cells to survive in the circulation, extravasate at distant sites, then proliferate; it involves contributions from both the tumour cell and tumour microenvironment (‘host’, which includes stromal cells and the immune system1). Studies suggest the early steps of the metastatic process are relatively efficient, with the post-extravasation regulation of tumour growth (‘colonization’) being critical in determining metastatic outcome2. Here we show the results of screening 810 mutant mouse lines using an in vivo assay to identify microenvironmental regulators of metastatic colonization. We identify 23 genes that, when disrupted in mouse, modify the ability of tumour cells to establish metastatic foci, with 19 of these genes not previously demonstrated to play a role in host control of metastasis. The largest reduction in pulmonary metastasis was observed in sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) transporter spinster homologue 2 (Spns2)-deficient mice. We demonstrate a novel outcome of S1P-mediated regulation of lymphocyte trafficking, whereby deletion of Spns2, either globally or in a lymphatic endothelial-specific manner, creates a circulating lymphopenia and a higher percentage of effector T cells and natural killer (NK) cells present in the lung. This allows for potent tumour cell killing, and an overall decreased metastatic burden. PMID:28052056

  3. Regulation of Metastatic Breast Cancer Dormancy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-01

    individual cell motility to disseminate and eventually extravasate into common metastatic niches such as the brain, bone and liver. Once attaining the...Engineer tagged MCF7 cells with shRNA against E-cadherin and engineer tagged MDA-MB-361 and MDA- MB-231 cells to express or prevent expression of E

  4. Management of an invasive and metastatic Sertoli cell tumor with associated myelotoxicosis in a dog

    PubMed Central

    Withers, Sita S.; Lawson, Corinne M.; Burton, Andrew G.; Rebhun, Robert B.; Steffey, Michele A.

    2016-01-01

    We describe the surgical and post-operative management of a large, invasive, and metastatic functional Sertoli cell tumor in a 9-year-old cryptorchid male Labrador retriever dog. Despite residual disease after surgery, bone marrow recovery occurred without administration of bone marrow stimulants and serum estradiol accurately predicted tumor recurrence. PMID:26933269

  5. Aurora kinase B inhibition reduces the proliferation of metastatic melanoma cells and enhances the response to chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Porcelli, Letizia; Guida, Gabriella; Quatrale, Anna E; Cocco, Tiziana; Sidella, Letizia; Maida, Immacolata; Iacobazzi, Rosa M; Ferretta, Anna; Stolfa, Diana A; Strippoli, Sabino; Guida, Stefania; Tommasi, Stefania; Guida, Michele; Azzariti, Amalia

    2015-01-27

    The poor response to chemotherapy and the brief response to vemurafenib in metastatic melanoma patients, make the identification of new therapeutic approaches an urgent need. Interestingly the increased expression and activity of the Aurora kinase B during melanoma progression suggests it as a promising therapeutic target. The efficacy of the Aurora B kinase inhibitor barasertib-HQPA was evaluated in BRAF mutated cells, sensitive and made resistant to vemurafenib after chronic exposure to the drug, and in BRAF wild type cells. The drug effectiveness has been evaluated as cell growth inhibition, cell cycle progression and cell migration. In addition, cellular effectors of drug resistance and response were investigated. The characterization of the effectors responsible for the resistance to vemurafenib evidenced the increased expression of MITF or the activation of Erk1/2 and p-38 kinases in the newly established cell lines with a phenotype resistant to vemurafenib. The sensitivity of cells to barasertib-HQPA was irrespective of BRAF mutational status. Barasertib-HQPA induced the mitotic catastrophe, ultimately causing apoptosis and necrosis of cells, inhibited cell migration and strongly affected the glycolytic metabolism of cells inducing the release of lactate. In association i) with vemurafenib the gain in effectiveness was found only in BRAF(V600K) cells while ii) with nab-paclitaxel, the combination was more effective than each drug alone in all cells. These findings suggest barasertib as a new therapeutic agent and as enhancer of chemotherapy in metastatic melanoma treatment.

  6. A unique case of spontaneous regression of metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma: a case report

    PubMed Central

    Lim, Rebecca; Tan, Puay Hoon; Cheng, Christopher; Agasthian, Thirugnanam; Tan, Hwei Ling; Teh, Bin Tean

    2009-01-01

    Spontaneous regression of cancer is a rare, but well documented, phenomenon. We present a unique case of an 82 year old Chinese male who experienced spontaneous regression of histologically-verified metastatic type II papillary renal cell carcinoma in the absence of intervening systemic therapy or surgery. This is the first reported case of spontaneous regression of papillary renal cell carcinoma. The mechanism of spontaneous regression remains unknown, and represents a challenge for existing oncology paradigms. PMID:19918481

  7. Specific lymphocyte subsets predict response to adoptive cell therapy using expanded autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in metastatic melanoma patients

    PubMed Central

    Radvanyi, Laszlo G.; Bernatchez, Chantale; Zhang, Minying; Fox, Patricia S.; Miller, Priscilla; Chacon, Jessica; Wu, Richard; Lizee, Gregory; Mahoney, Sandy; Alvarado, Gladys; Glass, Michelle; Johnson, Valen E.; McMannis, John D.; Shpall, Elizabeth; Prieto, Victor; Papadopoulos, Nicholas; Kim, Kevin; Homsi, Jade; Bedikian, Agop; Hwu, Wen-Jen; Patel, Sapna; Ross, Merrick I.; Lee, Jeffrey E.; Gershenwald, Jeffrey E.; Lucci, Anthony; Royal, Richard; Cormier, Janice N.; Davies, Michael A.; Mansaray, Rahmatu; Fulbright, Orenthial J.; Toth, Christopher; Ramachandran, Renjith; Wardell, Seth; Gonzalez, Audrey; Hwu, Patrick

    2012-01-01

    Purpose Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) is a promising treatment for metastatic melanoma unresponsive to conventional therapies. We report here on the results of an ongoing Phase II clinical trial testing the efficacy of ACT using TIL in metastatic melanoma patients and the association of specific patient clinical characteristics and the phenotypic attributes of the infused TIL with clinical response. Experimental Design Altogether, 31 transiently lymphodepleted patients were treated with their expanded TIL followed by two cycles of high-dose (HD) IL-2 therapy. The effects of patient clinical features and the phenotypes of the T-cells infused on clinical response were determined. Results Overall, 15/31 (48.4%) patients had an objective clinical response using immune-related response criteria (irRC), with two patients (6.5%) having a complete response. Progression-free survival of >12 months was observed for 9/15 (60%) of the responding patients. Factors significantly associated with objective tumor regression included a higher number of TIL infused, a higher proportion of CD8+ T-cells in the infusion product, a more differentiated effector phenotype of the CD8+ population and a higher frequency of CD8+ T-cells co-expressing the negative costimulation molecule “B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator” (BTLA). No significant difference in telomere lengths of TIL between responders and non-responders was identified. Conclusion These results indicate that immunotherapy with expanded autologous TIL is capable of achieving durable clinical responses in metastatic melanoma patients and that CD8+ T-cells in the infused TIL, particularly differentiated effectors cells and cells expressing BTLA, are associated with tumor regression. PMID:23032743

  8. The anti-metastatic effects of the phytoestrogen arctigenin on human breast cancer cell lines regardless of the status of ER expression.

    PubMed

    Maxwell, Thressi; Chun, So-Young; Lee, Kyu-Shik; Kim, Soyoung; Nam, Kyung-Soo

    2017-02-01

    Arctigenin is a plant lignan extracted from Arctium lappa that has been shown to have estrogenic properties. In spite of the health benefits of phytoestrogens reducing the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and menopausal symptoms, its benefits against the risk of breast cancer have not been fully elucidated. Thus, we investigated the effects of arctigenin on metastasis of breast cancer using both estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 and ER-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines to see if the effects are dependent on the status of ER expression. In ER-positive MCF-7 cells, arctigenin efficiently inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced cell migration and invasion. The activity of crucial metastatic protease matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-9 in gelatin zymography was also efficiently decreased by arctigenin, as well as its mRNA expression. Notably, arctigenin exhibited similar anti-metastatic effects even in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting that the anti-metastatic effects of arctigenin were not exerted via the ER. The upstream signaling pathways involved in the regulation of MMP-9 and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) were analyzed using western blotting. The activation of Akt, NF-κB and MAPK (ERK 1/2 and JNK 1/2) was found to be inhibited. Taken together, these data suggest that arctigenin confers anti-metastatic effects by inhibiting MMP-9 and uPA via the Akt, NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways on breast cancer, regardless of ER expression. Therefore, we propose that the intake of arctigenin could be an effective supplement for breast cancer patients.

  9. Effects of aspirin on small-cell lung cancer mortality and metastatic presentation.

    PubMed

    Maddison, Paul

    2017-04-01

    Although meta-analysis data have shown that taking regular aspirin may reduce lung cancer mortality, individual trial data results are conflicting, and the data on the effects of aspirin on different histological subtypes of lung tumours, in particular small-cell lung cancer, are sparse. We conducted a prospective observational study of 313 patients with a new diagnosis of small-cell lung cancer and recorded use of aspirin before and after tumour diagnosis. Seventy-one (23%) patients were taking regular daily aspirin for more than 2 years at the time of tumour diagnosis. We found that regular use of aspirin had no effect on survival nor metastatic presentation compared to data from small-cell lung cancer patients not taking aspirin. The lack of survival benefit in patients with small-cell lung cancer taking long-term aspirin may be due to the low expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in small-cell lung cancer tissue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Altered Redox Status Accompanies Progression to Metastatic Human Bladder Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Hempel, Nadine; Ye, Hanqing; Abessia, Bryan; Mian, Badar; Melendez, J. Andres

    2009-01-01

    The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bladder cancer progression remains an unexplored field. Expression levels of enzymes regulating ROS levels are often altered in cancer. Search of publicly available micro-array data reveals that expression of mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (Sod2), responsible for the conversion of superoxide (O2-.) to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is consistently increased in high grade and advanced stage bladder tumors. Here we aim to identify the role of Sod2 expression and ROS in bladder cancer. Using an in vitro human bladder tumor model we monitored the redox state of both non-metastatic (253J) and highly metastatic (253J B-V) bladder tumor cell lines. 253J B-V cells displayed significantly higher Sod2 protein and activity levels compared to their parental 253J cell line. The increase in Sod2 expression was accompanied by a significant decrease in catalase activity, resulting in a net increase in H2O2 production in the 253J B-V line. Expression of pro-metastatic and –angiogenic factors, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and vascular endothelial derived growth factor (VEGF), respectively, were similarly upregulated in the metastatic line. Expression of both MMP-9 and VEGF were shown to be H2O2-dependent, as removal of H2O2 by overexpression of catalase attenuated their expression. Similarly, expression of catalase effectively reduced the clonogenic activity of 253J B-V cells. These findings indicate that metastatic bladder cancer cells display an altered antioxidant expression profile, resulting in a net increase in ROS production, which leads to the induction of redox-sensitive pro-tumorigenic and pro-metastatic genes such as VEGF and MMP-9. PMID:18930813

  11. Transforming growth factor-β signaling: emerging stem cell target in metastatic breast cancer?

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Antoinette R.; Alexe, Gabriela; Reiss, Michael

    2009-01-01

    In most human breast cancers, lowering of TGFβ receptor- or Smad gene expression combined with increased levels of TGFβs in the tumor microenvironment is sufficient to abrogate TGFβs tumor suppressive effects and to induce a mesenchymal, motile and invasive phenotype. In genetic mouse models, TGFβ signaling suppresses de novo mammary cancer formation but promotes metastasis of tumors that have broken through TGFβ tumor suppression. In mouse models of “triple-negative” or basal-like breast cancer, treatment with TGFβ neutralizing anti-bodies or receptor kinase inhibitors strongly inhibits development of lung- and bone metastases. These TGFβ antagonists do not significantly affect tumor cell proliferation or apoptosis. Rather, they de-repress anti-tumor immunity, inhibit angiogenesis and reverse the mesenchymal, motile, invasive phenotype characteristic of basal-like and HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Patterns of TGFβ target genes upregulation in human breast cancers suggest that TGFβ may drive tumor progression in estrogen-independent cancer, while it mediates a suppressive host cell response in estrogen-dependent luminal cancers. In addition, TGFβ appears to play a key role in maintaining the mammary epithelial (cancer) stem cell pool, in part by inducing a mesenchymal phenotype, while differentiated, estrogen receptor-positive, luminal cells are unresponsive to TGFβ because the TGFBR2 receptor gene is transcriptionally silent. These same cells respond to estrogen by downregulating TGFβ, while antiestrogens act by upregulating TGFβ. This model predicts that inhibiting TGFβ signaling should drive the differentiation of mammary stem cells into ductal cells. Consequently, TGFβ antagonists may convert basal-like or HER2-positive cancers to a more epithelioid, non-proliferating (and, perhaps, non-metastatic) phenotype. Conversely, these agents might antagonize the therapeutic effects of anti-estrogens in estrogen-dependent luminal cancers. These

  12. Modeling pre-metastatic lymphvascular niche in the mouse ear sponge assay

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García-Caballero, Melissa; van de Velde, Maureen; Blacher, Silvia; Lambert, Vincent; Balsat, Cédric; Erpicum, Charlotte; Durré, Tania; Kridelka, Frédéric; Noel, Agnès

    2017-01-01

    Lymphangiogenesis, the formation of new lymphatic vessels, occurs in primary tumors and in draining lymph nodes leading to pre-metastatic niche formation. Reliable in vivo models are becoming instrumental for investigating alterations occurring in lymph nodes before tumor cell arrival. In this study, we demonstrate that B16F10 melanoma cell encapsulation in a biomaterial, and implantation in the mouse ear, prevents their rapid lymphatic spread observed when cells are directly injected in the ear. Vascular remodeling in lymph nodes was detected two weeks after sponge implantation, while their colonization by tumor cells occurred two weeks later. In this model, a huge lymphangiogenic response was induced in primary tumors and in pre-metastatic and metastatic lymph nodes. In control lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels were confined to the cortex. In contrast, an enlargement and expansion of lymphatic vessels towards paracortical and medullar areas occurred in pre-metastatic lymph nodes. We designed an original computerized-assisted quantification method to examine the lymphatic vessel structure and the spatial distribution. This new reliable and accurate model is suitable for in vivo studies of lymphangiogenesis, holds promise for unraveling the mechanisms underlying lymphatic metastases and pre-metastatic niche formation in lymph nodes, and will provide new tools for drug testing.

  13. Nonprogression with avelumab treatment associated with gains in quality of life in metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Kaufman, Howard L; Hunger, Matthias; Hennessy, Meliessa; Schlichting, Michael; Bharmal, Murtuza

    2018-02-01

    To assess the association between tumor response and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma treated with the anti-PD-L1 avelumab. Phase II single-arm trial (NCT02155647) data of 88 patients were analyzed. Correlations between percentage reduction in tumor size and change from baseline in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G), FACT - Melanoma (FACT-M) and EuroQol-5 Dimension scores were calculated. HRQoL and utility by tumor response (per the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors version 1.1) was estimated. Tumor shrinkage correlated positively with patients' change from baseline in the FACT-M total (0.364 [95% CI: 0.050-0.607]) and subscale scores. Differences in HRQoL and utility between nonprogressive disease and progressive disease were clinically relevant. In patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma, nonprogression during treatment with avelumab correlated with gains in HRQoL.

  14. Phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity of tumor tissue and circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: A report from the PETRUS prospective study.

    PubMed

    Massard, Christophe; Oulhen, Marianne; Le Moulec, Sylvestre; Auger, Nathalie; Foulon, Stéphanie; Abou-Lovergne, Aurélie; Billiot, Fanny; Valent, Alexander; Marty, Virginie; Loriot, Yohann; Fizazi, Karim; Vielh, Philippe; Farace, Francoise

    2016-08-23

    Molecular characterization of cancer samples is hampered by tumor tissue availability in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. We reported the results of prospective PETRUS study of biomarker assessment in paired primary prostatic tumors, metastatic biopsies and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Among 54 mCRPC patients enrolled, 38 (70%) had biopsies containing more than 50% tumour cells. 28 (52%) patients were analyzed for both tissue samples and CTCs. FISH for AR-amplification and TMPRSS2-ERG translocation were successful in 54% and 32% in metastatic biopsies and primary tumors, respectively. By comparing CellSearch and filtration (ISET)-enrichment combined to four color immunofluorescent staining, we showed that CellSearch and ISET isolated distinct subpopulations of CTCs: CTCs undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, CTC clusters and large CTCs with cytomorphological characteristics but no detectable markers were isolated using ISET. Epithelial CTCs detected by the CellSearch were mostly lost during the ISET-filtration. AR-amplification was detected in CellSearch-captured CTCs, but not in ISET-enriched CTCs which harbor exclusively AR gain of copies. Eighty-eight percent concordance for ERG-rearrangement was observed between metastatic biopsies and CTCs even if additional ERG-alteration patterns were detected in ISET-enriched CTCs indicating a higher heterogeneity in CTCs.Molecular screening of metastatic biopsies is achievable in a multicenter context. Our data indicate that CTCs detected by the CellSearch and the ISET-filtration systems are not only phenotypically but also genetically different. Close attention must be paid to CTC characterization since neither approach tested here fully reflects the tremendous phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity present in CTCs from mCRPC patients.

  15. Trials with TALL-1O4 Cells for Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-10-01

    adhered to current guidelines promulgated by the National Institutes of Health. N/A In the conduct of research utilizing recombinant DNA, the investigator( s ...great improvements in the treatment of early stage breast cancer, metastatic disease is, to date, still incurable . A variety of new therapeutic...H. S ., Roper, M., Parkinson , D. R., Viernik, P. H., Creekmore, S . P., and Boldt, D. H. Interleukin-2 and lymphokine activated killer cells therapy of

  16. CYP4A in tumor-associated macrophages promotes pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis.

    PubMed

    Chen, X W; Yu, T J; Zhang, J; Li, Y; Chen, H L; Yang, G F; Yu, W; Liu, Y Z; Liu, X X; Duan, C F; Tang, H L; Qiu, M; Wang, C L; Zheng, H; Yue, J; Guo, A M; Yang, J

    2017-08-31

    Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an essential role in metastasis. However, what enables TAMs to have a superior capacity to establish pre-metastatic microenvironment in distant organs is unclear. Here we have begun to uncover the effects of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4A in TAMs on lung pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis. CYP4A + TAM infiltration was positively associated with metastasis, pre-metastatic niche formation and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. The pharmacological inhibition of CYP4A reduced lung pre-metastatic niche formation (evidenced by a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 positive (VEGFR1 + ) myeloid cell recruitment and pro-metastatic protein expression) and metastatic burden, accompanied with TAM polarization away from the M2 phenotype in spontaneous metastasis models of 4T1 breast cancer and B16F10 melanoma. Co-implantation of 4T1 cells with CYP4A10 high macrophages promoted lung pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis. Depletion of TAMs disrupted lung pre-metastatic niches and thereby prevented metastasis. Treatment with the CM from CYP4A10 high M2 macrophages (M2) increased pre-metastatic niche formation and metastatic burden in the lungs, whereas CYP4A inhibition attenuated these effects. In vitro TAM polarization away from the M2 phenotype induced by CYP4A inhibition decreased VEGFR1 + myeloid cell migration and fibronectin expression, accompanied with downregulation of STAT3 signaling. Conversely, overexpression of CYP4A or exogenous addition of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid promoted M2 polarization and cytokine production of macrophages and thereby enhanced migration of VEGFR1 + myeloid cells, which were reversed by siRNA or pharmacological inhibition of STAT3. Importantly, a combined blocking M2 macrophage-derived factors TGF-β, VEGF and SDF-1 abolished VEGFR1 + myeloid cell migration and fibroblast activation induced by CYP4A. In summary, CYP4A in TAMs is crucial for lung pre-metastatic

  17. Hilar fat infiltration: A new prognostic factor in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma with first-line sunitinib treatment.

    PubMed

    Kammerer-Jacquet, Solène-Florence; Brunot, Angelique; Bensalah, Karim; Campillo-Gimenez, Boris; Lefort, Mathilde; Bayat, Sahar; Ravaud, Alain; Dupuis, Frantz; Yacoub, Mokrane; Verhoest, Gregory; Peyronnet, Benoit; Mathieu, Romain; Lespagnol, Alexandra; Mosser, Jean; Edeline, Julien; Laguerre, Brigitte; Bernhard, Jean-Christophe; Rioux-Leclercq, Nathalie

    2017-10-01

    The selection of patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) who may benefit from targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors has been a challenge, even more so now with the advent of new therapies. Hilar fat infiltration (HFI) is a validated prognostic factor in nonmetastatic ccRCC (TNM 2009 staging system) but has never been studied in metastatic patients. We aimed to assess its phenotype and prognostic effect in patients with metastatic ccRCC treated with first-line sunitinib. In a multicentric study, we retrospectively included 90 patients and studied the corresponding ccRCC at the pathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular levels. Patient and tumor characteristics were compared using univariate and multivariate analysis. All the features were then studied by Cox models for prognostic effect. HFI was found in 42 patients (46.7%), who had worse prognosis (Heng criteria) (P = 0.003), liver metastases (P = 0.036), and progressive diseases at first radiological evaluation (P = 0.024). The corresponding ccRCC was associated with poor pathological prognostic factors that are well known in nonmetastatic ccRCC. For these patients, median progression-free survival was 4 months vs. 13 months (P = 0.02), and median overall survival was 14 months vs. 29 months (P = 0.006). In a multivariate Cox model integrating all the variables, only poor prognosis, according to the Heng criteria and HFI, remained independently associated with both progression-free survival and overall survival. HFI was demonstrated for the first time to be an independent poor prognostic factor. Its potential role in predicting resistance to antiangiogenic therapy warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Metastatic pheochromocytoma: clinical, genetic, and histopathologic characteristics

    PubMed Central

    Zelinka, Tomáš; Musil, Zdeněk; Dušková, Jaroslava; Burton, Deborah; Merino, Maria J; Milosevic, Dragana; Widimský, Jiří; Pacak, Karel

    2011-01-01

    Background Pheochromocytomas are tumors arising from chromaffin tissue located in the adrenal medulla associated with typical symptoms and signs which may occasionally develop metastases, which are defined as the presence of tumor cells at sites where these cells are not found. This retrospective analysis was focused on clinical, genetic, and histopathologic characteristics of primary metastatic versus primary benign pheochromocytomas. Materials and methods We identified 41 subjects with metastatic pheochromocytoma and 108 subjects with apparently benign pheochromocytoma. We assessed dimension and biochemical profile of the primary tumor, age at presentation, and time to develop metastases. Results Subjects with metastatic pheochromocytoma presented at a significantly younger age (41.4±14.7 vs. 50.2±13.7 years; P<0.001), with larger primary tumors (8.38±3.27 cm vs. 6.18±2.75 cm; P<0.001) and secreted more frequently norepinephrine (95.1% vs. 83.3 %; P=0.046) compared to subjects with apparently benign pheochromocytomas. No significant differences were found in the incidence of genetic mutations in both groups of subjects (25.7 % in the metastatic group and 14.7 % in the benign group; P=0.13). From available histopathologic markers of potential malignancy, only necrosis occurred more frequently in subjects with metastatic pheochromocytoma (27.6 % vs. 0 %; P<0.001). The median time to develop metastases was 3.6 years with the longest interval 24 years. Conclusions In conclusion, regardless of a genetic background, the size of a primary pheochromocytoma and age of its first presentation are two independent risk factors associated with the development of metastatic disease. PMID:21692797

  19. Association of Cell-Free DNA Tumor Fraction and Somatic Copy Number Alterations With Survival in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Stover, Daniel G.; Parsons, Heather A.; Ha, Gavin; Freeman, Samuel S.; Barry, William T.; Guo, Hao; Choudhury, Atish D.; Gydush, Gregory; Reed, Sarah C.; Rhoades, Justin; Rotem, Denisse; Hughes, Melissa E.; Dillon, Deborah A.; Partridge, Ann H.; Wagle, Nikhil; Krop, Ian E.; Getz, Gad; Golub, Todd R.; Love, J. Christopher; Winer, Eric P.; Tolaney, Sara M.; Lin, Nancy U.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) offers the potential for minimally invasive genome-wide profiling of tumor alterations without tumor biopsy and may be associated with patient prognosis. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by few mutations but extensive somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs), yet little is known regarding SCNAs in metastatic TNBC. We sought to evaluate SCNAs in metastatic TNBC exclusively via cfDNA and determine if cfDNA tumor fraction is associated with overall survival in metastatic TNBC. Patients and Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we identified 164 patients with biopsy-proven metastatic TNBC at a single tertiary care institution who received prior chemotherapy in the (neo)adjuvant or metastatic setting. We performed low-coverage genome-wide sequencing of cfDNA from plasma. Results Without prior knowledge of tumor mutations, we determined tumor fraction of cfDNA for 96.3% of patients and SCNAs for 63.9% of patients. Copy number profiles and percent genome altered were remarkably similar between metastatic and primary TNBCs. Certain SCNAs were more frequent in metastatic TNBCs relative to paired primary tumors and primary TNBCs in publicly available data sets The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC, including chromosomal gains in drivers NOTCH2, AKT2, and AKT3. Prespecified cfDNA tumor fraction threshold of ≥ 10% was associated with significantly worse metastatic survival (median, 6.4 v 15.9 months) and remained significant independent of clinicopathologic factors (hazard ratio, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.8; P < .001). Conclusion We present the largest genomic characterization of metastatic TNBC to our knowledge, exclusively from cfDNA. Evaluation of cfDNA tumor fraction was feasible for nearly all patients, and tumor fraction ≥ 10% is associated with significantly worse survival in this large metastatic TNBC cohort. Specific SCNAs are enriched and prognostic in metastatic TNBC, with implications for metastasis

  20. Association of Cell-Free DNA Tumor Fraction and Somatic Copy Number Alterations With Survival in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Stover, Daniel G; Parsons, Heather A; Ha, Gavin; Freeman, Samuel S; Barry, William T; Guo, Hao; Choudhury, Atish D; Gydush, Gregory; Reed, Sarah C; Rhoades, Justin; Rotem, Denisse; Hughes, Melissa E; Dillon, Deborah A; Partridge, Ann H; Wagle, Nikhil; Krop, Ian E; Getz, Gad; Golub, Todd R; Love, J Christopher; Winer, Eric P; Tolaney, Sara M; Lin, Nancy U; Adalsteinsson, Viktor A

    2018-02-20

    Purpose Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) offers the potential for minimally invasive genome-wide profiling of tumor alterations without tumor biopsy and may be associated with patient prognosis. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by few mutations but extensive somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs), yet little is known regarding SCNAs in metastatic TNBC. We sought to evaluate SCNAs in metastatic TNBC exclusively via cfDNA and determine if cfDNA tumor fraction is associated with overall survival in metastatic TNBC. Patients and Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we identified 164 patients with biopsy-proven metastatic TNBC at a single tertiary care institution who received prior chemotherapy in the (neo)adjuvant or metastatic setting. We performed low-coverage genome-wide sequencing of cfDNA from plasma. Results Without prior knowledge of tumor mutations, we determined tumor fraction of cfDNA for 96.3% of patients and SCNAs for 63.9% of patients. Copy number profiles and percent genome altered were remarkably similar between metastatic and primary TNBCs. Certain SCNAs were more frequent in metastatic TNBCs relative to paired primary tumors and primary TNBCs in publicly available data sets The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC, including chromosomal gains in drivers NOTCH2, AKT2, and AKT3. Prespecified cfDNA tumor fraction threshold of ≥ 10% was associated with significantly worse metastatic survival (median, 6.4 v 15.9 months) and remained significant independent of clinicopathologic factors (hazard ratio, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.8; P < .001). Conclusion We present the largest genomic characterization of metastatic TNBC to our knowledge, exclusively from cfDNA. Evaluation of cfDNA tumor fraction was feasible for nearly all patients, and tumor fraction ≥ 10% is associated with significantly worse survival in this large metastatic TNBC cohort. Specific SCNAs are enriched and prognostic in metastatic TNBC, with implications for metastasis

  1. EpCAM-Independent Enrichment of Circulating Tumor Cells in Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Schneck, Helen; Gierke, Berthold; Uppenkamp, Frauke; Behrens, Bianca; Niederacher, Dieter; Stoecklein, Nikolas H; Templin, Markus F; Pawlak, Michael; Fehm, Tanja; Neubauer, Hans

    2015-01-01

    Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are the potential precursors of metastatic disease. Most assays established for the enumeration of CTCs so far-including the gold standard CellSearch-rely on the expression of the cell surface marker epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). But, these approaches may not detect CTCs that express no/low levels of EpCAM, e.g. by undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here we present an enrichment strategy combining different antibodies specific for surface proteins and extracellular matrix (ECM) components to capture an EpCAMlow/neg cell line and EpCAMneg CTCs from blood samples of breast cancer patients depleted for EpCAM-positive cells. The expression of respective proteins (Trop2, CD49f, c-Met, CK8, CD44, ADAM8, CD146, TEM8, CD47) was verified by immunofluorescence on EpCAMpos (e.g. MCF7, SKBR3) and EpCAMlow/neg (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. To test antibodies and ECM proteins (e.g. hyaluronic acid (HA), collagen I, laminin) for capturing EpCAMneg cells, the capture molecules were first spotted in a single- and multi-array format onto aldehyde-coated glass slides. Tumor cell adhesion of EpCAMpos/neg cell lines was then determined and visualized by Coomassie/MitoTracker staining. In consequence, marginal binding of EpCAMlow/neg MDA-MB-231 cells to EpCAM-antibodies could be observed. However, efficient adhesion/capturing of EpCAMlow/neg cells could be achieved via HA and immobilized antibodies against CD49f and Trop2. Optimal capture conditions were then applied to immunomagnetic beads to detect EpCAMneg CTCs from clinical samples. Captured CTCs were verified/quantified by immunofluorescence staining for anti-pan-Cytokeratin (CK)-FITC/anti-CD45 AF647/DAPI. In total, in 20 out of 29 EpCAM-depleted fractions (69%) from 25 metastatic breast cancer patients additional EpCAMneg CTCs could be identified [range of 1-24 CTCs per sample] applying Trop2, CD49f, c-Met, CK8 and/or HA magnetic enrichment. EpCAMneg dual

  2. High lung-metastatic variant of human osteosarcoma cells, selected by passage of lung metastasis in nude mice, is associated with increased expression of α(v)β(3) integrin.

    PubMed

    Tome, Yasunori; Kimura, Hiroaki; Maehara, Hiroki; Sugimoto, Naotoshi; Bouvet, Michael; Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki; Kanaya, Fuminori; Hoffman, Robert M

    2013-09-01

    Altered expression of αvβ3 integrin is associated with tumor progression and metastasis in several types of cancer, including metastatic osteosarcoma. In this study, we demonstrate that in vivo passaging of lung metastasis in nude mice can generate an aggressive variant of human osteosarcoma cells. Experimental metastases were established by injecting 143B human osteosarcoma cells, expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the nucleus and red fluorescent protein (RFP) in the cytoplasm, in the tail vein of nude mice. Lung metastases were harvested under fluorescence microscopy from nude mice to establish cell lines which were then injected via the tail vein of additional nude mice. This procedure was repeated for four passages in order to isolate highly metastatic variant sublines. When the parental and metastatic variants were transplanted orthotopically into the tibia of nude mice, the 143B-LM4 variant had the highest metastatic rate, approximately 18-fold higher than the parent (p<0.01). αvβ3 integrin expression was increased approximately 5.6-fold in 143B-LM4 compared to parental cells (p<0.05). Thus, serial passage of lung metastases created a highly metastatic variant of human osteosarcoma cells which had increased expression of αvβ3 integrin, suggesting that αvβ3 integrin plays an essential role in osteosarcoma metastasis. With this highly metastatic variant overexpressing αvβ3 integrin, it will now be possible to further investigate the mechanism by which αvβ3 integrin facilitates metastasis.

  3. Lectin histochemistry of metastatic adenocarcinomas of the lung.

    PubMed

    Thöm, Ina; Schult-Kronefeld, Olaf; Burkholder, Iris; Goern, Michael; Andritzky, Birte; Blonski, Katharina; Kugler, Christian; Edler, Lutz; Bokemeyer, Carsten; Schumacher, Udo; Laack, Eckart

    2007-06-01

    Several clinical studies indicate that primary tumour cells with high metastatic potential often show aberrant glycosylation as detected by lectin histochemistry. However, it is unclear whether aberrant glycosylation is still present in metastatic deposits. The aim of the present investigation was thus to analyse a possible association between the presence of lectin binding sites of pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells and their lymph node and haematogenous metastatic cells. For this purpose, the expression of HPA, PHA-L and UEA-I was assessed in primary tumours, lymph node metastases and haematogenous metastases of 96 patients with metastatic adenocarcinomas of the lung that underwent surgery between 1999 and 2002. Besides, lectin-binding data and other known prognostic factors were correlated with survival. We found a significant positive correlation between the binding of the lectins HPA (p=0.002), PHA-L (p<0.00001) and UEA-I (p<0.00001) to the cells of the primary tumour and to their lymph node metastases. There was a positive correlation between the binding of HPA to the cells of the primary tumour and the haematogenous metastases as well. Patients with tumours which did not show HPA binding sites had a median overall survival of 27.9 months (95%-CI 7.7-infinity months). Patients with a HPA binding tumour had a median overall survival of 20.9 months (95%-CI 18.5-28.7 months). This is the first investigation to demonstrate a positive correlation between the binding of the lectins HPA, PHA-L and UEA-I to the cells of the primary tumour and to their lymph node metastases. Expression of HPA binding sites is also preserved in the haematogenous metastases. In summary, our results support the hypothesis that altered glycosylation of the membrane-bound glycoproteins of the tumour cells is associated with, but not sufficient for promotion of lymphogenic and haematogenous metastasis.

  4. Silencing the hsp25 gene eliminates migration capability of the highly metastatic murine 4T1 breast adenocarcinoma cell.

    PubMed

    Bausero, Maria A; Bharti, Ajit; Page, Diana T; Perez, Kristen D; Eng, Jason W-L; Ordonez, Susana L; Asea, Edwina E; Jantschitsch, Christian; Kindas-Muegge, Ingela; Ciocca, Daniel; Asea, Alexzander

    2006-01-01

    The 25-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp25) is associated with various malignancies and is expressed at high levels in biopsies as well as circulating in the serum of breast cancer patients. In this study, we used RNA interference technology to silence the hsp25 gene in 4T1 breast adenocarcinoma cells, known as a poorly immunogenic, highly metastatic cell line. We demonstrate that transfection of 4T1 cells with short interference RNA-Hsp25 dramatically inhibits proliferation as compared with control transfected cells. In addition, we show that 4T1 cells transfected with short interference RNA-Hsp25 abrogates tumor migration potential by a mechanism that is in part due to the repression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression and a concomitant upregulation of its antagonist, tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase 1. Taken together, these findings provide a model system for the study of metastatic potential of tumors and are suggestive of an earlier unrecognized role for Hsp25 in tumor migration. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. Diabetes mellitus with obesity is a predictor of recurrence in patients with non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Fukushima, Hiroshi; Masuda, Hitoshi; Yokoyama, Minato; Tatokoro, Manabu; Yoshida, Soichiro; Ishioka, Junichiro; Matsuoka, Yoh; Numao, Noboru; Koga, Fumitaka; Saito, Kazutaka; Fujii, Yasuhisa; Kihara, Kazunori

    2013-07-01

    To investigate the associations of diabetes mellitus with recurrence and prognosis after surgery for non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma and the effect modification of obesity on the above relationships. We retrospectively evaluated 543 patients with non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (pT1-4N0M0) who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy. The association of diabetes mellitus with recurrence was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox regression model. We also examined whether the above relationships were modified by obesity using subgroup analysis and tests of interaction. For subgroup analysis, the body mass index was categorized as non-obese (<25 kg/m(2)) and obese (≥25 kg/m(2)). Eighty-two patients (15.1%) had a history of diabetes mellitus. During the mean follow-up of 66.7 months, 68 patients (12.5%) developed recurrence. Although the body mass index was not associated with recurrence, diabetes mellitus was an independent predictor of recurrence in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 2.43, P = 0.003), along with tumor diameter, grade and pathological T stage. In further subgroup analysis, the same relationship between diabetes mellitus and recurrence was clearly shown in the obese group (hazard ratio 4.07, P = 0.010), but not in the non-obese group (hazard ratio 1.95, P = 0.125). At the same time, obesity modified the effect of diabetes mellitus on recurrence with a trend (P-interaction = 0.086). In the obese group, 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 75.3 and 91.9% for diabetes mellitus and non-diabetes mellitus patients, respectively (P < 0.001). Restricting analyses to patients with clear cell type histology did not materially change these results. Diabetes mellitus is a predictor of recurrence following surgery for non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma, especially in obese patients.

  6. Junctional adhesion molecule-C promotes metastatic potential of HT1080 human fibrosarcoma.

    PubMed

    Fuse, Chiaki; Ishida, Yuuki; Hikita, Tomoya; Asai, Tomohiro; Oku, Naoto

    2007-03-16

    The junctional adhesion molecule (JAM) family is a key molecule in a process called transendothelial migration or diapedesis. Here, we report implications of JAM-C in cancer metastasis. We first determined the mRNA expression of JAMs in 19 kinds of cancer cell lines. JAM-C was expressed in most of tumors having potent metastatic properties. Especially in murine K-1735 melanoma cell lines, the highly metastatic sublines (M2 and X21) strongly expressed JAM-C when compared with the poorly metastatic ones (C-10 and C23). Next, we investigated the role of JAM-C in cancer metastasis by using human JAM-C (hJAM-C) gene-transfected HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells. In comparison with mock-transfected HT1080 cells, these cells showed a significant increase in the adhesion to various extracellular substrates and the invasion across a Matrigel-coated membrane. The knockdown of hJAM-C using small interfering RNA resulted in the suppression of both the adhesion and the invasion of HT1080 cells, suggesting that endogenous hJAM-C might be involved in tumor metastasis. Finally, we studied the role of hJAM-C in an in vivo experimental metastatic model. The results showed that the overexpression of hJAM-C in HT1080 cells significantly decreased the life spans of the tumorbearing mice. In contrast, the knockdown of hJAM-C in HT1080 cells suppressed the weight gain of the lungs with metastatic colonies. We conclude that the expression of JAM-C promotes metastasis by enhancing both the adhesion of cancer cells to extracellular matrices and the subsequent invasion.

  7. Visualization of MMP-2 Activity Using Dual-Probe Nanoparticles to Detect Potential Metastatic Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sung Hoon; Lee, Hyun; Kim, Bohee; Kim, Yoon Suk; Key, Jaehong

    2018-01-01

    Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent enzymes capable of degrading extracellular matrix components. Previous studies have shown that the upregulation of MMP-2 is closely related to metastatic cancers. While Western blotting, zymography, and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) can be used to measure the amount of MMP-2 activity, it is not possible to visualize the dynamic MMP-2 activities of cancer cells using these techniques. In this study, MMP-2-activated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) with polyethylenimine (MMP-2-PLGA-PEI) nanoparticles were developed to visualize time-dependent MMP-2 activities. The MMP-2-PLGA-PEI nanoparticles contain MMP-2-activated probes that were detectable via fluorescence microscopy only in the presence of MMP-2 activity, while the Rhodamine-based probes in the nanoparticles were used to continuously visualize the location of the nanoparticles. This approach allowed us to visualize MMP-2 activities in cancer cells and their microenvironment. Our results showed that the MMP-2-PLGA-PEI nanoparticles were able to distinguish between MMP-2-positive (HaCat) and MMP-2-negative (MCF-7) cells. While the MMP-2-PLGA-PEI nanoparticles gave fluorescent signals recovered by active recombinant MMP-2, there was no signal recovery in the presence of an MMP-2 inhibitor. In conclusion, MMP-2-PLGA-PEI nanoparticles are an effective tool to visualize dynamic MMP-2 activities of potential metastatic cancer cells. PMID:29466303

  8. RNA interference suppression of MUC1 reduces the growth rate and metastatic phenotype of human pancreatic cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Tsutsumida, Hideaki; Swanson, Benjamin J; Singh, Pankaj K; Caffrey, Thomas C; Kitajima, Shinichi; Goto, Masamichi; Yonezawa, Suguru; Hollingsworth, Michael A

    2006-05-15

    MUC1 is a highly glycosylated, type I transmembrane protein expressed by normal ductal epithelial cells of the pancreas, breast, lung, and gastrointestinal tract, and overexpressed in many cases of adenocarcinoma. We down-regulated MUC1 expression by RNA interference and investigated the effects on malignant and metastatic potential of a human pancreatic cancer cell line, S2-013. MUC1-suppressed clones, S2-013.MTII.C1 and S2-013.MTII.C2, were established by targeting a sequence 3,151 bp from the initiation codon and characterized in vitro for proliferation, invasion, and adhesion. We evaluated the effects of MUC1 suppression in vivo on tumor growth and metastatic properties following implantation into the cecum or pancreas of athymic mice. MUC1-suppressed clones showed significantly decreased proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Global gene expression was evaluated by oligonucleotide microarray analysis. Surprisingly, genes predicted to increase doubling times (cyclin B1 and cyclin D3) were overexpressed in MUC1-suppressed clones. There were alterations in expression of several genes that may affect the malignant properties of pancreatic cancer. Adhesion of MUC1-suppressed cells in vitro to type IV collagen and fibronectin was slightly increased, and adhesion was slightly decreased to type I collagen and laminin. Results of implantation to cecum and pancreas showed significant reduction of metastasis to lymph nodes, lung, or peritoneal sites compared with S2-013.gfp-neo control cells. These results support the hypothesis that MUC1 contributes significantly to growth and metastasis, and that down-regulation of MUC1 protein expression decreases the metastatic potential of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

  9. NGF reprograms metastatic melanoma to a bipotent glial-melanocyte neural crest-like precursor

    PubMed Central

    Kasemeier-Kulesa, Jennifer C.; Romine, Morgan H.; Morrison, Jason A.; Bailey, Caleb M.; Welch, Danny R.

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Melanoma pathogenesis from normal neural crest-derived melanocytes is often fatal due to aggressive cell invasion throughout the body. The identification of signals that reprogram de-differentiated, metastatic melanoma cells to a less aggressive and stable phenotype would provide a novel strategy to limit disease progression. In this study, we identify and test the function of developmental signals within the chick embryonic neural crest microenvironment to reprogram and sustain the transition of human metastatic melanoma to a neural crest cell-like phenotype. Results reveal that co-culture of the highly aggressive and metastatic human melanoma cell line C8161 upregulate a marker of melanosome formation (Mart-1) in the presence of embryonic day 3.5 chick trunk dorsal root ganglia. We identify nerve growth factor (NGF) as the signal within this tissue driving Mart-1 re-expression and show that NGF receptors trkA and p75 cooperate to induce Mart-1 re-expression. Furthermore, Mart-1 expressing C8161 cells acquire a gene signature of poorly aggressive C81-61 cells. These data suggest that targeting NGF signaling may yield a novel strategy to reprogram metastatic melanoma toward a benign cell type. PMID:29175861

  10. Cancer stem cells with increased metastatic potential as a therapeutic target for esophageal cancer.

    PubMed

    Wang, D; Plukker, J Th M; Coppes, R P

    2017-06-01

    Esophageal cancers (EC) are highly aggressive tumors, commonly presented in a locally advanced stage with a poor prognosis and survival. Up to 50% of the patients are eligible for treatment with curative intent and receive the standard treatment with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and surgery. Currently, pathologic complete response to nCRT is 20-30%, with a partial or no response in about 50% and 20%, respectively. EC recurrences occur frequently even after successful anti-cancer treatment, suggesting high aggressiveness with increased metastatic potential. A tumor sub-population of so-called cancer stem cells (CSCs), is known to display a high metastatic potential and resistance to conventional anti-cancer therapy, hereby being responsible for the unbeneficial clinical features. In this review, a concise overview will be given of the current literature on esophageal CSCs and related metastases. Esophageal CSC markers will be discussed followed by the pathways that initiate and sustain these cells. In addition, the cellular processes, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), hypoxia and autophagy, known to contribute to cancer stemness and metastasis will be explained. Finally, potential options for treatment also related to cancer genome atlas (TCGA) data on EC will be discussed. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. Resveratrol induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in metastatic breast cancer cells via de novo ceramide signaling.

    PubMed

    Scarlatti, Francesca; Sala, Giusy; Somenzi, Giulia; Signorelli, Paola; Sacchi, Nicoletta; Ghidoni, Riccardo

    2003-12-01

    Resveratrol (3,4',5-trans-trihydroxystilbene), a phytoalexin present in grapes and red wine, is emerging as a natural compound with potential anticancer properties. Here we show that resveratrol can induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231, a highly invasive and metastatic breast cancer cell line, in concomitance with a dramatic endogenous increase of growth inhibitory/proapoptotic ceramide. We found that accumulation of ceramide derives from both de novo ceramide synthesis and sphingomyelin hydrolysis. More specifically we demonstrated that ceramide accumulation induced by resveratrol can be traced to the activation of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), the key enzyme of de novo ceramide biosynthetic pathway, and neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase), a main enzyme involved in the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway. However, by using specific inhibitors of SPT, myriocin and L-cycloserine, and nSMase, gluthatione and manumycin, we found that only the SPT inhibitors could counteract the biological effects induced by resveratrol. Thus, resveratrol seems to exert its growth inhibitory/apoptotic effect on the metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 by activating the de novo ceramide synthesis pathway.

  12. Cytoreductive Nephrectomy in Elderly Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in the Targeted Therapy Era.

    PubMed

    Uprety, Dipesh; Bista, Amir; Smith, Angela L; Vallatharasu, Yazhini; Marinier, David E

    2018-05-01

    The role of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) for metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) is not clearly understood after the approval of targeted therapies, particularly in the elderly population. The aim of this study was to compare survivals between patients who did and did not receive CN. The SEER-18 database was utilized in order to identify elderly patients with mRCC to compare overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) between patients who did or did not receive CN between February 2006 and 2012. Kaplan-Meier curve and log rank test were used to compare OS and CSS between these two arms. Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis and statistical significance was defined as p≤0.05. There was a significant survival benefit for those who received CN compared to those who did not receive CN (median OS: 18 months vs. 4 months, p<0.001; median CSS: 21 months vs. 5 months, p<0.001). CN offered significant survival benefit, even in elderly patients with metastatic renal cell cancer. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  13. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from metastatic breast cancer patients linked to decreased immune function and response to treatment.

    PubMed

    Green, Taryn L; Cruse, Julius M; Lewis, Robert E; Craft, Barbara S

    2013-10-01

    We aimed to examine the use of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as an effective measure of treatment efficacy and immune system function in metastatic breast cancer patients. CTCs are believed to be indicators of residual disease and thus pose an increased risk of metastasis and poorer outcomes to those patients who are CTC-positive. We obtained peripheral blood samples from 45 patients previously diagnosed with metastatic disease originating in the breast. Using TLR agonists that bind TLR ligands and upregulate immune effects versus unstimulated cells, we calculated a percent specific lysis using chromium-51 assay to illustrate the functional abilities of patient natural killer (NK) cells. We found those with greater than 5 CTCs per 7.5 mL blood had significantly decreased responses by their immune cells when compared with those patients who had 5 CTCs or less. We furthermore found a correlation between disease progression and CTC-positive patients, indicating that those who have a positive test should be closely monitored by their clinician. CTCs represent an exciting new clinical opportunity that will ideally utilize their low invasiveness and quick turnaround time to best benefit clinical scenarios. © 2013.

  14. Co-stimulatory signaling determines tumor antigen sensitivity and persistence of CAR T cells targeting PSCA+ metastatic prostate cancer

    PubMed Central

    Priceman, Saul J.; Gerdts, Ethan A.; Tilakawardane, Dileshni; Kennewick, Kelly T.; Murad, John P.; Park, Anthony K.; Jeang, Brook; Yamaguchi, Yukiko; Urak, Ryan; Weng, Lihong; Chang, Wen-Chung; Wright, Sarah; Pal, Sumanta; Reiter, Robert E.; Brown, Christine E.; Forman, Stephen J.

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Advancing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered adoptive T cells for the treatment of solid cancers is a major focus in the field of immunotherapy, given impressive recent clinical responses in hematological malignancies. Prostate cancer may be amenable to T cell-based immunotherapy since several tumor antigens, including prostate stem-cell antigen (PSCA), are widely over-expressed in metastatic disease. While antigen selectivity of CARs for solid cancers is crucial, it is problematic due to the absence of truly restricted tumor antigen expression and potential safety concerns with “on-target off-tumor” activity. Here, we show that the intracellular co-stimulatory signaling domain can determine a CAR's sensitivity for tumor antigen expression. A 4-1BB intracellular co-stimulatory signaling domain in PSCA-CARs confers improved selectivity for higher tumor antigen density, reduced T cell exhaustion phenotype, and equivalent tumor killing ability compared to PSCA-CARs containing the CD28 co-stimulatory signaling domain. PSCA-CARs exhibit robust in vivo anti-tumor activity in patient-derived bone-metastatic prostate cancer xenograft models, and 4-1BB-containing CARs show superior T cell persistence and control of disease compared with CD28-containing CARs. Our study demonstrates the importance of co-stimulation in defining an optimal CAR T cell, and also highlights the significance of clinically relevant models in developing solid cancer CAR T cell therapies. PMID:29308300

  15. New treatment options for metastatic renal cell carcinoma with prior anti-angiogenesis therapy.

    PubMed

    Zarrabi, Kevin; Fang, Chunhui; Wu, Shenhong

    2017-02-02

    Angiogenesis is a critical process in the progression of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Agents targeting angiogenesis have played a primary role in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. However, resistance to anti-angiogenesis therapy almost always occurs, and major progress has been made in understanding its underlying molecular mechanism. Axitinib and everolimus have been used extensively in patients whom have had disease progression after prior anti-angiogenesis therapy. Recently, several new agents have been shown to improve overall survival in comparison with everolimus. This review provides an in-depth summary of drugs employable in the clinical setting, the rationale to their use, and the studies conducted leading to their approval for use and provides perspective on the paradigm shift in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. Highlighted are the newly approved agents cabozantinib, nivolumab, and lenvatinib for advanced renal cell carcinoma patients treated with prior anti-angiogenesis therapy.

  16. Mechanical properties of metastatic breast cancer cells invading into collagen I matrices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ros, Robert

    2014-03-01

    Mechanical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) are critical to the metastasis of cancer cells. To investigate the mechanical interplay between the cells and ECM during invasion, we created thin bovine collagen I hydrogels ranging from 0.1-5 kPa in Young's modulus that were seeded with highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Significant population fractions invaded the matrices either partially or fully within 24 h. We then combined confocal fluorescence microscopy and indentation with an atomic force microscope to determine the Young's moduli of individual embedded cells and the pericellular matrix using novel analysis methods for heterogeneous samples. In partially embedded cells, we observe a statistically significant correlation between the degree of invasion and the Young's modulus, which was up to an order of magnitude greater than that of the same cells measured in 2D. ROCK inhibition returned the cells' Young's moduli to values similar to 2D and diminished but did not abrogate invasion. This provides evidence that Rho/ROCK-dependent acto-myosin contractility is employed for matrix reorganization during initial invasion, and suggests the observed cell stiffening is due to an attendant increase in actin stress fibers. This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute under the grant U54 CA143862.

  17. Surgical Management of Metastatic Disease.

    PubMed

    Keung, Emily Z; Fairweather, Mark; Raut, Chandrajit P

    2016-10-01

    Sarcomas are rare cancers of mesenchymal cell origin that include many histologic subtypes and molecularly distinct entities. For primary resectable sarcoma, surgery is the mainstay of treatment. Despite treatment, approximately 50% of patients with soft tissue sarcoma are diagnosed with or develop distant metastases, significantly affecting their survival. Although systemic therapy with conventional chemotherapy remains the primary treatment modality for those with metastatic sarcoma, increased survival has been achieved in select patients who receive multimodality therapy, including surgery, for their metastatic disease. This article provides an overview of the literature on surgical management of pulmonary and hepatic sarcoma metastases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. In vitro Flow Adhesion Assay for Analyzing Shear-resistant Adhesion of Metastatic Cancer Cells to Endothelial Cells.

    PubMed

    Kang, Shin-Ae; Bajana, Sandra; Tanaka, Takemi

    2016-02-20

    Hematogenous metastasis is a primary cause of mortality from metastatic cancer. The shear-resistant adhesion of circulating tumor cells to the vascular endothelial cell surface under blood flow is an essential step in cell extravasation and further tissue invasion. This is similar to a process exploited by leukocytes for adhesion to inflamed blood vessels (leukocyte mimicry). The shear resistant adhesion is mediated by high affinity interactions between endothelial adhesion molecules and their counter receptor ligand expressed on circulating cells. Thus, weak interaction results in a rapid detachment of circulating cells from endothelium. Despite the critical role of vascular adhesion of cancer cells in hematogenous metastasis, our knowledge regarding this process has been limited due to the difficulty of mimicking dynamic flow conditions in vitro . In order to gain better insight into the shear-resistant adhesion of cancer cells to the endothelium, we developed a protocol for measuring the shear resistant adhesion of circulating tumor cells to endothelial cells under physiologic flow conditions by adapting a well established flow adhesion assay for inflammatory cells. This technique is useful to evaluate 1) the shear resistant adhesion competency of cancer cells and 2) the endothelial adhesion molecules necessary to support cancer cell adhesion (Kang et al. , 2015).

  19. Metastatic pathways in patients with cutaneous melanoma.

    PubMed

    Adler, Nikki R; Haydon, Andrew; McLean, Catriona A; Kelly, John W; Mar, Victoria J

    2017-01-01

    Metastasis represents the end product of an elaborate biological process, which is determined by a complex interplay between metastatic tumour cells, host factors and homoeostatic mechanisms. Cutaneous melanoma can metastasize haematogenously or lymphogenously. The three predominant models that endeavour to explain the patterns of melanoma progression are the stepwise spread model, the simultaneous spread model and the model of differential spread. The time course to the development of metastases differs between the different metastatic routes. There are several clinical and histopathological risk factors for the different metastatic pathways. In particular, patient sex and the anatomical location of the primary tumour influence patterns of disease progression. There is limited existing evidence regarding the relationship between tumour mutation status, other diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and the metastatic pathways of primary cutaneous melanoma. This knowledge gap needs to be addressed to better identify patients at high risk of disease recurrence and personalize surveillance strategies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Small size of metastatic lymph nodes with extracapsular spread greatly impacts treatment outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.

    PubMed

    Michikawa, C; Izumo, T; Sumino, J; Morita, T; Ohyama, Y; Michi, Y; Uzawa, N

    2018-07-01

    Extracapsular spread (ECS) of metastatic lymph nodes from oral carcinoma is the most significant prognostic predictor of a poor treatment outcome. However, only a few reports on prognostic factors in ECS-positive cases have been investigated. To address this problem, a detailed examination of ECS pathology was conducted to determine the prognostic factors of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with ECS of metastatic lymph nodes. This study involved 63 OSCC patients with at least one pathologically metastatic node with ECS. Among the 229 metastatic lymph nodes, 149 exhibited ECS. Univariate analysis revealed that a poor outcome and recurrence were significantly associated with the number of ECS-positive nodes, density of ECS, and the minor axis of the smallest ECS-positive node. However, multivariate analysis identified only small size of ECS-positive nodes as a significant and independent factor predicting recurrence and a poor outcome. Thus, small size of ECS-positive nodes is the most important prognostic indicator for OSCC with ECS in metastatic lymph nodes. The classification of ECS status using the minor axis of ECS-positive nodes may be useful for further prediction of a poorer prognosis in OSCC cases. Standardization of ECS diagnosis and multicenter prospective studies will be required to confirm and refine these findings. Copyright © 2017 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Mastic Oil Inhibits the Metastatic Phenotype of Mouse Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells

    PubMed Central

    Loutrari, Heleni; Magkouta, Sophia; Papapetropoulos, Andreas; Roussos, Charis

    2011-01-01

    Mastic oil from Pistacia lentiscus variation chia, a natural combination of bioactive terpenes, has been shown to exert anti-tumor growth effects against a broad spectrum of cancers including mouse Lewis lung adenocarcinomas (LLC). However, no studies have addressed its anti-metastatic actions. In this study, we showed that treatment of LLC cells with mastic oil within a range of non-toxic concentrations (0.01–0.04% v/v): (a) abrogated their Matrigel invasion and migration capabilities in transwell assays; (b) reduced the levels of secreted MMP-2; (c) restricted phorbol ester-induced actin remodeling and (d) limited the length of neo-vessel networks in tumor microenvironment in the model of chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane. Moreover, exposure of LLC and endothelial cells to mastic oil impaired their adhesive interactions in a co-culture assay and reduced the expression of key adhesion molecules by endothelial cells upon their stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Overall, this study provides novel evidence supporting a multipotent role for mastic oil in prevention of crucial processes related to cancer metastasis. PMID:24212641

  2. Activation of Estrogen Receptor Transfected into a Receptor-Negative Brest Cancer Cell Line Decreases the Metastatic and Invasive Potential of the Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia, Marcel; Derocq, Danielle; Freiss, Gilles; Rochefort, Henri

    1992-12-01

    Breast cancers containing estrogen receptors are responsive to antiestrogen treatment and have a better prognosis than estrogen receptor-negative tumors. The loss of estrogen and progesterone receptors appears to be associated with a progression to less-differentiated tumors. We transfected the human estrogen receptor into the estrogen receptor-negative metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in an attempt to restore their sensitivity to antiestrogens. Two stable sublines of MDA-MB-231 cells (HC1 and HE5) expressing functional estrogen receptors were studied for their ability to grow and invade in vitro and to metastasize in athymic nude mice. The number and size of lung metastases developed by these two sublines in ovariectomized nude mice was not markedly altered by tamoxifen but was inhibited 3-fold by estradiol. Estradiol also significantly inhibited in vitro cell proliferation of these sublines and their invasiveness in Matrigel, a reconstituted basement membrane, whereas the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen and ICI 164,384 reversed these effects. These results show that estradiol inhibits the metastatic ability of estrogen receptornegative breast cancer cells following transfection with the estrogen receptor, whereas estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers are stimulated by estrogen, indicating that factors other than the estrogen receptor are involved in progression toward hormone independence. Reactivation or transfer of the estrogen receptor gene can therefore be considered as therapeutic approaches to hormone-independent cancers

  3. A case of metastatic Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma successfully managed by cytoreductive nephrectomy followed by axitinib therapy.

    PubMed

    Nishimura, Koichi; Takagi, Toshio; Toda, Naohiro; Yamamoto, Tomoko; Kondo, Tsunenori; Ishida, Hideki; Nagashima, Yoji; Tanabe, Kazunari

    2017-03-01

    Targeted medications for metastatic adult Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remain to be identified. We herein report a case of metastatic Xp11.2 translocation RCC controlled with cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) and axitinib therapy. A 57-year-old woman complained of fatigue and low back pain. Imaging studies revealed a right renal tumor, with multiple lung and mediastinal lymph node metastases. Although the patient received 10 mg axitinib therapy for 5 months at the hospital she was initially admitted to, the size of the primary and metastatic lesions was not reduced. Thus, she was referred to the Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) for further treatment, where she underwent CN. On macroscopic examination, almost the entire kidney was replaced by a yellowish brown tumor >80 mm in diameter. Immunohistochemical examination confirmed the diagnosis of Xp11.2 translocation RCC. One month after surgery, axitinib therapy was resumed and the size of the metastatic lesions gradually decreased. These findings suggest that axitinib therapy is effective for adult Xp11.2 translocation RCC.

  4. A case of metastatic Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma successfully managed by cytoreductive nephrectomy followed by axitinib therapy

    PubMed Central

    Nishimura, Koichi; Takagi, Toshio; Toda, Naohiro; Yamamoto, Tomoko; Kondo, Tsunenori; Ishida, Hideki; Nagashima, Yoji; Tanabe, Kazunari

    2017-01-01

    Targeted medications for metastatic adult Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remain to be identified. We herein report a case of metastatic Xp11.2 translocation RCC controlled with cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) and axitinib therapy. A 57-year-old woman complained of fatigue and low back pain. Imaging studies revealed a right renal tumor, with multiple lung and mediastinal lymph node metastases. Although the patient received 10 mg axitinib therapy for 5 months at the hospital she was initially admitted to, the size of the primary and metastatic lesions was not reduced. Thus, she was referred to the Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) for further treatment, where she underwent CN. On macroscopic examination, almost the entire kidney was replaced by a yellowish brown tumor >80 mm in diameter. Immunohistochemical examination confirmed the diagnosis of Xp11.2 translocation RCC. One month after surgery, axitinib therapy was resumed and the size of the metastatic lesions gradually decreased. These findings suggest that axitinib therapy is effective for adult Xp11.2 translocation RCC. PMID:28451413

  5. Unique Metabolic Adaptations Dictate Distal Organ-Specific Metastatic Colonization

    PubMed Central

    Schild, Tanya; Low, Vivien; Blenis, John; Gomes, Ana P.

    2018-01-01

    Summary Metastases arising from tumors have the proclivity to colonize specific organs, suggesting that they must rewire their biology to meet the demands of the organ colonized, thus altering their primary properties. Each metastatic site presents distinct metabolic challenges to a colonizing cancer cell, ranging from fuel and oxygen availability to oxidative stress. Here, we discuss the organ-specific metabolic adaptations cancer cells must undergo, which provide the ability to overcome the unique barriers to colonization in foreign tissues and establish the metastatic tissue tropism phenotype. PMID:29533780

  6. Organtropic Metastatic Secretomes and Exosomes in Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0427 TITLE: Organtropic Metastatic Secretomes and Exosomes in Breast Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. David Lyden...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Organtropic Metastatic Secretomes and Exosomes in Breast Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-13-1-0427 5c...understanding of secreted metastasis regulators (extracellular proteins, cell-free nucleic acids and small vesicles – exosomes -) has tremendous

  7. Phase II trial of everolimus in patients with previously treated recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Geiger, Jessica L; Bauman, Julie E; Gibson, Michael K; Gooding, William E; Varadarajan, Prakash; Kotsakis, Athanasios; Martin, Daniel; Gutkind, Jorge Silvio; Hedberg, Matthew L; Grandis, Jennifer R; Argiris, Athanassios

    2016-12-01

    Patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) demonstrate aberrant activation of the phosphotidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. We examined the efficacy of everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor, in patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. This single-arm phase II study enrolled biomarker-unselected patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC who failed at least 1 prior therapy. Everolimus was administered until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was clinical benefit rate (CBR). Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and evaluation of tissue and serum biomarkers related to the PIK3CA pathway. Seven of 9 patients treated in the first stage were evaluable. No objective responses were seen; CBR was 28%. Three patients discontinued everolimus because of toxicity. Median PFS and OS were 1.5 and 4.5 months, respectively. No activating PI3K mutations were identified in available tumor tissue. Everolimus was not active as monotherapy in unselected patients with recurrent/metastatic HNSCC. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1759-1764, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Outcome of papillary versus clear cell renal cell carcinoma varies significantly in non-metastatic disease

    PubMed Central

    Edelmann, Dominic; Benner, Axel; Zigeuner, Richard; Borgmann, Hendrik; Wolff, Ingmar; Krabbe, Laura M.; Musquera, Mireia; Dell’Oglio, Paolo; Capitanio, Umberto; Klatte, Tobias; Cindolo, Luca; May, Matthias; Brookman-May, Sabine D.

    2017-01-01

    Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) comprises a heterogenous group of tumors. Traditionally, papillary RCC (pRCC) is associated with a favorable outcome compared to clear cell RCC (ccRCC), while other series report equivalent or worse prognosis. In this paper we comparatively evaluate outcome of pRCC versus ccRCC in two large multi-institutional databases (cohort study), including distribution of pRCC subtypes 1 and 2. Retrospective data of 1,943 surgically treated pRCC patients from 17 European/ North American centers between 1984–2015 were compared to 5,600 ccRCC patients from a database comprising 11 European/ North American centers (1984–2011). Median follow-up was 64.6 months. Differences between pRCC, subtypes, and ccRCC were compared with t-tests, Chi^2-tests, and exact Fisher tests. Cancer-specific mortality was analyzed with cumulative incidence curves and Cox cause-specific hazard models. The robustness of our results was examined with sensitivity analyses. We present that cancer-specific mortality rates and variables as stage, lymph node, and distant metastasis differ significantly between groups. Furthermore, we demonstrate that patients with non-metastatic pRCC had a significantly better cancer-specific mortality (HR 0.76, p = 0.007), when compared to ccRCC. Additionally, pRCC type 2 versus ccRCC exhibited no difference in cancer-specific mortality (HR 0.9, p = 0.722), whereas pRCC type 1 versus ccRCC displayed a risk of death reduced by 69% (p = 0.044). Taken together, outcome of pRCC versus ccRCC varies significantly in non-metastatic disease. Furthermore, pRCC type 2 exhibited no difference in cancer-specific mortality, whereas pRCC type 1 displayed a significantly reduced risk of death. Consequently, there is urgent need to respect histopathological entities and their subtypes, when assigning follow-up or targeted therapy to RCC patients. PMID:28934212

  9. Establishment of a neuroblastoma mouse model by subcutaneous xenograft transplantation and its use to study metastatic neuroblastoma.

    PubMed

    Gao, Q; Chen, C F; Dong, Q; Hou, L; Chen, X; Zhi, Y L; Li, X; Lu, H T; Zhang, H Y

    2015-12-08

    The aim of this study was to establish a metastatic human neuroblastoma (NB) mouse model by xenograft in order to study the metastatic mechanisms of NB. A human NB cell line was obtained from a 5-year-old patient and cultured in vitro. A suspension of these cells was subcutaneously inoculated into nude mice at the right flank next to the forelimb. The biological characteristics of the developed subcutaneous and metastatic tumors were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of the tumor marker neuron-specific enolase was determined by immunohistochemistry, and the invasive ability of metastatic tumors was examined by a Matrigel invasion assay. DNA microarray analyses were performed to examine the metastasis-related gene expression. Our results showed that tumors grew in 75% of the mice injected with NB cells and the rate of metastasis was 21%. The xenograft tumors retained the morphological and biological characteristics of the NB specimen from the pediatric patient. Neuron-specific enolase was highly expressed in both subcutaneous and metastatic tumors. The metastatic tumor cells possessed a higher invasive capability than the primary NB cells. The expression of 25 metastasis-related genes was found to be significantly altered in metastatic tumors compared to primary tumors, including RECK, MMP2, VEGF, MMP3, and CXCL12. In conclusion, we successfully established a human NB xenograft model with high tumor-bearing and metastatic rates in nude mice, providing an ideal animal model for the in vivo study of NB.

  10. [Anti-metastatic effect of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 extracellular domain gene-modified dendritic cell vaccination in murine model with experimental pulmonary metastasis].

    PubMed

    Pan, Jian-ping; Weng, Yue-song; Wu, Qian-qian

    2006-09-01

    To investigate the anti-metastatic effect of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 extracellular domain gene-modified dendritic cell (DC-sVEGFR-2) vaccination. Dendritic cells (DC) were electroporated with pcDNA3. 1/sVEGFR-2 plasmid DNA. Expression of sVEGFR-2 was determined by ELISA. For immunization, C57BL/6 mice were intravenously injected three times with 1 x 10(5) cells per mouse of DC, pcDNA3. 1-transfected DC (DC-vector) , DC-sVEGFR-2, or 100 microl of PBS at 7-day intervals. At 10 days after the last immunization, the immunized mice were subjected to assessment of cytotoxic T lymphocyte ( CTL) response to VEGFR-2, alginate bead analysis of tumor cell-induced angiogenesis, and observation of the anti-metastatic effect in B16 melanoma metastasis model. CTL activity was determined by a standard 4-h 51Cr release assay against VEGFR-2 + vascular endothelial cell line H5V, 3LL cells stably transfected with pcDNA3. 1/sVEGFR-2 (3LL,-sVEGFR-2), and VEGFR-2- cell lines EL-4 and 3LL. Monoclonal antibodies GK1.5 anti-CD4 and 2.43 anti-CD8 were used to deplete in vivo CD4 + T cells and CD8' T cells, respectively. DC-sVEGFR-2 could effectively express sVEGFR-2, whereas DC-vector and DC could not. Immunization of mice with DC-sVEGFR-2 significantly induce CTL activity against VEGFR-2 + cell lines H5V and 3LL-sVEGFR-2, however, no significant CTL activity was observed when VEGFR-2- syngeneic cell lines EL-4 and 3LL. were used as target cells, implying this CTL activity was VEGFR-2 specific. Alginate bead analysis of in vivo neoangiogenesis showed that the inhibition reached 50% in mice vaccinated with DC-sVEGFR-2 compared with mice vaccinated with DC, DC-vector or PBS. Anti-metastatic experiment showed that profound reduction in pulmonary metastases was found in mice immunized with DC-sVEGFR-2, while mice immunized with PBS, DC, DC-vector developed extensive pulmonary metastases. The number of tumor nodules on lung surface decreased by 81.9% in mice immunized with

  11. Nanoparticles for imaging and treatment of metastatic breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Mu, Qingxin; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Miqin

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Metastatic breast cancer is one of the most devastating cancers that have no cure. Many therapeutic and diagnostic strategies have been extensively studied in the past decade. Among these strategies, cancer nanotechnology has emerged as a promising strategy in preclinical studies by enabling early identification of primary tumors and metastases, and by effective killing of cancer cells. Areas covered This review covers the recent progress made in targeting and imaging of metastatic breast cancer with nanoparticles, and treatment using nanoparticle-enabled chemo-, gene, photothermal- and radio-therapies. This review also discusses recent developments of nanoparticle-enabled stem cell therapy and immunotherapy. Expert opinion Nanotechnology is expected to play important roles in modern therapy for cancers, including metastatic breast cancer. Nanoparticles are able to target and visualize metastasis in various organs, and deliver therapeutic agents. Through targeting cancer stem cells, nanoparticles are able to treat resistant tumors with minimal toxicity to healthy tissues/organs. Nanoparticles are also able to activate immune cells to eliminate tumors. Owing to their multifunctional, controllable and trackable features, nanotechnology-based imaging and therapy could be a highly potent approach for future cancer research and treatment. PMID:27401941

  12. CXCR4 regulates growth of both primary and metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Smith, Matthew C P; Luker, Kathryn E; Garbow, Joel R; Prior, Julie L; Jackson, Erin; Piwnica-Worms, David; Luker, Gary D

    2004-12-01

    The chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its cognate ligand CXCL12 recently have been proposed to regulate the directional trafficking and invasion of breast cancer cells to sites of metastases. However, effects of CXCR4 on the growth of primary breast cancer tumors and established metastases and survival have not been determined. We used stable RNAi to reduce expression of CXCR4 in murine 4T1 cells, a highly metastatic mammary cancer cell line that is a model for stage IV human breast cancer. Using noninvasive bioluminescence and magnetic resonance imaging, we showed that knockdown of CXCR4 significantly limited the growth of orthotopically transplanted breast cancer cells. Mice in which parental 4T1 cells were implanted had progressively enlarging tumors that spontaneously metastasized, and these animals all died from metastatic disease. Remarkably, RNAi of CXCR4 prevented primary tumor formation in some mice, and all mice transplanted with CXCR RNAi cells survived without developing macroscopic metastases. To analyze effects of CXCR4 on metastases to the lung, an organ commonly affected by metastatic breast cancer, we injected tumor cells intravenously and monitored cell growth with bioluminescence imaging. Inhibiting CXCR4 with RNAi, or the specific antagonist AMD3100, substantially delayed the growth of 4T1 cells in the lung, although neither RNAi nor AMD3100 prolonged overall survival in mice with experimental lung metastases. These data indicate that CXCR4 is required to initiate proliferation and/or promote survival of breast cancer cells in vivo and suggest that CXCR4 inhibitors will improve treatment of patients with primary and metastatic breast cancer.

  13. Stable and high expression of Galectin-8 tightly controls metastatic progression of prostate cancer

    PubMed Central

    Gentilini, Lucas Daniel; Pérez, Ignacio González; Kotler, Monica Lidia; Chauchereau, Anne; Laderach, Diego Jose; Compagno, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    Two decades ago, Galectin-8 was described as a prostate carcinoma biomarker since it is only expressed in the neoplastic prostate, but not in the healthy tissue. To date, no biological function has been attributed to Galectin-8 that could explain this differential expression. In this study we silenced Galectin-8 in two human prostate cancer cell lines, PC3 and IGR-CaP1, and designed a pre-clinical experimental model that allows monitoring the pathology from its early steps to the long-term metastatic stages. We show for the first time that the natural and conserved expression of Gal-8 in tumour cells is responsible for the metastatic evolution of prostate cancer. In fact, Gal-8 controls the rearrangement of the cytoskeleton and E-Cadherin expression, with a major impact on anoikis and homotypic aggregation of tumour cells, both being essential processes for the survival of circulating tumour cells during metastasis. While localized prostate cancer can be cured, metastatic and advanced disease remains a significant therapeutic challenge, urging for the identification of prognostic markers of the metastatic process. Collectively, our results highlight Galectin-8 as a potential target for anti-metastatic therapy against prostate cancer. PMID:28591719

  14. Establishment and Characterization of Novel Human Primary and Metastatic Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cell Lines and Their Genomic Evolution Over a Year as a Primagraft

    PubMed Central

    Okamoto, Ryoko; Nagata, Yasunobu; Kanojia, Deepika; Venkatesan, Subhashree; M. T., Anand; Braunstein, Glenn D.; Said, Jonathan W.; Doan, Ngan B.; Ho, Quoc; Akagi, Tadayuki; Gery, Sigal; Liu, Li-zhen; Tan, Kar Tong; Chng, Wee Joo; Yang, Henry; Ogawa, Seishi; Koeffler, H. Phillip

    2015-01-01

    Context: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) has no effective treatment, resulting in a high rate of mortality. We established cell lines from a primary ATC and its lymph node metastasis, and investigated the molecular factors and genomic changes associated with tumor growth. Objective: The aim of the study was to understand the molecular and genomic changes of highly aggressive ATC and its clonal evolution to develop rational therapies. Design: We established unique cell lines from primary (OGK-P) and metastatic (OGK-M) ATC specimen, as well as primagraft from the metastatic ATC, which was serially xeno-transplanted for more than 1 year in NOD scid gamma mice were established. These cell lines and primagraft were used as tools to examine gene expression, copy number changes, and somatic mutations using RNA array, SNP Chip, and whole exome sequencing. Results: Mice carrying sc (OGK-P and OGK-M) tumors developed splenomegaly and neutrophilia with high expression of cytokines including CSF1, CSF2, CSF3, IL-1β, and IL-6. Levels of HIF-1α and its targeted genes were also elevated in these tumors. The treatment of tumor carrying mice with Bevacizumab effectively decreased tumor growth, macrophage infiltration, and peripheral WBCs. SNP chip analysis showed homozygous deletion of exons 3–22 of the PARD3 gene in the cells. Forced expression of PARD3 decreased cell proliferation, motility, and invasiveness, restores cell-cell contacts and enhanced cell adhesion. Next generation exome sequencing identified the somatic changes present in the primary, metastatic, and primagraft tumors demonstrating evolution of the mutational signature over the year of passage in vivo. Conclusion: To our knowledge, we established the first paired human primary and metastatic ATC cell lines offering unique possibilities for comparative functional investigations in vitro and in vivo. Our exome sequencing also identified novel mutations, as well as clonal evolution in both the metastasis and

  15. Algorithms in the First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma--Analysis Using Diagnostic Nodes.

    PubMed

    Rothermundt, Christian; Bailey, Alexandra; Cerbone, Linda; Eisen, Tim; Escudier, Bernard; Gillessen, Silke; Grünwald, Viktor; Larkin, James; McDermott, David; Oldenburg, Jan; Porta, Camillo; Rini, Brian; Schmidinger, Manuela; Sternberg, Cora; Putora, Paul M

    2015-09-01

    With the advent of targeted therapies, many treatment options in the first-line setting of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) have emerged. Guidelines and randomized trial reports usually do not elucidate the decision criteria for the different treatment options. In order to extract the decision criteria for the optimal therapy for patients, we performed an analysis of treatment algorithms from experts in the field. Treatment algorithms for the treatment of mccRCC from experts of 11 institutions were obtained, and decision trees were deduced. Treatment options were identified and a list of unified decision criteria determined. The final decision trees were analyzed with a methodology based on diagnostic nodes, which allows for an automated cross-comparison of decision trees. The most common treatment recommendations were determined, and areas of discordance were identified. The analysis revealed heterogeneity in most clinical scenarios. The recommendations selected for first-line treatment of mccRCC included sunitinib, pazopanib, temsirolimus, interferon-α combined with bevacizumab, high-dose interleukin-2, sorafenib, axitinib, everolimus, and best supportive care. The criteria relevant for treatment decisions were performance status, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center risk group, only or mainly lung metastases, cardiac insufficiency, hepatic insufficiency, age, and "zugzwang" (composite of multiple, related criteria). In the present study, we used diagnostic nodes to compare treatment algorithms in the first-line treatment of mccRCC. The results illustrate the heterogeneity of the decision criteria and treatment strategies for mccRCC and how available data are interpreted and implemented differently among experts. The data provided in the present report should not be considered to serve as treatment recommendations for the management of treatment-naïve patients with multiple metastases from metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma outside

  16. P38 pathway as a key downstream signal of connective tissue growth factor to regulate metastatic potential in non-small-cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Kato, Shinichiro; Yokoyama, Satoru; Hayakawa, Yoshihiro; Li, Luhui; Iwakami, Yusuke; Sakurai, Hiroaki; Saiki, Ikuo

    2016-10-01

    Although the secretory matricellular protein connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been reported to be related to lung cancer metastasis, the precise mechanism by which CTGF regulates lung cancer metastasis has not been elucidated. In the present study, we show the molecular link between CTGF secretion and the p38 pathway in the invasive and metastatic potential of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Among three different human NSCLC cell lines (PC-14, A549, and PC-9), their in vitro invasiveness was inversely correlated with the level of CTGF secretion. By supplementing or reducing CTGF secretion in NSCLC culture, dysregulation of the invasive and metastatic potential of NSCLC cell lines was largely compensated. By focusing on the protein kinases that are known to be regulated by CTGF, we found that the p38 pathway is a key downstream signal of CTGF to regulate the metastatic potential of NSCLC. Importantly, a negative correlation between CTGF and phosphorylation status of p38 was identified in The Cancer Genome Atlas lung adenocarcinoma dataset. In the context of the clinical importance of our findings, we showed that p38 inhibitor, SB203580, reduced the metastatic potential of NSCLC secreting low levels of CTGF. Collectively, our present findings indicate that the CTGF/p38 axis is a novel therapeutic target of NSCLC metastasis, particularly NSCLC secreting low levels of CTGF. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  17. Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in the setting of metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a case report.

    PubMed

    El-Masry, Monica; Eisenbud, Lauren; Tran, Minh-Ha

    2017-03-02

    Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a disease process characterized by unregulated hyperactivation of the immune system associated with multiorgan involvement and high mortality rates. Early recognition is crucial and a recently validated diagnostic schema, the H-Score, may facilitate diagnosis particularly in secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis cases. We present a patient with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in association with metastatic renal cell carcinoma in whom high-dose steroid therapy induced a remarkable response. A 35-year-old Vietnamese man with quiescent systemic lupus erythematosus was diagnosed 5 months prior to admission with left-sided renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the pancreas and spine. Ten days prior to admission, a febrile illness (temperatures to 39 °C) associated with flu-like symptoms unresponsive to levofloxacin developed. He took only two doses of pazopanib prior to admission. High fevers unresponsive to antimicrobial therapy, cytopenias, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and progressive multiorgan failure led to intubation and intensive care unit stay. Extensive infectious disease workup showed only negative results, but elevation of interleukin-2 receptor, exceedingly high ferritin levels and other features earned an H-Score of 302, consistent with >99% diagnostic probability for secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. High-dose steroid therapy produced a rapid clinical and biochemical response. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a life-threatening disorder which is likely to be under-recognized. Increased awareness of this disease entity and its diagnosis is crucial toward early recognition and treatment. To our knowledge, our patient is only the second reported with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis occurring in the setting of renal cell carcinoma.

  18. Suppression of adhesion-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation decreases invasive and metastatic potentials of B16-BL6 melanoma cells by protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein.

    PubMed

    Yan, C; Han, R

    1997-01-01

    Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) appears to be involved in the activation of signaling during cell attachment to and spreading on extracellular matrix (ECM) in the metastatic cascade. To verify the assumption that PTK inhibitors might impair ECM signaling and prevent cancer metastasis, the highly metastatic B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells were exposed to the PTK inhibitor genistein for 3 days. The ability of the cells to invade through reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel) and to establish experimental pulmonary metastatic foci in C57BL/6 mice decreased after genistein exposure. The genistein-treated cells were also prevented from attaching to Matrigel and spread extremely poorly on the ECM substratum. Immunoblot analysis showed that tyrosine phosphorylation of a 125-kD protein in response to cell spreading on Matrigel was suppressed in the genistein-treated cells. Adhesion-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation represents the earlier and specific event in the activation of ECM signaling, so this result implied ECM signaling was impaired in the treated cells. With immunofluorescence microscopy, the adhesion-induced tyrosine phosphorylated proteins were located at the pericytoplasms of well-spread cells, but not at the periphery of poorly spread genistein-treated cells. Therefore, this paper suggests that genistein might impair ECM signaling and subsequently prevent cancer cells from spreading well and invading or establishing metastasis through the suppression of adhesion-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation. PTKs and adhesion-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation might play a role in the control of invasion and metastasis.

  19. Assessment of the role of circulating breast cancer cells in tumor formation and metastatic potential using in vivo flow cytometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hwu, Derrick; Boutrus, Steven; Greiner, Cherry; Dimeo, Theresa; Kuperwasser, Charlotte; Georgakoudi, Irene

    2011-04-01

    The identification of breast cancer patients who will ultimately progress to metastatic disease is of significant clinical importance. The quantification and assessment of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been proposed as one strategy to monitor treatment effectiveness and disease prognosis. However, CTCs have been an elusive population of cells to study because of their small number and difficulties associated with isolation protocols. In vivo flow cytometry (IVFC) can overcome these limitations and provide insights in the role these cells play during primary and metastatic tumor growth. In this study, we used two-color IVFC to examine, for up to ten weeks following orthotopic implantation, changes in the number of circulating human breast cells expressing GFP and a population of circulating hematopoietic cells with strong autofluorescence. We found that the number of detected CTCs in combination with the number of red autofluorescent cells (650 to 690 nm) during the first seven days following implantation was predictive in development of tumor formation and metastasis eight weeks later. These results suggest that the combined detection of these two cell populations could offer a novel approach in the monitoring and prognosis of breast cancer progression, which in turn could aid significantly in their effective treatment.

  20. Sarcosine Up-Regulates Expression of Genes Involved in Cell Cycle Progression of Metastatic Models of Prostate Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Heger, Zbynek; Merlos Rodrigo, Miguel Angel; Michalek, Petr; Polanska, Hana; Masarik, Michal; Vit, Vitezslav; Plevova, Mariana; Pacik, Dalibor; Eckschlager, Tomas; Stiborova, Marie

    2016-01-01

    The effects of sarcosine on the processes driving prostate cancer (PCa) development remain still unclear. Herein, we show that a supplementation of metastatic PCa cells (androgen independent PC-3 and androgen dependent LNCaP) with sarcosine stimulates cells proliferation in vitro. Similar stimulatory effects were observed also in PCa murine xenografts, in which sarcosine treatment induced a tumor growth and significantly reduced weight of treated mice (p < 0.05). Determination of sarcosine metabolism-related amino acids and enzymes within tumor mass revealed significantly increased glycine, serine and sarcosine concentrations after treatment accompanied with the increased amount of sarcosine dehydrogenase. In both tumor types, dimethylglycine and glycine-N-methyltransferase were affected slightly, only. To identify the effects of sarcosine treatment on the expression of genes involved in any aspect of cancer development, we further investigated expression profiles of excised tumors using cDNA electrochemical microarray followed by validation using the semi-quantitative PCR. We found 25 differentially expressed genes in PC-3, 32 in LNCaP tumors and 18 overlapping genes. Bioinformatical processing revealed strong sarcosine-related induction of genes involved particularly in a cell cycle progression. Our exploratory study demonstrates that sarcosine stimulates PCa metastatic cells irrespectively of androgen dependence. Overall, the obtained data provides valuable information towards understanding the role of sarcosine in PCa progression and adds another piece of puzzle into a picture of sarcosine oncometabolic potential. PMID:27824899

  1. Final results from the large sunitinib global expanded-access trial in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Gore, M E; Szczylik, C; Porta, C; Bracarda, S; Bjarnason, G A; Oudard, S; Lee, S-H; Haanen, J; Castellano, D; Vrdoljak, E; Schöffski, P; Mainwaring, P; Hawkins, R E; Crinò, L; Kim, T M; Carteni, G; Eberhardt, W E E; Zhang, K; Fly, K; Matczak, E; Lechuga, M J; Hariharan, S; Bukowski, R

    2015-06-30

    We report final results with extended follow-up from a global, expanded-access trial that pre-regulatory approval provided sunitinib to metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients, ineligible for registration-directed trials. Patients ⩾18 years received oral sunitinib 50 mg per day on a 4-weeks-on-2-weeks-off schedule. Safety was assessed regularly. Tumour measurements were scheduled per local practice. A total of 4543 patients received sunitinib. Median treatment duration and follow-up were 7.5 and 13.6 months. Objective response rate was 16% (95% confidence interval (CI): 15-17). Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 9.4 months (95% CI: 8.8-10.0) and 18.7 months (95% CI: 17.5-19.5). Median PFS in subgroups of interest: aged ⩾65 years (33%), 10.1 months; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ⩾2 (14%), 3.5 months; non-clear cell histology (12%), 6.0 months; and brain metastases (7%), 5.3 months. OS was strongly associated with the International Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium prognostic model (n=4065). The most common grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were thrombocytopenia (10%), fatigue (9%), and asthenia, neutropenia, and hand-foot syndrome (each 7%). Final analysis of the sunitinib expanded-access trial provided a good opportunity to evaluate the long-term side effects of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used worldwide in mRCC. Efficacy and safety findings were consistent with previous results.

  2. Mutational analysis of single circulating tumor cells by next generation sequencing in metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    De Luca, Francesca; Rotunno, Giada; Salvianti, Francesca; Galardi, Francesca; Pestrin, Marta; Gabellini, Stefano; Simi, Lisa; Mancini, Irene; Vannucchi, Alessandro Maria; Pazzagli, Mario; Di Leo, Angelo; Pinzani, Pamela

    2016-05-03

    Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) represent a "liquid biopsy" of the tumor potentially allowing real-time monitoring of cancer biology and therapies in individual patients.The purpose of the study was to explore the applicability of a protocol for the molecular characterization of single CTCs by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in order to investigate cell heterogeneity and provide a tool for a personalized medicine approach.CTCs were enriched and enumerated by CellSearch in blood from four metastatic breast cancer patients and singularly isolated by DEPArray. Upon whole genome amplification 3-5 single CTCs per patient were analyzed by NGS for 50 cancer-related genes.We found 51 sequence variants in 25 genes. We observed inter- and intra-patient heterogeneity in the mutational status of CTCs.The highest number of somatic deleterious mutations was found in the gene TP53, whose mutation is associated with adverse prognosis in breast cancer.The discordance between the mutational status of the primary tumor and CTCs observed in 3 patients suggests that, in advanced stages of cancer, CTC characteristics are more closely linked to the dynamic modifications of the disease status.In one patient the mutational profiles of CTCs before and during treatment shared only few sequence variants.This study supports the applicability of a non-invasive approach based on the liquid biopsy in metastatic breast cancer patients which, in perspective, should allow investigating the clonal evolution of the tumor for the development of new therapeutic strategies in precision medicine.

  3. Ocular melanoma metastatic to skin: the value of HMB-45 staining.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, Robert A; Kist, Joseph M; Thomas, Isabelle; Fernández, Geover; Cruz, Manuel A; Koziorynska, Ewa I; Lambert, W Clark

    2004-06-01

    Cutaneous metastatic disease is an important finding that may represent the first sign of systemic cancer, or, if already known, that may change tumor staging and thus dramatically altered therapeutic plans. Although cutaneous metastases are relatively frequent in patients with cutaneous melanoma, they are less so from ocular melanoma. To demonstrate the value of HMB-45, staining in the detection of ocular melanoma metastatic to skin. The immunohistochemical stain HMB-45 a monoclonal antibody directed against intact human melanoma cells, was employed on a skin biopsy specimen from a cutaneous tumor. HMB-45 staining was positive in the atypical hyperchromatic cells of the deep dermis. HMB-45 may be of value in the detection of ocular melanoma metastatic to skin. Cutaneous metastatic disease is a somewhat common and extremely important diagnosis. Although cutaneous metastases from cutaneous melanoma are relatively frequent, those from ocular melanomas are less so. Use of histochemical staining, especially the HMB-45 stain, allows confirmation of the diagnosis.

  4. Active immunotherapy with ultraviolet B-irradiated autologous whole melanoma cells plus DETOX in patients with metastatic melanoma.

    PubMed

    Eton, O; Kharkevitch, D D; Gianan, M A; Ross, M I; Itoh, K; Pride, M W; Donawho, C; Buzaid, A C; Mansfield, P F; Lee, J E; Legha, S S; Plager, C; Papadopoulos, N E; Bedikian, A Y; Benjamin, R S; Balch, C M

    1998-03-01

    Our objective was to determine the clinical activity, toxicity, and immunological effects of active immunotherapy using UVB-irradiated (UVR) autologous tumor (AT) cells plus adjuvant DETOX in metastatic melanoma patients. Eligibility included nonanergic patients fully recovered after resection of 5 or more grams of metastatic melanoma. Treatment consisted of intradermal injections of 10(7) UVR-AT plus 0.25 ml of DETOX every 2 weeks x 6, then monthly. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were harvested for cytotoxicity assays, and skin testing was performed for delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) determinations before the first, fourth, seventh, and subsequent treatments. Forty-two patients were treated, 18 in the adjuvant setting and 24 with measurable disease. Among the latter group, there were two durable responses in soft-tissue sites and in a bone metastasis. Treatment was well tolerated. Thirty-five patients were assessable for immunological parameters; 10 of these patients, including the 2 responders, demonstrated early induction of PBMC cytotoxicity against AT cells that persisted up to 10 months on treatment before falling to background levels. In five of seven patients, the fall-off heralded progressive disease. Late induction of a weak DTH reaction to AT cells was observed in eight patients. Active immunotherapy with UVR-AT + DETOX had modest but definite clinical activity in advanced melanoma. The induction of both PBMC cytotoxicity and DTH reactivity to AT cells supported a specific systemic immune effect of treatment, although the former more closely followed disease course in this study.

  5. Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen Stapf sprout extract has anti-metastatic activity in colon cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Son, Eun Suk; Kim, Young Ock; Park, Chun Geon; Park, Kyung Hun; Jeong, Sung Hwan; Park, Jeong-Woong; Kim, Se-Hee

    2017-11-06

    Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Rom.Caill.) Stapf has been used in China as an herbal medicine. Many studies of this plant have reported anti-proliferative and apoptotic activities on human cancer cell lines. Therefore, this study of the anti-metastatic effect of Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen Stapf sprout extract (CLSE) in colorectal cancer cells may provide a scientific basis for exploring anti-cancer effects of edible crops. To evaluate the effect of CLSE on cell proliferation and signaling, we performed a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay in HCT116 cells and used western blot analysis. Furthermore, scratch-wound healing, transwell migration, matrigel invasion, and adhesion assays were conducted to elucidate the anti-metastatic effects of CLSE under hypoxic conditions in colon cancer cells. First, CLSE decreased deferoxamine (DFO)-induced migration of colon cancer cells by 87%, and blocked colon cancer cell migration by 80% compared with hypoxia control cells. Second, CLSE treatment resulted in a 54% reduction in hypoxia-induced invasiveness of colon cancer cells, and 50% inhibition of adhesive potency through inactivation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and protein kinase b (AKT) pathways. Third, conditioned medium collected from CLSE-treated HCT116 cells suppressed tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by 91%. CLSE inhibited migration, invasion, and adhesion of colon cancer cells and tube formation by HUVECs via repression of the ERK1/2 and AKT pathways under hypoxic conditions. Therefore, CLSE may be used to treat patients with colon cancer.

  6. Effect of PKC412, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, on spontaneous metastatic model mice.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Kazuki; Yoshikawa, Noriko; Yamaguchi, Yu; Kagota, Satomi; Shinozuka, Kazumasa; Kunitomo, Masaru

    2003-01-01

    We investigated the anti-metastatic effect of PKC412, a selective inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), on a spontaneous metastatic mouse model, which was prepared by inoculation with B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells into the footpad of the right hind leg. At two weeks after inoculation, the primary tumor was amputated completely. PKC412 (200 mg/kg) administered orally for four weeks after the tumor inoculation, significantly prolonged survival compared with the control. Furthermore, to elucidate the mechanism of the anti-metastatic effect of PKC412, we examined the growth rate of B16-BL6 cells premixed with Matrigel in vivo and the invasiveness of B16-BL6 cells using a chemo-invasion chamber in vitro. PKC412 significantly reduced the growth rate of cells in vivo (100 and 200 mg/kg) and the invading cells in vitro (10, 30 and 100 nM) in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, PKC412 exerts an anti-metastatic action through inhibition of the invasiveness of melanoma cells in the extracellular matrix.

  7. Periostin is identified as a putative metastatic marker in breast cancer-derived exosomes

    PubMed Central

    Vardaki, Ioulia; Ceder, Sophia; Rutishauser, Dorothea; Baltatzis, George; Foukakis, Theodoros; Panaretakis, Theocharis

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer (BrCa) is the most frequent cancer type in women and a leading cause of cancer related deaths in the world. Despite the decrease in mortality due to better diagnostics and palliative care, there is a lack of prognostic markers of metastasis. Recently, the exploitation of liquid biopsies and in particular of the extracellular vesicles has shown promise in the identification of such prognostic markers. In this study we compared the proteomic content of exosomes derived from metastatic and non-metastatic human (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) and mouse (67NR and 4T1) cell lines. We found significant differences not only in the amount of secreted exosomes but most importantly in the protein content of exosomes secreted from metastatic versus non-metastatic ones. We identified periostin as a protein that is enriched in exosomes secreted by metastatic cells and validated its presence in a pilot cohort of breast cancer patient samples with localized disease or lymph node (LN) metastasis. PMID:27589561

  8. Periostin is identified as a putative metastatic marker in breast cancer-derived exosomes.

    PubMed

    Vardaki, Ioulia; Ceder, Sophia; Rutishauser, Dorothea; Baltatzis, George; Foukakis, Theodoros; Panaretakis, Theocharis

    2016-11-15

    Breast cancer (BrCa) is the most frequent cancer type in women and a leading cause of cancer related deaths in the world. Despite the decrease in mortality due to better diagnostics and palliative care, there is a lack of prognostic markers of metastasis. Recently, the exploitation of liquid biopsies and in particular of the extracellular vesicles has shown promise in the identification of such prognostic markers. In this study we compared the proteomic content of exosomes derived from metastatic and non-metastatic human (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) and mouse (67NR and 4T1) cell lines. We found significant differences not only in the amount of secreted exosomes but most importantly in the protein content of exosomes secreted from metastatic versus non-metastatic ones. We identified periostin as a protein that is enriched in exosomes secreted by metastatic cells and validated its presence in a pilot cohort of breast cancer patient samples with localized disease or lymph node (LN) metastasis.

  9. Tumor attributes predicting cutaneous metastatic destiny: a report of two interesting cases.

    PubMed

    Gurumurthi, Ravichandran; Thirumalai, Raja; Easow, Jose M; Mohan, Subhashini

    2014-07-01

    Cutaneous metastases are the result of complex interaction between the tumor cells ("seed") and the host environment ("soil"). Metastases to the skin can be an early sign of internal malignancy or represent recurrence of the primary tumor and portends a poorer prognosis. Invasion and metastasis are the hallmarks of on cogenesis. Skin is the largest organ in the body, but the incidence of metastases is low. With advances in molecular biology, factors responsible for the initiation and perpetuation of metastatic tumor cells at distant sites are being elucidated. The concept of "pre-metastatic niche" and interaction between various chemokines has given a new outlook in understanding the organ specificity of metastatic tumor cells. We present two cases of cutaneous metastases with interesting clinical findings correlating with its biologic subtypes.

  10. Preventing the activation or cycling of the Rap1 GTPase alters adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics and blocks metastatic melanoma cell extravasation into the lungs.

    PubMed

    Freeman, Spencer A; McLeod, Sarah J; Dukowski, Janet; Austin, Pamela; Lee, Crystal C Y; Millen-Martin, Brandie; Kubes, Paul; McCafferty, Donna-Marie; Gold, Michael R; Roskelley, Calvin D

    2010-06-01

    The Rap1 GTPase is a master regulator of cell adhesion, polarity, and migration. We show that both blocking Rap1 activation and expressing a constitutively active form of Rap1 reduced the ability of B16F1 melanoma cells to extravasate from the microvasculature and form metastatic lesions in the lungs. This correlated with a decreased ability of the tumor cells to undergo transendothelial migration (TEM) in vitro and form dynamic, F-actin-rich pseudopodia that penetrate capillary endothelial walls in vivo. Using multiple tumor cell lines, we show that the inability to form these membrane protrusions, which likely promote TEM and extravasation, can be explained by altered adhesion dynamics and impaired cell polarization that result when Rap1 activation or cycling is perturbed. Thus, targeting Rap1 could be a useful approach for reducing the metastatic dissemination of tumor cells that undergo active TEM. Copyright 2010 AACR.

  11. Safety and Efficacy of Intratumoral Injections of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cells in Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Tchou, Julia; Zhao, Yangbing; Levine, Bruce L; Zhang, Paul J; Davis, Megan M; Melenhorst, Jan Joseph; Kulikovskaya, Irina; Brennan, Andrea L; Liu, Xiaojun; Lacey, Simon F; Posey, Avery D; Williams, Austin D; So, Alycia; Conejo-Garcia, Jose R; Plesa, Gabriela; Young, Regina M; McGettigan, Shannon; Campbell, Jean; Pierce, Robert H; Matro, Jennifer M; DeMichele, Angela M; Clark, Amy S; Cooper, Laurence J; Schuchter, Lynn M; Vonderheide, Robert H; June, Carl H

    2017-12-01

    Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) are synthetic molecules that provide new specificities to T cells. Although successful in treatment of hematologic malignancies, CAR T cells are ineffective for solid tumors to date. We found that the cell-surface molecule c-Met was expressed in ∼50% of breast tumors, prompting the construction of a CAR T cell specific for c-Met, which halted tumor growth in immune-incompetent mice with tumor xenografts. We then evaluated the safety and feasibility of treating metastatic breast cancer with intratumoral administration of mRNA-transfected c-Met-CAR T cells in a phase 0 clinical trial (NCT01837602). Introducing the CAR construct via mRNA ensured safety by limiting the nontumor cell effects (on-target/off-tumor) of targeting c-Met. Patients with metastatic breast cancer with accessible cutaneous or lymph node metastases received a single intratumoral injection of 3 × 10 7 or 3 × 10 8 cells. CAR T mRNA was detectable in peripheral blood and in the injected tumor tissues after intratumoral injection in 2 and 4 patients, respectively. mRNA c-Met-CAR T cell injections were well tolerated, as none of the patients had study drug-related adverse effects greater than grade 1. Tumors treated with intratumoral injected mRNA c-Met-CAR T cells were excised and analyzed by immunohistochemistry, revealing extensive tumor necrosis at the injection site, cellular debris, loss of c-Met immunoreactivity, all surrounded by macrophages at the leading edges and within necrotic zones. We conclude that intratumoral injections of mRNA c-Met-CAR T cells are well tolerated and evoke an inflammatory response within tumors. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(12); 1152-61. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  12. GPNMB/OA protein increases the invasiveness of human metastatic prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and PC3 through MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fiorentini, Chiara; Bodei, Serena; Bedussi, Francesca

    2014-04-15

    Non-metastatic glycoprotein melanoma protein B (GPNMB), also known as osteoactivin (OA) is expressed in a wide array of tumors and represents an emerging target for drug development. In this study, we investigated the role of GPNMB/OA in the progression of human metastatic DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer cells. GPNMB/OA contribution in PCa malignant phenotype has been analyzed by small interfering RNA-induced GPNMB/OA silencing. We found that following GPNMB/OA silencing the migration capability of both DU145 and PC3 cells, evaluated by using in vitro invasivity assay, as well as the metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity were equally strongly inhibited. By contrastmore » knocking down GPNMB/OA weakly attenuated cell proliferation rate of DU145, an effect that paralleled with an increase number of apoptotic cells. However, PC3 cell growth seems to be not affected by GPNMB/OA. Together, these data reveal that GPNMB/OA acts as a critical molecular mediator promoting the acquisition of the more aggressive, pro-metastatic phenotype distinctive of human DU145 and PC3 cell lines. - Highlights: • GPNMB/OA expression correlates with DU145 and PC3 cells malignant phenotype. • GPNMB/OA silencing affects the migration capability of both DU145 and PC3 cells. • GPNMB/OA increases invasiveness by up-regulating MMPs activity. • GPNMB/OA promotes DU145 and PC3 cells progression into a more aggressive phenotype.« less

  13. Re-irradiation of metastatic disease in the neck from xeroderma pigmentosum.

    PubMed

    Wei, C C; Sanfilippo, N J; Myssiorek, D

    2010-06-01

    Xeroderma pigmentosum, an autosomal recessive disease that occurs with a frequency of 1:250,000, is caused by a genetic defect in nucleotide excision repair enzymes. Mutation of these enzymes leads to the development of multiple basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. We present a case of xeroderma pigmentosum in a patient with cervical and intraparotid metastatic disease from recurrent cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the face and scalp, treated with neck dissection and re-irradiation. With the illustrative case report, we include a literature review of diagnosis, prognostic factors, and treatment, with emphasis on surgical and radiation treatment of cervical metastatic disease from recurrent skin carcinomas. A xeroderma pigmentosum patient presented to our clinic with a 2-cm right submental and 1-cm right infra-auricular mass after resection of multiple squamous cell carcinomas of the scalp and face, and external-beam radiation therapy to the right face and neck. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the submental mass revealed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was brought to the operating room for a right modified radical neck dissection and excision of the right submental and intraparotid mass. Surgical pathology revealed 3 level ia and supraclavicular lymph nodes that were positive for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Re-irradiation to the entire right hemi-neck and left submandibular nodal region was performed using opposed oblique portals for the upper neck and a low anterior en face hemi-neck portal. The left parotid region was also included in the re-irradiation volume. Treatment was completed without delayed complications or recurrences to date. To our knowledge, this is the first case report in the literature of a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum who subsequently developed metastatic disease from recurrent cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Because of the rarity of xeroderma pigmentosum, this case report is also the first

  14. Rapid-onset hypogonadism secondary to crizotinib use in men with metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Weickhardt, Andrew J; Rothman, Micol S; Salian-Mehta, Smita; Kiseljak-Vassiliades, Katja; Oton, Ana B; Doebele, Robert C; Wierman, Margaret E; Camidge, D Ross

    2012-11-01

    The objective of this study was to document the differences in testosterone (T) levels between crizotinib-treated and noncrizotinib-treated patients with metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Testosterone levels were measured in 19 men with metastatic NSCLC who received crizotinib and in 19 men with metastatic NSCLC who did not receive crizotinib. Clinical characteristics of the patients were compared, and additional hormone assays were performed as appropriate. Two patients who began crizotinib and 4 patients who had dose interruptions or who stopped crizotinib therapy had serial hormone measurements, permitting the documentation of dynamic hormone changes on and off crizotinib treatment. Total T levels were low (<241 ng/dL) in 19 of 19 (100%) crizotinib-treated men and in 6 of 19 men (32%) with metastatic NSCLC who did not receive crizotinib (mean T levels, 131 ng/dL and 311 ng/dL, respectively; P = .0002). Only 1 in 5 patients who had anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements and had not yet received crizotinib had low T. The initiation of crizotinib in 2 patients who had previously normal T levels was associated with a rapid decreases in T and in luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels within 14 to 21 days. Discontinuation of crizotinib led to increases back to normal T levels. Crizotinib therapy caused rapid suppression of T levels in men. The current results indicated that the site of action must include a central (hypothalamic or pituitary) effect, but additional direct testicular effects could not be excluded. Further work is required to assess the correlation between low T levels and crizotinib side effects as well as the exact molecular mechanism and site of drug toxicity. Copyright © 2012 American Cancer Society.

  15. Scalable whole-exome sequencing of cell-free DNA reveals high concordance with metastatic tumors.

    PubMed

    Adalsteinsson, Viktor A; Ha, Gavin; Freeman, Samuel S; Choudhury, Atish D; Stover, Daniel G; Parsons, Heather A; Gydush, Gregory; Reed, Sarah C; Rotem, Denisse; Rhoades, Justin; Loginov, Denis; Livitz, Dimitri; Rosebrock, Daniel; Leshchiner, Ignaty; Kim, Jaegil; Stewart, Chip; Rosenberg, Mara; Francis, Joshua M; Zhang, Cheng-Zhong; Cohen, Ofir; Oh, Coyin; Ding, Huiming; Polak, Paz; Lloyd, Max; Mahmud, Sairah; Helvie, Karla; Merrill, Margaret S; Santiago, Rebecca A; O'Connor, Edward P; Jeong, Seong H; Leeson, Rachel; Barry, Rachel M; Kramkowski, Joseph F; Zhang, Zhenwei; Polacek, Laura; Lohr, Jens G; Schleicher, Molly; Lipscomb, Emily; Saltzman, Andrea; Oliver, Nelly M; Marini, Lori; Waks, Adrienne G; Harshman, Lauren C; Tolaney, Sara M; Van Allen, Eliezer M; Winer, Eric P; Lin, Nancy U; Nakabayashi, Mari; Taplin, Mary-Ellen; Johannessen, Cory M; Garraway, Levi A; Golub, Todd R; Boehm, Jesse S; Wagle, Nikhil; Getz, Gad; Love, J Christopher; Meyerson, Matthew

    2017-11-06

    Whole-exome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) could enable comprehensive profiling of tumors from blood but the genome-wide concordance between cfDNA and tumor biopsies is uncertain. Here we report ichorCNA, software that quantifies tumor content in cfDNA from 0.1× coverage whole-genome sequencing data without prior knowledge of tumor mutations. We apply ichorCNA to 1439 blood samples from 520 patients with metastatic prostate or breast cancers. In the earliest tested sample for each patient, 34% of patients have ≥10% tumor-derived cfDNA, sufficient for standard coverage whole-exome sequencing. Using whole-exome sequencing, we validate the concordance of clonal somatic mutations (88%), copy number alterations (80%), mutational signatures, and neoantigens between cfDNA and matched tumor biopsies from 41 patients with ≥10% cfDNA tumor content. In summary, we provide methods to identify patients eligible for comprehensive cfDNA profiling, revealing its applicability to many patients, and demonstrate high concordance of cfDNA and metastatic tumor whole-exome sequencing.

  16. Issues Surrounding Clinical Trial Endpoints in Solid Malignancies With a Focus on Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Garon, Edward B

    2013-01-01

    Summary Relative to best supportive care alone, cytotoxic chemotherapy has an established role in prolonging overall survival (OS) in patients with or without previous treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). OS has been the principal endpoint influencing regulatory decisions regarding targeted therapies for metastatic NSCLC, including the vascular endothelial growth factor monoclonal antibody bevacizumab in the frontline setting and the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors gefitinib and erlotinib in patients after prior treatment. Progression-free survival (PFS), another common endpoint in oncology clinical trials, has been discussed as a potential surrogate for OS in metastatic NSCLC. A number of phase III clinical trials of investigational targeted agents for treatment of metastatic NSCLC are ongoing, with OS designated as the primary endpoint in some cases and PFS in others. Both endpoints have been developed largely to evaluate outcomes in unselected populations in which a fraction of patients are anticipated to derive significant benefit. New approaches are being considered for the evaluation of targeted agents. Recent high profile trials have been designed to assess PFS using a randomized discontinuation design and disease control rate after 8 weeks of treatment. With a series of recent advances towards increasingly personalized biomarker-directed anticancer therapies, the appropriateness of the traditional regulatory approach has been questioned. PMID:22795702

  17. Involvement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the mesenchymal stem cells promote metastatic growth and chemoresistance of cholangiocarcinoma.

    PubMed

    Wang, Weiwei; Zhong, Wei; Yuan, Jiahui; Yan, Congcong; Hu, Shaoping; Tong, Yinping; Mao, Yubin; Hu, Tianhui; Zhang, Bing; Song, Gang

    2015-12-08

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multi-potent progenitor cells with ability to differentiate into multiple lineages, including bone, cartilage, fat, and muscles. Recent research indicates that MSCs can be efficiently recruited to tumor sites, modulating tumor growth and metastasis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we first demonstrated that human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs), when mixed with human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines QBC939 in a xenograft tumor model, significantly increased the cancer cells proliferation and metastatic potency. MSCs and their conditioned media (MSC-CM) could improve the drug resistance of tumor when the compound K (CK) as an anti-cancer drug, a major intestinal bacterial metabolite of panaxoside, was administered to xenograft tumor mice. Furthermore, MSCs greatly increased the colony formation and invasion of cholangiocarcinoma cells QBC939 and Mz-ChA-1. Immunochemistry studies of cholangiocarcinoma tissue chips and transplantation tumor from nude mice showed that the expression of β-catenin was important for cholangiocarcinoma development. We further demonstrated that MSCs and MSCs-CM could promote proliferation and migration of cholangiocarcinoma cells through targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. hUC-MSCs or MSCs-CM stimulated Wnt activity by promoting the nuclear translocation of β-catenin, and up-regulated Wnt target genes MMPs family, cyclin D1 and c-Myc. Together, our studies highlight a critical role for MSCs on cancer metastasis and indicate MSCs promote metastatic growth and chemoresistance of cholangiocarcinoma cells via activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

  18. Involvement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the mesenchymal stem cells promote metastatic growth and chemoresistance of cholangiocarcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Jiahui; Yan, Congcong; Hu, Shaoping; Tong, Yinping; Mao, Yubin; Hu, Tianhui; Zhang, Bing; Song, Gang

    2015-01-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multi-potent progenitor cells with ability to differentiate into multiple lineages, including bone, cartilage, fat, and muscles. Recent research indicates that MSCs can be efficiently recruited to tumor sites, modulating tumor growth and metastasis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we first demonstrated that human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs), when mixed with human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines QBC939 in a xenograft tumor model, significantly increased the cancer cells proliferation and metastatic potency. MSCs and their conditioned media (MSC-CM) could improve the drug resistance of tumor when the compound K (CK) as an anti-cancer drug, a major intestinal bacterial metabolite of panaxoside, was administered to xenograft tumor mice. Furthermore, MSCs greatly increased the colony formation and invasion of cholangiocarcinoma cells QBC939 and Mz-ChA-1. Immunochemistry studies of cholangiocarcinoma tissue chips and transplantation tumor from nude mice showed that the expression of β-catenin was important for cholangiocarcinoma development. We further demonstrated that MSCs and MSCs-CM could promote proliferation and migration of cholangiocarcinoma cells through targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. hUC-MSCs or MSCs-CM stimulated Wnt activity by promoting the nuclear translocation of β-catenin, and up-regulated Wnt target genes MMPs family, cyclin D1 and c-Myc. Together, our studies highlight a critical role for MSCs on cancer metastasis and indicate MSCs promote metastatic growth and chemoresistance of cholangiocarcinoma cells via activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. PMID:26474277

  19. Neural stem cell-based dual suicide gene delivery for metastatic brain tumors.

    PubMed

    Wang, C; Natsume, A; Lee, H J; Motomura, K; Nishimira, Y; Ohno, M; Ito, M; Kinjo, S; Momota, H; Iwami, K; Ohka, F; Wakabayashi, T; Kim, S U

    2012-11-01

    In our previous works, we demonstrated that human neural stem cells (NSCs) transduced with the cytosine deaminase (CD) gene showed remarkable 'bystander killer effect' on glioma and medulloblastoma cells after administration of the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC). In addition, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK) is a widely studied enzyme used for suicide gene strategies, for which the prodrug is ganciclovir (GCV). To apply this strategy to brain metastasis treatment, we established here a human NSC line (F3.CD-TK) expressing the dual suicide genes CD and TK. We examined whether F3.CD-TK cells intensified the antitumor effect on lung cancer brain metastases. In vitro studies showed that F3.CD-TK cells exerted a marked bystander effect on human lung cancer cells after treatment with 5-FC and GCV. In a novel experimental brain metastases model, intravenously administered F3 cells migrated near lung cancer metastatic lesions, which were induced by the injection of lung cancer cells via the intracarotid artery. More importantly, F3.CD-TK cells in the presence of prodrugs 5-FC and GCV decreased tumor size and considerably prolonged animal survival. The results of the present study indicate that the dual suicide gene-engineered, NSC-based treatment strategy might offer a new promising therapeutic modality for brain metastases.

  20. High-Dose Chemotherapy With Autologous Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation in Metastatic Breast Cancer: Overview of Six Randomized Trials

    PubMed Central

    Berry, Donald A.; Ueno, Naoto T.; Johnson, Marcella M.; Lei, Xiudong; Caputo, Jean; Smith, Dori A.; Yancey, Linda J.; Crump, Michael; Stadtmauer, Edward A.; Biron, Pierre; Crown, John P.; Schmid, Peter; Lotz, Jean-Pierre; Rosti, Giovanni; Bregni, Marco; Demirer, Taner

    2011-01-01

    Purpose High doses of effective chemotherapy are compelling if they can be delivered safely. Substantial interest in supporting high-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow or autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in the 1980s and 1990s led to the initiation of randomized trials to evaluate its effect in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Methods We identified six randomized trials in metastatic breast cancer that evaluated high doses of chemotherapy with transplant support versus a control regimen without stem-cell support. We assembled a single database containing individual patient information from these trials. The primary analysis of overall survival was a log-rank test comparing high dose versus control. We also used Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for known covariates. We addressed potential treatment differences within subsets of patients. Results The effect of high-dose chemotherapy on overall survival was not statistically different (median, 2.16 v 2.02 years; P = .08). A statistically significant advantage in progression-free survival (median, 0.91 v 0.69 years) did not translate into survival benefit. Subset analyses found little evidence that there are groups of patients who might benefit from high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic support. Conclusion Overall survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer in the six randomized trials was not significantly improved by high-dose chemotherapy; any benefit from high doses was small. No identifiable subset of patients seems to benefit from high-dose chemotherapy. PMID:21768454

  1. m-RNA mammaglobin expression in metastatic breast cancer patient at Medan city, Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rimbun, S.; Siregar, Y.

    2018-03-01

    Breast cancer is the most common causes of women’s death in the world. Metastatic spread presents a major clinical problem in about 30% of the patients. The study aims to investigate the clinical reliability of mammaglobin mRNA as a marker of circulating cancer cells in breast cancer patients. The positivity of blood was analyzed in relation to clinical and pathological characteristics. This study was on 29 breast cancer patients (13 metastatic, 16 non- metastatic patients), where28 were invasive intraductal carcinoma type and 1 was invasive lobular carcinoma type. Breast cancer patients were according to the histologic grade into grade I (7 patients),grade II (6 patients) and grade III (15 patients). All individuals included in this study were subjected to detection of mammaglobin m-RNA of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood using RT-PCR technique. Positivity for mammaglobin in blood samples was in 38% of patients with metastatic but not in the non-metastatic patients. The presence of mammaglobin correlated with metastatic tumor (P = 0.011). Mammaglobin overexpression in breast tissue was significantly positive in low-grade tumors (I and II).

  2. Trigriluzole With Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Solid Malignancies or Lymphoma

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-05-23

    Lymphoma; Metastatic Malignant Solid Neoplasm; Metastatic Melanoma; Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer; Recurrent Bladder Carcinoma; Recurrent Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma; Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Lymphoma; Recurrent Malignant Solid Neoplasm; Recurrent Renal Cell Carcinoma; Stage III Bladder Cancer; Stage III Lymphoma; Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer AJCC v7; Stage III Renal Cell Cancer; Stage III Skin Melanoma; Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIA Skin Melanoma; Stage IIIB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIB Skin Melanoma; Stage IIIC Skin Melanoma; Stage IV Bladder Cancer; Stage IV Lymphoma; Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IV Renal Cell Cancer; Stage IV Skin Melanoma; Stage IVA Bladder Cancer; Stage IVB Bladder Cancer; Unresectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Unresectable Solid Neoplasm

  3. Role of connexins in metastatic breast cancer and melanoma brain colonization

    PubMed Central

    Stoletov, Konstantin; Strnadel, Jan; Zardouzian, Erin; Momiyama, Masashi; Park, Frederick D.; Kelber, Jonathan A.; Pizzo, Donald P.; Hoffman, Robert; VandenBerg, Scott R.; Klemke, Richard L.

    2013-01-01

    Summary Breast cancer and melanoma cells commonly metastasize to the brain using homing mechanisms that are poorly understood. Cancer patients with brain metastases display poor prognosis and survival due to the lack of effective therapeutics and treatment strategies. Recent work using intravital microscopy and preclinical animal models indicates that metastatic cells colonize the brain, specifically in close contact with the existing brain vasculature. However, it is not known how contact with the vascular niche promotes microtumor formation. Here, we investigate the role of connexins in mediating early events in brain colonization using transparent zebrafish and chicken embryo models of brain metastasis. We provide evidence that breast cancer and melanoma cells utilize connexin gap junction proteins (Cx43, Cx26) to initiate brain metastatic lesion formation in association with the vasculature. RNAi depletion of connexins or pharmacological blocking of connexin-mediated cell–cell communication with carbenoxolone inhibited brain colonization by blocking tumor cell extravasation and blood vessel co-option. Activation of the metastatic gene twist in breast cancer cells increased Cx43 protein expression and gap junction communication, leading to increased extravasation, blood vessel co-option and brain colonization. Conversely, inhibiting twist activity reduced Cx43-mediated gap junction coupling and brain colonization. Database analyses of patient histories revealed increased expression of Cx26 and Cx43 in primary melanoma and breast cancer tumors, respectively, which correlated with increased cancer recurrence and metastasis. Together, our data indicate that Cx43 and Cx26 mediate cancer cell metastasis to the brain and suggest that connexins might be exploited therapeutically to benefit cancer patients with metastatic disease. PMID:23321642

  4. Dose escalation can maximize therapeutic potential of sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Maráz, Anikó; Cserháti, Adrienn; Uhercsák, Gabriella; Szilágyi, Éva; Varga, Zoltán; Révész, János; Kószó, Renáta; Varga, Linda; Kahán, Zsuzsanna

    2018-03-15

    In patients with metastatic renal cell cancer, based on limited evidence, increased sunitinib exposure is associated with better outcome. The survival and toxicity data of patients receiving individualized dose escalated sunitinib therapy as compared to standard management were analyzed in this study. From July 2013, the data of metastatic renal cell cancer patients with slight progression but still a stable disease according to RECIST 1.1 criteria treated with an escalated dose of sunitinib (first level: 62.5 mg/day in 4/2 or 2 × 2/1 scheme, second level: 75 mg/day in 4/2 or 2 × 2/1 scheme) were collected prospectively. Regarding characteristics, outcome, and toxicity data, an explorative retrospective analysis of the register was carried out, comparing treatments after and before July 1, 2013 in the study (selected patients for escalated dose) and control (standard dose) groups, respectively. The study involved 103 patients receiving sunitinib therapy with a median overall and progression free survival of 25.36 ± 2.62 and 14.2 ± 3.22 months, respectively. Slight progression was detected in 48.5% of them. First and second-level dose escalation were indicated in 18.2% and 4.1% of patients, respectively. The dosing scheme was modified in 22.2%. The median progression free survival (39.7 ± 5.1 vs 14.2 ± 1.3 months (p = 0.037)) and the overall survival (57.5 ± 10.7 vs 27.9 ± 2.5 months (p = 0.044)) were significantly better in the study group (with dose escalation) than in the control group. Patients with nephrectomy and lower Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) scores showed more favorable outcomes. After dose escalation, the most common adverse events were worsening or development of fatigue, hypertension, stomatitis, and weight loss of over 10%. Escalation of sunitinib dosing in selected patients with metastatic renal cell cancer, especially in case of slight progression, based on tolerable toxicity is

  5. The Ezrin Metastatic Phenotype Is Associated with the Initiation of Protein Translation1

    PubMed Central

    Briggs, Joseph W; Ren, Ling; Nguyen, Rachel; Chakrabarti, Kristi; Cassavaugh, Jessica; Rahim, Said; Bulut, Gulay; Zhou, Ming; Veenstra, Timothy D; Chen, Qingrong; Wei, Jun S; Khan, Javed; Uren, Aykut; Khanna, Chand

    2012-01-01

    We previously associated the cytoskeleton linker protein, Ezrin, with the metastatic phenotype of pediatric sarcomas, including osteosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. These studies have suggested that Ezrin contributes to the survival of cancer cells after their arrival at secondary metastatic locations. To better understand this role in metastasis, we undertook two noncandidate analyses of Ezrin function including a microarray subtraction of high-and low-Ezrin-expressing cells and a proteomic approach to identify proteins that bound the N-terminus of Ezrin in tumor lysates. Functional analyses of these data led to a novel and unifying hypothesis that Ezrin contributes to the efficiency of metastasis through regulation of protein translation. In support of this hypothesis, we found Ezrin to be part of the ribonucleoprotein complex to facilitate the expression of complex messenger RNA in cells and to bind with poly A binding protein 1 (PABP1; PABPC1). The relevance of these findings was supported by our identification of Ezrin and components of the translational machinery in pseudopodia of highly metastatic cells during the process of cell invasion. Finally, two small molecule inhibitors recently shown to inhibit the Ezrin metastatic phenotype disrupted the Ezrin/PABP1 association. Taken together, these results provide a novel mechanistic basis by which Ezrin may contribute to metastasis. PMID:22577345

  6. Benzimidazole as Novel Therapy for Hormone-Refractory Metastatic Prostate Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-05-01

    8 4 INTRODUCTION The focus of this project is to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of benzimidazoles as a...potential anti-metastatic prostate cancer therapy. We identified benzimidazoles , a class of anti-parasitic drug, in a drug screening process for...preferential anti-tumor activity on metastatic prostate cancer cells. We have data indicate that benzimidazoles have potent anti-tumor activities

  7. The neural cell adhesion molecule is involved in the metastatic capacity in a murine model of lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Campodónico, Paola B; de Kier Joffé, Elisa D Bal; Urtreger, Alejandro J; Lauria, Lilia S; Lastiri, José M; Puricelli, Lydia I; Todaro, Laura B

    2010-04-01

    Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is involved in cell growth, migration, and differentiation. Its expression and/or polysialylation appear to be deregulated in many different cancer types. We employed the lung tumor cell line LP07, syngeneic in BALB/c mice to investigate the role of NCAM in malignant progression. LP07 cells express the three main NCAM isoforms, all of them polysialylated. This cells line, pretreated with an anti-NCAM antibody and inoculated intravenously (i.v.) into syngeneic mice, developed less and smaller lung metastases. In vitro studies showed that NCAM bound antibody inhibited cell growth, mainly due to an increase in apoptosis, associated with a decrease of cyclin D1 and enhanced expression of active caspase 3 and caspase 9. Anti-NCAM-treated LP07 cells showed impairment in their ability to migrate and adhere to several extracellular matrix components. Secreted uPA activity was also reduced. NCAM-140 knocked-down by siRNA in LP07 cells pretreated or not with anti-NCAM showed an impaired metastasizing ability upon i.v. inoculation into mice. These results suggest that anti-NCAM treatment could be mimicking homophilic trans-interactions and NCAM-140 knocked-down impairs heterophilic interactions, both leading to inhibition of metastatic dissemination. The involvement of NCAM in lung tumor progression was confirmed in human NSCLC tumors. Sixty percent of the cases expressed NCAM at tumor cell level. A multivariate analysis indicated that NCAM expression was associated with a shorter overall survival in this homogeneous series of Stages I and II NSCLC patients. NCAM may be able to modulate mechanisms involved in lung carcinoma progression and represents an attractive target to control metastatic progression.

  8. Exosomes enriched in stemness/metastatic-related mRNAS promote oncogenic potential in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, Marta; Silva, Javier; Herrera, Alberto; Herrera, Mercedes; Peña, Cristina; Martín, Paloma; Gil-Calderón, Beatriz; Larriba, María Jesús; Coronado, M Josés; Soldevilla, Beatriz; Turrión, Víctor S; Provencio, Mariano; Sánchez, Antonio; Bonilla, Félix; García-Barberán, Vanesa

    2015-12-01

    Cancer cells efficiently transfer exosome contents (essentially mRNAs and microRNAs) to other cell types, modifying immune responses, cell growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Here we analyzed the exosomes release by breast tumor cells with different capacities of stemness/metastasis based on CXCR4 expression, and evaluated their capacity to generate oncogenic features in recipient cells. Breast cancer cells overexpressing CXCR4 showed an increase in stemness-related markers, and in proliferation, migration and invasion capacities. Furthermore, recipient cells treated with exosomes from CXCR4-cells showed increased in the same abilities. Moreover, inoculation of CXCR4-cell-derived exosomes in immunocompromised mice stimulated primary tumor growth and metastatic potential. Comparison of nucleic acids contained into exosomes isolated from patients revealed a "stemness and metastatic" signature in exosomes of patients with worse prognosis. Finally, our data supported the view that cancer cells with stem-like properties show concomitant metastatic behavior, and their exosomes stimulate tumor progression and metastasis. Exosomes-derived nucleic acids from plasma of breast cancer patients are suitable markers in the prognosis of such patients.

  9. 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Inhibits the Metastatic Capability of MCF10CA1a and MDA-MB-231 Cells in an In Vitro Model of Breast to Bone Metastasis.

    PubMed

    Wilmanski, Tomasz; Barnard, Alle; Parikh, Mukti R; Kirshner, Julia; Buhman, Kimberly; Burgess, John; Teegarden, Dorothy

    2016-10-01

    Breast cancer metastasis to the bone continues to be a major health problem, with approximately 80% of advanced breast cancer patients expected to develop bone metastasis. Although the problem of bone metastasis persists, current treatment options for metastatic cancer patients are limited. In this study, we investigated the preventive role of the active vitamin D metabolite, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), against the metastatic potential of breast cancer cells using a novel three-dimensional model (rMET) recapitulating multiple steps of the bone metastatic process. Treatment of MCF10CA1a and MDA-MB-231 cells inhibited metastasis in the rMET model by 70% (±5.7%) and 21% (±6%), respectively. In addition, 1,25(OH)2D treatment decreased invasiveness (20 ± 11% of vehicle) and decreased the capability of MCF10CA1a cells to survive in the reconstructed bone environment after successful invasion through the basement membrane (69 ± 5% of vehicle). An essential step in metastasis is epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Treatment of MCF10CA1a cells with 1,25(OH)2D increased gene (2.04 ± 0.28-fold increase) and protein (1.87 ± 0.20-fold increase) expression of E-cadherin. Additionally, 1,25(OH)2D treatment decreased N-cadherin gene expression (42 ± 8% decrease), a marker for EMT. Collectively, the present study suggests that 1,25(OH)2D inhibits breast cancer cell metastatic capability as well as inhibits EMT, an essential step in the metastatic process.

  10. GATA3: a promising marker for metastatic breast carcinoma in serous effusion specimens.

    PubMed

    Shield, Paul W; Papadimos, David J; Walsh, Michael D

    2014-04-01

    The usefulness of GATA3 (GATA-binding protein 3 to DNA sequence [A/T]GATA[A/G]) as a marker for metastatic breast carcinoma in serous effusion specimens was investigated. Cell block sections from 74 serous effusion specimens (32 ascitic, 2 pericardial, and 40 pleural fluids) were stained with an anti-GATA3 murine monoclonal antibody. The specimens included 62 confirmed metastatic carcinomas from the breast (30 specimens), female genital tract (13 specimens), gastrointestinal tract (7 specimens), lung adenocarcinoma (9 specimens), pancreas (1 specimen), kidney (1 specimen), and bladder (1 specimen). The breast carcinoma cases included 15 ductal carcinomas and 8 lobular carcinomas; the histology subtype was not available for 7 specimens. Twelve cases containing florid reactive mesothelial cells were also stained. The breast carcinoma cases were also stained for mammaglobin and gross cystic disease fluid protein of 15 kilodaltons (GCDFP-15) to compare their sensitivity with GATA3. Positive nuclear staining for GATA3 was found to be present in 90% of metastatic breast carcinoma specimens (27 of 30 specimens). All nonbreast metastatic carcinomas tested were negative with the exception of the single case of metastatic urothelial carcinoma. No staining was observed in any of the benign reactive cases or in benign mesothelial cells present in the malignant cell block preparations. Two cases demonstrated weak positivity of benign lymphoid cells. Staining results were unambiguous because all positive cases demonstrated intense nuclear staining in > 50% of tumor cells. Mammaglobin (57% staining; 17 of 30 cases) and GCDFP-15 (33% staining; 10 of 30 cases) were found to be less sensitive markers of breast carcinoma. If used in a panel, mammaglobin and GCFP-15 staining would have identified only 1 additional case compared with those stained with GATA3. GATA3 may be a useful addition to immunostaining panels for serous effusion specimens when metastatic breast carcinoma is a

  11. Immunotherapy in urothelial cancer, part 1: T-cell checkpoint inhibition in advanced or metastatic disease.

    PubMed

    Yu, Steven S; Dorff, Tanya B; Ballas, Leslie K; Sadeghi, Sarmad; Skinner, Eila C; Quinn, David I

    2017-06-01

    Cancer of the urothelium is the sixth most common cancer in the United States and is seen predominantly in men. Most cases of this disease present as non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), with cancer recurrence or progression to muscle-invasive cancer in more than 50% of patients after initial therapy. NMIBC is an immune-responsive disease, as indicated by the use of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin as treatment for more than 3 decades. More recently, immunotherapy has seen much progress in a variety of cancers, including advanced and metastatic bladder cancer, in which historical 5-year survival rates are approximately 15%. The advent of T-cell checkpoint inhibitors, especially those directed at programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), has had a significant effect on the therapy of advanced urothelial cancer. This had led to accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for atezolizumab and nivolumab in advanced urothelial cancer previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. In addition, level 1 evidence supports the use of pembrolizumab over single-agent tubulin-directed chemotherapy in the same setting. Several other treatments with immune-mediating mechanisms of action are in development and hold great promise, including monoclonal antibodies directed at other checkpoint molecules, oncolytic virus therapy, adoptive T-cell therapy, combination immunotherapy, and antibody-drug conjugates. This review focuses on the recent development of T-cell checkpoint inhibitors in advanced and metastatic urothelial cancer and addresses their potential use in combination. It also discusses a spectrum of novel immunotherapies with potential use in urothelial cancer.

  12. Combination of Ipilimumab and Adoptive Cell Therapy with Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes for Patients with Metastatic Melanoma.

    PubMed

    Mullinax, John E; Hall, MacLean; Prabhakaran, Sangeetha; Weber, Jeffrey; Khushalani, Nikhil; Eroglu, Zeynep; Brohl, Andrew S; Markowitz, Joseph; Royster, Erica; Richards, Allison; Stark, Valerie; Zager, Jonathan S; Kelley, Linda; Cox, Cheryl; Sondak, Vernon K; Mulé, James J; Pilon-Thomas, Shari; Sarnaik, Amod A

    2018-01-01

    Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) for metastatic melanoma can be highly effective, but attrition due to progression before TIL administration (32% in prior institutional experience) remains a limitation. We hypothesized that combining ACT with cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 blockade would decrease attrition and allow more patients to receive TIL. Thirteen patients with metastatic melanoma were enrolled. Patients received four doses of ipilimumab (3 mg/kg) beginning 2 weeks prior to tumor resection for TIL generation, then 1 week after resection, and 2 and 5 weeks after preconditioning chemotherapy and TIL infusion followed by interleukin-2. The primary endpoint was safety and feasibility. Secondary endpoints included of clinical response at 12 weeks and at 1 year after TIL transfer, progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). All patients received at least two doses of ipilimumab, and 12 of the 13 (92%) received TIL. A median of 6.5 × 10 10 (2.3 × 10 10 to 1.0 × 10 11 ) TIL were infused. At 12 weeks following infusion, there were five patients who experienced objective response (38.5%), four of whom continued in objective response at 1 year and one of which became a complete response at 52 months. Median progression-free survival was 7.3 months (95% CI 6.1-29.9 months). Grade ≥ 3 immune-related adverse events included hypothyroidism (3), hepatitis (2), uveitis (1), and colitis (1). Ipilimumab plus ACT for metastatic melanoma is feasible, well tolerated, and associated with a low rate of attrition due to progression during cell expansion. This combination approach serves as a model for future efforts to improve the efficacy of ACT.

  13. Cytoreductive nephrectomy vs medical therapy as initial treatment: a rational approach to the sequence question in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Spiess, Philippe E; Fishman, Mayer N

    2010-10-01

    Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can be considered as two distinct entities: localized and metastatic disease. We conducted a review of the scientific literature published within the past decade pertaining to cytoreductive nephrectomy for metastatic RCC. Retrospective data and historical prospective series have demonstrated the survival benefit of debulking nephrectomy in well-selected RCC patients. New medical therapies, including vascular endothelial growth factor and mTOR pathway blocking drugs, are active biological agents, with survival improvement and potential regression of metastatic and primary tumors. Our current therapeutic challenge is the optimal integration of multimodal therapy consisting of systemic therapy and surgery including cytoreductive nephrectomy, debulking, and metastasectomy. Empiric data to guide this decision are limited. The decision concerning whether medical or surgical therapy should be the primary treatment approach selected must be made on an individual basis, taking into account patient performance status, clinical parameters, and physician expertise and recommendations, thus making each case a unique therapeutic challenge.

  14. Phytochemicals potently inhibit migration of metastatic breast cancer cells†

    PubMed Central

    Ham, Stephanie Lemmo; Nasrollahi, Samila; Shah, Kush N.; Soltisz, Andrew; Paruchuri, Sailaja; Yun, Yang H.; Luker, Gary D.; Bishayee, Anupam; Tavana, Hossein

    2017-01-01

    Cell migration is a major process that drives metastatic progression of cancers, the major cause of cancer death. Existing chemotherapeutic drugs have limited efficacy to prevent and/or treat metastasis, emphasizing the need for new treatments. We focus on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), the subtype of breast cancer with worst prognosis and no standard chemotherapy protocols. Here we demonstrate that a group of natural compounds, known as phytochemicals, effectively block migration of metastatic TNBC cells. Using a novel cell micropatterning technology, we generate consistent migration niches in standard 96-well plates where each well contains a cell-excluded gap within a uniform monolayer of cells. Over time, cells migrate into and occupy the gap. Treating TNBC cells with non-toxic concentrations of phytochemicals significantly blocks motility of cells. Using a molecular analysis approach, we show that anti-migratory property of phytochemicals is partly due to their inhibitory effects on phosphorylation of ERK1/2. This study provides a framework for future studies to understand molecular targets of phytochemicals and evaluate their effectiveness in inhibiting metastasis in animal models of cancer. PMID:26120051

  15. Nivolumab-induced vitiligo in a metastatic melanoma patient: A case report.

    PubMed

    Edmondson, Lindsay A; Smith, Leticia V; Mallik, Alka

    2017-12-01

    The programmed-death-1 inhibitors selectively block programmed-death-1 interaction with its receptor, which restores active T-cell response directed at tumor cells, inducing an anti-tumor effect. This nonspecific activation of the immune system can also lead to a wide spectrum of side effects. Nivolumab has been used effectively to prolong survival in patients with metastatic melanoma and is recommended as a category 1 agent for systemic therapy in metastatic or unresectable melanoma per the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. We present a case of a 64-year-old woman who began nivolumab therapy for metastatic melanoma. After six doses of nivolumab therapy, the patient experienced generalized hypopigmentation on her face, chest, back, arms, and lower extremities. Although vitiligo has been reported in as many as 10.7% of patients undergoing nivolumab therapy in some clinical trials, we believe this is the first case to describe the progression of nivolumab-induced vitiligo in a metastatic melanoma patient. This case provides significant insight into the onset, symptoms, development, and treatment options for patients experiencing vitiligo as a result of nivolumab therapy.

  16. Establishment of highly metastatic KRAS mutant lung cancer cell sublines in long-term three-dimensional low attachment cultures

    PubMed Central

    Nakano, Tomoyuki; Kanai, Yoshihiko; Amano, Yusuke; Yoshimoto, Taichiro; Matsubara, Daisuke; Shibano, Tomoki; Tamura, Tomoko; Oguni, Sachiko; Katashiba, Shizuka; Ito, Takeshi; Murakami, Yoshinori; Fukayama, Masashi; Murakami, Takashi; Endo, Shunsuke; Niki, Toshiro

    2017-01-01

    Decreased cell-substratum adhesion is crucially involved in metastasis. Previous studies demonstrated that lung cancer with floating cell clusters in histology is more likely to develop metastasis. In the present study, we investigated whether cancer cells in long-term, three-dimensional low attachment cultures acquire high metastatic potential; these cells were then used to examine the mechanisms underlying metastasis. Two KRAS-mutated adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549 and H441) were cultured and selected on ultra-low attachment culture dishes, and the resulting cells were defined as FL (for floating) sublines. Cancer cells were inoculated into NOD/SCID mice via an intracardiac injection, and metastasis was evaluated using luciferase-based imaging and histopathology. In vitro cell growth (in attachment or suspension cultures), migration, and invasion were assayed. A whole genomic analysis was performed to identify key molecular alterations in FL sublines. Upon detachment on low-binding dishes, parental cells initially formed rounded spheroids with limited growth activity. However, over time in cultures, cells gradually formed smaller spheroids that grew slowly, and, after 3–4 months, we obtained FL sublines that regained prominent growth potential in suspension cultures. On ordinary dishes, FL cells reattached and exhibited a more spindle-shaped morphology than parental cells. No marked differences were observed in cell growth with attachment, migration, or invasion between FL sublines and parental cell lines; however, FL cells exhibited markedly increased growth potential under suspended conditions in vitro and stronger metastatic abilities in vivo. A genomic analysis identified epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and c-Myc amplification in A549-FL and H441-FL cells, respectively, as candidate mechanisms for metastasis. The growth potential of FL cells was markedly inhibited by lentiviral ZEB1 knockdown in A549-FL cells and by the inhibition of c-Myc through

  17. Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Cancer

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2013-02-21

    Breast Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer; Gallbladder Cancer; Gastric Cancer; Head and Neck Cancer; Liver Cancer; Lung Cancer; Metastatic Cancer; Ovarian Cancer; Pancreatic Cancer; Testicular Germ Cell Tumor

  18. Challenging metastatic breast cancer with the natural defensin PvD1.

    PubMed

    Figueira, Tiago N; Oliveira, Filipa D; Almeida, Inês; Mello, Érica O; Gomes, Valdirene M; Castanho, Miguel A R B; Gaspar, Diana

    2017-11-09

    Metastatic breast cancer is a very serious life threatening condition that poses many challenges for the pharmaceutical development of effective chemotherapeutics. As the therapeutics targeted to the localized masses in breast improve, metastatic lesions in the brain slowly increase in their incidence compromising successful treatment outcomes overall. The blood-brain-barrier (BBB) is one important obstacle for the management of breast cancer brain metastases. New therapeutic approaches are in demand for overcoming the BBB's breaching by breast tumor cells. In this work we demonstrate the potential dual role of a natural antimicrobial plant defensin, PvD 1 : it interferes with the formation of solid tumors in the breast and concomitantly controls adhesion of breast cancer cells to human brain endothelial cells. We have used a combination of techniques that probe PvD 1 's effect at the single cell level and reveal that this peptide can effectively damage breast tumor cells, leaving healthy breast and brain cells unaffected. Results suggest that PvD1 quickly internalizes in cancer cells but remains located in the membrane of normal cells with no significant damage to its structure and biomechanical properties. These interactions in turn modulate cell adhesiveness between tumor and BBB cells. PvD 1 is a potential template for the design of innovative pharmacological approaches for metastatic breast cancer treatment: the manipulation of the biomechanical properties of tumor cells that ultimately prevent their attachment to the BBB.

  19. Aspiration cytology of extramammary tumours metastatic to the breast.

    PubMed

    Handa, Uma; Chhabra, Seema; Mohan, Harsh

    2007-10-01

    This study was undertaken to highlight the use of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) to distinguish tumours metastatic to the breast from primary breast malignancies. A total of 1866 fine needle aspirates of the breast were performed during a period of 7 years. Three hundred and fourteen cases of breast malignancies were diagnosed and 5 (1.5%) out of these cases were metastatic in origin. The metastatic tumors included, 2 cases of malignant melanoma (chest wall and left arm), 1 case each of haematolymphoid malignancy, adenocarcinoma of the ovary, and squamous cell carcinoma (left leg). FNA diagnosis of metastasis to the breast is essential in order to avoid unnecessary mastectomy and to ensure appropriate chemotherapy and/or irradiation treatment.

  20. iTRAQ Quantitative Proteomic Comparison of Metastatic and Non-Metastatic Uveal Melanoma Tumors

    PubMed Central

    Crabb, John W.; Hu, Bo; Crabb, John S.; Triozzi, Pierre; Saunthararajah, Yogen; Singh, Arun D.

    2015-01-01

    Background Uveal melanoma is the most common malignancy of the adult eye. The overall mortality rate is high because this aggressive cancer often metastasizes before ophthalmic diagnosis. Quantitative proteomic analysis of primary metastasizing and non-metastasizing tumors was pursued for insights into mechanisms and biomarkers of uveal melanoma metastasis. Methods Eight metastatic and 7 non-metastatic human primary uveal melanoma tumors were analyzed by LC MS/MS iTRAQ technology with Bruch’s membrane/choroid complex from normal postmortem eyes as control tissue. Tryptic peptides from tumor and control proteins were labeled with iTRAQ tags, fractionated by cation exchange chromatography, and analyzed by LC MS/MS. Protein identification utilized the Mascot search engine and the human Uni-Prot/Swiss-Protein database with false discovery ≤ 1%; protein quantitation utilized the Mascot weighted average method. Proteins designated differentially expressed exhibited quantitative differences (p ≤ 0.05, t-test) in a training set of five metastatic and five non-metastatic tumors. Logistic regression models developed from the training set were used to classify the metastatic status of five independent tumors. Results Of 1644 proteins identified and quantified in 5 metastatic and 5 non-metastatic tumors, 12 proteins were found uniquely in ≥ 3 metastatic tumors, 28 were found significantly elevated and 30 significantly decreased only in metastatic tumors, and 31 were designated differentially expressed between metastatic and non-metastatic tumors. Logistic regression modeling of differentially expressed collagen alpha-3(VI) and heat shock protein beta-1 allowed correct prediction of metastasis status for each of five independent tumor specimens. Conclusions The present data provide new clues to molecular differences in metastatic and non-metastatic uveal melanoma tumors. While sample size is limited and validation required, the results support collagen alpha-3(VI) and

  1. Imaging Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Dynamics in Primary and Metastatic Colon Cancer in Nude Mice.

    PubMed

    Hasegawa, Kosuke; Suetsugu, Atsushi; Nakamura, Miki; Matsumoto, Takuro; Aoki, Hitomi; Kunisada, Takahiro; Bouvet, Michael; Shimizu, Masahito; Hoffman, Robert M

    2016-05-01

    Colon cancer frequently results in metastasis to the liver, where it becomes the main cause of death. However, the cell cycle in primary tumors and metastases is poorly understood. We developed a mouse model of liver metastasis using the human colon cancer cell line HCT-116, which expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the nucleus and red fluorescent protein (RFP) in the cytoplasm (HCT-116-GFP-RFP). HCT-116 GFP-RFP cells were injected into the spleen of nu/nu nude mice. HCT-116-GFP-RFP cells subsequently formed primary tumors in the spleen, as well as metastatic colonies in the liver and retroperitoneum by 28 days after cell transplantation. Using an Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope, it was possible to clearly image mitosis of the dual-colored colon cancer cells in the primary tumor as well as liver and other metastases. Multi-nucleate cancer cells, in addition to mono-nucleate cancer cells and their mitosis, were observed in the primary tumor and metastasis. Multi-nucleate HCT-116-GFP-RFP cells were also observed after culture of the primary and metastatic tumors. A similar ratio of mono-nucleate, multi-nucleate, and mitotic cells grew from the primary and metastatic tumors in culture, suggesting similarity of the nuclear-cytoplasmic dynamics of primary and metastatic cancer cells, further emphasizing the stochastic nature of metastasis. Our results demonstrate a similar heterogeneity of nuclear-cytoplasmic dynamics within primary tumors and metastases, which may be an important factor in the stochastic nature of metastasis. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  2. [Non-metastatic clear cell renal cancer: dependence of the tumour stage on clinico-anatomic and morphologic factors; prognostic value of macro- and karyometric characteristics].

    PubMed

    Iurin, A G

    2010-01-01

    Non-metastatic clear-cell renal cancer: dependence of the tumour stage on clinico-anatomic and morphologic factors; prognostic value of macro- and karyometric characteristics Sankt Peterburg Pathology Bureau, Sankt Peterburg It was shown based on multivariate regression analysis that pT1a3bN0MO stages of non-metastatic clear-cell renal cancer significantly correlate not only with the tumor size and invasion into the fatty tissue and/or renal vein but also with the invasion into the renal capsule and with the mean maximum diameter and mean nucleus area of tumor cells. There was no correlation of clear-cell renal cancer stages with tumor proliferative activity, gene p53 mutation, oncosuppressor gene PTEN expression, fraction of tumour clear-cell component, and such clinical characteristics as patients' sex, age, and body mass index. Taking into account statistically significant differences between the patients' survival rates, the regression equations developed in this work may be used for the prediction of disease outcome.

  3. Olaparib With or Without Cediranib in Treating Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-06-04

    Castration Levels of Testosterone; Castration-Resistant Prostate Carcinoma; Metastatic Prostate Carcinoma; Prostate Adenocarcinoma With Focal Neuroendocrine Differentiation; Prostate Carcinoma Metastatic in the Bone; Prostate Small Cell Carcinoma; PSA Progression; Stage IV Prostate Adenocarcinoma AJCC v7

  4. Combination therapy for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer will be tested in new clinical trial | Center for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develops when abnormal lung cells begin to grow out of control. These cells can form into a tumor and spread to other areas of the body. David Schrump, M.D., of the Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch is leading a clinical trial of a new combination treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC that cannot be treated

  5. Autumn Royal and Ribier Grape Juice Extracts Reduced Viability and Metastatic Potential of Colon Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Valenzuela, Manuel; Bastias, Lorena; Montenegro, Iván; Werner, Enrique; Madrid, Alejandro; Godoy, Patricio; Párraga, Mario; Villena, Joan

    2018-01-01

    Antioxidants are known to be beneficial to health. This paper evaluates the potential chemopreventive and anticancer properties of phenolic compounds present in grape juice extracts (GJE) from Autumn Royal and Ribier varieties. The effects of these GJE on viability (SRB day assay) and metastatic potential (migration and invasion parameters) of colon cancer cell lines HT-29 and SW-480 were evaluated. The effects of GJE on two matrix metalloproteinase gene expressions (MMP2 and MMP9) were also evaluated via qRT-PCR. In the former, GJE reduced cell viability in both cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. GJE treatment also reduced cell migration and invasion. Moreover, MMP-2 and MMP-9 gene expression diminished depending on extract and on cell type. Conclusions . These results provide novel information concerning anticancer properties of selected GJE by revealing selective cytotoxicity and the ability to reduce invasiveness of colon cancer cells.

  6. Autumn Royal and Ribier Grape Juice Extracts Reduced Viability and Metastatic Potential of Colon Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Valenzuela, Manuel; Bastias, Lorena; Montenegro, Iván; Werner, Enrique; Madrid, Alejandro; Godoy, Patricio

    2018-01-01

    Antioxidants are known to be beneficial to health. This paper evaluates the potential chemopreventive and anticancer properties of phenolic compounds present in grape juice extracts (GJE) from Autumn Royal and Ribier varieties. The effects of these GJE on viability (SRB day assay) and metastatic potential (migration and invasion parameters) of colon cancer cell lines HT-29 and SW-480 were evaluated. The effects of GJE on two matrix metalloproteinase gene expressions (MMP2 and MMP9) were also evaluated via qRT-PCR. In the former, GJE reduced cell viability in both cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. GJE treatment also reduced cell migration and invasion. Moreover, MMP-2 and MMP-9 gene expression diminished depending on extract and on cell type. Conclusions. These results provide novel information concerning anticancer properties of selected GJE by revealing selective cytotoxicity and the ability to reduce invasiveness of colon cancer cells. PMID:29552079

  7. Identification of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma in FNA specimens using thyroid peroxidase immunohistochemistry.

    PubMed

    Shield, P W; Crouch, S J; Papadimos, D J; Walsh, M D

    2018-06-01

    We evaluated immunohistochemical staining for thyroid peroxidase (TPO), a glycoprotein found in the apical plasma membrane of thyroid follicular cells, as a marker for metastatic PTC in FNA samples and compared results with thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1) staining. Cell block sections prepared from 100 FNA specimens were stained with a rabbit monoclonal antibody to TPO (EP159). The FNAs included 64 metastatic malignancies from non-thyroid primary sites, including 18 lung, and 36 cases of thyroid tumours (29 PTC, six cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma and one thyroid anaplastic carcinoma). Thyroid tumours were stained with TTF1 and Tg in addition to TPO. All cases of metastatic lung carcinoma also had TTF-1 staining results. TPO staining was negative in all non-thyroid malignancies. Ninety percent (26/29) of PTC were positive. All positive cases showed strong cytoplasmic staining, although 54% (14/26) showed positivity in less than half of the cells. By comparison, Tg staining of TPC cases was present in 62% and TTF-1 in 100%. In addition to showing higher sensitivity, interpretation of staining results with TPO was generally easier with than Tg. All metastatic lung adenocarcinomas were positive for TTF-1 and TPO negative. The six medullary cancers showed positivity in 17%, 0% and 83% with TPO, Tg and TTF-1, respectively. TPO (mAb EP159) may be a useful addition to immunohistochemical panels for FNA specimens where metastatic PTC is a consideration, particularly in cases where metastatic lung carcinoma features in the differential diagnosis. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Haematuria as an uncommon initial presenting symptom of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to kidney

    PubMed Central

    Kawsar, Hameem I; Spiro, Timothy P; Daw, Hamed A

    2011-01-01

    A 47-year-old female presented with a 2-week history of painless haematuria. Urine dipstick showed moderate leucocytes. Blood and urine cultures were negative and cytology was negative for malignant cells. Flexible cystoscopy was negative for any bladder pathology. An ultrasonogram of the abdomen showed a mass in the left kidney. CT showed a mass-like lesion within the left kidney suspicious for renal carcinoma, and cavitary lesions in both lungs. Biopsy of the lung showed clusters of atypical cells suspicious for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and left kidney lesion showed malignant cells derived from SCC. A whole body positron emission tomography/CT showed lesions in the lungs, left kidney and skeleton. Complete clinical examination, laboratory and imaging studies did not reveal any site of primary tumour in any part of the body. Haematuria is a very unusual initial presentation of metastatic tumour to kidney. PMID:22688475

  9. Contribution of the 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor in the anti-metastatic PSP94-derived peptide PCK3145 cell surface binding

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Annabi, Borhane; Currie, Jean-Christophe; Bouzeghrane, Mounia

    Purpose: PCK3145 is an anti-metastatic synthetic peptide with promising therapeutic efficacy against hormone-refractory prostate cancer. The characterization of the PCK3145 peptide cell surface binding/internalization mechanisms and of the receptors involved remained to be explored. Results: [{sup 14}C]PCK3145 cell surface binding assays showed rapid and transient kinetic profile, that was inhibited by RGD peptides, laminin, hyaluronan, and type-I collagen. RGD peptides were however unable to inhibit PCK3145 intracellular uptake. Far-Western ligand binding studies enabled the identification of the 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor (37LRP) as a potential ligand for PCK3145. Overexpression of the recombinant 37LRP indeed led to an increase in PCK3145more » binding but unexpectedly not to its uptake. Conclusions: Our data support the implication of laminin receptors in cell surface binding and in transducing PCK3145 anti-metastatic effects, and provide a rational for targeting cancers that express high levels of such laminin receptors.« less

  10. Metastatic B-cell lymphoma masquerading as infectious retinitis and vasculitis.

    PubMed

    Say, Emil Anthony T; Knupp, Charles L; Gertsch, Kevin R; Chavala, Sai H

    2012-06-01

    Intraocular lymphoma is a rare ocular malignancy that may occur in the retina or the uvea. Retina or vitreoretinal lymphoma accounts for the majority of cases and is often secondary to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In the present study, a 66-year-old Caucasian male with a history of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, presented with blurred vision in the left eye one month following cycle 4 of an R-CHOP regimen. At the time of onset, the patient was being treated for bacterial pneumonia. Visual acuity was 20/25 in his right eye (OD) and 20/30 in the left (OS). Ophthalmologic examination showed intraretinal white infiltrates associated with hemorrhage in the superotemporal midperiphery of the retina and vitritis OS. Initial diagnostic considerations included infectious (cytomegalovirus retinitis, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis), inflammatory (retinal vasculitis associated with autoimmune disease or hypercoagulable states) or malignant (intraocular lymphoma) diseases. The patient did not respond to intravitreal injection of foscarnet and oral valgancyclovir. Systemic work-up and aqueous fluid biopsy were inconclusive. Diagnostic vitrectomy yielded inconclusive results and the patient continued to have progressive loss of vision. A repeat diagnostic vitrectomy with retinal and subretinal biopsy confirmed large B cells consistent with metastatic B-cell lymphoma. A concomitant PET/CT scan was performed that revealed bilateral new pulmonary nodules resulting in additional chemotherapy. Our case shows the diagnostic dilemmas in patients with systemic lymphoma and the possible role of concurrent systemic restaging in patients with ocular complaints, even when in systemic remission.

  11. Attachment, invasion, chemotaxis, and proteinase expression of B16-BL6 melanoma cells exhibiting a low metastatic phenotype after exposure to dietary restriction of tyrosine and phenylalanine.

    PubMed

    Uhlenkott, C E; Huijzer, J C; Cardeiro, D J; Elstad, C A; Meadows, G G

    1996-03-01

    We previously reported that low levels of tyrosine (Tyr) and phenylalanine (Phe) alter the metastatic phenotype of B16-BL6 (BL6) murine melanoma and select for tumor cell populations with decreased lung colonizing ability. To more specifically characterize the effects of Tyr and Phe restriction on the malignant phenotype of BL6, we investigated in vitro attachment, invasion, proteinase expression, and chemotaxis of high and low metastatic BL6 variants. High metastatic variant cells were isolated from subcutaneous tumors of mice fed a nutritionally complete diet (ND cells) and low metastatic variant cells were isolated from mice fed a diet restricted in Tyr and Phe (LTP cells). Results indicate that attachment to reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel) was significantly reduced in LTP cells as compared to ND cells. Attachment to collagen IV, laminin, and fibronectin were similar between the two variants. Invasion through Matrigel and growth factor-reduced Matrigel were significantly decreased in LTP cells as compared to ND cells. Zymography revealed the presence of M(r) 92,000 and M(r) 72,000 progelatinases, tissue plasminogen activator, and urokinase plasminogen activator in the conditioned medium of both variants; however, there were no differences in activity of these secreted proteinases between the two variants. Growth of the variants on growth factor-reduced Matrigel similarly induced expression of the M(r) 92,000 progelatinase. The variants exhibited similar chemotactic responses toward laminin. However, the chemotactic response toward fibronectin by LTP cells was significantly increased. MFR5, a monoclonal antibody which selectively blocks function of the alpha 5 chain of the alpha 5 beta 1 integrin, VLA-5, decreased the chemotactic response toward fibronectin of ND cells by 37%; the chemotactic response by LTP cells was reduced by 49%. This effect was specific for fibronectin-mediated chemotaxis since the chemotaxis toward laminin and invasion through

  12. Lysosomal Degradation of CD44 Mediates Ceramide Nanoliposome-induced Anoikis and Diminished Extravasation in Metastatic Carcinoma Cells*

    PubMed Central

    Haakenson, Jeremy K.; Khokhlatchev, Andrei V.; Choi, Younhee J.; Linton, Samuel S.; Zhang, Pu; Zaki, Peter M.; Fu, Changliang; Cooper, Timothy K.; Manni, Andrea; Zhu, Junjia; Fox, Todd E.; Dong, Cheng; Kester, Mark

    2015-01-01

    The ceramide nanoliposome (CNL) has shown promise in being able to treat a variety of primary tumors. However, its potential for treating metastatic cancer remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that CNL increases anoikis while preventing cancer cell extravasation under both static and physiological fluid flow conditions. Mechanistically, CNL limits metastases by decreasing CD44 protein levels in human breast and pancreatic cancer cells via lysosomal degradation of CD44, independent of palmitoylation or proteasome targeting. siRNA down-regulation of CD44 mimics CNL-induced anoikis and diminished extravasation of cancer cells. Taken together, our data indicate that ceramide limits CD44-dependent cancer cell migration, suggesting that CNL could be used to prevent and treat solid tumor metastasis. PMID:25681441

  13. Secretomes reveal several novel proteins as well as TGF-β1 as the top upstream regulator of metastatic process in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Erin, Nuray; Ogan, Nur; Yerlikaya, Azmi

    2018-03-20

    Metastatic breast cancer is resistant to many conventional treatments and novel therapeutic targets are needed. We previously isolated subsets of 4T1 murine breast cancer cells which metastasized to liver (4TLM), brain (4TBM), and heart (4THM). Among these cells, 4TLM is the most aggressive one, demonstrating mesenchymal phenotype. Here we compared secreted proteins from 4TLM, 4TBM, and 4THM cells and compared with that of hardly metastatic 67NR cells to detect differentially secreted factors involved in organ-specific metastasis. Label-free LC-MS/MS proteomic technique was used to detect the differentially secreted proteins. Eighty-five of over 500 secreted proteins were significantly altered in metastatic breast cancer cells. Differential expression of several proteins such as fibulin-4, Bone Morphogenetic Protein 1, TGF-β1 MMP-3, MMP-9, and Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin were further verified using ELISA or Western blotting. Many of these identified proteins were also present in human metastatic breast carcinomas. Annexin A1 and A5, laminin beta 1, Neutral alpha-glucosidase AB were commonly found at least in three out of six studies examined here. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed that proteins differentially secreted from metastatic cells are involved primarily in carcinogenesis and TGF-β1 is the top upstream regulator in all metastatic cells. Cells metastasized to different organs displayed significant differences in several of secreted proteins. Proteins differentially altered were fibronectin, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7, and Procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 1. On the other hand, many exosomal proteins were also common to all metastatic cells, demonstrating involvement of key universal factors in distant metastatic process.

  14. LAG-3 in Non-Small-cell Lung Cancer: Expression in Primary Tumors and Metastatic Lymph Nodes Is Associated With Improved Survival.

    PubMed

    Hald, Sigurd M; Rakaee, Mehrdad; Martinez, Inigo; Richardsen, Elin; Al-Saad, Samer; Paulsen, Erna-Elise; Blix, Egil Støre; Kilvaer, Thomas; Andersen, Sigve; Busund, Lill-Tove; Bremnes, Roy M; Donnem, Tom

    2018-05-01

    Lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) is an immune checkpoint receptor and a putative therapeutic target in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We explored the prognostic effect of LAG-3 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes in NSCLC and its potential for inclusion in an immunoscore, supplementing the TNM classification. Primary tumor tissue from 553 stage I-IIIB NSCLC patients and 143 corresponding metastatic lymph nodes were collected. The expression of LAG-3 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. On univariate analysis, LAG-3 + TILs in the intraepithelial and stromal compartments of primary tumors and in the intraepithelial and extraepithelial compartments of metastatic lymph nodes were associated with improved disease-specific survival (DSS). On multivariate analysis, stromal LAG-3 + TILs were a significant independent predictor of improved DSS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.82; P = .002). Stromal LAG-3 + TILs did not have prognostic impact across all pathologic stages. In the metastatic lymph nodes, intraepithelial (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.38-0.99; P = .049) and extraepithelial (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.29-0.70; P < .001) LAG-3 + TILs were independently associated with favorable DSS. LAG-3 + TILs are an independent positive prognostic factor in stage I-IIIB NSCLC. LAG-3 in metastatic lymph nodes is a candidate marker for an immunoscore in NSCLC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Immunohistochemical mismatch in a case of rhabdomyoblastic metastatic melanoma.

    PubMed

    Dumitru, Adrian Vasile; Tampa, Mircea Ştefan; Georgescu, Simona Roxana; Păunică, Stana; Matei, Clara Nicoleta; Nica, Adriana Elena; Costache, Mariana; Motofei, Ion; Sajin, Maria; Păunică, Ioana; Georgescu, Tiberiu Augustin

    2018-01-01

    Melanomas can exhibit a wide range of unusual morphologies due to the neural crest origin of melanocytes. Several authors have documented variations in size and shape of cells, cytoplasmic features and inclusions, nuclear features and cell architecture. Metastatic melanoma with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation is an extremely rare condition with poor prognosis. Few studies concerning rhabdoid or rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in melanoma are currently available and the current report highlights some of the most important immunohistochemical features of this rare entity. We report on a case of a rhabdomyoblastic metastatic melanoma showing intense positivity for both melanocytic and rhabdoid markers in two cell populations dissociated within the tumor with multiple mismatches in immunomarker expression. Improved recognition of this rare morphological pattern may provide the means for developing new techniques to identify novel therapeutic targets, which would improve the prognostic outlook for these patients.

  16. Combination therapy for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer will be tested in new clinical trial | Center for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develops when abnormal lung cells begin to grow out of control. These cells can form into a tumor and spread to other areas of the body. David Schrump, M.D., of the Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch is leading a clinical trial of a new combination treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC that cannot be treated surgically. Read more... 

  17. Self-renewal and circulating capacities of metastatic hepatocarcinoma cells required for collaboration between TM4SF5 and CD44

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Doohyung; Lee, Jung Weon

    2015-01-01

    Tumor metastasis involves circulating and tumor-initiating capacities of metastatic cancer cells. Hepatic TM4SF5 promotes EMT for malignant growth and migration. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarkers remain unexplored for metastatic potential throughout metastasis. Here, novel TM4SF5/CD44 interaction-mediated self-renewal and circulating tumor cell (CTC) capacities were mechanistically explored. TM4SF5-dependent sphere growth was correlated with CD133+, CD24-, ALDH activity, and a physical association between CD44 and TM4SF5. The TM4SF5/CD44 interaction activated c-Src/STAT3/ Twist1/ B mi1 signaling for spheroid formation, while disturbing the interaction, expression, or activity of any component in this signaling pathway inhibited spheroid formation. In serial xenografts of less than 5,000 cells/injection, TM4SF5-positive tumors exhibited locally-increased CD44 expression, suggesting tumor cell differentiation. TM4SF5-positive cells were identified circulating in blood 4 to 6 weeks after orthotopic liver-injection. Anti-TM4SF reagents blocked their metastasis to distal intestinal organs. Altogether, our results provide evidence that TM4SF5 promotes self-renewal and CTC properties supported by CD133+/TM4SF5+/CD44+(TM4SF5-bound)/ALDH+/ CD24- markers during HCC metastasis. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(3): 127-128] PMID:25772760

  18. The Influence of Tumor-Host Interactions in the Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1/CXCR4 Ligand/Receptor Axis in Determining Metastatic Risk in Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Hassan, Saima; Ferrario, Cristiano; Saragovi, Uri; Quenneville, Louise; Gaboury, Louis; Baccarelli, Andrea; Salvucci, Ombretta; Basik, Mark

    2009-01-01

    The chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) may function to attract CXCR4-expressing cancer cells to metastatic organs. We have previously demonstrated that low plasma SDF-1, a host-derived marker, increases distant metastatic risk in breast cancer. We therefore hypothesized that tumors overexpressing the SDF-1 receptor CXCR4 have an enhanced ability to metastasize in patients with low plasma SDF-1 levels. In this study, we determined the prognostic significance of activated CXCR4, or phosphorylated CXCR4 (p-CXCR4), and CXCR7, another receptor for SDF-1. Immunohistochemistry was performed on a tissue microarray built using 237 samples from the same cohort of patients for which we measured plasma SDF-1 levels. We found that the prognostic value of p-CXCR4 expression (hazard ratio or HR, 3.95; P = 0.004) was superior to total CXCR4 expression (HR, 3.20; P = 0.03). The rate of breast cancer-specific mortality was much higher in patients with both high p-CXCR4 expression and low plasma SDF-1 levels (HR, 5.96; P < 0.001) than either low plasma SDF-1 (HR, 3.59; P = 0.01) or high p-CXCR4 expression (HR, 3.83; P = 0.005) alone. The added prognostic value of low plasma SDF-1 was only effective in patients with high p-CXCR4 expression, and as such, provides clinical validation for modulation of the metastatic potential of tumor cells by an inherent host-derived metastatic risk factor. PMID:19497995

  19. Mixed germ cells tumour primarily located in the thyroid -- a case report.

    PubMed

    Wierzbicka-Chmiel, Joanna; Chrószcz, Małgorzata; Słomian, Grzegorz; Kajdaniuk, Dariusz; Zajęcki, Wojciech; Borgiel-Marek, Halina; Marek, Bogdan

    2012-01-01

    Germ cells tumours most frequently occur in the gonads. Extragonadal localisation is rare and concerns mainly the mediastinum, retroperitoneum and pineal. We present the first description of a patient with a mixed germ cells tumour located primarily in the thyroid. A 35-year-old man in a good clinical condition was admitted to diagnose metastasis revealed in an X-ray of his lungs. Abnormal laboratory tests showed high concentrations of beta-HCG and LDH. Ultrasound examination revealed: hypoechogenic area 8 × 4 × 5 mm in the left testicle, and enlarged left thyroid lobe with echogenically heterogenous mass. In cytological examination of the thyroid, carcinomatous cells were found, which suggested metastasis. A diagnosis of cancerous spread of testicular cancer to the lungs and thyroid was made. The left testicle, with spermatic cord, was removed, yet in the histopathological examination no carcinomatous cells were found. Rescue chemotherapy, according to the BEP scheme (bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin) was started, but during its course the patient died. Histopathology disclosed primary mixed germ cells tumour in the thyroid, predominantly with carcinoma embryonale and focuses of choriocarcinoma. Extragonadal germ cells tumours rarely occur in the thyroid. In medical literature, some cases of teratomas and a single case of yolk sac tumour in the thyroid have been described. The presence of choriocarcinoma was responsible for the high serum concentration of beta-HCG. Surgery of germ cells tumours proves insufficient. The conventional chemotherapy is based on cisplatin. In conclusion, extragonadal germ cells tumours are rare, but should be considered while co-existing with elevated markers such as: AFP, beta-HCG and lack of abnormalities in the gonads.

  20. Pembrolizumab plus Chemotherapy in Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

    PubMed

    Gandhi, Leena; Rodríguez-Abreu, Delvys; Gadgeel, Shirish; Esteban, Emilio; Felip, Enriqueta; De Angelis, Flávia; Domine, Manuel; Clingan, Philip; Hochmair, Maximilian J; Powell, Steven F; Cheng, Susanna Y-S; Bischoff, Helge G; Peled, Nir; Grossi, Francesco; Jennens, Ross R; Reck, Martin; Hui, Rina; Garon, Edward B; Boyer, Michael; Rubio-Viqueira, Belén; Novello, Silvia; Kurata, Takayasu; Gray, Jhanelle E; Vida, John; Wei, Ziwen; Yang, Jing; Raftopoulos, Harry; Pietanza, M Catherine; Garassino, Marina C

    2018-04-16

    Background First-line therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that lacks targetable mutations is platinum-based chemotherapy. Among patients with a tumor proportion score for programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) of 50% or greater, pembrolizumab has replaced cytotoxic chemotherapy as the first-line treatment of choice. The addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy resulted in significantly higher rates of response and longer progression-free survival than chemotherapy alone in a phase 2 trial. Methods In this double-blind, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned (in a 2:1 ratio) 616 patients with metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC without sensitizing EGFR or ALK mutations who had received no previous treatment for metastatic disease to receive pemetrexed and a platinum-based drug plus either 200 mg of pembrolizumab or placebo every 3 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by pembrolizumab or placebo for up to a total of 35 cycles plus pemetrexed maintenance therapy. Crossover to pembrolizumab monotherapy was permitted among the patients in the placebo-combination group who had verified disease progression. The primary end points were overall survival and progression-free survival, as assessed by blinded, independent central radiologic review. Results After a median follow-up of 10.5 months, the estimated rate of overall survival at 12 months was 69.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64.1 to 73.8) in the pembrolizumab-combination group versus 49.4% (95% CI, 42.1 to 56.2) in the placebo-combination group (hazard ratio for death, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.64; P<0.001). Improvement in overall survival was seen across all PD-L1 categories that were evaluated. Median progression-free survival was 8.8 months (95% CI, 7.6 to 9.2) in the pembrolizumab-combination group and 4.9 months (95% CI, 4.7 to 5.5) in the placebo-combination group (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.64; P<0.001). Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 67.2% of the

  1. Pembrolizumab in the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: a review of current evidence

    PubMed Central

    Rihawi, Karim; Gelsomino, Francesco; Sperandi, Francesca; Melotti, Barbara; Fiorentino, Michelangelo; Casolari, Laura; Ardizzoni, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) are considered one of the most important breakthroughs in cancer treatment of the past decade; notably, different studies of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have reported impressive clinical activity and durable responses in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These findings have led to the changing of the current therapeutic algorithm of advanced NSCLC, adding a new standard first-line treatment option for patients with PD-L1-positive tumors. Pembrolizumab, a highly selective anti-PD-1 humanized monoclonal antibody, was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) in October 2016 for previously untreated metastatic NSCLC patients whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression, tumor proportion score (TPS) ⩾ 50%, as well as for metastatic NSCLC patients whose tumors express PD-L1 with TPS ⩾ 1% progressing on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. However, many issues remain outstanding, mainly regarding the identification of an optimal biomarker which can help selecting patients more likely to respond to ICPIs. In this review, we discuss the clinical results obtained so far with the anti-PD-1 pembrolizumab in advanced NSCLC, commenting on the role of PD-L1 as a predictive factor and providing an update of the future perspectives. PMID:28818019

  2. Pazopanib Inhibits the Activation of PDGFRβ-Expressing Astrocytes in the Brain Metastatic Microenvironment of Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Gril, Brunilde; Palmieri, Diane; Qian, Yongzhen; Anwar, Talha; Liewehr, David J.; Steinberg, Seth M.; Andreu, Zoraida; Masana, Daniel; Fernández, Paloma; Steeg, Patricia S.; Vidal-Vanaclocha, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    Brain metastases occur in more than one-third of metastatic breast cancer patients whose tumors overexpress HER2 or are triple negative. Brain colonization of cancer cells occurs in a unique environment, containing microglia, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neurons. Although a neuroinflammatory response has been documented in brain metastasis, its contribution to cancer progression and therapy remains poorly understood. Using an experimental brain metastasis model, we characterized the brain metastatic microenvironment of brain tropic, HER2-transfected MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells (231-BR-HER2). A previously unidentified subpopulation of metastasis-associated astrocytes expressing phosphorylated platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (at tyrosine 751; p751-PDGFRβ) was identified around perivascular brain micrometastases. p751-PDGFRβ+ astrocytes were also identified in human brain metastases from eight craniotomy specimens and in primary cultures of astrocyte-enriched glial cells. Previously, we reported that pazopanib, a multispecific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, prevented the outgrowth of 231-BR-HER2 large brain metastases by 73%. Here, we evaluated the effect of pazopanib on the brain neuroinflammatory microenvironment. Pazopanib treatment resulted in 70% (P = 0.023) decrease of the p751-PDGFRβ+ astrocyte population, at the lowest dose of 30 mg/kg, twice daily. Collectively, the data identify a subpopulation of activated astrocytes in the subclinical perivascular stage of brain metastases and show that they are inhibitable by pazopanib, suggesting its potential to prevent the development of brain micrometastases in breast cancer patients. PMID:23583652

  3. Locally advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinoma: molecular pathways, treatment options and new targeted therapies.

    PubMed

    Ruiz Salas, Veronica; Alegre, Marta; Garcés, Joan Ramón; Puig, Lluis

    2014-06-01

    The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been identified as important to normal embryonic development in living organisms and it is implicated in processes including cell proliferation, differentiation and tissue patterning. Aberrant Hh pathway has been involved in the pathogenesis and chemotherapy resistance of different solid and hematologic malignancies. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and medulloblastoma are two well-recognized cancers with mutations in components of the Hh pathway. Vismodegib has recently approved as the first inhibitor of one of the components of the Hh pathway (smoothened). This review attempts to provide current data on the molecular pathways involved in the development of BCC and the therapeutic options available for the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic BCC, and the new targeted therapies in development.

  4. The inhibition of 45A ncRNA expression reduces tumor formation, affecting tumor nodules compactness and metastatic potential in neuroblastoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Russo, Debora; Poggi, Alessandro; Villa, Federico; Brizzolara, Antonella; Canale, Claudio; Mescola, Andrea; Daga, Antonio; Russo, Claudio; Nizzari, Mario; Florio, Tullio; Menichini, Paola; Pagano, Aldo

    2017-01-01

    We recently reported the in vitro over-expression of 45A, a RNA polymerase III-transcribed non-coding (nc)RNA, that perturbs the intracellular content of FE65L1 affecting cell proliferation rate, short-term response to genotoxic stress, substrate adhesion capacity and, ultimately, increasing the tumorigenic potential of human neuroblastoma cells. In this work, to deeply explore the mechanism by which 45A ncRNA contributes to cancer development, we targeted in vitro and in vivo 45A levels by the stable overexpression of antisense 45A RNA. 45A downregulation leads to deep modifications of cytoskeleton organization, adhesion and migration of neuroblastoma cells. These effects are correlated with alterations in the expression of several genes including GTSE1 (G2 and S phase-expressed-1), a crucial regulator of tumor cell migration and metastatic potential. Interestingly, the downregulation of 45A ncRNA strongly affects the in vivo tumorigenic potential of SKNBE2 neuroblastoma cells, increasing tumor nodule compactness and reducing GTSE1 protein expression in a subcutaneous neuroblastoma mouse model. Moreover, intracardiac injection of neuroblastoma cells showed that downregulation of 45A ncRNA also influences tumor metastatic ability. In conclusion, our data highlight a key role of 45A ncRNA in cancer development and suggest that its modulation might represent a possible novel anticancer therapeutic approach. PMID:28029658

  5. The inhibition of 45A ncRNA expression reduces tumor formation, affecting tumor nodules compactness and metastatic potential in neuroblastoma cells.

    PubMed

    Penna, Ilaria; Gigoni, Arianna; Costa, Delfina; Vella, Serena; Russo, Debora; Poggi, Alessandro; Villa, Federico; Brizzolara, Antonella; Canale, Claudio; Mescola, Andrea; Daga, Antonio; Russo, Claudio; Nizzari, Mario; Florio, Tullio; Menichini, Paola; Pagano, Aldo

    2017-01-31

    We recently reported the in vitro over-expression of 45A, a RNA polymerase III-transcribed non-coding (nc)RNA, that perturbs the intracellular content of FE65L1 affecting cell proliferation rate, short-term response to genotoxic stress, substrate adhesion capacity and, ultimately, increasing the tumorigenic potential of human neuroblastoma cells. In this work, to deeply explore the mechanism by which 45A ncRNA contributes to cancer development, we targeted in vitro and in vivo 45A levels by the stable overexpression of antisense 45A RNA.45A downregulation leads to deep modifications of cytoskeleton organization, adhesion and migration of neuroblastoma cells. These effects are correlated with alterations in the expression of several genes including GTSE1 (G2 and S phase-expressed-1), a crucial regulator of tumor cell migration and metastatic potential. Interestingly, the downregulation of 45A ncRNA strongly affects the in vivo tumorigenic potential of SKNBE2 neuroblastoma cells, increasing tumor nodule compactness and reducing GTSE1 protein expression in a subcutaneous neuroblastoma mouse model. Moreover, intracardiac injection of neuroblastoma cells showed that downregulation of 45A ncRNA also influences tumor metastatic ability. In conclusion, our data highlight a key role of 45A ncRNA in cancer development and suggest that its modulation might represent a possible novel anticancer therapeutic approach.

  6. Metastatic carcinoma of the breast: a case with the unusual presentation of unilateral periorbital edema.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Shu-Chen; Hsiao, Shih-Chuan; Chiou, Chien-Chun; Chen, Fen-Fen; Huang, Kuo-Chan

    2008-01-01

    Metastasis of mammary cancer involving the orbit is common, and it typically presents with enophthalmos and restrictions of ocular motility. We report a case of mammary cancer with the unusual presentation of unilateral periorbital edema only. The possible mechanisms of unilateral periorbital swelling are discussed. Metastasis of breast cancer involving unilateral eyelid edema was diagnosed in a 66-year-old woman. A biopsy was performed to confirm the etiology after vague neuroimaging findings. The diagnosis was based on the histopathologic features of carcinomatous cells in the excised specimen. Insidious, progressive unilateral upper and lower eyelid swelling of the right eye disappeared after one cycle of palliative chemotherapy. Neither restriction nor proptosis developed in the whole course. Possible metastasis should be considered as a possible etiology of unilateral eyelid edema, even without a palpable mass or limitation of ocular motility. A biopsy should be performed in cases of unexplained eyelid edema.

  7. The biguanides metformin and phenformin inhibit angiogenesis, local and metastatic growth of breast cancer by targeting both neoplastic and microenvironment cells.

    PubMed

    Orecchioni, Stefania; Reggiani, Francesca; Talarico, Giovanna; Mancuso, Patrizia; Calleri, Angelica; Gregato, Giuliana; Labanca, Valentina; Noonan, Douglas M; Dallaglio, Katiuscia; Albini, Adriana; Bertolini, Francesco

    2015-03-15

    The human white adipose tissue (WAT) contains progenitors with cooperative roles in breast cancer (BC) angiogenesis, local and metastatic progression. The biguanide Metformin (Met), commonly used for Type 2 diabetes, might have activity against BC and was found to inhibit angiogenesis in vivo. We studied Met and another biguanide, phenformin (Phe), in vitro and in vivo in BC models. In vitro, biguanides activated AMPK, inhibited Complex 1 of the respiratory chain and induced apoptosis of BC and WAT endothelial cells. In coculture, biguanides inhibited the production of several angiogenic proteins. In vivo, biguanides inhibited local and metastatic growth of triple negative and HER2+ BC in immune-competent and immune-deficient mice orthotopically injected with BC. Biguanides inhibited local and metastatic BC growth in a genetically engineered murine model model of HER2+ BC. In vivo, biguanides increased pimonidazole binding (but not HIF-1 expression) of WAT progenitors, reduced tumor microvessel density and altered the vascular pericyte/endothelial cell ratio, so that cancer vessels displayed a dysplastic phenotype. Phe was significantly more active than Met both in vitro and in vivo. Considering their safety profile, biguanides deserve to be further investigated for BC prevention in high-risk subjects, in combination with chemo and/or targeted therapy and/or as post-therapy consolidation or maintenance therapy for the prevention of BC recurrence. © 2014 UICC.

  8. Maraba MG1 Virus Enhances Natural Killer Cell Function via Conventional Dendritic Cells to Reduce Postoperative Metastatic Disease

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jiqing; Tai, Lee-Hwa; Ilkow, Carolina S; Alkayyal, Almohanad A; Ananth, Abhirami A; de Souza, Christiano Tanese; Wang, Jiahu; Sahi, Shalini; Ly, Lundi; Lefebvre, Charles; Falls, Theresa J; Stephenson, Kyle B; Mahmoud, Ahmad B; Makrigiannis, Andrew P; Lichty, Brian D; Bell, John C; Stojdl, David F; Auer, Rebecca C

    2014-01-01

    This study characterizes the ability of novel oncolytic rhabdoviruses (Maraba MG1) to boost natural killer (NK) cell activity. Our results demonstrate that MG1 activates NK cells via direct infection and maturation of conventional dendritic cells. Using NK depletion and conventional dendritic cells ablation studies in vivo, we established that both are required for MG1 efficacy. We further explored the efficacy of attenuated MG1 (nonreplicating MG1-UV2min and single-cycle replicating MG1-Gless) and demonstrated that these viruses activate conventional dendritic cells, although to a lesser extent than live MG1. This translates to equivalent abilities to remove tumor metastases only at the highest viral doses of attenuated MG1. In tandem, we characterized the antitumor ability of NK cells following preoperative administration of live and attenuated MG1. Our results demonstrates that a similar level of NK activation and reduction in postoperative tumor metastases was achieved with equivalent high viral doses concluding that viral replication is important, but not necessary for NK activation. Biochemical characterization of a panel of UV-inactivated MG1 (2–120 minutes) revealed that intact viral particle and target cell recognition are essential for NK cell–mediated antitumor responses. These findings provide mechanistic insight and preclinical rationale for safe perioperative virotherapy to effectively reduce metastatic disease following cancer surgery. PMID:24695102

  9. Uveitis induced by programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor therapy with nivolumab in metastatic melanoma patient.

    PubMed

    Kanno, Hiroaki; Ishida, Kyoko; Yamada, Wataru; Nishida, Takashi; Takahashi, Nobumichi; Mochizuki, Kiyofumi; Mizuno, Yuki; Matsuyama, Kanako; Takahashi, Tomoko; Seishima, Mariko

    2017-11-01

    Nivolumab, a new immune checkpoint inhibitor, binds to programmed cell death-protein 1 receptors on T cell, blockades binding of its ligands, and augments the immunologic reaction against tumor cells. Augmented immune response, however, may lead to immune-related adverse events. Herein we describe a rare case of bilateral anterior uveitis induced by nivolumab treatment for metastatic melanoma. A 54-year-old woman presented with mild conjunctival redness and blurred vision two months after initiating nivolumab treatment. Ophthalmological examination revealed bilateral non-granulomatous anterior uveitis. The flare values in the anterior chamber were monitored as an objective inflammatory index during nivolumab therapy and clinical time course was reported in this paper. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Lysosomal degradation of CD44 mediates ceramide nanoliposome-induced anoikis and diminished extravasation in metastatic carcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Haakenson, Jeremy K; Khokhlatchev, Andrei V; Choi, Younhee J; Linton, Samuel S; Zhang, Pu; Zaki, Peter M; Fu, Changliang; Cooper, Timothy K; Manni, Andrea; Zhu, Junjia; Fox, Todd E; Dong, Cheng; Kester, Mark

    2015-03-27

    The ceramide nanoliposome (CNL) has shown promise in being able to treat a variety of primary tumors. However, its potential for treating metastatic cancer remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that CNL increases anoikis while preventing cancer cell extravasation under both static and physiological fluid flow conditions. Mechanistically, CNL limits metastases by decreasing CD44 protein levels in human breast and pancreatic cancer cells via lysosomal degradation of CD44, independent of palmitoylation or proteasome targeting. siRNA down-regulation of CD44 mimics CNL-induced anoikis and diminished extravasation of cancer cells. Taken together, our data indicate that ceramide limits CD44-dependent cancer cell migration, suggesting that CNL could be used to prevent and treat solid tumor metastasis. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  11. Metastatic squamous cell non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): disrupting the drug treatment paradigm with immunotherapies.

    PubMed

    Scarpace, Sarah L

    2015-01-01

    Lung cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Unlike non-squamous NSCLC, squamous NSCLC rarely harbor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations for which there are directed therapies, and until the recent approval of immunotherapies for squamous NSCLC, a limited number of traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs have been FDA-approved for use in the treatment of advanced and metastatic squamous NSCLC. Immunotherapies directed at the programmed cell death-1 receptor (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1) (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have demonstrated efficacy in both nonsquamous and squamous cell NSCLC. Because of their similar mechanism of action against the PD-L1/PD-1 pathway, both drugs have similar toxicity profiles related to immune-mediated adverse reactions that can generally be monitored and managed with oral corticosteroids. This paper provides an overview of drug therapy options for squamous cell NSCLC with a focus on the evidence and clinical application of the anti-PD1 therapies. A comparison of the dosing, administration, indications, and differences in the measurement of PD-L1 expression in the clinical trials of nivolumab and pembrolizumab is also provided.

  12. The utility and limitation of thyroid transcription factor-1 protein in primary and metastatic pulmonary neoplasms.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yih-Leong; Lee, Yung-Chie; Liao, Wei-Yu; Wu, Chen-Tu

    2004-05-01

    Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is a tissue-specific transcription factor expressed in the thyroid and lung. The clinical utility and limitation of TTF-1 in primary or metastatic carcinomas of the lung have not been previously studied in detail. We examined TTF-1 expression in 510 primary lung and 107 metastatic neoplasms. TTF-1 was detectable in 4/99 (4%) squamous cell carcinomas, 169/176 (96%) solitary adenocarcinomas, 34/34 (100%) multifocal adenocarcinomas, 1/1 (100%) signet ring cell carcinoma, 16/20 (80%) mucinous adenocarcinomas, 23/23 (100%) nonmucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinomas, 19/36 (53%) small cell carcinomas, and 39/44 (89%) sclerosing hemangioma. TTF-1 was absent in all eight carcinoids, three atypical carcinoids, 23 pleomorphic carcinomas, 25 lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas, the sarcomatous component of one pseudomesotheliomatous carcinoma, and one mesothelioma. In four combined small cell carcinomas and 12 adenosquamous carcinomas, TTF-1 expression was only demonstrated in the adenocarcinoma component. There were 78 TTF-1 non-immunoreactive metastatic cases from 22 livers, 20 colorectums, 10 breasts, six nasopharynx, four larynx, four ovaries, three salivary glands, three esophagus, two adrenal glands, two kidneys, one bile duct, and one endometrium. TTF-1 was also detected in all 10 cervical lymph nodes, seven brain, and 6/7 (86%) bony tissues of 24 patients with metastatic carcinomas of unknown primary site, but it was absent in 125 patients with metastatic carcinomas other than lung origin in cervical lymph nodes, brain, and bony tissues. These results indicate the clinical usefulness and limitation in certain primary and metastatic lung neoplasms.

  13. Glutamine synthetase, heat shock protein-70, and glypican-3 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and tumors metastatic to liver.

    PubMed

    Lagana, Stephen M; Moreira, Roger K; Remotti, Helen E; Bao, Fei

    2013-05-01

    Glutamine synthetase (GS), heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70), and glypican-3 (GPC-3) are markers best characterized in hepatocellular lesions, where they are useful in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma from dysplastic nodules. Their staining patterns in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IH-ChCa) and metastatic tumors in liver are not well described. Tissue microarrays containing 41 IH-ChCa and 24 metastatic tumors in liver were stained with commercially available antibodies to GS, HSP-70, and GPC-3. Five percent staining of tumor cells was considered positive for HSP-70 and GPC-3. For GS, 50% was the cut-off. GS reactivity was present in 31 of 41 IH-ChCa (76%), with the median amount of staining being 65% of tumor cells. HSP-70 reactivity was present in 36 of 41 IH-ChCa (88%) with the median amount of staining being 75% of tumor cells. GPC-3 reactivity was absent from all IH-ChCa. Twenty-seven of 41 IH-ChCa cases were positive for both GS and HSP-70 (66%). GS reactivity was present in 17 of 24 tumors metastatic to liver (71%), with the median amount of staining being 50% of tumor cells. HSP-70 reactivity was present in 21 of 24 tumors metastatic to liver (88%) with the median amount of staining being 80% of tumor cells. GPC-3 reactivity was present in 2 of 24 tumors metastatic to liver (8%) with one showing 5% staining and the other showing 50% staining of tumor cells. Fifteen of 24 cases were positive for both GS and HSP-70 (63%), and 2 cases were positive for all 3 markers (8%). Of the panel of immunostains currently commonly used to distinguish hepatocellular carcinoma from dysplastic hepatocytic nodules, only GPC-3 did not react frequently with metastatic tumors and IH-ChCa, although there was staining in 2 metastatic tumors. GS and HSP-70 are typically positive in IH-ChCa and metastatic tumors. Nothing should be inferred about the histogenesis of a tumor based on positive staining with either of these 2 markers, which currently have no role in tumor of

  14. IFN-α potentiates the direct and immune-mediated antitumor effects of epigenetic drugs on both metastatic and stem cells of colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Buoncervello, Maria; Romagnoli, Giulia; Buccarelli, Mariachiara; Fragale, Alessandra; Toschi, Elena; Parlato, Stefania; Lucchetti, Donatella; Macchia, Daniele; Spada, Massimo; Canini, Irene; Sanchez, Massimo; Falchi, Mario; Musella, Martina; Biffoni, Mauro; Belardelli, Filippo; Capone, Imerio; Sgambato, Alessandro; Vitiani, Lucia Ricci; Gabriele, Lucia

    2016-05-03

    Epigenetic alterations, including dysregulated DNA methylation and histone modifications, govern the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Cancer cells exploit epigenetic regulation to control cellular pathways, including apoptotic and metastatic signals. Since aberrations in epigenome can be pharmacologically reversed by DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors, epigenetics in combination with standard agents are currently envisaged as a new therapeutic frontier in cancer, expected to overcome drug resistance associated with current treatments. In this study, we challenged this idea and demonstrated that the combination of azacitidine and romidepsin with IFN-α owns a high therapeutic potential, targeting the most aggressive cellular components of CRC, such as metastatic cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs), via tight control of key survival and death pathways. Moreover, the antitumor efficacy of this novel pharmacological approach is associated with induction of signals of immunogenic cell death. Of note, a previously undisclosed key role of IFN-α in inducing both antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on CSCs of CRC was also found. Overall, these findings open a new frontier on the suitability of IFN-α in association with epigenetics as a novel and promising therapeutic approach for CRC management.

  15. IFN-α potentiates the direct and immune-mediated antitumor effects of epigenetic drugs on both metastatic and stem cells of colorectal cancer

    PubMed Central

    Buoncervello, Maria; Fragale, Alessandra; Toschi, Elena; Parlato, Stefania; Lucchetti, Donatella; Macchia, Daniele; Spada, Massimo; Canini, Irene; Sanchez, Massimo; Falchi, Mario; Musella, Martina; Biffoni, Mauro; Belardelli, Filippo; Capone, Imerio; Sgambato, Alessandro; Vitiani, Lucia Ricci; Gabriele, Lucia

    2016-01-01

    Epigenetic alterations, including dysregulated DNA methylation and histone modifications, govern the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Cancer cells exploit epigenetic regulation to control cellular pathways, including apoptotic and metastatic signals. Since aberrations in epigenome can be pharmacologically reversed by DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors, epigenetics in combination with standard agents are currently envisaged as a new therapeutic frontier in cancer, expected to overcome drug resistance associated with current treatments. In this study, we challenged this idea and demonstrated that the combination of azacitidine and romidepsin with IFN-α owns a high therapeutic potential, targeting the most aggressive cellular components of CRC, such as metastatic cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs), via tight control of key survival and death pathways. Moreover, the antitumor efficacy of this novel pharmacological approach is associated with induction of signals of immunogenic cell death. Of note, a previously undisclosed key role of IFN-α in inducing both antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on CSCs of CRC was also found. Overall, these findings open a new frontier on the suitability of IFN-α in association with epigenetics as a novel and promising therapeutic approach for CRC management. PMID:27028869

  16. Alternative therapies for metastatic breast cancer: multimodal approach targeting tumor cell heterogeneity.

    PubMed

    Sambi, Manpreet; Haq, Sabah; Samuel, Vanessa; Qorri, Bessi; Haxho, Fiona; Hill, Kelli; Harless, William; Szewczuk, Myron R

    2017-01-01

    One of the primary challenges in developing effective therapies for malignant tumors is the specific targeting of a heterogeneous cancer cell population within the tumor. The cancerous tumor is made up of a variety of distinct cells with specialized receptors and proteins that could potentially be viable targets for drugs. In addition, the diverse signals from the local microenvironment may also contribute to the induction of tumor growth and metastasis. Collectively, these factors must be strategically studied and targeted in order to develop an effective treatment protocol. Targeted multimodal approaches need to be strategically studied in order to develop a treatment protocol that is successful in controlling tumor growth and preventing metastatic burden. Breast cancer, in particular, presents a unique problem because of the variety of subtypes of cancer that can arise and the multiple drug targets that could be exploited. For example, the tumor stage and subtypes often dictate the appropriate treatment regimen. Alternate multimodal therapies should consider the importance of time-dependent drug administration, as well as targeting the local and systemic tumor environment. Many reviews and papers have briefly touched on the clinical implications of this cellular heterogeneity; however, there has been very little discussion on the development of study models that reflect this diversity and on multimodal therapies that could target these subpopulations. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the origins of intratumoral heterogeneity in breast cancer subtypes, and its implications for tumor progression, metastatic potential, and treatment regimens. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing specific breast cancer models for research, including in vitro monolayer systems and three-dimensional mammospheres, as well as in vivo murine models that may have the capacity to encompass this heterogeneity. Lastly, we summarize some of the current

  17. Glyphosate Vedotin for Treatment of Bone Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-07-01

    eventual death. However, there is no effective treatment available for bone metastatic CRPC. In this project, we propose to create a new drug and test...its selective anti-cancer effects in the cultured prostate cancer cell lines (Specific Aim 1) and in the bone tumor animal models that mimic human...prostate cancer patients. However, there is no effective treatment available for bone metastatic CRPC. The existing FDA-approved therapies only extend

  18. Metastatic signet-ring cell cancer of the bladder responding to chemotherapy with capecitabine: case report and review of literature

    PubMed Central

    Michels, Jorg; Barbour, Sean; Cavers, Douglas; Chi, Kim N.

    2010-01-01

    Signet-ring cell cancers deriving from the bladder are rare entities and usually present with advanced incurable disease and associated poor outlook. No standard effective chemotherapeutic option has been described largely due to the rarity of this malignancy. We report a case of a patient with metastatic bladder cancer, signet-ring cell variant. The patient progressed rapidly on standard first-line bladder cancer chemotherapy with gemcitabine and carboplatin. He responded well to second-line capecitabine with a clinically meaningful progression-free survival. PMID:20368884

  19. Differential membranous E-cadherin expression, cell proliferation and O-GlcNAcylation between primary and metastatic nodal lesion in colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Jang, Tae Jung

    2016-02-01

    O-GlcNAcylation is an O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) moiety linked to the side chain hydroxyl of a serine or threonine residue. The E-cadherin/β-catenin system, an integral component of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)/mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET), is affected through O-GlcNAcylation. The current study examined the status of EMT/MET in both the tumor center and invasive front of the primary colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and metastatic nodal lesions, which were compared to O-GlcNAcylation expression levels in those areas. In addition, the cliniopathological significance of O-GlcNAcylation was studied Immunohistochemical staining for E-cadherin, β-catenin, Snail, O-GlcNAc and Ki67 was performed in 40 primary CRC tissues, 40 nonneoplastic colons, and 17 nodal metastatic lesions. Western blot was also conducted in primary CRC tissue Membranous E-cadherin expression was lowest in the invasive front, but showed greater increases in metastatic nodal lesions. Moreover, its expression level was negatively correlated with that of nuclear β-catenin and Snail. The Ki67 labeling index (LI) was lowest in the invasive front, and increased in metastatic nodal lesions. Primary CRC showed higher expression of O-GlcNAcylation and O-GlcNAc-transferase (OGT) than nonneoplastic colons. O-GlcNAcylation expression decreased in metastatic nodal lesions compared to the invasive front and tumor center, and was inversely correlated with Ki67 LI. However, O-GlcNAcylation expression was only slightly changed between tumor center and invasive front. In addition, there was no correlation between its expression and the level of nuclear β-catenin, membranous E-cadherin and Snail. No significant relationship was observed between O-GlcNAcylation level and cliniopathological parameters. Differential membranous E-cadherin expression, cell proliferation and O-GlcNAcylation in metastatic nodal lesion compared to primary CRC may play role in establishing its lesions

  20. Increase of regulatory T cells in metastatic stage and CTLA-4 over expression in lymphocytes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

    PubMed

    Erfani, Nasrollah; Mehrabadi, Shayesteh Mofakhami; Ghayumi, Mohammad Ali; Haghshenas, Mohammad Reza; Mojtahedi, Zahra; Ghaderi, Abbas; Amani, Davar

    2012-08-01

    We hypothesized that the increased percentages of Regulatory T (Treg) cells, as well as over expression of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) by lymphocyte subsets might be associated with lung cancer. Accordingly, peripheral blood of 23 new cases with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 16 healthy volunteers were investigated, by follow cytometry, for the prevalence of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg cells as well as surface (sur-) and intracellular (In-) expression of CTLA-4 by the main lymphocyte subsets (CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+). Results indicated that NSCLC patients had an increased percentage of Treg cells than controls (7.9±4.1 versus 3.8±1.8, P=0.001). The proportion of Treg cells was observed to be increased by stage increase in patients (stage II=5.2±2.4, stage III=7.9±4.4, stage IV=12.0±2.2), and also significantly higher in metastatic than non-metastatic stages (12.0±2.2 versus 6.8±3.9, P=0.023). Increase of SurCTLA-4- as well as InCTLA-4-expressing lymphocytes in patients were observed in nearly all investigated subsets, but significant differences between patients and controls were observed about InCTLA-4+CD4+ lymphocytes (8.6±7.1 and 3.8±5.3 respectively, P=0.006) as well as SurCTLA-4+CD8+ lymphocytes (0.3±0.2 and 0.2±0.1 respectively, P=0.047). In conclusion, the results suggest that immunotherapy regimen targeting CTLA-4 and Treg cells might be beneficial in lung cancer patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Metastatic melanoma cells escape from immunosurveillance through the novel mechanism of releasing nitric oxide to induce dysfunction of immunocytes.

    PubMed

    Zhang, X M; Xu, Q

    2001-12-01

    Nitric oxide (NO) is known to facilitate tumour metastasis through the promotion of angiogenesis, vascular dilation, platelet aggregation, etc. In the present study we explored its novel role in producing dysfunction of the host immune system in the metastasis of murine metastatic melanoma B16-BL6 cells. A significant reduction in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was observed in the spleen cells from B16-BL6-bearing mice, but not in those from mice bearing the parent cell B16. When B16-BL6 cells were added in vitro to the MLR, a significant decrease was also found, even when they were co-cultured with the lymphocytes in two compartments of a Transwell chamber separated by an 8.0 microm filter. The supernatant from cultured B16-BL6 but not B16 cells, which had a greatly increased NO activity, significantly inhibited concanavalin A- and lipopolysaccharide-induced lymphocyte proliferation. A remarkably higher expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) was detected in B16-BL6 cells than in B16 cells. Nomega-Nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA), a NO synthase inhibitor and superoxide dismutase, significantly antagonized the above inhibition by B16-BL6 cells, while l-arginine, a NO precursor, and S-nitroso-N-acetyl-d,l-penicillamine, a NO donor, strengthened the inhibition. Furthermore, l-NNA significantly inhibited lung metastasis of B16-BL6 cells, while l-arginine tended to enhance the metastasis. The cytotoxicity of B16-BL6-specific T-cells was significantly decreased by pre-culture with B16-BL6 cells in a Transwell chamber or the culture supernatants of B16-BL6 cells, whereas l-iminoethyl-lysine, a selective inhibitor of iNOS, showed a significant recovery from the disease. These results suggest that NO released by metastatic tumour cells may impair the immune system, which facilitates the escape from immunosurveillance and metastasis of tumour cells.

  2. Using Interferon Alfa Before Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors May Increase Survival in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Turkish Oncology Group (TOG) Study.

    PubMed

    Artaç, Mehmet; Çoşkun, Hasan Şenol; Korkmaz, Levent; Koçer, Murat; Turhal, Nazım Serdar; Engin, Hüseyin; Dede, İsa; Paydaş, Semra; Öksüzoğlu, Berna; Bozcuk, Hakan; Demirkazık, Ahmet

    2016-08-01

    We aimed to investigate the outcomes of interferon alfa and sequencing tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This multicenter study assessing the efficacy of TKIs after interferon alfa therapy in the first-line setting in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Patients (n = 104) from 8 centers in Turkey, who had been treated with interferon alfa in the first-line setting, were included in the study. Prognostic factors were evaluated for progression-free survival (PFS). The median age of the patients was 57 years. The median PFS of the patients treated with interferon alfa in the first-line was 3.6 months. A total of 61 patients received TKIs (sunitinib, n = 58; sorafenib, n = 3) after progression while on interferon alfa. The median PFS among the TKI-treated patients was 13.2 months. In the univariate analysis for interferon alfa treatment, neutrophil and hemoglobin level, platelet count, and Karnofsky performance status were the significant factors associated with PFS. In the univariate analysis for TKI treatment, neutrophil and hemoglobin levels were the significant factors for PFS. The median total PFS of the patients who had been treated with first-line interferon alfa and second-line TKIs was 24.9 months. This study showed that first-line interferon alfa treatment before TKIs may improve the total PFS in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy change vessel tree geometry and metastatic spread in a small cell lung cancer xenograft mouse tumor model

    PubMed Central

    Bethge, Anja; Schumacher, Udo

    2017-01-01

    Background Tumor vasculature is critical for tumor growth, formation of distant metastases and efficiency of radio- and chemotherapy treatments. However, how the vasculature itself is affected during cancer treatment regarding to the metastatic behavior has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the influence of hypofractionated radiotherapy and cisplatin chemotherapy on vessel tree geometry and metastasis formation in a small cell lung cancer xenograft mouse tumor model to investigate the spread of malignant cells during different treatments modalities. Methods The biological data gained during these experiments were fed into our previously developed computer model “Cancer and Treatment Simulation Tool” (CaTSiT) to model the growth of the primary tumor, its metastatic deposit and also the influence on different therapies. Furthermore, we performed quantitative histology analyses to verify our predictions in xenograft mouse tumor model. Results According to the computer simulation the number of cells engrafting must vary considerably to explain the different weights of the primary tumor at the end of the experiment. Once a primary tumor is established, the fractal dimension of its vasculature correlates with the tumor size. Furthermore, the fractal dimension of the tumor vasculature changes during treatment, indicating that the therapy affects the blood vessels’ geometry. We corroborated these findings with a quantitative histological analysis showing that the blood vessel density is depleted during radiotherapy and cisplatin chemotherapy. The CaTSiT computer model reveals that chemotherapy influences the tumor’s therapeutic susceptibility and its metastatic spreading behavior. Conclusion Using a system biological approach in combination with xenograft models and computer simulations revealed that the usage of chemotherapy and radiation therapy determines the spreading behavior by changing the blood vessel geometry

  4. Veliparib, Capecitabine, and Temozolomide in Patients With Advanced, Metastatic, and Recurrent Neuroendocrine Tumor

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-09-26

    Functional Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor; Malignant Somatostatinoma; Merkel Cell Carcinoma; Metastatic Adrenal Gland Pheochromocytoma; Metastatic Carcinoid Tumor; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2A; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2B; Neuroendocrine Neoplasm; Non-Functional Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor; Pancreatic Glucagonoma; Pancreatic Insulinoma; Recurrent Adrenal Cortex Carcinoma; Recurrent Adrenal Gland Pheochromocytoma; Recurrent Merkel Cell Carcinoma; Somatostatin-Producing Neuroendocrine Tumor; Stage III Adrenal Cortex Carcinoma; Stage III Thyroid Gland Medullary Carcinoma; Stage IIIA Merkel Cell Carcinoma; Stage IIIB Merkel Cell Carcinoma; Stage IV Adrenal Cortex Carcinoma; Stage IV Merkel Cell Carcinoma; Stage IVA Thyroid Gland Medullary Carcinoma; Stage IVB Thyroid Gland Medullary Carcinoma; Stage IVC Thyroid Gland Medullary Carcinoma; Thymic Carcinoid Tumor; VIP-Producing Neuroendocrine Tumor; Well Differentiated Adrenal Cortex Carcinoma; Zollinger Ellison Syndrome

  5. Pim Kinases Promote Migration and Metastatic Growth of Prostate Cancer Xenografts

    PubMed Central

    Santio, Niina M.; Eerola, Sini K.; Paatero, Ilkka; Yli-Kauhaluoma, Jari; Anizon, Fabrice; Moreau, Pascale; Tuomela, Johanna; Härkönen, Pirkko; Koskinen, Päivi J.

    2015-01-01

    Background and methods Pim family proteins are oncogenic kinases implicated in several types of cancer and involved in regulation of cell proliferation, survival as well as motility. Here we have investigated the ability of Pim kinases to promote metastatic growth of prostate cancer cells in two xenograft models for human prostate cancer. We have also evaluated the efficacy of Pim-selective inhibitors to antagonize these effects. Results We show here that tumorigenic growth of both subcutaneously and orthotopically inoculated prostate cancer xenografts is enhanced by stable overexpression of either Pim-1 or Pim-3. Moreover, Pim-overexpressing orthotopic prostate tumors are highly invasive and able to migrate not only to the nearby prostate-draining lymph nodes, but also into the lungs to form metastases. When the xenografted mice are daily treated with the Pim-selective inhibitor DHPCC-9, both the volumes as well as the metastatic capacity of the tumors are drastically decreased. Interestingly, the Pim-promoted metastatic growth of the orthotopic xenografts is associated with enhanced angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Furthermore, forced Pim expression also increases phosphorylation of the CXCR4 chemokine receptor, which may enable the tumor cells to migrate towards tissues such as the lungs that express the CXCL12 chemokine ligand. Conclusions Our results indicate that Pim overexpression enhances the invasive properties of prostate cancer cells in vivo. These effects can be reduced by the Pim-selective inhibitor DHPCC-9, which can reach tumor tissues without serious side effects. Thus, Pim-targeting therapies with DHPCC-9-like compounds may help to prevent progression of local prostate carcinomas to fatally metastatic malignancies. PMID:26075720

  6. Extracellular and Intracellular Mechanisms Mediating Metastatic Activity of Exogenous Osteopontin

    PubMed Central

    Mandelin, Jami; Lin, Emme C. K.; Hu, Dana D.; Knowles, Susan K.; Do, Kim-Anh; Wang, Xuemei; Sage, E. Helene; Smith, Jeffrey W.; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND Osteopontin affects several steps of the metastatic cascade. Despite direct correlation with metastasis in experimental systems and in patient studies, the extracellular and intracellular basis for these observations remains unsolved. We used human melanoma and sarcoma cell lines to evaluate the effects of soluble osteopontin on metastasis. METHODS Exogenous osteopontin or negative controls, including a site-directed mutant osteopontin, were used in functional assays in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo designed to test extracellular and intracellular mechanisms involved in experimental metastasis. RESULTS In the extracellular environment, we confirm that soluble osteopontin is required for its pro-metastatic effects; this phenomenon is specific, RGD-dependent, and evident in experimental models of metastasis. In the intracellular environment, osteopontin initially induces rapid Tyr-418 dephosphorylation of c-Src, with decreases in actin stress fibers and increased binding to the vascular endothelium. This heretofore undescribed Tyr dephosphorylation is followed by a tandem c-Src phosphorylation after tumor cell attachment to the metastatic site. CONCLUSION Our results reveal a complex molecular interaction as well as a dual role for osteopontin in metastasis that is dependent on whether tumor cells are in circulation or attached. Such context-dependent functional insights may contribute to anti-metastasis strategies. PMID:19224553

  7. Validation of the International Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) prognostic model for first-line pazopanib in metastatic renal carcinoma: the Spanish Oncologic Genitourinary Group (SOGUG) SPAZO study.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Valderrama, B; Arranz Arija, J A; Rodríguez Sánchez, A; Pinto Marín, A; Borrega García, P; Castellano Gaunas, D E; Rubio Romero, G; Maximiano Alonso, C; Villa Guzmán, J C; Puertas Álvarez, J L; Chirivella González, I; Méndez Vidal, M J; Juan Fita, M J; León-Mateos, L; Lázaro Quintela, M; García Domínguez, R; Jurado García, J M; Vélez de Mendizábal, E; Lambea Sorrosal, J J; García Carbonero, I; González del Alba, A; Suárez Rodríguez, C; Jiménez Gallego, P; Meana García, J A; García Marrero, R D; Gajate Borau, P; Santander Lobera, C; Molins Palau, C; López Brea, M; Fernández Parra, E M; Reig Torras, O; Basterretxea Badiola, L; Vázquez Estévez, S; González Larriba, J L

    2016-04-01

    Patients with metastatic renal carcinoma (mRCC) treated with first-line pazopanib were not included in the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) prognostic model. SPAZO (NCT02282579) was a nation-wide retrospective observational study designed to assess the effectiveness and validate the IMDC prognostic model in patients treated with first-line pazopanib in clinical practice. Data of 278 patients, treated with first-line pazopanib for mRCC in 34 centres in Spain, were locally recorded and externally validated. Mean age was 66 years, there were 68.3% male, 93.5% clear-cell type, 74.8% nephrectomized, and 81.3% had ECOG 0-1. Metastatic sites were: lung 70.9%, lymph node 43.9%, bone 26.3%, soft tissue/skin 20.1%, liver 15.1%, CNS 7.2%, adrenal gland 6.5%, pleura/peritoneum 5.8%, pancreas 5%, and kidney 2.2%. After median follow-up of 23 months, 76.4% had discontinued pazopanib (57.2% due to progression), 47.9% had received second-line targeted therapy, and 48.9% had died. According to IMDC prognostic model, 19.4% had favourable risk (FR), 57.2% intermediate risk (IR), and 23.4% poor risk (PR). No unexpected toxicities were recorded. Response rate was 30.3% (FR: 44%, IR: 30% PR: 17.3%). Median progression-free survival (whole population) was 11 months (32 in FR, 11 in IR, 4 in PR). Median and 2-year overall survival (whole population) were 22 months and 48.1%, respectively (FR: not reached and 81.6%, IR: 22 and 48.7%, PR: 7 and 18.8%). These estimations and their 95% confidence intervals are fully consistent with the outcomes predicted by the IMDC prognostic model. Our results validate the IMDC model for first-line pazopanib in mRCC and confirm the effectiveness and safety of this treatment. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Expression Profiling of Primary and Metastatic Ovarian Tumors Reveals Differences Indicative of Aggressive Disease

    PubMed Central

    Brodsky, Alexander S.; Fischer, Andrew; Miller, Daniel H.; Vang, Souriya; MacLaughlan, Shannon; Wu, Hsin-Ta; Yu, Jovian; Steinhoff, Margaret; Collins, Colin; Smith, Peter J. S.; Raphael, Benjamin J.; Brard, Laurent

    2014-01-01

    The behavior and genetics of serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) metastasis, the form of the disease lethal to patients, is poorly understood. The unique properties of metastases are critical to understand to improve treatments of the disease that remains in patients after debulking surgery. We sought to identify the genetic and phenotypic landscape of metastatic progression of EOC to understand how metastases compare to primary tumors. DNA copy number and mRNA expression differences between matched primary human tumors and omental metastases, collected at the same time during debulking surgery before chemotherapy, were measured using microarrays. qPCR and immunohistochemistry validated findings. Pathway analysis of mRNA expression revealed metastatic cancer cells are more proliferative and less apoptotic than primary tumors, perhaps explaining the aggressive nature of these lesions. Most cases had copy number aberrations (CNAs) that differed between primary and metastatic tumors, but we did not detect CNAs that are recurrent across cases. A six gene expression signature distinguishes primary from metastatic tumors and predicts overall survival in independent datasets. The genetic differences between primary and metastatic tumors, yet common expression changes, suggest that the major clone in metastases is not the same as in primary tumors, but the cancer cells adapt to the omentum similarly. Together, these data highlight how ovarian tumors develop into a distinct, more aggressive metastatic state that should be considered for therapy development. PMID:24732363

  9. Overall Survival of Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated with Nimotuzumab in the Real World.

    PubMed

    Saumell, Yaimarelis; Sanchez, Lizet; González, Sandra; Ortiz, Ramón; Medina, Edadny; Galán, Yaima; Lage, Agustin

    2017-12-01

    Despite improvements in surgical techniques and treatments introduced into clinical practice, the overall survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remains low. Several epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors are being evaluated in the context of clinical trials, but there is little evidence of effectiveness in real-world conditions. This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of nimotuzumab combined with onco-specific treatment in Cuban real-life patients with locally advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. A comparative and retrospective effectiveness study was performed. The 93 patients treated with nimotuzumab were matched, with use of propensity score matching, with patients who received a diagnosis of locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in three Cuban provinces reported between 2011 and 2015 to the National Cancer Registry. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate event-time distributions. Log-rank statistics were used for comparisons of overall survival between groups. A two-component mixture model assuming a Weibull distribution was fitted to assess the effect of nimotuzumab on short-term and long-term survival populations. There was an increase in median overall survival in patients treated with nimotuzumab (11.9 months versus 6.5 months without treatment) and an increase in the 1-year survival rate (54.0% versus 21.9% without treatment). The 2-year survival rates were 21.1% for patients treated with nimotuzumab and 0% in the untreated cohort. There were statistically significant differences in survival between groups treated and not treated with nimotuzumab, both in the short-term survival population (6.0 months vs 4.0 months, p = 0.009) and in the long-term survival population (18.0 months vs 11.0 months, p = 0.001). Our study shows that nimotuzumab treatment concurrent with chemoradiotherapy increases the survival of real-world patients with locally advanced

  10. Human brain metastatic stroma attracts breast cancer cells via chemokines CXCL16 and CXCL12.

    PubMed

    Chung, Brile; Esmaeili, Ali A; Gopalakrishna-Pillai, Sailesh; Murad, John P; Andersen, Emily S; Kumar Reddy, Naveen; Srinivasan, Gayathri; Armstrong, Brian; Chu, Caleb; Kim, Young; Tong, Tommy; Waisman, James; Yim, John H; Badie, Behnam; Lee, Peter P

    2017-01-01

    The tumor microenvironment is composed of heterogeneous populations of cells, including cancer, immune, and stromal cells. Progression of tumor growth and initiation of metastasis is critically dependent on the reciprocal interactions between cancer cells and stroma. Through RNA-Seq and protein analyses, we found that cancer-associated fibroblasts derived from human breast cancer brain metastasis express significantly higher levels of chemokines CXCL12 and CXCL16 than fibroblasts from primary breast tumors or normal breast. To further understand the interplay between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts from each site, we developed three-dimensional organoids composed of patient-derived primary or brain metastasis cancer cells with matching cancer-associated fibroblasts. Three-dimensional CAF aggregates generated from brain metastasis promote migration of cancer cells more effectively than cancer-associated fibroblast aggregates derived from primary tumor or normal breast stromal cells. Treatment with a CXCR4 antagonist and/or CXCL16 neutralizing antibody, alone or in combination, significantly inhibited migration of cancer cells to brain metastatic cancer-associated fibroblast aggregates. These results demonstrate that human brain metastasis cancer-associated fibroblasts potently attract breast cancer cells via chemokines CXCL12 and CXCL16, and blocking CXCR6-CXCL16/CXCR4-CXCL12 receptor-ligand interactions may be an effective therapy for preventing breast cancer brain metastasis.

  11. The Refusal of Palliative Radiation in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Its Prognostic Implications.

    PubMed

    Stavas, Mark J; Arneson, Kyle O; Ning, Matthew S; Attia, Albert A; Phillips, Sharon E; Perkins, Stephanie M; Shinohara, Eric T

    2015-06-01

    Patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have limited survival. Population studies have evaluated the impact of radiation refusal in the curative setting; however, no data exist concerning the prognostic impact of radiation refusal in the palliative care setting. To investigate the patterns of radiation refusal in newly diagnosed patients with metastatic NSCLC. Patients with Stage IV NSCLC diagnosed between 1988 and 2010 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify predictors for refusal of radiation and the impact of radiation and refusal on survival in the palliative setting. A total of 285,641 patients were initially included in the analysis. Palliative radiation was recommended in 42% and refused by 3.1% of patients. Refusal rates remained consistent across included years of study. On multivariate analysis, older, nonblack/nonwhite, unmarried females were more likely to refuse radiation (P < 0.001 in all cases). Median survival for patients refusing radiation was three months vs. five months for those receiving radiation and two months for those whom radiation was not recommended. Patients with metastatic NSCLC who refuse recommended palliative radiation have a poor survival. Radiation refusal or the recommendation against treatment can serve as a trigger for integrating palliative care services sooner and contributes greatly to prognostic awareness. Further investigation into this survival difference and the factors behind refusal are warranted. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Integrative Genome Comparison of Primary and Metastatic Melanomas

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Bin; Nazarian, Rosalynn M.; Bosenberg, Marcus; Wu, Min; Scott, Kenneth L.; Kwong, Lawrence N.; Xiao, Yonghong; Cordon-Cardo, Carlos; Granter, Scott R.; Ramaswamy, Sridhar; Golub, Todd; Duncan, Lyn M.; Wagner, Stephan N.; Brennan, Cameron; Chin, Lynda

    2010-01-01

    A cardinal feature of malignant melanoma is its metastatic propensity. An incomplete view of the genetic events driving metastatic progression has been a major barrier to rational development of effective therapeutics and prognostic diagnostics for melanoma patients. In this study, we conducted global genomic characterization of primary and metastatic melanomas to examine the genomic landscape associated with metastatic progression. In addition to uncovering three genomic subclasses of metastastic melanomas, we delineated 39 focal and recurrent regions of amplification and deletions, many of which encompassed resident genes that have not been implicated in cancer or metastasis. To identify progression-associated metastasis gene candidates, we applied a statistical approach, Integrative Genome Comparison (IGC), to define 32 genomic regions of interest that were significantly altered in metastatic relative to primary melanomas, encompassing 30 resident genes with statistically significant expression deregulation. Functional assays on a subset of these candidates, including MET, ASPM, AKAP9, IMP3, PRKCA, RPA3, and SCAP2, validated their pro-invasion activities in human melanoma cells. Validity of the IGC approach was further reinforced by tissue microarray analysis of Survivin showing significant increased protein expression in thick versus thin primary cutaneous melanomas, and a progression correlation with lymph node metastases. Together, these functional validation results and correlative analysis of human tissues support the thesis that integrated genomic and pathological analyses of staged melanomas provide a productive entry point for discovery of melanoma metastases genes. PMID:20520718

  13. Second-line treatment for metastatic clear cell renal cell cancer: experts' consensus algorithms.

    PubMed

    Rothermundt, C; von Rappard, J; Eisen, T; Escudier, B; Grünwald, V; Larkin, J; McDermott, D; Oldenburg, J; Porta, C; Rini, B; Schmidinger, M; Sternberg, C N; Putora, P M

    2017-04-01

    Second-line systemic treatment options for metastatic clear cell renal cell cancer (mccRCC) are diverse and treatment strategies are variable among experts. Our aim was to investigate the approach for the second-line treatment after first-line therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Recently two phase III trials have demonstrated a potential role for nivolumab (NIV) and cabozantinib (CAB) in this setting. We aimed to estimate the impact of these trials on clinical decision making. Eleven international experts were asked to provide their treatment strategies for second-line systemic therapy for mccRCC in the current setting and once NIV and CAB will be approved and available. The treatment strategies were analyzed with the objective consensus approach. The analysis of the decision trees revealed everolimus (EVE), axitinib (AXI), NIV and TKI switch (sTKI) as therapeutic options after first-line TKI therapy in the current situation and mostly NIV and CAB in the future setting. The most commonly used criteria for treatment decisions were duration of response, TKI tolerance and zugzwang a composite of several related criteria. In contrast to the first-line setting, recommendations for second-line systemic treatment of mccRCC among experts were not as heterogeneous. The agents mostly used after disease progression on a first-line TKI included: EVE, AXI, NIV and sTKI. In the future setting of NIV and CAB availability, NIV was the most commonly chosen drug, whereas several experts identified situations where CAB would be preferred.

  14. Patterns of interstitial lung disease during everolimus treatment in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Mizuno, Ryuichi; Asano, Koichiro; Mikami, Shuji; Nagata, Hirohiko; Kaneko, Gou; Oya, Mototsugu

    2012-05-01

    To elucidate the patterns of interstitial lung disease during everolimus treatment in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, we reviewed seven cases of everolimus-induced interstitial lung disease. Seven patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, which continued to progress despite treatment with sunitinib or sorafenib, developed interstitial lung disease after treatment with everolimus. Chest X-ray demonstrated diffuse infiltrates in lung fields, and chest computed tomography showed bilateral reticular and ground-glass opacities. Serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (7/7), C-reactive protein (6/7), pulmonary surfactant associated protein D (1/7) and Krebs von den Lungen 6 (5/7) were elevated. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from four patients with Grade 3 interstitial lung disease showed lymphocytosis. The transbronchial lung biopsy specimens showed interstitial lymphocytic infiltration and septal thickening of alveolar walls. In two cases with mild interstitial lung disease, the everolimus therapy was successfully continued. In four cases with Grade 3 interstitial lung disease, the drug was discontinued and steroid therapy was initiated. Pulmonary symptoms and radiological abnormalities resolved within 2 months. Serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 was elevated compared with baseline in all cases with interstitial lung disease. Some patients who developed mild interstitial lung disease during everolimus treatment could continue to receive the treatment. Even when severe interstitial lung disease developed, withdrawal of the drug and short-term use of high-dose steroids resulted in rapid recovery. Prompt recognition of interstitial lung disease exacerbation as well as exclusion of progressive disease or infection is of primary importance.

  15. Overall Survival and Updated Results for Sunitinib Compared With Interferon Alfa in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Motzer, Robert J.; Hutson, Thomas E.; Tomczak, Piotr; Michaelson, M. Dror; Bukowski, Ronald M.; Oudard, Stéphane; Negrier, Sylvie; Szczylik, Cezary; Pili, Roberto; Bjarnason, Georg A.; Garcia-del-Muro, Xavier; Sosman, Jeffrey A.; Solska, Ewa; Wilding, George; Thompson, John A.; Kim, Sindy T.; Chen, Isan; Huang, Xin; Figlin, Robert A.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose A randomized, phase III trial demonstrated superiority of sunitinib over interferon alfa (IFN-α) in progression-free survival (primary end point) as first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Final survival analyses and updated results are reported. Patients and Methods Seven hundred fifty treatment-naïve patients with metastatic clear cell RCC were randomly assigned to sunitinib 50 mg orally once daily on a 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off dosing schedule or to IFN-α 9 MU subcutaneously thrice weekly. Overall survival was compared by two-sided log-rank and Wilcoxon tests. Progression-free survival, response, and safety end points were assessed with updated follow-up. Results Median overall survival was greater in the sunitinib group than in the IFN-α group (26.4 v 21.8 months, respectively; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.821; 95% CI, 0.673 to 1.001; P = .051) per the primary analysis of unstratified log-rank test (P = .013 per unstratified Wilcoxon test). By stratified log-rank test, the HR was 0.818 (95% CI, 0.669 to 0.999; P = .049). Within the IFN-α group, 33% of patients received sunitinib, and 32% received other vascular endothelial growth factor–signaling inhibitors after discontinuation from the trial. Median progression-free survival was 11 months for sunitinib compared with 5 months for IFN-α (P < .001). Objective response rate was 47% for sunitinib compared with 12% for IFN-α (P < .001). The most commonly reported sunitinib-related grade 3 adverse events included hypertension (12%), fatigue (11%), diarrhea (9%), and hand-foot syndrome (9%). Conclusion Sunitinib demonstrates longer overall survival compared with IFN-α plus improvement in response and progression-free survival in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic RCC. The overall survival highlights an improved prognosis in patients with RCC in the era of targeted therapy. PMID:19487381

  16. A rare case of metastatic squamous urachal carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Andrei, S; Andrei, A; Rusu Muntean, G; Ungureanu, M; Herlea, V; Becheanu, G; Popescu, I

    2013-01-01

    Squamous cell carcinoma is a very rare type of urachal malignancy, only a few cases being reported in the medical literature. We present the case of a 49-year-old male patient diagnosed with infected squamous cell urachal carcinoma with multiple pulmonary metastases, after complaints of lower abdominal pain, abdominal mass and fever, without respiratory symptoms. The abdominal ultrasonography and the CT scan revealed a tumoral mass in the lower abdomen in contact with the abdominal wall and the urinary bladder dome, displacing the small bowel. Pulmonary nodular lesions were described in the left lobe pyramid. The intraoperative diagnosis was necrotic urachal tumor with urinary bladder dome invasion and suspected pulmonary metastases, and tumor ablation with bladder dome resection and suture of the bladder were performed. The histopathological result was poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (G3), with negative resection margins. The patient recovered well after surgery, but the prognosis is very poor due to the metastatic stage in which the tumor was diagnosed, no standard chemotherapy regimen for the treatment of metastatic urachal carcinoma being known as effective until now. Celsius.

  17. Proteolysis-a characteristic of tumor-initiating cells in murine metastatic breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Hillebrand, Larissa E.; Bengsch, Fee; Hochrein, Jochen; Hülsdünker, Jan; Bender, Julia; Follo, Marie; Busch, Hauke; Boerries, Melanie; Reinheckel, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Tumor initiating cells (TICs) have been identified and functionally characterized in hematological malignancies as well as in solid tumors such as breast cancer. In addition to their high tumor-initiating potential, TICs are founder cells for metastasis formation and are involved in chemotherapy resistance. In this study we explored molecular pathways which enable this tumor initiating potential for a cancer cell subset of the transgenic MMTV-PyMT mouse model for metastasizing breast cancer. The cell population, characterized by the marker profile CD24+CD90+CD45−, showed a high tumorigenicity compared to non-CD24+CD90+CD45− cancer cells in colony formation assays, as well as upon orthotopic transplantation into the mammary fat pad of mice. In addition, these orthotopically grown CD24+CD90+CD45− TICs metastasized to the lungs. The transcriptome of TICs freshly isolated from primary tumors by cell sorting was compared with that of sorted non-CD24+CD90+CD45− cancer cells by RNA-seq. In addition to more established TIC signatures, such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or mitogen signaling, an upregulated gene set comprising several classes of proteolytic enzymes was uncovered in the TICs. Accordingly, TICs showed high intra- and extracellular proteolytic activity. Application of a broad range of protease inhibitors to TICs in a colony formation assay reduced anchorage independent growth and had an impact on colony morphology in 3D cell culture assays. We conclude that CD24+CD90+CD45− cells of the MMTV- PyMT mouse model possess an upregulated proteolytic signature which could very well represent a functional hallmark of metastatic TICs from mammary carcinomas. PMID:27542270

  18. Pazopanib inhibits the activation of PDGFRβ-expressing astrocytes in the brain metastatic microenvironment of breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Gril, Brunilde; Palmieri, Diane; Qian, Yongzhen; Anwar, Talha; Liewehr, David J; Steinberg, Seth M; Andreu, Zoraida; Masana, Daniel; Fernández, Paloma; Steeg, Patricia S; Vidal-Vanaclocha, Fernando

    2013-06-01

    Brain metastases occur in more than one-third of metastatic breast cancer patients whose tumors overexpress HER2 or are triple negative. Brain colonization of cancer cells occurs in a unique environment, containing microglia, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neurons. Although a neuroinflammatory response has been documented in brain metastasis, its contribution to cancer progression and therapy remains poorly understood. Using an experimental brain metastasis model, we characterized the brain metastatic microenvironment of brain tropic, HER2-transfected MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells (231-BR-HER2). A previously unidentified subpopulation of metastasis-associated astrocytes expressing phosphorylated platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (at tyrosine 751; p751-PDGFRβ) was identified around perivascular brain micrometastases. p751-PDGFRβ(+) astrocytes were also identified in human brain metastases from eight craniotomy specimens and in primary cultures of astrocyte-enriched glial cells. Previously, we reported that pazopanib, a multispecific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, prevented the outgrowth of 231-BR-HER2 large brain metastases by 73%. Here, we evaluated the effect of pazopanib on the brain neuroinflammatory microenvironment. Pazopanib treatment resulted in 70% (P = 0.023) decrease of the p751-PDGFRβ(+) astrocyte population, at the lowest dose of 30 mg/kg, twice daily. Collectively, the data identify a subpopulation of activated astrocytes in the subclinical perivascular stage of brain metastases and show that they are inhibitable by pazopanib, suggesting its potential to prevent the development of brain micrometastases in breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Comparison of the PI3KCA pathway in circulating tumor cells and corresponding tumor tissue of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Bredemeier, Maren; Kasimir-Bauer, Sabine; Kolberg, Hans-Christian; Herold, Thomas; Synoracki, Sarah; Hauch, Siegfried; Edimiris, Philippos; Bankfalvi, Agnes; Tewes, Mitra; Kimmig, Rainer; Aktas, Bahriye

    2017-05-01

    The aim of the present study was to compare the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3KCA)-AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) pathway in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and corresponding cancerous tissues. Stemness‑like circulating tumor cells (slCTCs) and CTCs in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have been implicated as the active source of metastatic spread in breast cancer (BC). In this regard, the PI3KCA‑AKT signaling pathway was demonstrated to be implicated in and to be frequently mutated in BC. The present study compared this pathway in slCTCs/CTCs in EMT and the corresponding tumor tissues of 90 metastatic BC patients (pts). slCTCs and CTCs in EMT were isolated using the AdnaTest EMT-1/StemCell for the detection of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 (ALDH1) (singleplex PCR) and PI3KCA, AKT2 and twist family bHLH transcription factor 1 (multiplex PCR). Tumor tissue was investigated for PI3KCA hotspot mutations using Sanger sequencing of genomic DNA from micro‑dissected formalin‑fixed paraffin‑embedded tissue, and for the expression of ALDH1 and phosphorylated AKT (pAKT), and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss, by immunohistochemistry. slCTCs were identified in 23% of pts (21/90 pts) and CTCs in EMT in 56% (50/90 pts) of pts. pAKT and ALDH1 positivity in tumor tissue was identified in 47 and 9% of cases, respectively, and a PTEN loss was observed in 18% of pts. A significant association was detected between pAKT expression in cancerous tissue and AKT2 expression in CTCs (P=0.037). PI3KCA mutations were detected in 32% of pts, most frequently on exons 21 (55%) and 10 (45%). Pts with PI3KCA mutations in tumor tissue had a significantly longer overall survival than pts with wild-type PI3KCA expression (P=0.007). Similar results were obtained for pts with aberrant PI3KCA signaling in CTCs and/or aberrant signaling in cancerous tissue (P=0.009). Therapy‑resistant CTCs, potentially derived from the primary tumor or metastatic tissue, may

  20. Quality of life assessment in patients treated for metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

    PubMed

    Wang, A Y; Palme, C E; Wang, J T; Morgan, G J; Gebski, V; Gilchrist, J; Veness, M J

    2013-07-01

    Treatment for metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is usually multimodal and associated with morbidity. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of treatment on patients' quality of life. Cross-sectional survey of 42 patients (35 men, 7 women) at least 6 months after metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treatment, using two standardised quality of life questionnaires: the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Head and Neck questionnaire and the Facial Disability Index, with statistical analysis to identify potential predictors of outcome. Female gender correlated with significantly lower Facial Disability Index physical function scores (p = 0.017). Alcohol consumption correlated with significantly better scores for Functional Assessment social well-being (p = 0.016), general total score (p = 0.041) and overall total score (p = 0.033), and for Facial Disability Index physical function (p = 0.034). Marital status, education, employment, chemotherapy, time from last treatment, parotidectomy and facial nerve sacrifice did not affect quality of life. The commonest patient complaints were dry mouth (76 per cent), altered voice quality and strength (55 per cent), and physical appearance (45 per cent). Female gender predicts worse quality of life, while alcohol consumption (versus none) predicted for better quality of life.

  1. The Association Between PD-L1 Expression and the Clinical Outcomes to Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Targeted Therapy in Patients With Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Shin, Su-Jin; Jeon, Yoon Kyung; Cho, Yong Mee; Lee, Jae-Lyun; Chung, Doo Hyun; Park, Ji Young

    2015-01-01

    Background. Vascular endothelial growth factor pathway (VEGF)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are used as the first-line treatment for patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mCCRCC). Recently, programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) blockade emerged as promising therapy for renal cell carcinoma. However, the expression pattern and prognostic implication of programmed death-ligands (PD-Ls) in mCCRCC patients receiving VEGF-TKI remain unclear. Patients and Methods. PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression in tumor cells and the quantities of PD-1+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were immunohistochemically evaluated in 91 mCCRCC patients treated with VEGF-TKI, and their associations with VEGF-TKI responsiveness and clinical outcome were analyzed. Results. PD-L1 immunopositivity was observed in 17.6% and significantly associated with a high International Society of Urological Pathology grade (p = .031) and sarcomatoid features (p = .014). PD-L2 immunopositivity was observed in 39.6% and was not associated with any of the assessed clinicopathological variables. PD-L1-positive cases showed poor VEGF-TKI responsiveness (p = .012) compared with PD-L1-negative cases. In univariate survival analysis, PD-L1 immunopositivity was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (p = .037) and progression-free survival (PFS) (p = .043). Multivariate survival analysis revealed that PD-L1 expression was independently associated with poor OS (p = .038) and PFS (p = .013) in addition to tumor necrosis (p = .006; p = .029, respectively) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center score (p = .018; p = .032, respectively). PD-L2 expression was neither associated with VEGF-TKI responsiveness nor patients’ outcome. Conclusion. PD-L1 expression was significantly related to lack of VEGF-TKI responsiveness and independently associated with shorter survival in mCCRCC patients after VEGF-TKI treatment. PD-L1 may have a predictive and prognostic value

  2. Identification of genes differentially expressed in B16 murine melanoma sublines with different metastatic potentials.

    PubMed

    Ishiguro, T; Nakajima, M; Naito, M; Muto, T; Tsuruo, T

    1996-02-15

    B16-F10 and B16-BL6 are B16 mouse melanoma sublines that preferentially metastasize to the lung following i.v. and s.c. injections, respectively. To study molecular mechanisms underlying the different metastatic behaviors exhibited by the B16 melanoma sublines, we performed differential hybridization of the genes transcribed in these cells and compared their expression levels. We isolated four genes that were highly expressed in B16-F10 cells but not in B16-BL6 cells: TI-225 (polyubiquitin), TI-229 (pyruvate kinase), TI-241 (LRF-1 homologue), and TI-227 (novel gene). Triosephosphate isomerase, 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, tyrosinase-related protein 2, cytochrome c oxidase, ATP synthetase alpha subunit, RNA helicase, and ribosomal protein (L37, J1, acidic phosphoprotein), however, showed higher expression in B16-BL6 cells than in B16-F10 cells. Among these clones, transfection of TI-241 into the low metastatic clone F1 converted the parental cells from low- into high-metastatic cells. TI-241 may regulate the expression of various genes as a transcription factor in the complex process of metastasis.

  3. Spatial and temporal clonal evolution during development of metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Thomsen, Mathilde B H; Nordentoft, Iver; Lamy, Philippe; Høyer, Søren; Vang, Søren; Hedegaard, Jakob; Borre, Michael; Jensen, Jørgen B; Ørntoft, Torben F; Dyrskjøt, Lars

    2016-11-01

    Patients with metastatic bladder cancer have a median survival of only 13-14 months. Precision medicine using targeted therapy may improve survival. Here we investigated spatial and temporal tumour evolution and tumour heterogeneity in order to evaluate the potential use of targeted treatment of metastatic bladder cancer. We performed a proof-of-concept study by whole exome sequencing of multiple tumour regions (n = 22) from three patients with metastatic bladder cancer. DNA from primary and metastatic tumour biopsies was analysed for mutations using Mutect and potential therapeutic targets were identified. We identified 256, 265 and 378 somatic mutations per patient, encompassing mutations with an estimated functional impact in 6-12 known disease driver genes per patient. Disease driver mutations present in all tumour regions could be identified in all cases, however, over time metastasis specific driver mutations emerged. For each patient we identified 6-10 potentially therapeutic targets, however very few targets were present in all regions. Low mutational allele frequencies were observed in most regions suggesting a complex mixture of different cancer cells with no spatial demarcation of subclones. In conclusion, primary bladder tumours and metastatic lesions showed heterogeneity at the molecular level, but within the primary tumour the heterogeneity appeared low. The observed lack of potential therapeutic targets common to all cancer cells in primary tumours and metastases emphasizes the challenges in designing rational targeted therapy solely based on analysis of the primary tumours. Copyright © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. The effect of apatinib in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Bi, Jinling; Liu, Haiyuan; Huang, Yong

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the effect of apatinib in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and related adverse events. A case of mRCC was reported which recurred after surgery and roferon treatment. The patient was treated with apatinib at a dose of 500 mg orally, twice daily, 28 days/cycle. The metastatic lesions improved based on computed tomography after apatinib administration in the fourth and eighth month. The progression-free survival of the patient had increased almost to 8 months. The patient showed a good tolerance with only an adverse effect of mild-to-moderate hand-foot syndrome which was managed well. Apatinib is an option for mRCC after previous treatment. However, more and larger trials are still needed.

  5. Gene silencing in primary and metastatic tumors by small interfering RNA delivery in mice: quantitative analysis using melanoma cells expressing firefly and sea pansy luciferases.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Yuki; Nishikawa, Makiya; Kobayashi, Naoki; Takakura, Yoshinobu

    2005-07-20

    Silencing of oncogenes or other genes contributing to tumor malignancy or progression by RNA interference (RNAi) offers a promising approach to treating tumor patients. To achieve RNAi-based tumor therapy, a small interfering RNA (siRNA) or siRNA-expressing vector needs to be delivered to tumor cells, but little information about its in vivo delivery has been reported. In this study, we examined whether the expression of the target gene in tumor cells can be suppressed by the delivery of RNAi effectors to primary and metastatic tumor cells. To quantitatively evaluate the RNAi effects in tumor cells, mouse melanoma B16-BL6 cells were stably transfected with both firefly (a model target gene) and sea pansy (an internal standard gene) luciferase genes to obtain B16-BL6/dual Luc cells. The target gene expression in subcutaneous primary tumors of B16-BL6/dual Luc cells was significantly suppressed by direct injection of the RNAi effectors followed by electroporation. The expression in metastatic hepatic tumors was also significantly reduced by an intravenous injection of either RNAi effector by the hydrodynamics-based procedure. These results indicate that the both RNAi effectors have a potential to silence target gene in tumor cells in vivo when successfully delivered to tumor cells.

  6. Interplay between YB-1 and IL-6 promotes the metastatic phenotype in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Castellana, Bàrbara; Aasen, Trond; Moreno-Bueno, Gema; Dunn, Sandra E; Ramón y Cajal, Santiago

    2015-11-10

    Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) induces cell plasticity and promotes metastasis. The multifunctional oncoprotein Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) and the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) have both been implicated in tumor cell metastasis and EMT, but via distinct pathways. Here, we show that direct interplay between YB-1 and IL-6 regulates breast cancer metastasis. Overexpression of YB-1 in breast cancer cell lines induced IL-6 production while stimulation with IL-6 increased YB-1 expression and YB-1 phosphorylation. Either approach was sufficient to induce EMT features, including increased cell migration and invasion. Silencing of YB-1 partially reverted the EMT and blocked the effect of IL-6 while inhibition of IL-6 signaling blocked the phenotype induced by YB-1 overexpression, demonstrating a clear YB-1/IL-6 interdependence. Our findings describe a novel signaling network in which YB-1 regulates IL-6, and vice versa, creating a positive feed-forward loop driving EMT-like metastatic features during breast cancer progression. Identification of signaling partners or pathways underlying this co-dependence may uncover novel therapeutic opportunities.

  7. Vorinostat in Treating Patients With Locally Recurrent or Metastatic Cancer of the Urothelium

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2015-01-28

    Localized Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Metastatic Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Recurrent Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Regional Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

  8. Metastatic intraocular hemangiopericytoma in a dog.

    PubMed

    Pucket, Jonathan D; Allbaugh, Rachel A; Higginbotham, Mary L; Rankin, Amy J; Teixeira, Leandro

    2017-01-01

    A 10-year-old Labrador Retriever who had been undergoing therapy for a recurrent hemangiopericytoma of the right flank presented to the Kansas State University Ophthalmology service for evaluation of a painful left eye. Examination revealed secondary glaucoma and irreversible blindness of the affected eye and multifocal chorioretinal lesions in the fellow eye. Therapeutic and diagnostic enucleation of the left eye was performed and histopathologic examination demonstrated the presence of a presumed metastatic spindle cell sarcoma. Further immunohistochemical staining confirmed the intraocular neoplasia to be metastatic spread from the previously removed flank mass. Rapid progression in size and number of chorioretinal lesions in the right eye was noted in the post-operative period until the patient was euthanized one month after surgery. This case report is the first to document intraocular metastasis of hemangiopericytoma in a veterinary patient.

  9. Metastatic intraocular hemangiopericytoma in a dog

    PubMed Central

    Pucket, Jonathan D.; Allbaugh, Rachel A.; Higginbotham, Mary L.; Rankin, Amy J.; Teixeira, Leandro

    2017-01-01

    A 10-year-old Labrador Retriever who had been undergoing therapy for a recurrent hemangiopericytoma of the right flank presented to the Kansas State University Ophthalmology service for evaluation of a painful left eye. Examination revealed secondary glaucoma and irreversible blindness of the affected eye and multifocal chorioretinal lesions in the fellow eye. Therapeutic and diagnostic enucleation of the left eye was performed and histopathologic examination demonstrated the presence of a presumed metastatic spindle cell sarcoma. Further immunohistochemical staining confirmed the intraocular neoplasia to be metastatic spread from the previously removed flank mass. Rapid progression in size and number of chorioretinal lesions in the right eye was noted in the post-operative period until the patient was euthanized one month after surgery. This case report is the first to document intraocular metastasis of hemangiopericytoma in a veterinary patient. PMID:28652979

  10. Real-world treatment patterns and costs in a US Medicare population with metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Davis, Keith L; Goyal, Ravi K; Able, Stephen L; Brown, Jacqueline; Li, Li; Kaye, James A

    2015-02-01

    Despite advances in the treatment of nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), therapeutic choices and overall disease course for squamous NSCLC have remained relatively unchanged over the past several years. We provide a detailed account of current treatment patterns, healthcare use, and survival in real-world clinical settings for metastatic squamous NSCLC. Patients aged ≥65 years with metastatic squamous NSCLC diagnosed 2001-2009 were identified and followed through 2010 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database. Treatment patterns were descriptively analyzed. Multivariate logistic regressions were estimated to identify predictors of treatment pattern events; generalized linear models were estimated for total all-cause and NSCLC-related costs to assess cost drivers. Of 17,133 patients, 72% received cancer-directed therapy (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or biologic therapy), whereas 28% received only supportive care. Median survival was significantly longer in patients receiving cancer-directed therapy (8 months) than in patients receiving supportive care only (2 months) (P<0.0001). An agent-specific first-line chemotherapy regimen was identified for 91% of the 7700 patients who received chemotherapy. Among these, the most common first-line regimen was carboplatin-paclitaxel combination therapy (46%). Common second-line regimens were gemcitabine monotherapy (16%) and pemetrexed monotherapy (11%). Factors associated with decreased odds of receiving cancer-directed treatment were black versus white race (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.64-0.82), residence in the West versus South (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.66-0.81), and metastatic disease at initial diagnosis versus progression to metastatic disease (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.70-0.84). Our study shows that prognosis remains poor for patients with metastatic squamous NSCLC, even among those receiving treatment, but particularly for patients limited to supportive care only, highlighting the

  11. TM4SF5 promotes metastatic behavior of cells in 3D extracellular matrix gels by reducing dependency on environmental cues

    PubMed Central

    Nam, Seo Hee; Cheong, Jin-Gyu; Jeong, Doyoung; Lee, Seo-Jin; Pan, Cheol-Ho; Jung, Jae Woo; Kim, Hye-Jin; Ryu, Jihye; Kim, Ji Eon; Kim, Somi; Cho, Chang Yun; Kang, Min-Kyung; Lee, Kyung-Min; Lee, Jung Weon

    2017-01-01

    Transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and enhances migration in two-dimensional environments. Here, we investigated how TM4SF5 is involved in diverse pro-metastatic phenotypes in in vivo-like three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix gels. TM4SF5-positive cells aggressively formed invasive foci in 3D Matrigel, depending on TM4SF5-mediated signaling activity, cytoskeletal organization, and matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 2-mediated extracellular remodeling, whereas TM4SF5-null cells did not. The TM4SF5-null cells did, however, form invasive foci in 3D Matrigel following inhibition of Rho-associated protein kinase or addition of collagen I, suggesting that collagen I compensated for TM4SF5 expression. Similarly, TM4SF5-positive cells expressing vascular endothelial-cadherin formed network-like vasculogenic mimicry in 3D Matrigel and collagen I mixture gels, whereas TM4SF5-negative cells in the mixture gels displayed the network structures only upon further treatment with epidermal growth factor. The foci formation also required MMP2-mediated remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Co-cultures exhibited TM4SF5-positive or cancer-associated fibroblasts at the outward edges of TM4SF5-null cell clusters. Compared with TM4SF5-null cells, TM4SF5-positive cells in 3D collagen gels showed a more invasive outgrowth with dramatic invadopodia. These observations suggest that TM4SF5 plays roles in the promotion of diverse metastatic properties with fewer environmental requirements than TM4SF5-negative cells. PMID:29137358

  12. Uroplakins, specific membrane proteins of urothelial umbrella cells, as histological markers of metastatic transitional cell carcinomas.

    PubMed Central

    Moll, R.; Wu, X. R.; Lin, J. H.; Sun, T. T.

    1995-01-01

    Uroplakins (UPs) Ia, Ib, II, and III, transmembrane proteins constituting the asymmetrical unit membrane of urothelial umbrella cells, are the first specific urothelial differentiation markers described. We investigated the presence and localization patterns of UPs in various human carcinomas by applying immunohistochemistry (avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method), using rabbit antibodies against UPs II and III, to paraffin sections. Positive reactions for UP III (sometimes very focal) were noted in 14 of the 16 papillary noninvasive transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs) (88%), 29 of the 55 invasive TCCs (53%), and 23 of the 35 TCC metastases (66%). Different localization patterns of UPs could be distinguished, including superficial membrane staining like that found in normal umbrella cells (in papillary carcinoma), luminal (microluminal) membrane staining (in papillary and invasive carcinoma), and, against expectations, peripheral membrane staining (in invasive carcinoma). Non-TCC carcinomas of various origins (n = 177) were consistently negative for UPs. The presence of UPs in metastatic TCCs represents a prime example of even advanced tumor progression being compatible with the (focal) expression of highly specialized differentiation repertoires. Although of only medium-grade sensitivity, UPs do seem to be highly specific urothelial lineage markers, thus operating up interesting histodiagnostic possibilities in cases of carcinoma metastases of uncertain origin. Images Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 PMID:7485401

  13. Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Head and Neck Cancer or Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2013-01-11

    Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer; Insular Thyroid Cancer; Metastatic Parathyroid Cancer; Recurrent Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Lip; Recurrent Esthesioneuroblastoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Recurrent Inverted Papilloma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Recurrent Lymphoepithelioma of the Nasopharynx; Recurrent Lymphoepithelioma of the Oropharynx; Recurrent Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary; Recurrent Midline Lethal Granuloma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Recurrent Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Recurrent Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Recurrent Parathyroid Cancer; Recurrent Salivary Gland Cancer; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Recurrent Thyroid Cancer; Recurrent Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage III Follicular Thyroid Cancer; Stage III Papillary Thyroid Cancer; Stage III Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Stage III Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage III Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IIIB Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IV Lymphoepithelioma of the Nasopharynx; Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx; Stage IVA Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Stage IVA Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Lip; Stage IVA Esthesioneuroblastoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVA Follicular Thyroid Cancer; Stage IVA Inverted Papilloma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVA Lymphoepithelioma of the Oropharynx; Stage IVA Midline Lethal Granuloma of the Paranasal Sinus

  14. Head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to cervical sublevel IIb lymph nodes occurred from primary sites involving the auricle and adjacent neck.

    PubMed

    Maher, Nigel Gordon; Hoffman, Gary Russell

    2014-03-01

    Neck dissections that include sublevel IIb increase the risk of postoperative shoulder dysfunction. The purpose of this investigation was to document the incidence of level IIb metastatic lymphatic spread in a group of patients undergoing neck dissection as part of the surgical management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A retrospective review of the pathology records taken from 1 surgeon from June 2006 through June 2013 was carried out. The predictor variable was the primary tumor site. The outcome variable was the metastatic nodal involvement according to neck level and sublevel. Secondary variables included T stage, pathologist, tumor depth, and the presence of perineural, perilymphatic, and perivascular invasion. Data analyses were by descriptive statistics. Thirty-six patients with a total of 40 neck dissections met the inclusion criteria. The average primary site tumor depth was 14.7 mm, and there were 16 cases of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Sublevel IIb was involved in 7.5% of cases, all of which occurred from lateralized primary sites of the head and neck. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma arising from the auricle and neck sites adjacent to sublevel IIb may have increased risk of metastatic involvement of sublevel IIb nodes. Further studies with larger numbers are required to determine the risk of metastasis to sublevel IIb from midline sites of the face. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Metastatic spinal cord compression from basal cell carcinoma of the skin treated with surgical decompression and vismodegib: case report and review of Hedgehog signalling pathway inhibition in advanced basal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    McGrane, J; Carswell, S; Talbot, T

    2017-01-01

    We report a case of a 66-year-old man with locally advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinoma (BCC) causing spinal cord compression, which was treated with spinal surgery and subsequent vismodegib. The patient presented with a large fungating chest wall lesion and a metastasis in T8 that was causing cord compression. He had neurosurgical decompression of the T8 lesion and fixation of the spine. Punch biopsy from the fungating chest wall lesion showed a BCC with some malignant squamous differentiation (basosquamous). Histopathological examination of the metastatic lesion in T8 at the time of surgical decompression identified features identical to the punch biopsy. The patient was referred to the oncology clinic for adjuvant treatment. In light of his metastatic disease and the large area over his chest wall that could not fully be covered by radiotherapy, he was treated with the novel oral Hedgehog signalling pathway (HHSP) inhibitor vismodegib, which led to marked improvement. © 2016 British Association of Dermatologists.

  16. Prognostic significance of extranodal extension in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cN0 patients with occult metastatic neck nodes.

    PubMed

    Lop, Joan; Rigó, Antoni; Codina, Alberto; de Juan, Julia; Quer, Miquel; León, Xavier

    Extranodal extension in nodal metastases is an independent adverse prognostic factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. However, few studies specifically address the subgroup of patients with no clinical evidence of nodal disease. We retrospectively analysed data from 348 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients without any previous treatment and lacking clinical or radiological evidence of neck node metastases during the initial workup, treated with an elective neck dissection between 1992-2014. The incidence of occult metastatic neck nodes with extranodal extension and the impact of extranodal extension in survival were evaluated. The proportion of patients with occult neck node metastases was 33%. Of these, 23.5% had at least one metastatic neck node with extranodal extension. There were significant differences in the disease-specific survival rate according to neck node status. Five-year disease-specific survival for patients without histopathological metastases was 90%, for patients with occult neck node metastases without extranodal extension it was 71.2%, and for patients with occult neck node metastases with extranodal extension it was 25.9% (P=.0001). The multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of occult node metastases with extranodal extension was the factor with strongest impact on survival. The inclusion of the extranodal extension as a criterion of histopathological evaluation in the 8th TNM classification edition improves the prognostic capacity compared to previous TNM editions. Appearance of metastatic neck nodes with extranodal extension is an adverse prognostic factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients without clinical evidence of regional disease during the initial workup of the tumour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

  17. Effect of Citrus bergamia juice on human neuroblastoma cells in vitro and in metastatic xenograft models.

    PubMed

    Navarra, M; Ursino, M R; Ferlazzo, N; Russo, M; Schumacher, U; Valentiner, U

    2014-06-01

    Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial pediatric solid tumor with poor prognosis in children with disseminated stage of disease. A number of studies show that molecules largely distributed in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables may have anti-tumor activity. In this study we evaluate the effect of Citrus bergamia (bergamot) juice (BJ) in vitro and in a spontaneous metastatic neuroblastoma SCID mouse model. Qualitative and quantitative characterizations of BJ flavonoid fractions were performed by RP-HPLC/PDA/MS. We show that BJ significantly affects SK-N-SH and LAN-1 cell proliferation in vitro, but fails to reduce primary tumor weight in vivo. Moreover, BJ reduced cell adhesiveness and invasion of LAN-1 and SK-N-SH cells in vitro and the number of pulmonary metastases under consideration of the number of tumor cells in the blood in mice inoculated with LAN-1 cells in vivo. These effects without any apparent sign of systemic toxicity confirm the potential clinical interest of BJ and lay the basis for further investigation in cancer. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Lymph node ratio as a prognostic factor in metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Vasan, Kartik; Low, Tsu-Hui Hubert; Gupta, Ruta; Ashford, Bruce; Asher, Rebecca; Gao, Kan; Ch'ng, Sydney; Palme, Carsten E; Clark, Jonathan R

    2018-05-01

    The prognostic impact of the size and number of nodal metastases in head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is well established. The purpose of this study was to validate the prognostic significance of the lymph node ratio in metastatic head and neck cutaneous SCC. A retrospective review of 326 patients with head and neck cutaneous SCC with parotid and/or cervical nodal metastases was performed. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The minimal-P approach was used to investigate the optimal lymph node ratio threshold. Our data included 77 recurrences and 101 deaths. A lymph node ratio of 6% was a significant predictor of shorter DFS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-2.38; P = .01) and OS (HR 1.63; 95% CI 1.03-2.58; P = 0.04) on multivariable analysis. The lymph node ratio is an independent prognosticator of survival outcomes in patients presenting with metastatic head and neck cutaneous SCC. A lymph node ratio >6% is a significant threshold to categorize patients into low and high risk. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Overexpression of connexin 43 reduces melanoma proliferative and metastatic capacity

    PubMed Central

    Tittarelli, A; Guerrero, I; Tempio, F; Gleisner, M A; Avalos, I; Sabanegh, S; Ortíz, C; Michea, L; López, M N; Mendoza-Naranjo, A; Salazar-Onfray, F

    2015-01-01

    Background: Alterations in connexin 43 (Cx43) expression and/or gap junction (GJ)-mediated intercellular communication are implicated in cancer pathogenesis. Herein, we have investigated the role of Cx43 in melanoma cell proliferation and apoptosis sensitivity in vitro, as well as metastatic capability and tumour growth in vivo. Methods: Connexin 43 expression levels, GJ coupling and proliferation rates were analysed in four different human melanoma cell lines. Furthermore, tumour growth and lung metastasis of high compared with low Cx43-expressing FMS cells were evaluated in vivo using a melanoma xenograft model. Results: Specific inhibition of Cx43 channel activity accelerated melanoma cell proliferation, whereas overexpression of Cx43 increased GJ coupling and reduced cell growth. Moreover, Cx43 overexpression in FMS cells increased basal and tumour necrosis factor-α-induced apoptosis and resulted in decreased melanoma tumour growth and lower number and size of metastatic foci in vivo. Conclusions: Our findings reveal an important role for Cx43 in intrinsically controlling melanoma growth, death and metastasis, and emphasise the potential use of compounds that selectively enhance Cx43 expression on melanoma in the future chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy protocols. PMID:26135897

  20. Targeting Alpha5 Beta1 Integrin to Prevent Metastatic Breast Cancer Cell Invasion: PhScN Target Site Definition and Plasma Stability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-11-01

    systemic therapy to prevent breast cancer bone colony progression. Figure 6. Colocalization of Ac-PhscNGGK-Bio with DiI in lung– extravasated SUM149PT cells...breast cancer progression that are ultimately fatal. Hence, prevention of extravasation which leads to colony formation would increase life...1 Award Number: W81XWH-12-1-0097 TITLE: “Targeting Alpha5 Beta1 Integrin to Prevent Metastatic Breast Cancer Cell Invasion: PhScN Target Site

  1. Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Cancer of the Urinary Tract

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2015-08-04

    Metastatic Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Recurrent Bladder Cancer; Recurrent Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Regional Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Stage III Bladder Cancer; Stage IV Bladder Cancer; Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

  2. Selection of Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells Based on Adaptability of Their Metabolic State

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Balraj; Tai, Karen; Madan, Simran; Raythatha, Milan R.; Cady, Amanda M.; Braunlin, Megan; Irving, LaTashia R.; Bajaj, Ankur; Lucci, Anthony

    2012-01-01

    A small subpopulation of highly adaptable breast cancer cells within a vastly heterogeneous population drives cancer metastasis. Here we describe a function-based strategy for selecting rare cancer cells that are highly adaptable and drive malignancy. Although cancer cells are dependent on certain nutrients, e.g., glucose and glutamine, we hypothesized that the adaptable cancer cells that drive malignancy must possess an adaptable metabolic state and that such cells could be identified using a robust selection strategy. As expected, more than 99.99% of cells died upon glutamine withdrawal from the aggressive breast cancer cell line SUM149. The rare cells that survived and proliferated without glutamine were highly adaptable, as judged by additional robust adaptability assays involving prolonged cell culture without glucose or serum. We were successful in isolating rare metabolically plastic glutamine-independent (Gln-ind) variants from several aggressive breast cancer cell lines that we tested. The Gln-ind cells overexpressed cyclooxygenase-2, an indicator of tumor aggressiveness, and they were able to adjust their glutaminase level to suit glutamine availability. The Gln-ind cells were anchorage-independent, resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin and paclitaxel, and resistant to a high concentration of a COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib. The number of cells being able to adapt to non-availability of glutamine increased upon prior selection of cells for resistance to chemotherapy drugs or resistance to celecoxib, further supporting a linkage between cellular adaptability and therapeutic resistance. Gln-ind cells showed indications of oxidative stress, and they produced cadherin11 and vimentin, indicators of mesenchymal phenotype. Gln-ind cells were more tumorigenic and more metastatic in nude mice than the parental cell line as judged by incidence and time of occurrence. As we decreased the number of cancer cells in xenografts, lung metastasis and then primary

  3. Divergent and convergent evolution in metastases suggest treatment strategies based on specific metastatic sites

    PubMed Central

    Cunningham, Jessica J.; Brown, Joel S.; Vincent, Thomas L.

    2015-01-01

    Background and objective: Systemic therapy for metastatic cancer is currently determined exclusively by the site of tumor origin. Yet, there is increasing evidence that the molecular characteristics of metastases significantly differ from the primary tumor. We define the evolutionary dynamics of metastases that govern this molecular divergence and examine their potential contribution to variations in response to targeted therapies. Methodology: Darwinian interactions of transformed cells with the tissue microenvironments at primary and metastatic sites are analyzed using evolutionary game theory. Computational models simulate responses to targeted therapies in different organs within the same patient. Results: Tumor cells, although maximally fit at their primary site, typically have lower fitness on the adaptive landscapes offered by the metastatic sites due to organ-specific variations in mesenchymal properties and signaling pathways. Clinically evident metastases usually exhibit time-dependent divergence from the phenotypic mean of the primary population as the tumor cells evolve and adapt to their new circumstances. In contrast, tumors from different primary sites evolving on identical metastatic adaptive landscapes exhibit phenotypic convergence. Thus, metastases in the liver from different primary tumors and even in different hosts will evolve toward similar adaptive phenotypes. The combination of evolutionary divergence from the primary cancer phenotype and convergence towards similar adaptive strategies in the same tissue cause significant variations in treatment responses particularly for highly targeted therapies. Conclusion and implications: The results suggest that optimal therapies for disseminated cancer must take into account the site(s) of metastatic growth as well as the primary organ. PMID:25794501

  4. Second-harmonic generation reveals a relationship between metastatic potential and collagen fiber structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burke, Kathleen A.; Dawes, Ryan P.; Cheema, Mehar K.; Perry, Seth; Brown, Edward

    2014-02-01

    Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) of collagen signals allows for the analysis of collagen structural changes throughout metastatic progression. The directionality of coherent SHG signals, measured through the ratio of the forward-propagating to backward propagating signal (F/B ratio), is affected by fibril diameter, spacing, and order versus disorder of fibril packing within a fiber. As tumors interact with their microenvironment and metastasize, it causes changes in these parameters, and concurrent changes in the F/B ratio. Specifically, the F/B ratio of breast tumors that are highly metastatic to the lymph nodes is significantly higher than those in tumors with restricted lymph node involvement. We utilized in vitro analysis of tumor cell motility through collagen gels of different microstructures, and hence different F/B ratios, to explore the relationship between collagen microstructures and metastatic capabilities of the tumor. By manipulating environmental factors of fibrillogenesis and biochemical factors of fiber composition we created methods of varying the average F/B ratio of the gel, with significant changes in fiber structure occurring as a result of alterations in incubation temperature and increasing type III collagen presence. A migration assay was performed using simultaneous SHG and fluorescent imaging to measure average penetration depth of human tumor cells into the gels of significantly different F/B ratios, with preliminary data demonstrating that cells penetrate deeper into gels of higher F/B ratio caused by lower type III collagen concentration. Determining the role of collagen structure in tumor cell motility will aid in the future prediction metastatic capabilities of a primary tumor.

  5. Metastatic group 3 medulloblastoma is driven by PRUNE1 targeting NME1-TGF-β-OTX2-SNAIL via PTEN inhibition.

    PubMed

    Ferrucci, Veronica; de Antonellis, Pasqualino; Pennino, Francesco Paolo; Asadzadeh, Fatemeh; Virgilio, Antonella; Montanaro, Donatella; Galeone, Aldo; Boffa, Iolanda; Pisano, Ida; Scognamiglio, Iolanda; Navas, Luigi; Diana, Donatella; Pedone, Emilia; Gargiulo, Sara; Gramanzini, Matteo; Brunetti, Arturo; Danielson, Laura; Carotenuto, Marianeve; Liguori, Lucia; Verrico, Antonio; Quaglietta, Lucia; Errico, Maria Elena; Del Monaco, Valentina; D'Argenio, Valeria; Tirone, Felice; Mastronuzzi, Angela; Donofrio, Vittoria; Giangaspero, Felice; Picard, Daniel; Remke, Marc; Garzia, Livia; Daniels, Craig; Delattre, Olivier; Swartling, Fredrik J; Weiss, William A; Salvatore, Francesco; Fattorusso, Roberto; Chesler, Louis; Taylor, Michael D; Cinalli, Giuseppe; Zollo, Massimo

    2018-05-01

    Genetic modifications during development of paediatric groups 3 and 4 medulloblastoma are responsible for their highly metastatic properties and poor patient survival rates. PRUNE1 is highly expressed in metastatic medulloblastoma group 3, which is characterized by TGF-β signalling activation, c-MYC amplification, and OTX2 expression. We describe the process of activation of the PRUNE1 signalling pathway that includes its binding to NME1, TGF-β activation, OTX2 upregulation, SNAIL (SNAI1) upregulation, and PTEN inhibition. The newly identified small molecule pyrimido-pyrimidine derivative AA7.1 enhances PRUNE1 degradation, inhibits this activation network, and augments PTEN expression. Both AA7.1 and a competitive permeable peptide that impairs PRUNE1/NME1 complex formation, impair tumour growth and metastatic dissemination in orthotopic xenograft models with a metastatic medulloblastoma group 3 cell line (D425-Med cells). Using whole exome sequencing technology in metastatic medulloblastoma primary tumour cells, we also define 23 common 'non-synonymous homozygous' deleterious gene variants as part of the protein molecular network of relevance for metastatic processes. This PRUNE1/TGF-β/OTX2/PTEN axis, together with the medulloblastoma-driver mutations, is of relevance for future rational and targeted therapies for metastatic medulloblastoma group 3.10.1093/brain/awy039_video1awy039media15742053534001.

  6. SB-715992 in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-01-13

    Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer With Occult Primary; Recurrent Salivary Gland Cancer; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Recurrent Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Recurrent Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip and Oral Cavity; Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx; Stage IV Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx; Stage IV Verrucous Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity; Stage IVA Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVB Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity; Stage IVC Salivary Gland Cancer; Stage IVC Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity

  7. The metastatic infiltration at the metastasis/brain parenchyma-interface is very heterogeneous and has a significant impact on survival in a prospective study

    PubMed Central

    Siam, Laila; Bleckmann, Annalen; Chaung, Han-Ning; Mohr, Alexander; Klemm, Florian; Barrantes-Freer, Alonso; Blazquez, Raquel; Wolff, Hendrik A.; Lüke, Florian; Rohde, Veit; Stadelmann, Christine; Pukrop, Tobias

    2015-01-01

    The current approach to brain metastases resection is macroscopic removal of metastasis until reaching the glial pseudo-capsule (gross total resection (GTR)). However, autopsy studies demonstrated infiltrating metastatic cells into the parenchyma at the metastasis/brain parenchyma (M/BP)-interface. Aims/Methods: To analyze the astrocyte reaction and metastatic infiltration pattern at the M/BP-interface with an organotypic brain slice coculture system. Secondly, to evaluate the significance of infiltrating metastatic tumor cells in a prospective biopsy study. Therefore, after GTR, biopsies were obtained from the brain parenchyma beyond the glial pseudo-capsule and analyzed histomorphologically. Results: The coculture revealed three types of cancer cell infiltration. Interestingly, the astrocyte reaction was significantly different in the coculture with a benign, neuroectodermal-derived cell line. In the prospective biopsy study 58/167 (34.7%) samples revealed infiltrating metastatic cells. Altogether, 25/39 patients (64.1%) had proven to exhibit infiltration in at least one biopsy specimen with significant impact on survival (OS) (3.4 HR; p = 0.009; 2-year OS was 6.6% versus 43.5%). Exceptionally, in the non-infiltrating cohort three patients were long-term survivors. Conclusions: Metastatic infiltration has a significant impact on prognosis. Secondly, the astrocyte reaction at the M/BP-interface is heterogeneous and supports our previous concept of the organ-specific defense against metastatic (organ-foreign) cells. PMID:26299612

  8. [Advanced and Metastatic Lung Cancer – What is new in the Diagnosis and Therapy?].

    PubMed

    Rothschild, Sacha I

    2015-07-01

    Lung cancer is one of the most common types of malignancies worldwide. The majority of patients are diagnosed with an incurable advanced/metastatic stage disease. Palliative treatment approaches improve the survival and the quality of life of these patients. Lung cancer is subdivided according to histology and molecular biology. The most important classification separates small cell from non-small cell lung cancer. In the subgroup of non-small cell lung cancer novel treatment approaches coming along with an improved prognosis have been established during the last decade. The current manuscript provides an overview on current treatment options for metastatic lung cancer. Furthermore, an outlook on promising future treatment options is provided.

  9. A phase II study of lapatinib in recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

    PubMed

    de Souza, Jonas A; Davis, Darren W; Zhang, Yujian; Khattri, Arun; Seiwert, Tanguy Y; Aktolga, Serdal; Wong, Stuart J; Kozloff, Mark F; Nattam, Sreenivasa; Lingen, Mark W; Kunnavakkam, Rangesh; Stenson, Kerstin M; Blair, Elizabeth A; Bozeman, Jeffrey; Dancey, Janet E; Vokes, Everett E; Cohen, Ezra E W

    2012-04-15

    This study sought to determine the efficacy and safety profile of lapatinib in patients with recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). This phase II multiinstitutional study enrolled patients with recurrent/metastatic SCCHN into two cohorts: those without (arm A) and those with (arm B) before exposure to an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor. All subjects were treated with lapatinib 1,500 mg daily. Primary endpoints were response rate (arm A) and progression-free survival (PFS; arm B). The biologic effects of lapatinib on tumor growth and survival pathways were assessed in paired tumor biopsies obtained before and after therapy. Forty-five patients were enrolled, 27 in arm A and 18 in arm B. Diarrhea was the most frequent toxicity occurring in 49% of patients. Seven patients experienced related grade 3 toxicity (3 fatigue, 2 hyponatremia, 1 vomiting, and 1 diarrhea). In an intent-to-treat analysis, no complete or partial responses were observed, and stable disease was the best response observed in 41% of arm A (median duration, 50 days, range, 34-159) and 17% of arm B subjects (median, 163 days, range, 135-195). Median PFS was 52 days in both arms. Median OS was 288 (95% CI, 62-374) and 155 (95% CI, 75-242) days for arms A and B, respectively. Correlative analyses revealed an absence of EGFR inhibition in tumor tissue. Lapatinib as a single agent in recurrent/metastatic SCCHN, although well tolerated, appears to be inactive in either EGFR inhibitor naive or refractory subjects. ©2012 AACR.

  10. Low adherent cancer cell subpopulations are enriched in tumorigenic and metastatic epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-induced cancer stem-like cells.

    PubMed

    Morata-Tarifa, Cynthia; Jiménez, Gema; García, María A; Entrena, José M; Griñán-Lisón, Carmen; Aguilera, Margarita; Picon-Ruiz, Manuel; Marchal, Juan A

    2016-01-11

    Cancer stem cells are responsible for tumor progression, metastasis, therapy resistance and cancer recurrence, doing their identification and isolation of special relevance. Here we show that low adherent breast and colon cancer cells subpopulations have stem-like properties. Our results demonstrate that trypsin-sensitive (TS) breast and colon cancer cells subpopulations show increased ALDH activity, higher ability to exclude Hoechst 33342, enlarged proportion of cells with a cancer stem-like cell phenotype and are enriched in sphere- and colony-forming cells in vitro. Further studies in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells reveal that TS subpopulation expresses higher levels of SLUG, SNAIL, VIMENTIN and N-CADHERIN while show a lack of expression of E-CADHERIN and CLAUDIN, being this profile characteristic of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The TS subpopulation shows CXCL10, BMI-1 and OCT4 upregulation, differing also in the expression of several miRNAs involved in EMT and/or cell self-renewal such as miR-34a-5p, miR-34c-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-93-5p and miR-100-5p. Furthermore, in vivo studies in immunocompromised mice demonstrate that MDA-MB-231 TS cells form more and bigger xenograft tumors with shorter latency and have higher metastatic potential. In conclusion, this work presents a new, non-aggressive, easy, inexpensive and reproducible methodology to isolate prospectively cancer stem-like cells for subsequent biological and preclinical studies.

  11. Role of the neural niche in brain metastatic cancer

    PubMed Central

    Termini, John; Neman, Josh; Jandial, Rahul

    2014-01-01

    Metastasis is the relenteless pursuit of cancer to escape its primary site and colonize distant organs. This malignant evolutionary process is biologically heterogeneous, yet one unifying element is the critical role of the microenvironment for arriving metastatic cells. Historically brain metastases were rarely investigated since patients with advanced cancer were considered terminal. Fortunately, advances in molecular therapies have led to patients living longer with metastatic cancer. However, one site remains recalcitrant to our treatment efforts – the brain. The central nervous system is the most complex biological system, which poses unique obstacles but also harbors opportunities for discovery. Much of what we know about the brain microenvironment comes from neuroscience. We suggest that the interrelated cellular responses in traumatic brain injury may guide us towards new perspectives in understanding brain metastases. In this view, brain metastases may be conceptualized as progressive oncologic injury to the nervous system. This review discusses our evolving understanding of the bidirectional interactions between the brain milieu and metastatic cancer. PMID:25035392

  12. Adoptive Cell Transfer Therapy Following Non-Myeloablative but Lymphodepleting Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Patients With Refractory Metastatic Melanoma

    PubMed Central

    Dudley, Mark E.; Wunderlich, John R.; Yang, James C.; Sherry, Richard M.; Topalian, Suzanne L.; Restifo, Nicholas P.; Royal, Richard E.; Kammula, Udai; White, Don E.; Mavroukakis, Sharon A.; Rogers, Linda J.; Gracia, Gerald J.; Jones, Stephanie A.; Mangiameli, David P.; Pelletier, Michelle M.; Gea-Banacloche, Juan; Robinson, Michael R.; Berman, David M.; Filie, Armando C.; Abati, Andrea; Rosenberg, Steven A.

    2006-01-01

    Purpose We investigated the combination of lymphodepleting chemotherapy followed by the adoptive transfer of autologous tumor reactive lymphocytes for the treatment of patients with refractory metastatic melanoma. Patients and Methods Thirty-five patients with metastatic melanoma, all but one with disease refractory to treatment with high-dose interleukin (IL)-2 and many with progressive disease after chemotherapy, underwent lymphodepleting conditioning with two days of cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg) followed by five days of fludarabine (25 mg/m2). On the day following the final dose of fludarabine, all patients received cell infusion with autologous tumor-reactive, rapidly expanded tumor infiltrating lymphocyte cultures and high-dose IL-2 therapy. Results Eighteen (51%) of 35 treated patients experienced objective clinical responses including three ongoing complete responses and 15 partial responses with a mean duration of 11.5 ± 2.2 months. Sites of regression included metastases to lung, liver, lymph nodes, brain, and cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues. Toxicities of treatment included the expected hematologic toxicities of chemotherapy including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and lymphopenia, the transient toxicities of high-dose IL-2 therapy, two patients who developed Pneumocystis pneumonia and one patient who developed an Epstein-Barr virus-related lymphoproliferation. Conclusion Lymphodepleting chemotherapy followed by the transfer of highly avid antitumor lymphocytes can mediate significant tumor regression in heavily pretreated patients with IL-2 refractory metastatic melanoma. PMID:15800326

  13. Trapping and dynamic manipulation with magnetomotive photoacoustic imaging of targeted microspheres mimicking metastatic cancer cells trafficking in the vasculature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Chenwei; Xia, Jinjun; Pelivanov, Ivan; Hu, Xiaoge; Gao, Xiaohu; O'Donnell, Matthew

    2012-02-01

    Trapping and manipulation of micro-scale objects mimicking metastatic cancer cells in a flow field have been demonstrated with magnetomotive photoacoustic (mmPA) imaging. Coupled contrast agents combining gold nanorods (15 nm × 50 nm; absorption peak around 730 nm) with 15 nm diameter magnetic nanospheres were targeted to 10 μm polystyrene beads recirculating in a 1.6 mm diameter tube mimicking a human peripheral vessel. Targeted objects were then trapped by an external magnetic field produced by a dual magnet system consisting of two disc magnets separated by 6 cm to form a polarizing field (0.04 Tesla in the tube region) to magnetize the magnetic contrast agents, and a custom designed cone magnet array with a high magnetic field gradient (about 0.044 Tesla/mm in the tube region) producing a strong trapping force to magnetized contrast agents. Results show that polystyrene beads linked to nanocomposites can be trapped at flow rates up to 12 ml/min. It is shown that unwanted background in a photoacoustic image can be significantly suppressed by changing the position of the cone magnet array with respect to the tube, thus creating coherent movement of the trapped objects. This study makes mmPA imaging very promising for differential visualization of metastatic cells trafficking in the vasculature.

  14. Anti-proliferative Effect of Engineered Neural Stem Cells Expressing Cytosine Deaminase and Interferon-β against Lymph Node–Derived Metastatic Colorectal Adenocarcinoma in Cellular and Xenograft Mouse Models

    PubMed Central

    Park, Geon-Tae; Kim, Seung U.; Choi, Kyung-Chul

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Genetically engineered stem cells may be advantageous for gene therapy against various human cancers due to their inherent tumor-tropic properties. In this study, genetically engineered human neural stem cells (HB1.F3) expressing Escherichia coli cytosine deaminase (CD) (HB1.F3.CD) and human interferon-β (IFN-β) (HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β) were employed against lymph node–derived metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma. Materials and Methods CD can convert a prodrug, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), to active 5-fluorouracil, which inhibits tumor growth through the inhibition of DNA synthesis,while IFN-β also strongly inhibits tumor growth by inducing the apoptotic process. In reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis, we confirmed that HB1.F3.CD cells expressed the CD gene and HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β cells expressed both CD and IFN-β genes. Results In results of a modified trans-well migration assay, HB1.F3.CD and HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β cells selectively migrated toward SW-620, human lymph node–derived metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. The viability of SW-620 cells was significantly reduced when co-cultured with HB1.F3.CD or HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β cells in the presence of 5-FC. In addition, it was found that the tumor-tropic properties of these engineered human neural stem cells (hNSCs) were attributed to chemoattractant molecules including stromal cell-derived factor 1, c-Kit, urokinase receptor, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, and C-C chemokine receptor type 2 secreted by SW-620 cells. In a xenograft mouse model, treatment with hNSC resulted in significantly inhibited growth of the tumor mass without virulent effects on the animals. Conclusion The current results indicate that engineered hNSCs and a prodrug treatment inhibited the growth of SW-620 cells. Therefore, hNSC therapy may be a clinically effective tool for the treatment of lymph node metastatic colorectal cancer. PMID:27188205

  15. Spatiotemporal progression of metastatic breast cancer: a Markov chain model highlighting the role of early metastatic sites

    PubMed Central

    Newton, Paul K; Mason, Jeremy; Venkatappa, Neethi; Jochelson, Maxine S; Hurt, Brian; Nieva, Jorge; Comen, Elizabeth; Norton, Larry; Kuhn, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Background: Cancer cell migration patterns are critical for understanding metastases and clinical evolution. Breast cancer spreads from one organ system to another via hematogenous and lymphatic routes. Although patterns of spread may superficially seem random and unpredictable, we explored the possibility that this is not the case. Aims: Develop a Markov based model of breast cancer progression that has predictive capability. Methods: On the basis of a longitudinal data set of 446 breast cancer patients, we created a Markov chain model of metastasis that describes the probabilities of metastasis occurring at a given anatomic site together with the probability of spread to additional sites. Progression is modeled as a random walk on a directed graph, where nodes represent anatomical sites where tumors can develop. Results: We quantify how survival depends on the location of the first metastatic site for different patient subcategories. In addition, we classify metastatic sites as “sponges” or “spreaders” with implications regarding anatomical pathway prediction and long-term survival. As metastatic tumors to the bone (main spreader) are most prominent, we focus in more detail on differences between groups of patients who form subsequent metastases to the lung as compared with the liver. Conclusions: We have found that spatiotemporal patterns of metastatic spread in breast cancer are neither random nor unpredictable. Furthermore, the novel concept of classifying organ sites as sponges or spreaders may motivate experiments seeking a biological basis for these phenomena and allow us to quantify the potential consequences of therapeutic targeting of sites in the oligometastatic setting and shed light on organotropic aspects of the disease. PMID:28721371

  16. Quantitative Method of Measuring Metastatic Activity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morrison, Dennis R. (Inventor)

    1999-01-01

    The metastatic potential of tumors can be evaluated by the quantitative detection of urokinase and DNA. The cell sample selected for examination is analyzed for the presence of high levels of urokinase and abnormal DNA using analytical flow cytometry and digital image analysis. Other factors such as membrane associated uroldnase, increased DNA synthesis rates and certain receptors can be used in the method for detection of potentially invasive tumors.

  17. Immune cell promotion of metastasis

    PubMed Central

    Kitamura, Takanori; Qian, Bin-Zhi; Pollard, Jeffrey W.

    2015-01-01

    Metastatic disease is the major cause of death from cancer, and immunotherapy and chemotherapy have had limited success in reversing its progression. Data from mouse models suggest that the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells to tumours protects metastatic cancer cells from surveillance by killer cells, which nullifies the effects of immunotherapy and thus establishes metastasis. Furthermore, in most cases, tumour-infiltrating immune cells differentiate into cells that promote each step of the metastatic cascade and thus are novel targets for therapy. In this Review, we describe how tumour-infiltrating immune cells contribute to the metastatic cascade and we discuss potential therapeutic strategies to target these cells. PMID:25614318

  18. Constitutive Proteasomal Degradation of TWIST-1 in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells Impacts Differentiation and Metastatic Potential

    PubMed Central

    Yin, Gang; Alvero, Ayesha B.; Craveiro, Vinicius; Holmberg, Jennie C.; Fu, Han-Hsuan; Montagna, Michele K.; Yang, Yang; Chefetz-Menaker, Ilana; Nuti, Sudhakar; Rossi, Michael; Silasi, Dan-Arin; Rutherford, Thomas; Mor, Gil

    2013-01-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical process for embryogenesis but is abnormally activated during cancer metastasis and recurrence. This process enables epithelial cancer cells to acquire mobility and traits associated with stemness. It is unknown whether epithelial stem cells or epithelial cancer stem cells are able to undergo EMT, and what molecular mechanism regulates this process in these specific cell types. We found that Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Stem cells (EOC stem cells) are the source of metastatic progenitor cells through a differentiation process involving EMT and Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition (MET). We demonstrate both in vivo and in vitro the differentiation of EOC stem cells into mesenchymal spheroid-forming cells (MSFCs) and their capacity to initiate an active carcinomatosis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that human EOC stem cells injected i.p in mice are able to form ovarian tumors, suggesting that the EOC stem cells have the ability to “home” to the ovaries and establish tumors. Most interestingly, we found that TWIST1 is constitutively degraded in EOC stem cells, and that the acquisition of TWIST1 requires additional signals that will trigger the differentiation process. These findings are relevant for understanding the differentiation and metastasis process in EOC stem cells. PMID:22349827

  19. MicroRNA-26a/-26b-COX-2-MIP-2 Loop Regulates Allergic Inflammation and Allergic Inflammation-promoted Enhanced Tumorigenic and Metastatic Potential of Cancer Cells*

    PubMed Central

    Kwon, Yoojung; Kim, Youngmi; Eom, Sangkyung; Kim, Misun; Park, Deokbum; Kim, Hyuna; Noh, Kyeonga; Lee, Hansoo; Lee, Yun Sil; Choe, Jongseon; Kim, Young Myeong; Jeoung, Dooil

    2015-01-01

    Cyclooxgenase-2 (COX-2) knock-out mouse experiments showed that COX-2 was necessary for in vivo allergic inflammation, such as passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, passive systemic anaphylaxis, and triphasic cutaneous allergic reaction. TargetScan analysis predicted COX-2 as a target of miR-26a and miR-26b. miR-26a/-26b decreased luciferase activity associated with COX-2–3′-UTR. miR-26a/-26b exerted negative effects on the features of in vitro and in vivo allergic inflammation by targeting COX-2. ChIP assays showed the binding of HDAC3 and SNAIL, but not COX-2, to the promoter sequences of miR-26a and miR-26b. Cytokine array analysis showed that the induction of chemokines, such as MIP-2, in the mouse passive systemic anaphylaxis model occurred in a COX-2-dependent manner. ChIP assays showed the binding of HDAC3 and COX-2 to the promoter sequences of MIP-2. In vitro and in vivo allergic inflammation was accompanied by the increased expression of MIP-2. miR-26a/-26b negatively regulated the expression of MIP-2. Allergic inflammation enhanced the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of cancer cells and induced positive feedback involving cancer cells and stromal cells, such as mast cells, macrophages, and endothelial cells. miR-26a mimic and miR-26b mimic negatively regulated the positive feedback between cancer cells and stromal cells and the positive feedback among stromal cells. miR-26a/-26b negatively regulated the enhanced tumorigenic potential by allergic inflammation. COX-2 was necessary for the enhanced metastatic potential of cancer cells by allergic inflammation. Taken together, our results indicate that the miR26a/-26b-COX-2-MIP-2 loop regulates allergic inflammation and the feedback relationship between allergic inflammation and the enhanced tumorigenic and metastatic potential. PMID:25907560

  20. Favorable Response of Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma to Targeted 177Lu-DOTATATE Therapy: Will PRRT Evolve to Become an Important Approach in Receptor-Positive Cases?

    PubMed

    Basu, Sandip; Ranade, Rohit

    2016-06-01

    This report illustrates an excellent partial response of Merkel cell carcinoma with multiple bilobar hepatic metastases to a single cycle of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with (177)Lu-DOTATATE. This response, coupled with minimal side effects, warrants consideration of this therapy early in the disease course (rather than at an advanced stage after failure of other therapies) if the metastatic lesions exhibit adequate tracer avidity on somatostatin receptor-based imaging. Our patient showed progression of systemic disease after having undergone a second surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy to the head and neck, as well as chemotherapy, and hence was considered a candidate for PRRT. In a pretreatment study, the metastatic lesions demonstrated avidity to both somatostatin receptors and (18)F-FDG. Three months after the first cycle of treatment, when the patient was being evaluated for a second cycle, both imaging parameters showed evidence of a partial response that included nearly complete resolution of the two previously seen lesions. In view of the relatively good tolerability, minimal side effects, and targeted nature of the treatment, PRRT may evolve to become the first-line therapy for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma and should be examined further in a larger number of patients. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

  1. Detection and Characterization of Circulating Tumor Associated Cells in Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Mu, Zhaomei; Benali-Furet, Naoual; Uzan, Georges; Znaty, Anaëlle; Ye, Zhong; Paolillo, Carmela; Wang, Chun; Austin, Laura; Rossi, Giovanna; Fortina, Paolo; Yang, Hushan; Cristofanilli, Massimo

    2016-09-30

    The availability of blood-based diagnostic testing using a non-invasive technique holds promise for real-time monitoring of disease progression and treatment selection. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been used as a prognostic biomarker for the metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The molecular characterization of CTCs is fundamental to the phenotypic identification of malignant cells and description of the relevant genetic alterations that may change according to disease progression and therapy resistance. However, the molecular characterization of CTCs remains a challenge because of the rarity and heterogeneity of CTCs and technological difficulties in the enrichment, isolation and molecular characterization of CTCs. In this pilot study, we evaluated circulating tumor associated cells in one blood draw by size exclusion technology and cytological analysis. Among 30 prospectively enrolled MBC patients, CTCs, circulating tumor cell clusters (CTC clusters), CTCs of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer associated macrophage-like cells (CAMLs) were detected and analyzed. For molecular characterization of CTCs, size-exclusion method for CTC enrichment was tested in combination with DEPArray™ technology, which allows the recovery of single CTCs or pools of CTCs as a pure CTC sample for mutation analysis. Genomic mutations of TP53 and ESR1 were analyzed by targeted sequencing on isolated 7 CTCs from a patient with MBC. The results of genomic analysis showed heterozygous TP53 R248W mutation from one single CTC and pools of three CTCs, and homozygous TP53 R248W mutation from one single CTC and pools of two CTCs. Wild-type ESR1 was detected in the same isolated CTCs. The results of this study reveal that size-exclusion method can be used to enrich and identify circulating tumor associated cells, and enriched CTCs were characterized for genetic alterations in MBC patients, respectively.

  2. High-dose interleukin 2 in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid features.

    PubMed

    Achkar, Tala; Arjunan, Ananth; Wang, Hong; Saul, Melissa; Davar, Diwakar; Appleman, Leonard J; Friedland, David; Parikh, Rahul A

    2017-01-01

    High-dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) is used in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and has an overall response rate (ORR) of 12-20% and a complete response rate (CR) of 8% in unselected populations with predominantly clear cell type renal cell carcinoma. Nearly 10-15% of patients with renal cell carcinoma exhibit sarcomatoid differentiation, a feature which correlates with a median overall survival (OS) of 9 months and overall poor prognosis. We report a single institution experience with 21 patients with mRCC with sarcomatoid features post-nephrectomy who were treated with HD IL-2. Twenty one patients with mRCC with sarcomatoid features post-nephrectomy who underwent therapy with HD IL-2 were identified at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from 2004 to 2016. Baseline patient characteristics, HD IL-2 cycles, time to progression, and subsequent therapies were evaluated. OS and progression-free survival (PFS) in the cohort were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Disease characteristics were evaluated for significance using the Fischer's exact test and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Patients were predominantly Caucasian males with a median age of 54 years. A majority, 86% of these patients, had metastatic disease at time of initial presentation, primarily with lung and lymph node involvement. The ORR and CR with HD IL-2 was 10% and 5%, respectively. Initial localized disease presentation is the only variable that was significantly associated with response to HD IL-2 (p = 0.0158). Number of HD IL-2 doses did not correlate with response with a mean of 16.5 and 15.0 total doses in responders and non-responders, respectively (p = 0.53). Median PFS with HD IL-2 was 7.9 months (95% CI, 5.0-21.3). Median OS was 30.5 months (95% CI 13.3-57.66). Within the subset of patients who had progression on IL-2, median OS was 19.4 months (95% CI, 13.3-35.3). In patients who received second-line therapy, median PFS was 7.9 months (95% CI 2.4-10.2). In

  3. IDO and galectin-3 hamper the ex vivo generation of clinical grade tumor-specific T cells for adoptive cell therapy in metastatic melanoma.

    PubMed

    Melief, Sara M; Visser, Marten; van der Burg, Sjoerd H; Verdegaal, Els M E

    2017-07-01

    Adoptive T cell transfer (ACT) with ex vivo-expanded tumor-reactive T cells proved to be successful for the treatment of metastatic melanoma patients. Mixed lymphocyte tumor cell cultures (MLTC) can be used to generate tumor-specific T cells for ACT; however, in a number of cases tumor-reactive T cell, expansion is far from optimal. We hypothesized that this is due to tumor intrinsic and extrinsic factors and aimed to identify and manipulate these factors so to optimize our clinical, GMP-compliant MLTC protocol. We found that the tumor cell produced IDO and/or galectin-3, and the accumulation of CD4 + CD25 hi FoxP3 + T cells suppressed the expansion of tumor-specific T cells in the MLTC. Strategies to eliminate CD4 + CD25 hi FoxP3 + T cells during culture required the depletion of the whole CD4 + T cell population and were found to be undesirable. Blocking of IDO and galectin-3 was feasible and resulted in improved efficiency of the MLTC. Implementation of these findings in clinical protocols for ex vivo expansion of tumor-reactive T cells holds promise for an increased therapeutic potential of adoptive cell transfer treatments with tumor-specific T cells.

  4. Autologous dendritic cells transfected with prostate-specific antigen RNA stimulate CTL responses against metastatic prostate tumors

    PubMed Central

    Heiser, Axel; Coleman, Doris; Dannull, Jens; Yancey, Donna; Maurice, Margaret A.; Lallas, Costas D.; Dahm, Philipp; Niedzwiecki, Donna; Gilboa, Eli; Vieweg, Johannes

    2002-01-01

    Autologous dendritic cells (DCs) transfected with mRNA encoding prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are able to stimulate potent, T cell–mediated antitumor immune responses in vitro. A phase I trial was performed to evaluate this strategy for safety, feasibility, and efficacy to induce T cell responses against the self-protein PSA in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. In 13 study subjects, escalating doses of PSA mRNA–transfected DCs were administered with no evidence of dose-limiting toxicity or adverse effects, including autoimmunity. Induction of PSA-specific T cell responses was consistently detected in all patients, suggesting in vivo bioactivity of the vaccine. Vaccination was further associated with a significant decrease in the log slope PSA in six of seven subjects; three patients that could be analyzed exhibited a transient molecular clearance of circulating tumor cells. The demonstration of vaccine safety, successful in vivo induction of PSA-specific immunity, and impact on surrogate clinical endpoints provides a scientific rationale for further clinical investigation of RNA-transfected DCs in the treatment of human cancer. PMID:11828001

  5. The Impact of PD-L1 Expression in Patients with Metastatic GEP-NETs

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Seung Tae; Ha, Sang Yun; Lee, Sujin; Ahn, Soomin; Lee, Jeeyun; Park, Se Hoon; Park, Joon Oh; Lim, Ho Yeong; Kang, Won Ki; Kim, Kyoung-Mee; Park, Young Suk

    2016-01-01

    Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), which is expressed on many cancer cells, interacts with PD1 expressed on the surface of T cells, inhibiting the T cells and blocking the antitumor immune response. Expression of PD-L1 in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) has not been studied. We investigated the impact of PD-L1 expression in 32 patients with metastatic GEP-NET. The expression of PD-L1 was evaluated using an anti-PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) antibody optimized for staining of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. The correlation between PD-L1 and clinicopathological data including survival and response to systemic treatments was analyzed. Primary sites were 24 foregut-derived GEP-NETs, including stomach (n=1), duodenum (n=2), biliary tract (n=7), and pancreas (n=14), and 8 hindgut-derived GEP-NETs of the distal colon and rectum. Among the 32 patients with metastatic GEP-NET analyzed in this study, 7 (21.9%) had expression of PD-L1 in tumor tissues. Expression of PD-L1 was significantly associated with high-grade WHO classification (grade 3) (p=0.008) but not with gender, primary site, and number of metastatic sites (p>0.05). The status of PD-L1 expression was statistically associated with progression-free survival (PFS) for first-line systemic treatment (p=0.047). Moreover, the status of PD-L1 expression could significantly predict overall survival (p=0.037). The expression of PD-L1 was associated with higher WHO tumor grade (grade 3) in metastatic GEP-NETs. PD-L1 expression had both predictive and prognostic value for survival of patients with metastatic GEP-NETs. PMID:26958083

  6. The carcinoembryonic antigen IgV-like N domain plays a critical role in the implantation of metastatic tumor cells.

    PubMed

    Abdul-Wahid, Aws; Huang, Eric H-B; Cydzik, Marzena; Bolewska-Pedyczak, Eleonora; Gariépy, Jean

    2014-03-01

    The human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a cell adhesion molecule involved in both homotypic and heterotypic interactions. The aberrant overexpression of CEA on adenocarcinoma cells correlates with their increased metastatic potential. Yet, the mechanism(s) by which its adhesive properties can lead to the implantation of circulating tumor cells and expansion of metastatic foci remains to be established. In this study, we demonstrate that the IgV-like N terminal domain of CEA directly participates in the implantation of cancer cells through its homotypic and heterotypic binding properties. Specifically, we determined that the recombinant N terminal domain of CEA directly binds to fibronectin (Fn) with a dissociation constant in the nanomolar range (K(D) 16 ± 3 nM) and interacts with itself (K(D) 100 ± 17 nM) and more tightly to the IgC-like A(3) domain (K(D) 18 ± 3 nM). Disruption of these molecular associations through the addition of antibodies specific to the CEA N or A(3)B(3) domains, or by adding soluble recombinant forms of the CEA N, A(3) or A(3)B(3) domains or a peptide corresponding to residues 108-115 of CEA resulted in the inhibition of CEA-mediated intercellular aggregation and adherence events in vitro. Finally, pretreating CEA-expressing murine colonic carcinoma cells (MC38.CEA) with rCEA N, A3 or A(3)B(3) modules blocked their implantation and the establishment of tumor foci in vivo. Together, these results suggest a new mechanistic insight into how the CEA IgV-like N domain participates in cellular events that can have a macroscopic impact in terms of cancer progression and metastasis. Copyright © 2013 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Biology of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Milella, Michele; Felici, Alessandra

    2011-01-01

    In the past ten years we have made exceptional progresses in the understanding of RCC biology, particularly by recognizing the crucial pathogenetic role of activation of the HIF/VEGF and mTOR pathways. This has resulted in the successful clinical development of anti-angiogenic and mTOR-targeted drugs, which have profoundly impacted on the natural history of the disease and have improved the duration and quality of RCC patient lives. However, further improvements are still greatly needed: 1) even in patients who obtain striking clinical responses early in the course of treatment, disease will ultimately escape control and progress to a treatment-resistant state, leading to therapeutic failure; 2) prolonged disease control usually requires 'continuous' treatment, even across different treatment lines, making the impact of chronic, low-grade, toxicities on quality of life greater and precluding, for most patients, the possibility of experiencing 'drug-free holidays'; 3) although we have successfully identified classes of drugs (or molecular mechanisms of action) that are effective in a substantial proportion of patients, we still fall short of molecular predictive factors that identify individual patients who will (or will not) benefit from a specific intervention and still proceed on a trial-and-error basis, far from a truly 'personalized' therapeutic approach; 4) finally (and perhaps most importantly), even in the best case scenario, currently available treatments inevitably fail to definitively 'cure' metastatic RCC patients. In this review we briefly summarize recent developments in the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of RCC, the development of resistance/escape mechanisms, the rationale for sequencing agents with different mechanisms of action, and the importance of host-related factors. Unraveling the complex mechanisms by which RCC shapes host microenvironment and immune response and therapeutic treatments, in turn, shape both cancer cell biology

  8. Biology of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Milella, Michele; Felici, Alessandra

    2011-01-01

    In the past ten years we have made exceptional progresses in the understanding of RCC biology, particularly by recognizing the crucial pathogenetic role of activation of the HIF/VEGF and mTOR pathways. This has resulted in the successful clinical development of anti-angiogenic and mTOR-targeted drugs, which have profoundly impacted on the natural history of the disease and have improved the duration and quality of RCC patient lives. However, further improvements are still greatly needed: 1) even in patients who obtain striking clinical responses early in the course of treatment, disease will ultimately escape control and progress to a treatment-resistant state, leading to therapeutic failure; 2) prolonged disease control usually requires 'continuous' treatment, even across different treatment lines, making the impact of chronic, low-grade, toxicities on quality of life greater and precluding, for most patients, the possibility of experiencing 'drug-free holidays'; 3) although we have successfully identified classes of drugs (or molecular mechanisms of action) that are effective in a substantial proportion of patients, we still fall short of molecular predictive factors that identify individual patients who will (or will not) benefit from a specific intervention and still proceed on a trial-and-error basis, far from a truly 'personalized' therapeutic approach; 4) finally (and perhaps most importantly), even in the best case scenario, currently available treatments inevitably fail to definitively 'cure' metastatic RCC patients. In this review we briefly summarize recent developments in the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of RCC, the development of resistance/escape mechanisms, the rationale for sequencing agents with different mechanisms of action, and the importance of host-related factors. Unraveling the complex mechanisms by which RCC shapes host microenvironment and immune response and therapeutic treatments, in turn, shape both cancer cell biology

  9. RASSF6 exhibits promoter hypermethylation in metastatic melanoma and inhibits invasion in melanoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Mezzanotte, Jessica J; Hill, Victoria; Schmidt, M Lee; Shinawi, Thoraia; Tommasi, Stella; Krex, Dietmar; Schackert, Gabriele; Pfeifer, Gerd P; Latif, Farida; Clark, Geoffrey J

    2014-01-01

    Brain metastasis is a major contributor to cancer mortality, yet, the genetic changes underlying the development of this capacity remain poorly understood. RASSF proteins are a family of tumor suppressors that often suffer epigenetic inactivation during tumorigenesis. However, their epigenetic status in brain metastases has not been well characterized. We have examined the promoter methylation of the classical RASSF members (RASSF1A-RASSF6) in a panel of metastatic brain tumor samples. RASSF1A and RASSF2 have been shown to undergo promoter methylation at high frequency in primary lung and breast tumors and in brain metastases. Other members exhibited little or no methylation in these tumors. In examining melanoma metastases, however, we found that RASSF6 exhibits the highest frequency of inactivation in melanoma and in melanoma brain metastases. Most melanomas are driven by an activating mutation in B-Raf. Introduction of RASSF6 into a B-RafV600E-containing metastatic melanoma cell line inhibited its ability to invade through collagen and suppressed MAPK pathway activation and AKT. RASSF6 also appears to increase the association of mutant B-Raf and MST1, providing a potential mechanism by which RASSF6 is able to suppress MAPK activation. Thus, we have identified a novel potential role for RASSF6 in melanoma development. Promoter methylation leading to reduced expression of RASSF6 may play an important role in melanoma development and may contribute to brain metastases. PMID:25482183

  10. Theranostics Targeting Metastatic Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0389 TITLE: Theranostics Targeting Metastatic Breast Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kevin Burgess CONTRACTING...ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE October 2017 2. REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Theranostics Targeting Metastatic Breast Cancer 5a...safe and effective interventions; (ii) elimination of mortality associated with metastatic breast cancer ; and, (iii) distinguishing aggressive breast

  11. Label-Free Isolation and mRNA Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells from Patients with Metastatic Lung Cancer for Disease Diagnosis and Monitoring Therapeutic Efficacy.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jidong; Lu, Wenjing; Tang, Chuanhao; Liu, Yi; Sun, Jiashu; Mu, Xuan; Zhang, Lin; Dai, Bo; Li, Xiaoyan; Zhuo, Hailong; Jiang, Xingyu

    2015-12-01

    We develop an inertial-based microfluidic cell sorter combined with an integrated membrane filter, allowing for size-based, label-free, and high-efficiency separation and enrichment of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in whole blood. The cell sorter is composed of a double spiral microchannel that hydrodynamically focuses and separates large CTCs from small blood cells. The focused CTCs with the equilibrium position around the midline of microchannel are further captured and enriched by a membrane filter (pore size of 8 μm) attached at the middle outlet. This integrated microfluidic device can process 1 mL of whole blood containing spiked tumor cells (A549, human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line) within 15 min, with the capture efficiency of 74.4% at the concentration as low as tens of A549 cells per mL of whole blood. This microfluidic cell sorter is further adopted for isolation of CTCs from peripheral blood samples of patients with metastatic lung cancer. The immunostaining and CK-19 mRNA detection are applied for identification of captured CTCs, showing that our method can detect 90% of metastatic lung cancer patients before therapy, whereas the commercially used system can only detect 40% of the same patients. We also use the expression of CK-19 mRNA from captured CTCs as an indicator for monitoring the therapeutic efficiency, which correlates well with X-ray computed tomography (CT) assessment of the disease.

  12. Survival Gains from First‐Line Systemic Therapy in Metastatic Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer in the U.S., 1990–2015: Progress and Opportunities

    PubMed Central

    Goulart, Bernardo H. L.; Ravelo, Arliene; Kolkey, Holli; Ramsey, Scott D.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background. Approximately 190,000 Americans are diagnosed with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) annually, and about half have metastatic (Stage IV) disease. These patients have historically had poor survival prognosis, but several new therapies introduced since 2000 provide options for improved outcomes. The objectives of this study were to quantify survival gains from 1990, when best supportive care (BSC) only was standard, to 2015 and to estimate the impact of expanded use of systemic therapies in clinically appropriate patients. Materials and Methods. We developed a simulation model to estimate survival gains for patients with metastatic NSCLC from 1990–2015. Survival estimates were derived from major clinical trials and extrapolated to a lifetime horizon. Proportions of patients receiving available therapies were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and a commercial treatment registry. We also estimated gains in overall survival (OS) in scenarios in which systemic therapy use increased by 10% and 30% relative to current use. Results. From 1990–2015, one‐year survival proportion increased by 14.1% and mean per‐patient survival improved by 4.2 months (32,700 population life years). Increasing treated patients by 10% or 30% increased OS by 5.1 months (39,700 population life years) and 6.9 months (53,800 population life years), respectively. Conclusion. Although survival remains poor in metastatic NSCLC relative to other common cancers, meaningful progress in per‐patient and population‐level outcomes has been realized over the past 25 years. These advances can be improved even further by increasing use of systemic therapies in the substantial proportion of patients who are suitable for treatment yet who currently receive BSC only. Implications for Practice. Approximately 93,500 Americans are diagnosed with metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) annually. Historically, these patients have had poor

  13. Repression of miR-17-5p with elevated expression of E2F-1 and c-MYC in non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma and enhancement of cell growth upon reversing this expression pattern

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    El Tayebi, H.M.; Omar, K.; Hegy, S.

    2013-05-10

    Highlights: •The oncogenic miR-17-5p is downregulated in non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma patients. •E2F-1 and c-MYC transcripts are upregulated in non-metastatic HCC patients. •miR-17-5p forced overexpression inhibited E2F-1 and c-MYC expression in HuH-7 cells. •miR-17-5p mimicking increased HuH-7 cell growth, proliferation, migration and colony formation. •miR-17-5p is responsible for HCC progression among the c-MYC/E2F-1/miR-17-5p triad members. -- Abstract: E2F-1, c-MYC, and miR-17-5p is a triad of two regulatory loops: a negative and a positive loop, where c-MYC induces the expression of E2F-1 that induces the expression of miR-17-5p which in turn reverses the expression of E2F-1 to close the loop. In thismore » study, we investigated this triad for the first time in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where miR-17-5p showed a significant down-regulation in 23 non-metastatic HCC biopsies compared to 10 healthy tissues; however, E2F-1 and c-MYC transcripts were markedly elevated. Forced over-expression of miR-17-5p in HuH-7 cells resulted in enhanced cell proliferation, growth, migration and clonogenicity with concomitant inhibition of E2F-1 and c-MYC transcripts expressions, while antagomirs of miR-17-5p reversed these events. In conclusion, this study revealed a unique pattern of expression for miR-17-5p in non-metastatic HCC patients in contrast to metastatic HCC patients. In addition we show that miR-17-5p is the key player among the triad that tumor growth and spread.« less

  14. Characterizing the efficacy of cancer therapeutics in patient-derived xenograft models of metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Turner, Tia H; Alzubi, Mohammad A; Sohal, Sahib S; Olex, Amy L; Dozmorov, Mikhail G; Harrell, J Chuck

    2018-03-12

    Basal-like breast cancers are aggressive and often metastasize to vital organs. Treatment is largely limited to chemotherapy. This study aims to characterize the efficacy of cancer therapeutics in vitro and in vivo within the primary tumor and metastatic setting, using patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. We employed two basal-like, triple-negative PDX models, WHIM2 and WHIM30. PDX cells, obtained from mammary tumors grown in mice, were treated with twelve cancer therapeutics to evaluate their cytotoxicity in vitro. Four of the effective drugs-carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dacarbazine-were tested in vivo for their efficacy in treating mammary tumors, and metastases generated by intracardiac injection of tumor cells. RNA sequencing showed that global gene expression of PDX cells grown in the mammary gland was similar to those tested in culture. In vitro, carboplatin was cytotoxic to WHIM30 but not WHIM2, whereas bortezomib, dacarbazine, and cyclophosphamide were cytotoxic to both lines. Yet, these drugs were ineffective in treating both primary and metastatic WHIM2 tumors in vivo. Carboplatin and cyclophosphamide were effective in treating WHIM30 mammary tumors and reducing metastatic burden in the brain, liver, and lungs. WHIM2 and WHIM30 metastases showed distinct patterns of cytokeratin and vimentin expression, regardless of treatment, suggesting that different tumor cell subpopulations may preferentially seed in different organs. This study highlights the utility of PDX models for studying the efficacy of therapeutics in reducing metastatic burden in specific organs. The differential treatment responses between two PDX models of the same intrinsic subtype, in both the primary and metastatic setting, recapitulates the challenges faced in treating cancer patients and highlights the need for combination therapies and predictive biomarkers.

  15. Covalent Targeting of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Inhibits Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Brown, Wells S; Tan, Li; Smith, Andrew; Gray, Nathanael S; Wendt, Michael K

    2016-09-01

    Therapeutic targeting of late-stage breast cancer is limited by an inadequate understanding of how tumor cell signaling evolves during metastatic progression and by the currently available small molecule inhibitors capable of targeting these processes. Herein, we demonstrate that both β3 integrin and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) are part of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program that is required to facilitate metastatic outgrowth in response to fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2). Mechanistically, β3 integrin physically disrupts an interaction between FGFR1 and E-cadherin, leading to a dramatic redistribution of FGFR1 subcellular localization, enhanced FGF2 signaling and increased three-dimensional (3D) outgrowth of metastatic breast cancer cells. This ability of β3 integrin to drive FGFR signaling requires the enzymatic activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Consistent with these mechanistic data, we demonstrate that FGFR, β3 integrin, and FAK constitute a molecular signature capable of predicting decreased survival of patients with the basal-like subtype of breast cancer. Importantly, covalent targeting of a conserved cysteine in the P-loop of FGFR1-4 with our newly developed small molecule, FIIN-4, more effectively blocks 3D metastatic outgrowth as compared with currently available FGFR inhibitors. In vivo application of FIIN-4 potently inhibited the growth of metastatic, patient-derived breast cancer xenografts and murine-derived metastases growing within the pulmonary microenvironment. Overall, the current studies demonstrate that FGFR1 works in concert with other EMT effector molecules to drive aberrant downstream signaling, and that these events can be effectively targeted using our novel therapeutics for the treatment of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(9); 2096-106. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  16. Contemporary experience with high-dose interleukin-2 therapy and impact on survival in patients with metastatic melanoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Alva, Ajjai; Daniels, Gregory A; Wong, Michael K K; Kaufman, Howard L; Morse, Michael A; McDermott, David F; Clark, Joseph I; Agarwala, Sanjiv S; Miletello, Gerald; Logan, Theodore F; Hauke, Ralph J; Curti, Brendan; Kirkwood, John M; Gonzalez, Rene; Amin, Asim; Fishman, Mayer; Agarwal, Neeraj; Lowder, James N; Hua, Hong; Aung, Sandra; Dutcher, Janice P

    2016-12-01

    High-dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) was approved for treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in 1992 and for metastatic melanoma (mM) in 1998, in an era predating targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. The PROCLAIM SM registry was established to collect and analyze data for patients treated with HD IL-2 in the current era. This analysis includes 170 patients with mM and 192 patients with mRCC treated between 2005 and 2012 with survival data current as of July 27, 2015. For patients with mM, complete response (CR) was observed in 5 %, partial response (PR) in 10 %, stable disease (SD) in 22 %, and 63 % had progressive disease (PD). The median overall survival (mOS) for these patients was 19.6 months, with a median follow-up of 43.1 months. The mOS was not reached for patients achieving CR or PR, and was 33.4 months for patients with SD. For patients with mRCC, 6 % achieved CR, 9 % had PR, 22 % had SD, and 62 % had PD. The mOS was 41 months, with a median follow-up of 46.6 months. The mOS for patients who had CR and PR was not reached and was 49.6 months for patients with SD. There were no treatment-related deaths among 362 patients. The duration of mOS for patients with mM and mRCC is longer than historically reported. These data support a continued role for IL-2 in the treatment of eligible patients with mM or mRCC and warrant further evaluation of HD IL-2 in combination or sequence with other therapeutic agents.

  17. Metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma to the skin staining positive with HMB-45.

    PubMed

    Gross, Joshua A; Perniciaro, Charles; Gross, David J; Barksdale, Sarah K

    2012-02-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is uncommonly observed as a cutaneous metastasis. We report a 76-year-old man with metastatic HCC to the skin of the nasal ala, diagnosed antecedent to the primary tumor. HCC was confirmed by positive immunostaining with Hep Par 1 in tissue from the metastasis and from a needle biopsy of the primary lesion. In addition, tumor cells from both the metastasis and liver stained positive with HMB-45. To our knowledge, HMB-45 positive staining has not been reported in either primary or metastatic HCC.

  18. Metastatic melanoma moves on: translational science in the era of personalized medicine.

    PubMed

    Levesque, Mitchell P; Cheng, Phil F; Raaijmakers, Marieke I G; Saltari, Annalisa; Dummer, Reinhard

    2017-03-01

    Progress in understanding and treating metastatic melanoma is the result of decades of basic and translational research as well as the development of better in vitro tools for modeling the disease. Here, we review the latest therapeutic options for metastatic melanoma and the known genetic and non-genetic mechanisms of resistance to these therapies, as well as the in vitro toolbox that has provided the greatest insights into melanoma progression. These include next-generation sequencing technologies and more complex 2D and 3D cell culture models to functionally test the data generated by genomics approaches. The combination of hypothesis generating and hypothesis testing paradigms reviewed here will be the foundation for the next phase of metastatic melanoma therapies in the coming years.

  19. A novel genome-wide in vivo screen for metastatic suppressors in human colon cancer identifies the positive WNT-TCF pathway modulators TMED3 and SOX12

    PubMed Central

    Duquet, Arnaud; Melotti, Alice; Mishra, Sonakshi; Malerba, Monica; Seth, Chandan; Conod, Arwen; Ruiz i Altaba, Ariel

    2014-01-01

    The progression of tumors to the metastatic state involves the loss of metastatic suppressor functions. Finding these, however, is difficult as in vitro assays do not fully predict metastatic behavior, and the majority of studies have used cloned cell lines, which do not reflect primary tumor heterogeneity. Here, we have designed a novel genome-wide screen to identify metastatic suppressors using primary human tumor cells in mice, which allows saturation screens. Using this unbiased approach, we have tested the hypothesis that endogenous colon cancer metastatic suppressors affect WNT-TCF signaling. Our screen has identified two novel metastatic suppressors: TMED3 and SOX12, the knockdown of which increases metastatic growth after direct seeding. Moreover, both modify the type of self-renewing spheroids, but only knockdown of TMED3 also induces spheroid cell spreading and lung metastases from a subcutaneous xenograft. Importantly, whereas TMED3 and SOX12 belong to different families involved in protein secretion and transcriptional regulation, both promote endogenous WNT-TCF activity. Treatments for advanced or metastatic colon cancer may thus not benefit from WNT blockers, and these may promote a worse outcome. PMID:24920608

  20. [Systemic Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer--Back to the Future?].

    PubMed

    Ivanyi, P; Grünwald, V

    2015-11-01

    A variety of therapeutic agents are currently available for the systemic treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). It was only when targeted treatment was developed in the past decade that a significant improvement was achieved in tumour therapy. This also led to the development of sequential treatment for mRCC.7 molecular targeted agents are available today (axitinib, bevacizumab/ IFNα, everolimus, pazopanib, sorafenib, sunitinib, and temsirolimus). Due to the individualisation of treatment it remains a challenge to choose the most appropriate drug in a given setting, with the choice being based on the knowledge of the relevant clinical data as well as individual patient parameters.During the recent past, efforts have been made to test different inhibitors or combinations without a major breakthrough. Instead, the development of novel specific immunotherapeutic approaches now heralds the next level of treatment in mRCC. The first significant trial results will be expected this year, and further trials for optimisation of treatment are warranted. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  1. Cytotoxic Activity of Propolis Extracts from the Stingless Bee Trigona Sirindhornae Against Primary and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Cell Lines

    PubMed

    Utispan, Kusumawadee; Chitkul, Bordin; Koontongkaew, Sittichai

    2017-04-01

    Background: Propolis, a resinous substance produced by the honeybee, has a wide spectrum of potent biological activities. However, anti-cancer activity of propolis obtained from Trigona sirindhornae, a new species of stingless bee, has not yet been reported. This study concerned cytotoxicity of propolis extracts from T. sirindhornae against two head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. Materials and Methods: A dichloromethane extract of propolis (DMEP) was prepared generating 3 fractions: DMEP-A, DMEP-B, and DMEP-C. Genetically-matched HNSCC cell lines derived from primary (HN30) and metastatic sites (HN31) in the same patient were used to study cytotoxic effects of the DMEPs by MTT assays. The active compounds in the DMEPs were analyzed by reversephase high performance liquid chromatography. Results: DMEP-A exhibited cytotoxic activity on HN30 cells with significantly decreased viability at 200 μg/ml compared with the control (p<0.05). However, no significant cytotoxic effect was evident in HN31 cells. DMEP-B and DMEP-C significantly decreased the viability of both cell lines from 100–200 μg/ml and 50–200 μg/ml, respectively (p<0.05). Interestingly, HN31 cells were more toxically sensitive compared with the HN30 cells when treated with DMEP-B and DMEP-C. IC50 values for DMEP-B with HN30 and HN31 cells were more than 200 μg/ml and 199.8±1.05 μg/ml, respectively. The IC50 of DMEP-C to HN30 and HN31 cells was found to be 114.3±1.29 and 76.33±1.24 μg/ml, respectively. Notably, apigenin, pinocembrin, p-coumaric acid, and caffeic acid were not detected in our propolis extracts. Conclusion: T. sirindhornae produced propolis displays cytotoxic effects against HNSCC cells s. Moreover, DMEP-B and DMEP-C differentially inhibited the proliferation of a metastatic HNSCC cell line. Creative Commons Attribution License

  2. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans undergo differential expression alterations in right sided colorectal cancer, depending on their metastatic character.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Vega, Iván; García-Suárez, Olivia; García, Beatriz; Crespo, Ainara; Astudillo, Aurora; Quirós, Luis M

    2015-10-20

    Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are complex molecules involved in the growth, invasion and metastatic properties of cancerous cells. This study analyses the alterations in the expression patterns of these molecules in right sided colorectal cancer (CRC), both metastatic and non-metastatic. Twenty right sided CRCs were studied. A transcriptomic approach was used, employing qPCR to analyze both the expression of the enzymes involved in heparan sulfate (HS) chains biosynthesis, as well as the proteoglycan core proteins. Since some of these proteoglycans can also carry chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains, we include the study of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of these glycosaminoglycans. Immunohistochemical techniques were also used to analyze tissue expression of particular genes showing significant expression differences, of potential interest. Changes in proteoglycan core proteins differ depending on their location; those located intracellularly or in the extracellular matrix show very similar alteration patterns, while those located on the cell surface vary greatly depending on the nature of the tumor: glypicans 1, 3, 6 and betaglycan are affected in the non-metastatic tumors, whereas in the metastatic, only glypican-1 and syndecan-1 are modified, the latter showing opposing alterations in levels of RNA and of protein, suggesting post-transcriptional regulation in these tumors. Furthermore, in non-metastatic tumors, polymerization of glycosaminoglycan chains is modified, particularly affecting the synthesis of the tetrasaccharide linker and the initiation and elongation of CS chains, HS chains being less affected. Regarding the enzymes responsible for the modificaton of the HS chains, alterations were only found in non-metastatic tumors, affecting N-sulfation and the isoforms HS6ST1, HS3ST3B and HS3ST5. In contrast, synthesis of the CS chains suggests changes in epimerization and sulfation of the C4 and C2 in both types of tumor. Right sided CRCs show

  3. Whole Blood mRNA Expression-Based Prognosis of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Giridhar, Karthik V; Sosa, Carlos P; Hillman, David W; Sanhueza, Cristobal; Dalpiaz, Candace L; Costello, Brian A; Quevedo, Fernando J; Pitot, Henry C; Dronca, Roxana S; Ertz, Donna; Cheville, John C; Donkena, Krishna Vanaja; Kohli, Manish

    2017-11-03

    The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) prognostic score is based on clinical parameters. We analyzed whole blood mRNA expression in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mCCRCC) patients and compared it to the MSKCC score for predicting overall survival. In a discovery set of 19 patients with mRCC, we performed whole transcriptome RNA sequencing and selected eighteen candidate genes for further evaluation based on associations with overall survival and statistical significance. In an independent validation of set of 47 patients with mCCRCC, transcript expression of the 18 candidate genes were quantified using a customized NanoString probeset. Cox regression multivariate analysis confirmed that two of the candidate genes were significantly associated with overall survival. Higher expression of BAG1 [hazard ratio (HR) of 0.14, p < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04-0.36] and NOP56 (HR 0.13, p < 0.0001, 95% CI 0.05-0.34) were associated with better prognosis. A prognostic model incorporating expression of BAG1 and NOP56 into the MSKCC score improved prognostication significantly over a model using the MSKCC prognostic score only ( p < 0.0001). Prognostic value of using whole blood mRNA gene profiling in mCCRCC is feasible and should be prospectively confirmed in larger studies.

  4. In Vivo Efficacy of Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell-Derived NK Cells in the Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

    PubMed

    Veluchamy, John P; Lopez-Lastra, Silvia; Spanholtz, Jan; Bohme, Fenna; Kok, Nina; Heideman, Daniëlle A M; Verheul, Henk M W; Di Santo, James P; de Gruijl, Tanja D; van der Vliet, Hans J

    2017-01-01

    Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) act by inhibiting EGFR downstream signaling and by eliciting a natural killer (NK) cell-mediated antitumor response. The IgG 1 mAb cetuximab has been used for treatment of RAS wt metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, showing limited efficacy. In the present study, we address the potential of adoptive NK cell therapy to overcome these limitations investigating two allogeneic NK cell products, i.e., allogeneic activated peripheral blood NK cells (A-PBNK) and umbilical cord blood stem cell-derived NK cells (UCB-NK). While cetuximab monotherapy was not effective against EGFR - RAS wt , EGFR + RAS mut , and EGFR + BRAF mut cells, A-PBNK were able to initiate lysis of EGFR + colon cancer cells irrespective of RAS or BRAF status. Cytotoxic effects of A-PBNK (but not UCB-NK) were further potentiated significantly by coating EGFR + colon cancer cells with cetuximab. Of note, a significantly higher cytotoxicity was induced by UCB-NK in EGFR - RAS wt (42 ± 8 versus 67 ± 7%), EGFR + RAS mut (20 ± 2 versus 37 ± 6%), and EGFR + BRAF mut (23 ± 3 versus 43 ± 7%) colon cancer cells compared to A-PBNK and equaled the cytotoxic efficacy of the combination of A-PBNK and cetuximab. The antitumor efficacy of UCB-NK cells against cetuximab-resistant human EGFR + RAS mut colon cancer cells was further confirmed in an in vivo preclinical mouse model where UCB-NK showed enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity against colon cancer independent of EGFR and RAS status. As UCB-NK have been proven safe in a recently conducted phase I clinical trial in acute myeloid leukemia, a fast translation into clinical proof of concept for mCRC could be considered.

  5. Effect of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery and Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor Antagonists on Metastatic Melanoma

    PubMed Central

    Hubbard, Molly; Nordmann, Tyler; Sperduto, Paul W; Clark, H. Brent; Hunt, Matthew A

    2017-01-01

    Learning objectives To evaluate radiation-induced changes in patients with brain metastasis secondary to malignant melanoma who received treatment with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor antagonists. Introduction  Stereotactic radiosurgery and chemotherapeutics are used together for treatment of metastatic melanoma and have been linked to delayed radiation-induced vasculitic leukoencephalopathy (DRIVL). There have been reports of more intense interactions with new immunotherapeutics targeting PD-1 receptors, but their interactions have not been well described and may result in an accelerated response to GKRS. Here we present data on subjects treated with this combination from a single institution. Methods Records from patients who underwent treatment for metastatic melanoma to the brain with GKRS from 2011 to 2016 were reviewed. Demographics, date of brain metastasis diagnosis, cause of death when applicable, immunotherapeutics, and imaging findings were recorded. The timing of radiation therapy and medications were also documented.  Results A total of 79 subjects were treated with GKRS, and 66 underwent treatment with both GKRS and immunotherapy. Regarding the 30 patients treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, 21 patients received pembrolizumab, seven patients received nivolumab, and two patients received pembrolizumab and nivolumab. Serial imaging was available for interpretation in 25 patients, with 13 subjects who received GKRS and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy less than six weeks of each other. While four subjects had indeterminate/mixed findings on subsequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nine subjects were noted to have progression. Two of these patients showed progression but subsequent imaging revealed a decrease in progression or improvement on MRI to previously targeted lesions by GKRS. None of the 13 subjects had surgery following their combined therapies. Conclusions This data suggests that there is need for

  6. Atezolizumab in invasive and metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Crist, Michael; Balar, Arjun

    2017-12-01

    Until recently, there has been little advancement in the management of invasive and metastatic urothelial cancer in over 30 years, and outcomes with cisplatin-based chemotherapy remain unchanged. Inhibitors targeting PD-1 signaling on cytotoxic T-cells have revolutionized bladder cancer therapy leading to durable responses. Atezolizumab is an engineered humanized anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody that inhibits PD-L1 binding to PD-1 and B7.1, enhancing immune-mediated tumor killing and is currently approved as second-line treatment after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy as well as first-line in cisplatin-ineligible patients. Areas covered: This article summarizes all reported phase I, II and III clinical trials that assessed the safety and efficacy of atezolizumab in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Expert commentary: Treatment with atezolizumab showed durable response and a toxicity profile that appears favorable to cytotoxic chemotherapy historically in the treatment of metastatic urothelial cancer among individuals who had progressed after prior platinum-based therapy and among those ineligible for treatment with first-line cisplatin. PD-L1 expression and tumor mutation load associate with response, however further research is needed to identify additional markers to improve prediction of response to atezolizumab.

  7. Adoptive T-cell Therapy Using Autologous Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocytes for Metastatic Melanoma: Current Status and Future Outlook

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Richard; Forget, Marie-Andree; Chacon, Jessica; Bernatchez, Chantale; Haymaker, Cara; Chen, Jie Qing; Hwu, Patrick; Radvanyi, Laszlo

    2012-01-01

    Immunotherapy using autologous T-cells has emerged to be a powerful treatment option for patients with metastatic melanoma. These include the adoptive transfer of autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), T-cells transduced with high-affinity T-cell receptors (TCR) against major melanosomal tumor antigens, and T cells transduced with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) composed of hybrid immunoglobulin light chains with endo-domains of T-cell signaling molecules. Among these and other options for T-cell therapy, TIL together with high-dose IL-2 has had the longest clinical history with multiple clinical trials in centers across the world consistently demonstrating durable clinical response rates near 50% or more. A distinct advantage of TIL therapy making it still the T-cell therapy of choice is the broad nature of the T-cell recognition against both defined as well as un-defined tumors antigens against all possible MHC, rather than the single specificity and limited MHC coverage of the newer TCR and CAR transduction technologies. In the past decade, significant inroads have been made in defining the phenotypes of T cells in TIL mediating tumor regression. CD8+ T cells are emerging to be critical, although the exact subset of CD8+ T cells exhibiting the highest clinical activity in terms of memory and effector markers is still controversial. We present a model in which both effector-memory and more differentiated effector T cells ultimately may need to cooperate to mediate long-term tumor control in responding patients. Although TIL therapy has shown great potential to treat metastatic melanoma, a number of issues have emerged that need to be addressed to bring it more into the mainstream of melanoma care. First, we have a reached the point where a pivotal phase II or phase III trials are needed in an attempt to gain regulatory approval of TIL as standard-of-care. Second, improvements in how we expand TIL for therapy are needed, that minimize the time the T-cells

  8. Weekly 24-hour continuous infusion interleukin-2 for metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma: a phase I study.

    PubMed

    Perez, E A; Scudder, S A; Meyers, F A; Tanaka, M S; Paradise, C; Gandara, D R

    1991-02-01

    Twenty-nine patients with biopsy-confirmed metastatic melanoma (17) or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (12) were treated with escalating doses or recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2) administered as weekly 24-h intravenous infusions. Patients received from 3 to 12 x 10(6) C.U./m2 (18-72 x 10(6) I.U./m2) weekly over a treatment period of 1 to 16 weeks, with a median of eight weekly cycles administered. Patients in all treatment groups experienced non-life-threatening systemic side effects consisting of fever, nausea, vomiting, fluid retention, and diarrhea. Grade III hypotension was seen in four of six patients (67%) at 12 x 10(6) C.U./m2, and represented the dose-limiting toxicity. Grade IV hypotension occurred in 1 of 14 patients at 6 x 10(6) C.U./m2; no other grade IV toxicities were observed. Grade III fever occurred in 3 of 11 patients (27%) treated at 3 x 10(6) C.U./m2, 3 of 14 patients (21%) at 6 x 10(6) C.U./m2, and 3 of 6 patients (50%) at 9 x 10(6) C.U./m2. An objective response was observed in 3 of 28 evaluable patients (10%): 1 complete response and 1 partial response in renal cell cancer, and 1 partial response in a melanoma patient. We conclude that for future studies, the recommended dose of IL-2 given as a weekly 24-h infusion is 9 x 10(6) C.U./m2 and that a low rate of objective tumor response can be obtained in patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma using this regimen.

  9. Sapanisertib in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Bladder Cancer With TSC1 and/or TSC2 Mutations

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-05-02

    Metastatic Transitional Cell Carcinoma; Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma; Recurrent Bladder Carcinoma; Stage III Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IV Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma AJCC v7; TSC1 Gene Mutation; TSC2 Gene Mutation

  10. Blueberry Phytochemicals Inhibit Growth and Metastatic Potential of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells Through Modulation of the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Adams, Lynn S.; Phung, Sheryl; Yee, Natalie; Seeram, Navindra P.; Li, Liya; Chen, Shiuan

    2010-01-01

    Dietary phytochemicals are known to exhibit a variety of anti-carcinogenic properties. This study investigated the chemopreventive activity of blueberry extract in triple negative breast cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Blueberry decreased cell proliferation in HCC38, HCC1937 and MDA-MB-231 cells with no effect on the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cell line. Decreased metastatic potential of MDA-MB-231 cells by blueberry was shown through inhibition of cell motility using wound healing assays and migration through a PET membrane. Blueberry treatment decreased the activity of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and the secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator while increasing tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 secretion in MDA-MB-231 conditioned medium as shown by western blotting. Cell signaling pathways that control the expression/activation of these processes were investigated via western blotting and reporter gene assay. Treatment with blueberry decreased phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and nuclear factor kappa-B (NFκB) activation in MDA-MB-231 cells where protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) were not affected. In vivo, the efficacy of blueberry to inhibit triple negative breast tumor growth was evaluated using the MDA-MB-231 xenograft model. Tumor weight and proliferation (Ki-67 expression) were decreased in blueberry treated mice, where apoptosis (caspase-3 expression) was increased compared to controls. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumors from blueberry-fed mice showed decreased activation of AKT and p65 NFκB signaling proteins with no effect on the phosphorylation of ERK. These data illustrate the inhibitory effect of blueberry phytochemicals on the growth and metastatic potential of MDA-MB-231 cells through modulation of the PI3K/AKT/NFκB pathway. PMID:20388778

  11. Vectors for Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-08-01

    from human carcinomas of the breast, ovary and mouse breast cancer. In this study, in vitro cytotoxicity tests were carried out with the replication...injection of dendritic cells engineered to secrete interleukin-12 by recombinant adenovirus in patients with metastatic gastrointestinal carcinomas . J...see Figure IC) in carcinomas of the breast, lung, prostate, ovary, cervix, endometrium, esophagous, stomach and colon is associated with metastasis

  12. Efficacy and Safety of First-line Avelumab Treatment in Patients With Stage IV Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Russell, Jeffery; Lebbé, Céleste; Chmielowski, Bartosz; Gambichler, Thilo; Grob, Jean-Jacques; Kiecker, Felix; Rabinowits, Guilherme; Terheyden, Patrick; Zwiener, Isabella; Bajars, Marcis; Hennessy, Meliessa; Kaufman, Howard L.

    2018-01-01

    Importance Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer that is associated with poor survival outcomes in patients with distant metastatic disease. Results of part A of the JAVELIN Merkel 200 trial (avelumab in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma) showed that avelumab, an anti–programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody, demonstrated efficacy in second-line or later treatment of patients with metastatic MCC (mMCC). Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of avelumab as first-line treatment for patients with distant mMCC. Design, Setting, and Participants JAVELIN Merkel 200 part B is an international, multicenter, single-arm, open-label clinical trial of first-line avelumab monotherapy. Eligible patients were adults with mMCC who had not received prior systemic treatment for metastatic disease. Patients were not selected for PD-L1 expression or Merkel cell polyomavirus status. Data were collected from April 15, 2016, to March 24, 2017, and enrollment is ongoing. Interventions Patients received avelumab, 10 mg/kg, by 1-hour intravenous infusion every 2 weeks until confirmed disease progression, unacceptable toxic effects, or withdrawal occurred. Main Outcomes and Measures Tumor status was assessed every 6 weeks and evaluated by independent review committee per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. The primary end point was durable response, defined as an objective response with a duration of at least 6 months. Secondary end points include best overall response, duration of response, progression-free survival, safety, and tolerability. Results As of March 24, 2017, 39 patients were enrolled (30 men and 9 women; median age, 75 years [range, 47-88 years]), with a median follow-up of 5.1 months (range, 0.3-11.3 months). In a preplanned analysis, efficacy was assessed in 29 patients with at least 3 months of follow-up; the confirmed objective response rate was 62.1% (95% CI, 42.3%-79.3%), with 14 of 18 responses (77.8%) ongoing

  13. [Fundus fluorescein angiography in metastatic choroidal carcinomas and differentiating metastatic choroidal carcinomas from primary choroidal melanomas].

    PubMed

    Li, Lei; Wang, Wen-Ji; Chen, Rong-Jia; Qian, Jiang; Luo, Chuan-Qi; Zhang, Yong-Jin; Shen, Ying; Ye, Xiao-Feng; Gao, Qiao-Yun

    2011-01-01

    To investigate the characteristics of fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) in metastatic choroidal carcinomas and determine the value of FFA in differentiating metastatic choroidal carcinomas from primary choroidal melanomas. It was a retrospective case series. The retrospective analysis of clinical data and FFA findings was performed in 23 eyes of 22 patients with metastatic choroidal carcinomas and 31 eyes of 31 patients with primary choroidal melanomas as the control. Ocular fundus findings of metastatic choroidal carcinomas were divided into three types: solitary flat (tumor thickness less than 3 mm), solitary elevated (tumor thickness more than 3 mm) or diffuse type. FFA of the three types showed hypofluorescence during the arterial phase and progressive hyperfluorescence during the subsequent phases. The border of the lesions revealed retinal capillary dilation during the arteriovenous phase and persistent pinpoint leakage throughout the angiogram. Retinal capillary dilation and pinpoint leakage were more frequently presented in the solitary flat type. Simultaneous visualization of retinal and tumor circulation (the so called double circulation) was more frequently presented in the solitary elevated type. Pinpoint leakage could be detected in 17 (73.91%) eyes of metastatic choroidal carcinomas and in 5 (16.13%) eyes of primary choroidal melanomas. The difference between the visibility of pinpoint leakage in metastatic choroidal carcinomas and primary choroidal melanomas was statistically significant (P = 0.0000). When pinpoint leakage of FFA was used to differentiate metastatic choroidal carcinomas from primary choroidal melanomas, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values were 73.91%, 83.87%, 79.63%, 77.27%, 81.25% respectively. FFA is helpful for the diagnosis of metastatic choroidal carcinomas. Pinpoint leakage on the border of lesions has some value in differentiating metastatic choroidal carcinomas from primary

  14. Thioredoxin induces Tregs to generate an immunotolerant tumor microenvironment in metastatic melanoma

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiaogang; Dong, Haisheng; Li, Qi; Li, Yingxian; Hong, An

    2015-01-01

    Metastatic melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer that is very difficult to treat. Additionally, the antitumor immune reaction of melanoma is still unclear. Here we demonstrate an association between the expression and secretion of the antioxidant protein thioredoxin (TRX) and increasing tumor stage and metastasis in melanoma. To elucidate the role of TRX in melanoma, we assessed the correlation of TRX expression with different disease parameters in melanoma. We also examined the in vitro and in vivo effects of modulating TRX levels in melanoma cells using various methods of TRX depletion and augmentation. We further explored the effects of TRX on the cytokine milieu and the ability of TRX to regulate the proportion and specific activities of T-cell populations. We demonstrate that TRX expression correlates with Treg representation in clinical samples and, that modulation of TRX influences the induction of Tregs and the generation of an immunotolerant cytokine profile in mouse serum. Using a murine metastatic melanoma model, we identified a tumor immunoevasion mechanism whereby melanoma cell-secreted TRX enhances Treg infiltration. TRX displays chemotactic effects in recruiting Tregs, stimulates the conversion of conventional T cells to Tregs, and confers survival advantage to Tregs in the tumor microenvironment. In turn, this increase of Tregs generates immunotolerance in tissues and therefore decreases antitumor immune reactions. These results elucidate a mechanism by which TRX promotes metastatic melanoma in part through Treg recruitment to inhibit T-cell antitumor effects and suggest that TRX antibody may be useful in the clinic as a therapy against melanoma. PMID:26405597

  15. A Pilot Trial of the Combination of Vemurafenib with Adoptive Cell Therapy in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma

    PubMed Central

    Deniger, Drew C.; Kwong, Mei Li M.; Pasetto, Anna; Dudley, Mark E.; Wunderlich, John R.; Langhan, Michelle M.; Lee, Chyi-Chia Richard; Rosenberg, Steven A.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose This pilot feasibility clinical trial evaluated the co-administration of vemurafenib, a small molecule antagonist of BRAFV600 mutations, and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Experimental Design A metastatic tumor was resected for growth of TIL and patients were treated with vemurafenib for 2 weeks followed by resection of a second lesion. Patients then received a non-myeloablative pre-conditioning regimen, infusion of autologous TIL and high-dose interleukin-2 administration. Vemurafenib was restarted at the time of TIL infusion and was continued for 2 years or until disease progression. Clinical responses were evaluated by RECIST 1.0. Metastases resected prior to and after two weeks of vemurafenib were compared using TCRB deep sequencing, immunohistochemistry, proliferation and recognition of autologous tumor. Results The treatment was well tolerated and had a safety profile similar to that of TIL or vemurafenib alone. Seven of 11 patients (64%) experienced an objective clinical response and 2 patients (18%) had a complete response for 3 years (one response is ongoing at 46 months). Proliferation and viability of infusion bag TIL and peripheral blood T cells were inhibited in vitro by vemurafenib (PLX4032) when approaching the maximum serum concentration of vemurafenib. TCRB repertoire (clonotypes numbers, clonality and frequency) did not significantly change between pre- and post-vemurafenib lesions. Recognition of autologous tumor by T cells was similar between TIL grown from pre- and post-vemurafenib metastases. Conclusions Co-administration of vemurafenib and TIL was safe, feasible and generated objective clinical responses in this small pilot clinical trial. PMID:28093487

  16. Selective expression of inhibitory Fcgamma receptor by metastatic melanoma impairs tumor susceptibility to IgG-dependent cellular response.

    PubMed

    Cassard, Lydie; Cohen-Solal, Joel F G; Fournier, Emilie M; Camilleri-Broët, Sophie; Spatz, Alain; Chouaïb, Salem; Badoual, Cécile; Varin, Audrey; Fisson, Sylvain; Duvillard, Pierre; Boix, Charlotte; Loncar, Shannon M; Sastre-Garau, Xavier; Houghton, Alan N; Avril, Marie-Françoise; Gresser, Ion; Fridman, Wolf H; Sautès-Fridman, Catherine

    2008-12-15

    During melanoma progression, patients develop anti-tumor immunity including the production of anti-tumor antibodies. Although the strategies developed by malignant cells to escape anti-tumor cellular immunity have been extensively investigated, little is known about tumor resistance to humoral immunity. The main effect of IgG antibodies is to activate the immune response by binding to host Fc gamma receptors (FcgammaR) expressed by immune cells. We previously reported in a limited study that some human metastatic melanoma cells ectopically express the FcgammaRIIB1, an inhibitory isoform of FcgammaR. By analyzing a large panel of different types of human primary and metastatic solid tumors, we report herein that expression of FcgammaRIIB is restricted to melanoma and is acquired during tumor progression. We show that FcgammaRIIB expression prevents the lysis of human metastatic melanoma cells by NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in vitro, independently of the intracytoplasmic region of FcgammaRIIB. Using experimental mouse models, we demonstrate that expression of FcgammaRIIB protects B16F0 melanoma tumors from the ADCC induced by monoclonal and polyclonal anti-tumor IgG in vivo. Thus, our results identify FcgammaRIIB as a marker of human metastatic melanoma that impairs the tumor susceptibility to FcgammaR-dependent innate effector responses. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Cancer and the metastatic substrate

    PubMed Central

    Arvelo, Francisco; Sojo, Felipe; Cotte, Carlos

    2016-01-01

    Seventy percent of cancer patients have detectable metastases when they receive a diagnosis and 90% of cancer deaths result from metastases. These two facts emphasise the urgency for research to study the mechanisms and processes that enable metastasis. We need to develop a greater understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that cause metastasis and also we need to do more. We must also consider the micro- and macro-environmental factors that influence this disease. Studying this environmental context has led us to update the ‘seed and soil’ hypothesis which dates back to the 19th century. This theory describes cancerous cells as seeds and the substrate as the soil in target organs though this may seem antiquated. Nonetheless, the tissue specificity that researchers have recently observed in metastatic colonisation supports the validity of the seed and soil theory. We now know that the metastatic potential of a tumour cell depends on multiple, reciprocal interactions between the primary tumour and distant sites. These interactions determine tumour progression. Studies of metastasis have allowed us to develop treatments that focus on therapeutic effectiveness. These new treatments account for the frequent metastasis of some tumours to target organs such as bones, lungs, brain, and liver. The purpose of this review is first to describe interactions between the cellular and molecular entities and the target organ tumour environment that enables metastasis. A second aim is to describe the complex mechanisms that mediate these interactions. PMID:28105072

  18. Oncological outcomes after cytoreductive nephrectomy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena caval tumor thrombus.

    PubMed

    Miyake, Hideaki; Sugiyama, Takayuki; Aki, Ryota; Matsushita, Yuto; Tamura, Keita; Motoyama, Daisuke; Ito, Toshiki; Otsuka, Atsushi

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the oncological outcomes of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) involving the inferior vena cava (IVC) who received cytoreductive nephrectomy. This study included 75 consecutive metastatis renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients with inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy followed by systemic therapy. Of the 75 patients, 11, 33, 24 and 7 had level I, II, III and IV IVC thrombus, respectively. Following surgical treatment, 25 (group A), 27 (group B) and 23 (group C) received cytokine therapy alone, molecular-targeted therapy alone and both therapies, respectively, as management for metastatic diseases. The median overall survival (OS) of the 75 patients was 16.2 months. No significant differences in OS were noted according to the level of the IVC tumor thrombus. There were no significant differences in OS among groups A, B and C; however, OS in groups B and C was significantly superior to that in group A. Furthermore, multivariate analysis of several parameters identified the following independent predictors of poor OS-elevated C-reactive protein, liver metastasis and postoperative treatment with cytokine therapy alone. The prognosis of mRCC patients with IVC thrombus undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy may be significantly affected by the type of postoperative systemic therapy rather than the level of the IVC tumor thrombus. Accordingly, cytoreductive nephrectomy should be considered as a major therapeutic option for patients with mRCC involving the IVC, particularly in the era of targeted therapy.

  19. Metastatic melanoma cells with BRAF G469A mutation: nab-paclitaxel better than vemurafenib?

    PubMed

    Porcelli, Letizia; Guida, Gabriella; Tommasi, Stefania; Guida, Michele; Azzariti, Amalia

    2015-08-01

    BRAF G469A is a missense mutation within exon 11 of the BRAF gene resulting in a constitutively activated enzyme frequently associated with MAP kinase cascade signaling activation. No evidence currently exists about its role in determining sensitivity/resistance to BRAF inhibitors, utilized in the treatment of patients carrying BRAF V600 mutations, and to chemotherapy. The newly established metastatic melanoma (MM) cell line MO-1 was characterized for its sensitivity to vemurafenib and nab-paclitaxel, both already utilized for the treatment of MM. All analyses were carried out by comparing results with those found in MM cells wild type for BRAF or mutated in V600. In addition, cellular effectors were investigated by ELISA kits, western blotting and flow cytometry. The exposure to vemurafenib inhibited MO-1 cell proliferation at concentrations similar to those obtained in vemurafenib-resistant melanoma models, and an explanation of this sensitivity is the strong activation of Erk1/2 and the low expression of MITF. Nab-paclitaxel strongly reduced proliferation of MO-1 cells perhaps for the very low expression level of PMEL17, transcriptionally regulated by MITF and negatively involved in determining sensitivity to taxanes. Thus, the mutation BRAF G469A in MM might be related to a weak effectiveness of therapy with BRAF inhibitors and a promising therapeutic approach may be with nab-paclitaxel.

  20. Treatment patterns and health care resource use in patients receiving multiple lines of therapy for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in the United Kingdom.

    PubMed

    La, Elizabeth M; Smyth, Emily Nash; Talbird, Sandra E; Li, Li; Kaye, James A; Lin, Aimee Bence; Bowman, Lee

    2018-06-21

    This study evaluated the patterns of care and health care resource use (HCRU) in patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) who received ≥3 lines of systemic therapy in the United Kingdom (UK). Oncologists (n = 40) abstracted medical records for patients with metastatic SCCHN who initiated third-line systemic therapy during 1 January 2011-30 August 2014 (n = 220). Patient characteristics, treatment patterns and SCCHN-related HCRU were summarised descriptively for the metastatic period; exploratory multivariable regression analyses were conducted on select HCRU outcomes. At metastatic diagnosis, most patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) of 0/1 (95%). For patients with PS 0/1, the most common first-line treatment was cisplatin+5-fluorouracil (5-FU); docetaxel was the most common second- and third-line treatment. For patients with PS ≥ 2, the most common first-, second-, and third-line treatments were carboplatin+5-FU, cetuximab, and methotrexate, respectively. Most patients received supportive care during (85%) and after (89%) therapy. This study provides useful information, prior to the availability of immunotherapy, on patient characteristics, treatment patterns, HCRU, and survival in a real-world UK population with metastatic SCCHN receiving ≥3 lines of systemic therapy. Patterns of care and HCRU varied among patients with metastatic SCCHN; specific systemic therapies varied by patient PS. © 2018 Eli Lilly and Company. European Journal of Cancer Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Role of the neural niche in brain metastatic cancer.

    PubMed

    Termini, John; Neman, Josh; Jandial, Rahul

    2014-08-01

    Metastasis is the relentless pursuit of cancer to escape its primary site and colonize distant organs. This malignant evolutionary process is biologically heterogeneous, yet one unifying element is the critical role of the microenvironment for arriving metastatic cells. Historically, brain metastases were rarely investigated because patients with advanced cancer were considered terminal. Fortunately, advances in molecular therapies have led to patients living longer with metastatic cancer. However, one site remains recalcitrant to our treatment efforts, the brain. The central nervous system is the most complex biologic system, which poses unique obstacles but also harbors opportunities for discovery. Much of what we know about the brain microenvironment comes from neuroscience. We suggest that the interrelated cellular responses in traumatic brain injury may guide us toward new perspectives in understanding brain metastases. In this view, brain metastases may be conceptualized as progressive oncologic injury to the nervous system. This review discusses our evolving understanding of bidirectional interactions between the brain milieu and metastatic cancer. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

  2. Pembrolizumab and Palliative Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Esophagus, Stomach, or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-12-07

    Adenocarcinoma of the Gastroesophageal Junction; Gastric Adenocarcinoma; Gastric Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm in the Stomach; Stage IV Esophageal Adenocarcinoma; Stage IV Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

  3. Benzofuroxan derivatives N-Br and N-I induce intrinsic apoptosis in melanoma cells by regulating AKT/BIM signaling and display anti metastatic activity in vivo.

    PubMed

    Farias, C F; Massaoka, M H; Girola, N; Azevedo, R A; Ferreira, A K; Jorge, S D; Tavares, L C; Figueiredo, C R; Travassos, L R

    2015-10-27

    Malignant melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer, and despite recent advances in treatment, the survival rate of the metastatic form remains low. Nifuroxazide analogues are drugs based on the substitution of the nitrofuran group by benzofuroxan, in view of the pharmacophore similarity of the nitro group, improving bioavailability, with higher intrinsic activity and less toxicity. Benzofuroxan activity involves the intracellular production of free-radical species. In the present work, we evaluated the antitumor effects of different benzofuroxan derivatives in a murine melanoma model. B16F10-Nex2 melanoma cells were used to investigate the antitumor effects of Benzofuroxan derivatives in vitro and in a syngeneic melanoma model in C57Bl/6 mice. Cytotoxicity, morphological changes and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed by a diphenyltetrasolium reagent, optical and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Annexin-V binding and mitochondrial integrity were analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blotting and colorimetry identified cell signaling proteins. Benzofuroxan N-Br and N-I derivatives were active against murine and human tumor cell lines, exerting significant protection against metastatic melanoma in a syngeneic model. N-Br and N-I induce apoptosis in melanoma cells, evidenced by specific morphological changes, DNA condensation and degradation, and phosphatidylserine translocation in the plasma membrane. The intrinsic mitochondrial pathway in B16F10-Nex2 cells is suggested owing to reduced outer membrane potential in mitochondria, followed by caspase -9, -3 activation and cleavage of PARP. The cytotoxicity of N-Br and N-I in B16F10-Nex2 cells is mediated by the generation of ROS, inhibited by pre-incubation of the cells with N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The induction of ROS by N-Br and N-I resulted in the inhibition of AKT activation, an important molecule related to tumor cell survival, followed by upregulation of BIM. We conclude that N-Br and N-I are

  4. Intratumoral genetic heterogeneity in metastatic melanoma is accompanied by variation in malignant behaviors.

    PubMed

    Anaka, Matthew; Hudson, Christopher; Lo, Pu-Han; Do, Hongdo; Caballero, Otavia L; Davis, Ian D; Dobrovic, Alexander; Cebon, Jonathan; Behren, Andreas

    2013-10-11

    Intratumoral heterogeneity is a major obstacle for the treatment of cancer, as the presence of even minor populations that are insensitive to therapy can lead to disease relapse. Increased clonal diversity has been correlated with a poor prognosis for cancer patients, and we therefore examined genetic, transcriptional, and functional diversity in metastatic melanoma. Amplicon sequencing and SNP microarrays were used to profile somatic mutations and DNA copy number changes in multiple regions from metastatic lesions. Clonal genetic and transcriptional heterogeneity was also assessed in single cell clones from early passage cell lines, which were then subjected to clonogenicity and drug sensitivity assays. MAPK pathway and tumor suppressor mutations were identified in all regions of the melanoma metastases analyzed. In contrast, we identified copy number abnormalities present in only some regions in addition to homogeneously present changes, suggesting ongoing genetic evolution following metastatic spread. Copy number heterogeneity from a tumor was represented in matched cell line clones, which also varied in their clonogenicity and drug sensitivity. Minor clones were identified based on dissimilarity to the parental cell line, and these clones were the most clonogenic and least sensitive to drugs. Finally, treatment of a polyclonal cell line with paclitaxel to enrich for drug-resistant cells resulted in the adoption of a gene expression profile with features of one of the minor clones, supporting the idea that these populations can mediate disease relapse. Our results support the hypothesis that minor clones might have major consequences for patient outcomes in melanoma.

  5. Intratumoral genetic heterogeneity in metastatic melanoma is accompanied by variation in malignant behaviors

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Intratumoral heterogeneity is a major obstacle for the treatment of cancer, as the presence of even minor populations that are insensitive to therapy can lead to disease relapse. Increased clonal diversity has been correlated with a poor prognosis for cancer patients, and we therefore examined genetic, transcriptional, and functional diversity in metastatic melanoma. Methods Amplicon sequencing and SNP microarrays were used to profile somatic mutations and DNA copy number changes in multiple regions from metastatic lesions. Clonal genetic and transcriptional heterogeneity was also assessed in single cell clones from early passage cell lines, which were then subjected to clonogenicity and drug sensitivity assays. Results MAPK pathway and tumor suppressor mutations were identified in all regions of the melanoma metastases analyzed. In contrast, we identified copy number abnormalities present in only some regions in addition to homogeneously present changes, suggesting ongoing genetic evolution following metastatic spread. Copy number heterogeneity from a tumor was represented in matched cell line clones, which also varied in their clonogenicity and drug sensitivity. Minor clones were identified based on dissimilarity to the parental cell line, and these clones were the most clonogenic and least sensitive to drugs. Finally, treatment of a polyclonal cell line with paclitaxel to enrich for drug-resistant cells resulted in the adoption of a gene expression profile with features of one of the minor clones, supporting the idea that these populations can mediate disease relapse. Conclusion Our results support the hypothesis that minor clones might have major consequences for patient outcomes in melanoma. PMID:24119551

  6. Flavonoids apigenin and quercetin inhibit melanoma growth and metastatic potential.

    PubMed

    Caltagirone, S; Rossi, C; Poggi, A; Ranelletti, F O; Natali, P G; Brunetti, M; Aiello, F B; Piantelli, M

    2000-08-15

    Flavonoids are a class of polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in the plant kingdom, which display a variety of biological activities, including chemoprevention and tumor growth inhibition. Our aim was to investigate the effects of several polyphenols on the growth and metastatic potential of B16-BL6 melanoma cells in vivo. Intraperitoneal administration of quercetin, apigenin, (-)-epigallocathechin-3-gallate (EGCG), resveratrol, and the anti-estrogen tamoxifen, at the time of i.m. injection of B16-BL6 cells into syngeneic mice, resulted in a significant, dose-dependent delay of tumor growth, without toxicity. The relative descending order of potency was EGCG > apigenin = quercetin = tamoxifen > resveratrol > control. Furthermore, polyphenols significantly potentiated the inhibitory effect of a non-toxic dose of cisplatin. When tested for the ability to inhibit lung colonization, quercetin, apigenin, and tamoxifen (but not EGCG or resveratrol) significantly decreased the number of B16-BL6 colonies in the lungs in a dose-dependent manner, with quercetin and apigenin being more effective than tamoxifen. Interestingly, quercetin, apigenin, and tamoxifen (but not EGCG or resveratrol) significantly decreased the invasion of B16-BL6 cells in vitro, with quercetin and apigenin being more effective than tamoxifen. This suggests that anti-invasive activity is one of the mechanisms underlying inhibition of lung colonization by quercetin and apigenin. In conclusion, quercetin and apigenin inhibit melanoma growth and invasive and metastatic potential; therefore, they may constitute a valuable tool in the combination therapy of metastatic melanoma. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. Inhibition of p-STAT3 Enhances IFN-α Efficacy Against Metastatic Melanoma in a Murine Model

    PubMed Central

    Kong, Ling-Yuan; Gelbard, Alexander; Wei, Jun; Reina-Ortiz, Chantal; Wang, Yongtao; Yang, Eric C.; Hailemichael, Yared; Fokt, Izabela; Jayakumar, Arumugam; Qiao, Wei; Fuller, Gregory N.; Overwijk, Willem W.; Priebe, Waldemar; Heimberger, Amy B.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose Melanoma is a common and deadly tumor that upon metastasis to the central nervous system (CNS) has a median survival duration of less than 6 months. Activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been identified as a key mediator that drives the fundamental components of melanoma malignancy, including immune suppression in melanoma patients. We hypothesized that WP1193, a novel inhibitor of STAT3 signaling, would enhance the anti-tumor activity of IFN-α against metastatic melanoma. Experimental Design Combinational therapy of STAT3 blockade agents with IFN-α was investigated in a metastatic and an established syngeneic intracerebral murine tumor model of melanoma. The immunological in vivo mechanisms of efficacy were investigated by T cell and NK cell cytotoxic assays. Results IFN-α immunotherapy was synergistic with WP1193 demonstrating marked in vivo efficacy against metastatic and established intracerebral melanoma. At autopsy, it was noted that there was a decreased trend in mice with melanoma developing leptomeningeal disease (LMD) treated with combinational therapy. The combinational approach enhanced both NK and T cell-mediated anti-tumor cytotoxicity. Conclusions The immune modulatory effects of STAT3 blockade can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of IFN-α immunotherapy by enhancing both innate and adaptive cytotoxic T cell activities. This combination therapy has the potential in the treatment of metastatic melanoma that is typically refractory to this type of immune therapeutic approach. PMID:20388845

  8. Metastatic outgrowth encompasses COL-I, FN1, and POSTN up-regulation and assembly to fibrillar networks regulating cell adhesion, migration, and growth.

    PubMed

    Soikkeli, Johanna; Podlasz, Piotr; Yin, Miao; Nummela, Pirjo; Jahkola, Tiina; Virolainen, Susanna; Krogerus, Leena; Heikkilä, Päivi; von Smitten, Karl; Saksela, Olli; Hölttä, Erkki

    2010-07-01

    Although the outgrowth of micrometastases into macrometastases is the rate-limiting step in metastatic progression and the main determinant of cancer fatality, the molecular mechanisms involved have been little studied. Here, we compared the gene expression profiles of melanoma lymph node micro- and macrometastases and unexpectedly found no common up-regulation of any single growth factor/cytokine, except for the cytokine-like SPP1. Importantly, metastatic outgrowth was found to be consistently associated with activation of the transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway (confirmed by phospho-SMAD2 staining) and concerted up-regulation of POSTN, FN1, COL-I, and VCAN genes-all inducible by transforming growth factor-beta. The encoded extracellular matrix proteins were found to together form intricate fibrillar networks around tumor cell nests in melanoma and breast cancer metastases from various organs. Functional analyses suggested that these newly synthesized protein networks regulate adhesion, migration, and growth of tumor cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. POSTN acted as an anti-adhesive molecule counteracting the adhesive functions of FN1 and COL-I. Further, cellular FN and POSTN were specifically overexpressed in the newly forming/formed tumor blood vessels. Transforming growth factor-beta receptors and the metastasis-related matrix proteins, POSTN and FN1, in particular, may thus provide attractive targets for development of new therapies against disseminated melanoma, breast cancer, and possibly other tumors, by affecting key processes of metastasis: tumor/stromal cell migration, growth, and angiogenesis.

  9. Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Regional or Metastatic Cancer of the Urothelium

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2014-05-20

    Adenocarcinoma of the Bladder; Distal Urethral Cancer; Metastatic Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Proximal Urethral Cancer; Recurrent Bladder Cancer; Recurrent Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Recurrent Urethral Cancer; Regional Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder; Stage III Bladder Cancer; Stage IV Bladder Cancer; Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder; Urethral Cancer Associated With Invasive Bladder Cancer

  10. Axitinib with or without dose titration for first-line metastatic renal-cell carcinoma: a randomised double-blind phase 2 trial

    PubMed Central

    Rini, Brian I; Melichar, Bohuslav; Ueda, Takeshi; GrÜnwald, Viktor; Fishman, Mayer N; Arranz, José A; Bair, Angel H; Pithavala, Yazdi K; Andrews, Glen I; Pavlov, Dmitri; Kim, Sinil; Jonasch, Eric

    2014-01-01

    Summary Background Population pharmacokinetic data suggest axitinib plasma exposure correlates with efficacy in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma. Axitinib dose titration might optimise exposure and improve outcomes. We prospectively assessed the efficacy and safety of axitinib dose titration in previously untreated patients with metastatic renal-cell carcinoma. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 2 study, patients were enrolled from 49 hospitals and outpatient clinics in the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, and USA. Patients with treatment-naive metastatic renal-cell carcinoma received axitinib 5 mg twice daily during a 4 week lead-in period. Those patients with blood pressure 150/90 mm Hg or lower, no grade 3 or 4 treatment-related toxic effects, no dose reductions, and no more than two antihypertensive drugs for 2 consecutive weeks were stratified by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (0 vs 1), and then randomly assigned (1:1) to either masked titration with axitinib to total twice daily doses of 7 mg, and then 10 mg, if tolerated, or placebo titration. Patients who did not meet these criteria continued without titration. The primary objective was comparison of the proportion of patients achieving an objective response between randomised groups. Safety analyses were based on all patients who received at least one dose of axitinib. This ongoing trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00835978. Findings Between Sept 2, 2009, and Feb 28, 2011, we enrolled 213 patients, of whom 112 were randomly assigned to either the axitinib titration group (56 patients) or the placebo titration group (56 patients). 91 were not eligible for titration, and ten withdrew during the lead-in period. 30 patients (54%, 95% CI 40–67) in the axitinib titration group had an objective response, as did 19 patients (34%, 22–48]) in the placebo titration group (one-sided p=0·019). 54 (59%, 95% CI 49–70) of non

  11. Axitinib with or without dose titration for first-line metastatic renal-cell carcinoma: a randomised double-blind phase 2 trial.

    PubMed

    Rini, Brian I; Melichar, Bohuslav; Ueda, Takeshi; Grünwald, Viktor; Fishman, Mayer N; Arranz, José A; Bair, Angel H; Pithavala, Yazdi K; Andrews, Glen I; Pavlov, Dmitri; Kim, Sinil; Jonasch, Eric

    2013-11-01

    Population pharmacokinetic data suggest axitinib plasma exposure correlates with efficacy in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma. Axitinib dose titration might optimise exposure and improve outcomes. We prospectively assessed the efficacy and safety of axitinib dose titration in previously untreated patients with metastatic renal-cell carcinoma. In this randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 2 study, patients were enrolled from 49 hospitals and outpatient clinics in the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, and USA. Patients with treatment-naive metastatic renal-cell carcinoma received axitinib 5 mg twice daily during a 4 week lead-in period. Those patients with blood pressure 150/90 mm Hg or lower, no grade 3 or 4 treatment-related toxic effects, no dose reductions, and no more than two antihypertensive drugs for 2 consecutive weeks were stratified by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (0 vs 1), and then randomly assigned (1:1) to either masked titration with axitinib to total twice daily doses of 7 mg, and then 10 mg, if tolerated, or placebo titration. Patients who did not meet these criteria continued without titration. The primary objective was comparison of the proportion of patients achieving an objective response between randomised groups. Safety analyses were based on all patients who received at least one dose of axitinib. Between Sept 2, 2009, and Feb 28, 2011, we enrolled 213 patients, of whom 112 were randomly assigned to either the axitinib titration group (56 patients) or the placebo titration group (56 patients). 91 were not eligible for titration, and ten withdrew during the lead-in period. 30 patients (54%, 95% CI 40-67) in the axitinib titration group had an objective response, as did 19 patients (34%, 22-48]) in the placebo titration group (one-sided p=0·019). 54 (59%, 95% CI 49-70) of non-randomised patients achieved an objective response. Common grade 3 or worse, all-causality adverse events in treated patients

  12. Metastatic Lymph Node Burden and Survival in Oral Cavity Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sungjin; Tighiouart, Mourad; Gudino, Cynthia; Mita, Alain; Scher, Kevin S.; Laury, Anna; Prasad, Ravi; Shiao, Stephen L.; Van Eyk, Jennifer E.; Zumsteg, Zachary S.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Current staging systems for oral cavity cancers incorporate lymph node (LN) size and laterality, but place less weight on the total number of positive metastatic nodes. We investigated the independent impact of numerical metastatic LN burden on survival. Methods Adult patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma undergoing upfront surgical resection for curative intent were identified in the National Cancer Data Base between 2004 and 2013. A neck dissection of a minimum of 10 LNs was required. Multivariable models were constructed to assess the association between the number of metastatic LNs and survival, adjusting for factors such as nodal size, laterality, extranodal extension, margin status, and adjuvant treatment. Results Overall, 14,554 patients met inclusion criteria (7,906 N0 patients; 6,648 node-positive patients). Mortality risk escalated continuously with increasing number of metastatic nodes without plateau, with the effect most pronounced with up to four LNs (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.29 to 1.39; P < .001). Extranodal extension (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.65; P < .001) and lower neck involvement (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.27; P < .001) also predicted increased mortality. Increasing number of nodes examined was associated with improved survival, plateauing at 35 LNs (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.98 to 0.99; P < .001). In multivariable models accounting for the number of metastatic nodes, contralateral LN involvement (N2c status) and LN size were not associated with mortality. A novel nodal staging system derived by recursive partitioning analysis exhibited greater concordance than the American Joint Committee on Cancer (8th edition) system. Conclusion The number of metastatic nodes is a critical predictor of oral cavity cancer mortality, eclipsing other features such as LN size and contralaterality in prognostic value. More robust incorporation of numerical metastatic LN burden may augment staging and better inform adjuvant treatment decisions. PMID

  13. Aldosterone mediates metastatic spread of renal cancer via the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER).

    PubMed

    Feldman, Ross D; Ding, Qingming; Hussain, Yasin; Limbird, Lee E; Pickering, J Geoffrey; Gros, Robert

    2016-06-01

    Although aldosterone is a known regulator of renal and cardiovascular function, its role as a regulator of cancer growth and spread has not been widely considered. This study tested the hypothesis that aldosterone regulates cancer cell growth/spread via G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) activation. In vitro in murine renal cortical adenocarcinoma (RENCA) cells, a widely used murine in vitro model for the study of renal cell adenocarcinoma, aldosterone increased RENCA cell proliferation to a maximum of 125 ± 3% of control at a concentration of 10 nM, an effect blocked by the GPER antagonist G15 or by GPER knockdown using short interfering (sh) RNA techniques. Further, aldosterone increased RENCA cell migration to a maximum of 170 ± 20% of control at a concentration of 100 nM, an effect also blocked by G15 or by GPER down-regulation. In vivo, after orthotopic RENCA cell renal transplantation, pulmonary tumor spread was inhibited by pharmacologic blockade of aldosterone effects with spironolactone (percentage of lung occupied by metastasis: control = 68 ± 13, spironolactone = 26 ± 8, P < 0.05) or inhibition of aldosterone synthesis with a high dietary salt diet (percentage of lung: control = 44 ± 6, high salt = 12 ± 3, P < 0.05), without reducing primary tumor size. Additionally, adrenalectomy significantly reduced the extent of pulmonary tumor spread, whereas aldosterone infusion recovered pulmonary metastatic spread toward baseline levels. Finally, inhibition of GPER either with the GPER antagonist G15 or by GPER knockdown comparably inhibited RENCA cell pulmonary metastatic cancer spread. Taken together, these findings provide strong evidence for aldosterone serving a causal role in renal cell cancer regulation via its GPER receptor; thus, antagonism of GPER represents a potential new target for treatment to reduce metastatic spread.-Feldman, R. D., Ding, Q., Hussain, Y., Limbird, L. E., Pickering, J. G., Gros, R. Aldosterone mediates metastatic

  14. Heparanase Mechanisms in Brain-Metastatic Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-01

    EGFR , HER2, SST0001, Lapatinib 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON...applied to xenografts models. Third, because Lapatinib (Tykerb, GW572016) is a selective small-molecule inhibitor of EGFR and HER2 with limited roles...expression, activity in BMBC cells and respective non-brain metastatic counterparts 1c. Perform real-time PCR , Western blot analyses

  15. Development of a green fluorescent protein metastatic-cancer chick-embryo drug-screen model.

    PubMed

    Bobek, Vladimir; Plachy, Jiri; Pinterova, Daniela; Kolostova, Katarina; Boubelik, Michael; Jiang, Ping; Yang, Meng; Hoffman, Robert M

    2004-01-01

    The chick-embryo model has been an important tool to study tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis. However, an imageable model with a genetic fluorescent tag in the growing and spreading cancer cells that is stable over time has not been developed. We report here the development of such an imageable fluorescent chick-embryo metastatic cancer model with the use of green fluorescent protein (GFP). Lewis lung carcinoma cells, stably expressing GFP, were injected on the 12th day of incubation in the chick embryo. GFP-Lewis lung carcinoma metastases were visualized by fluorescence, after seven days additional incubation, in the brain, heart, and sternum of the developing chick embryo, with the most frequent site being the brain. The combination of streptokinase and gemcitabine was evaluated in this GFP metastatic model. Twelve-day-old chick embryos were injected intravenously with GFP-Lewis lung cancer cells, along with these two agents either alone or in combination. The streptokinase-gemcitabine combination inhibited metastases at all sites. The effective dose of gemcitabine was found to be 10 mg/kg and streptokinase 2000 IU per embryo. The data in this report suggest that this new stably fluorescent imageable metastatic-cancer chick-embryo model will enable rapid screening of new antimetastatic agents.

  16. High-dose interleukin 2 in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid features

    PubMed Central

    Arjunan, Ananth; Wang, Hong; Saul, Melissa; Davar, Diwakar; Appleman, Leonard J.; Friedland, David; Parikh, Rahul A.

    2017-01-01

    Background High-dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) is used in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and has an overall response rate (ORR) of 12–20% and a complete response rate (CR) of 8% in unselected populations with predominantly clear cell type renal cell carcinoma. Nearly 10–15% of patients with renal cell carcinoma exhibit sarcomatoid differentiation, a feature which correlates with a median overall survival (OS) of 9 months and overall poor prognosis. We report a single institution experience with 21 patients with mRCC with sarcomatoid features post-nephrectomy who were treated with HD IL-2. Methods Twenty one patients with mRCC with sarcomatoid features post-nephrectomy who underwent therapy with HD IL-2 were identified at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from 2004 to 2016. Baseline patient characteristics, HD IL-2 cycles, time to progression, and subsequent therapies were evaluated. OS and progression-free survival (PFS) in the cohort were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Disease characteristics were evaluated for significance using the Fischer′s exact test and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results Patients were predominantly Caucasian males with a median age of 54 years. A majority, 86% of these patients, had metastatic disease at time of initial presentation, primarily with lung and lymph node involvement. The ORR and CR with HD IL-2 was 10% and 5%, respectively. Initial localized disease presentation is the only variable that was significantly associated with response to HD IL-2 (p = 0.0158). Number of HD IL-2 doses did not correlate with response with a mean of 16.5 and 15.0 total doses in responders and non-responders, respectively (p = 0.53). Median PFS with HD IL-2 was 7.9 months (95% CI, 5.0–21.3). Median OS was 30.5 months (95% CI 13.3–57.66). Within the subset of patients who had progression on IL-2, median OS was 19.4 months (95% CI, 13.3–35.3). In patients who received second-line therapy, median PFS was 7

  17. Temsirolimus and Vinorelbine Ditartrate in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Solid Tumors

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2016-06-09

    Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer; Hereditary Paraganglioma; Male Breast Cancer; Malignant Paraganglioma; Metastatic Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor; Metastatic Pheochromocytoma; Pancreatic Polypeptide Tumor; Recurrent Breast Cancer; Recurrent Cervical Cancer; Recurrent Endometrial Carcinoma; Recurrent Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor; Recurrent Islet Cell Carcinoma; Recurrent Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Skin; Recurrent Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Recurrent Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Recurrent Pheochromocytoma; Recurrent Prostate Cancer; Recurrent Renal Cell Cancer; Recurrent Small Cell Lung Cancer; Recurrent Uterine Sarcoma; Regional Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor; Regional Pheochromocytoma; Stage III Cervical Cancer; Stage III Endometrial Carcinoma; Stage III Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Skin; Stage III Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage III Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage III Prostate Cancer; Stage III Renal Cell Cancer; Stage III Uterine Sarcoma; Stage IIIA Breast Cancer; Stage IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IIIB Breast Cancer; Stage IIIB Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IIIC Breast Cancer; Stage IV Breast Cancer; Stage IV Endometrial Carcinoma; Stage IV Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Skin; Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IV Prostate Cancer; Stage IV Renal Cell Cancer; Stage IV Uterine Sarcoma; Stage IVA Cervical Cancer; Stage IVB Cervical Cancer; Thyroid Gland Medullary Carcinoma

  18. Reprogramming the Metastatic Microenvironment to Combat Disease Recurrence

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-01

    the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this...lead to pathological bone loss, which can stimulate tumor cell outgrowth. In addition to contributing to morbidity, this ‘vicious cycle’ also...surveillance and antigen presentation affect metastatic relapse in the bone. In so doing, we discovered that inhibiting colony stimulating factor-1

  19. Rac-WAVE2 signaling is involved in the invasive and metastatic phenotypes of murine melanoma cells.

    PubMed

    Kurisu, Shusaku; Suetsugu, Shiro; Yamazaki, Daisuke; Yamaguchi, Hideki; Takenawa, Tadaomi

    2005-02-17

    WAVEs (WASP-family verprolin-homologous proteins) regulate the actin cytoskeleton through activation of Arp2/3 complex. As cell motility is regulated by actin cytoskeleton rearrangement and is required for tumor invasion and metastasis, blocking actin polymerization may be an effective strategy to prevent tumor dissemination. We show that WAVEs, especially WAVE2, are essential for invasion and metastasis of melanoma cells. Malignant B16F10 mouse melanoma cells expressed more WAVE1 and WAVE2 proteins and showed higher Rac activity than B16 parental cells, which are neither invasive nor metastatic. The effect of WAVE2 silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) on the highly invasive nature of B16F10 cells was more dramatic than that of WAVE1 RNAi. Membrane ruffling, cell motility, invasion into the extracellular matrix, and pulmonary metastasis of B16F10 cells were suppressed by WAVE2 RNAi. WAVE2 RNAi also had a profound effect on invasion induced by a constitutively active form of Rac (RacCA). In addition, ectopic expression of both RacCA and WAVE2 in B16 cells resulted in further increase in the invasiveness than that observed in B16 cells expressing only RacCA. Thus, WAVE2 acts as the primary effector downstream of Rac to achieve invasion and metastasis, suggesting that suppression of WAVE2 activity holds a promise for preventing cancer invasion and metastasis.

  20. Metastatic potential of lung squamous cell carcinoma associated with HSPC300 through its interaction with WAVE2.

    PubMed

    Cai, Xiongwei; Xiao, Ting; James, Sharon Y; Da, Jiping; Lin, Dongmei; Liu, Yu; Zheng, Yang; Zou, Shuangmei; Di, Xuebing; Guo, Suping; Han, Naijun; Lu, Yong-Jie; Cheng, Shujun; Gao, Yanning; Zhang, Kaitai

    2009-09-01

    The small protein, HSPC300 (haematopoietic stem/progenitor cell protein 300), is associated with reorganization of actin filaments and cell movement, but its activity has not been reported in human cancer cells. Here, we investigated the association of HSPC300 expression with clinical features of lung squamous cell carcinoma. High levels of HSPC300 protein were detected in 84.1% of tumour samples, and in 30.8% of adjacent morphologically normal tissues. The number of primary tumours with elevated HSPC300 levels was significantly higher in primary tumours with lymph node metastases as opposed to those without, and also in tumours from patients with more advanced disease. HSPC300 modulates the morphology and motility of cells, as siRNA knockdown caused the reorganization of actin filaments, decreased the formation of pseudopodia, and inhibited the migration of a lung cancer cell line. We further showed that HSPC300 interacted with the WAVE2 protein, and HSPC300 silencing resulted in the degradation of WAVE2 in vitro. HSPC300 and WAVE2 were co-expressed in approximately 85.7% of primary tumours with lymph node metastases. We hypothesize that HSPC300 is associated with metastatic potential of lung squamous cell carcinoma through its interaction with WAVE2.

  1. Results of a Phase 1/2 Study in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated with a Patient-specific Adjuvant Multi-peptide Vaccine after Resection of Metastases.

    PubMed

    Rausch, Steffen; Gouttefangeas, Cécile; Hennenlotter, Jörg; Laske, Karoline; Walter, Kerstin; Feyerabend, Susan; Chandran, Premachandran Anoop; Kruck, Stephan; Singh-Jasuja, Harpreet; Frick, Annemarie; Kröger, Nils; Stevanović, Stefan; Stenzl, Arnulf; Rammensee, Hans-Georg; Bedke, Jens

    2017-10-04

    Treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma comprises metastasectomy±systemic medical treatment. Specific immunotherapy after metastasectomy could be a complementary option. In this phase 1/2 study, safety and tolerability of an adjuvant multi-peptide vaccine (UroRCC) after metastasectomy was evaluated together with immune response and efficacy, compared with a contemporary cohort of patients (n=44) treated with metastasectomy only. Nineteen metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients received UroRCC via intradermal or subcutaneous application randomized to immunoadjuvants (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor or Montanide). Adverse events of UroRCC were mainly grade I and II; frequency of immune response was higher for major histocompatibility complex class II peptides (17/19, 89.5%) than for major histocompatibility complex class I peptides (8/19, 42.1%). Median overall survival was not reached in the UroRCC group (mean: 112.6 mo, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 92.1-133.1) and 58.0 mo (95% CI: 32.7-83.2) in the control cohort (p=0.015). UroRCC was an independent prognosticator of overall survival (hazard ratio=0.19, 95% CI: 0.05-0.69, p=0.012). Adjuvant UroRCC multi-peptide vaccine after metastasectomy was well tolerated, immunogenic, and indicates potential clinical benefit when compared with a contemporary control cohort (NCT02429440). The application of a patient-specific peptide vaccine after complete resection of metastases in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients resulted in favorable tolerability and outcome. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Correlation of human papilloma virus status with quantitative perfusion/diffusion/metabolic imaging parameters in the oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: comparison of primary tumour sites and metastatic lymph nodes.

    PubMed

    Han, M; Lee, S J; Lee, D; Kim, S Y; Choi, J W

    2018-05-17

    To investigate the differences in perfusion/diffusion/metabolic imaging parameters according to human papilloma virus (HPV) status in the oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OC-OPSCC), separately in primary tumour sites and metastatic lymph nodes. This retrospective study comprised 41 patients with primary OC-OPSCCs and 29 patients with metastatic lymph nodes. The perfusion/diffusion/metabolic imaging parameters were measured at the primary tumour and the largest ipsilateral metastatic lymph node. The quantitative parameters were compared between the HPV-positive and -negative groups. The HPV-positivity was 39% (16 patients) for the primary tumours and 51.7% (15 patients) for the metastatic lymph nodes. Patients with HPV-positive tumours had a lower T stage (p=0.034). The metastatic lymph nodes for the HPV-positive patients were bulkier (p=0.016) and more frequently had cystic morphology (p=0.005). The perfusion parameters were not different, regardless of HPV status. The diffusion parameter (ADC min , p=0.011) of the metastatic lymph nodes in the HPV-positive groups was lower and metabolic parameter (metabolic tumour volume p=0.035 and total lesion glycolysis p=0.037) were higher than those in HPV-negative groups. The diffusion and metabolic parameters of metastatic lymph nodes from OC-OPSCC were different according to HPV status. The perfusion parameters did not clearly represent HPV status. Copyright © 2018 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Benefit-Risk Summary of Nivolumab for Patients With Metastatic Squamous Cell Lung Cancer After Platinum-Based Chemotherapy: A Report From the US Food and Drug Administration.

    PubMed

    Kazandjian, Dickran; Khozin, Sean; Blumenthal, Gideon; Zhang, Lijun; Tang, Shenghui; Libeg, Meredith; Kluetz, Paul; Sridhara, Rajeshwari; Keegan, Patricia; Pazdur, Richard

    2016-01-01

    Metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (SQ NSCLC) is a serious and life-threatening malignant condition with unmet medical need. In late December 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) obtained the data monitoring committee report of a planned interim analysis of a trial in second-line SQ NSCLC (CM017) that demonstrated an overall survival benefit for patients treated with nivolumab compared with docetaxel. In that trial, 272 patients with metastatic SQ NSCLC patients had been randomized to receive nivolumab (n = 135) or docetaxel (n = 137). Median overall survival was 9.2 months for patients randomized to nivolumab and 6.0 months for those randomized to docetaxel (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.44-0.79; P < .001). The safety of nivolumab was evaluated in a single-arm trial of 117 patients in previously treated metastatic SQ NSCLC and was consistent with the safety profile in melanoma, with rare but serious immune-mediated adverse events managed with corticosteroids and dose interruption. The FDA granted nivolumab traditional approval on March 4, 2015, for treatment of metastatic SQ NSCLC with progression during or after platinum-based chemotherapy. The approval provides an important treatment option for these patients, affecting routine care and clinical trials.

  4. Chemotherapy in metastatic retinoblastoma.

    PubMed

    Kingston, J E; Hungerford, J L; Plowman, P N

    1987-03-01

    Eleven children with metastatic retinoblastoma diagnosed during the period 1970-1984 were treated with chemotherapy. Short-term complete responses were observed in three children treated with a four-drug combination which included cisplatinum, and in one child treated with vincristine and cyclophosphamide. The median duration of survival of the 11 children receiving chemotherapy was nine months, whilst the median survival of 13 children with metastatic retinoblastoma who were not given chemotherapy was only 2.3 months (p = 0.06). This suggests that retinoblastoma is a chemosensitive tumour and therefore adjuvant chemotherapy may have a role in children with retinoblastoma who at diagnosis are thought to be at high risk of developing metastatic disease.

  5. Conditional deletion of p53 and Rb in the renin-expressing compartment of the pancreas leads to a highly penetrant metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Glenn, Sean T.; Jones, Craig A.; Sexton, Sandra; LeVea, Charles M.; Caraker, Susan M.; Hajduczok, George; Gross, Kenneth W.

    2014-01-01

    Efforts to model human pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET) in animals have been moderately successful, with minimal evidence for glucagonomas or metastatic spread. The renin gene while classically associated with expression in the kidney is also expressed in many other extra-renal tissues including the pancreas. To induce tumorigenesis within renin specific tissues, floxed alleles of p53 and Rb were selectively abrogated using Cre-recombinase driven by the renin promoter. The primary neoplasm generated is a highly metastatic islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas. Lineage tracing identifies descendants of renin-expressing cells as pancreatic alpha cells despite a lack of active renin expression in the mature pancreas. Both primary and metastatic tumors express high levels of glucagon, furthermore an increased level of glucagon is found in the serum identifying the pancreatic cancer as a functional glucagonoma. This new model is highly penetrant and exhibits robust frequency of metastases to lymph nodes and liver, mimicking human disease and provides a useful platform for better understanding pancreatic endocrine differentiation and development, as well as islet cell carcinogenesis. The use of fluorescent reporters for lineage tracing of the cells contributing to disease initiation and progression provides a unique opportunity to dissect the timeline of disease, examining mechanisms of the metastatic process, as well as recovering primary and metastatic cells for identifying co-operating mutations that are necessary for progression of disease. PMID:24292676

  6. Conditional deletion of p53 and Rb in the renin-expressing compartment of the pancreas leads to a highly penetrant metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Glenn, S T; Jones, C A; Sexton, S; LeVea, C M; Caraker, S M; Hajduczok, G; Gross, K W

    2014-12-11

    Efforts to model human pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) in animals have been moderately successful, with minimal evidence for glucagonomas or metastatic spread. The renin gene, although classically associated with expression in the kidney, is also expressed in many other extrarenal tissues including the pancreas. To induce tumorigenesis within rennin-specific tissues, floxed alleles of p53 and Rb were selectively abrogated using Cre-recombinase driven by the renin promoter. The primary neoplasm generated is a highly metastatic islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas. Lineage tracing identifies descendants of renin-expressing cells as pancreatic alpha cells despite a lack of active renin expression in the mature pancreas. Both primary and metastatic tumors express high levels of glucagon; furthermore, an increased level of glucagon is found in the serum, identifying the pancreatic cancer as a functional glucagonoma. This new model is highly penetrant and exhibits robust frequency of metastases to the lymph nodes and the liver, mimicking human disease, and provides a useful platform for better understanding pancreatic endocrine differentiation and development, as well as islet cell carcinogenesis. The use of fluorescent reporters for lineage tracing of the cells contributing to disease initiation and progression provides an unique opportunity to dissect the timeline of disease, examining mechanisms of the metastatic process, as well as recovering primary and metastatic cells for identifying cooperating mutations that are necessary for progression of disease.

  7. Whole Blood mRNA Expression-Based Prognosis of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Sosa, Carlos P.; Hillman, David W.; Sanhueza, Cristobal; Dalpiaz, Candace L.; Costello, Brian A.; Quevedo, Fernando J.; Pitot, Henry C.; Dronca, Roxana S.; Ertz, Donna; Cheville, John C.; Donkena, Krishna Vanaja; Kohli, Manish

    2017-01-01

    The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) prognostic score is based on clinical parameters. We analyzed whole blood mRNA expression in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mCCRCC) patients and compared it to the MSKCC score for predicting overall survival. In a discovery set of 19 patients with mRCC, we performed whole transcriptome RNA sequencing and selected eighteen candidate genes for further evaluation based on associations with overall survival and statistical significance. In an independent validation of set of 47 patients with mCCRCC, transcript expression of the 18 candidate genes were quantified using a customized NanoString probeset. Cox regression multivariate analysis confirmed that two of the candidate genes were significantly associated with overall survival. Higher expression of BAG1 [hazard ratio (HR) of 0.14, p < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04–0.36] and NOP56 (HR 0.13, p < 0.0001, 95% CI 0.05–0.34) were associated with better prognosis. A prognostic model incorporating expression of BAG1 and NOP56 into the MSKCC score improved prognostication significantly over a model using the MSKCC prognostic score only (p < 0.0001). Prognostic value of using whole blood mRNA gene profiling in mCCRCC is feasible and should be prospectively confirmed in larger studies. PMID:29099775

  8. Genomic Sequencing in Determining Treatment in Patients With Metastatic Cancer or Cancer That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-01-22

    Metastatic Neoplasm; Recurrent Neoplasm; Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma; Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IIIB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer; Unresectable Malignant Neoplasm

  9. Early tumor growth in metastatic organs influenced by the microenvironment is an important factor which provides organ specificity of colon cancer metastasis.

    PubMed

    Hara, Y; Ogata, Y; Shirouzu, K

    2000-12-01

    We have previously demonstrated that liver metastases in nude mice and lung metastases in nude rats occurred specifically, when KM12SM human colon carcinoma cells were inoculated orthotopically into the cecal wall of nude mice and rats. To clarify the relationship between the tumor growth potential in the metastatic organs and the metastatic organ preference in these two metastatic models, we have evaluated the in vitro cell growth activities affected by the organ conditioned medium (CM) from the liver and lung, and the in vivo growth activities of the ectopic implanted tumors in the liver and lung. The tumorigenicity of the ectopic implanted tumors was 100% in mouse liver, 33% in rat liver, 50% in mouse lung, and 75% in rat lung. The crude liver CM of the animals showed inhibitory activities for KM12SM cell growth in a dosage-dependent manner, and the crude lung CM stimulated KM12SM cell growth. The liver CM of nude mice inhibited the KM12SM cell growth more strongly compared with the CM of nude rats, and the lung CM of nude rats was more strongly stimulated compared with the CM of nude mice. The liver CM of nude mice had non-heparin binding factors, which stimulated or inhibited KM12SM cell growth, in a molecular weight range of 50 to 100 kDa. By contrast, the liver CM of nude rats showed no growth stimulating activity for KM12SM cells. These results suggest that the metastatic organ specificity of KM12SM cells may depend on the early tumor growth influenced by the microenvironment in metastatic organs.

  10. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition inducing transcription factors and metastatic cancer.

    PubMed

    Tania, Mousumi; Khan, Md Asaduzzaman; Fu, Junjiang

    2014-08-01

    The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important step for the developmental process. Recent evidences support that EMT allows the tumor cells to acquire invasive properties and to develop metastatic growth characteristics. Some of the transcription factors, which are actively involved in EMT process, have a significant role in the EMT-metastasis linkage. A number of studies have reported that EMT-inducing transcription factors (EMT-TFs), such as Twist, Snail, Slug, and Zeb, are directly or indirectly involved in cancer cell metastasis through a different signaling cascades, including the Akt, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Wnt pathways, with the ultimate consequence of the downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of metastatic proteins, such as N-cadherin, vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, etc. This review summarizes the update information on the association of EMT-TFs with cancer metastasis and the possible cancer therapeutics via targeting the EMT-TFs.

  11. Melanoma Stem Cells and Metastasis: Mimicking Hematopoietic Cell Trafficking?

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Nayoung; Barthel, Steven R.; Schatton, Tobias

    2014-01-01

    Malignant melanoma is a highly metastatic cancer that bears responsibility for the majority of skin cancer-related deaths. Amidst the research efforts to better understand melanoma progression, there has been increasing evidence that hints at a role for a subpopulation of virulent cancer cells, termed malignant melanoma stem or initiating cells (MMICs), in metastasis formation. MMICs are characterized by their preferential ability to initiate and propagate tumor growth and their selective capacity for self-renewal and differentiation into less tumorigenic melanoma cells. The frequency of MMICs has been shown to correlate with poor clinical prognosis in melanoma. Additionally, MMICs are enriched among circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood of cancer patients, suggesting that MMICs may be a critical player in the metastatic cascade. Although these links exist between MMICs and metastatic disease, the mechanisms by which MMICs may advance metastatic progression are only beginning to be elucidated. Recent studies have shown that MMICs express molecules critical for hematopoietic cell maintenance and trafficking, providing a possible explanation for how circulating MMICs could drive melanoma dissemination. We therefore propose that MMICs might fuel melanoma metastasis by exploiting homing mechanisms commonly utilized by hematopoietic cells. Here we review the biological properties of MMICs and the existing literature on their metastatic potential. We will discuss possible mechanisms by which MMICs might initiate metastases in the context of established knowledge of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in other cancers and of hematopoietic homing molecules, with a particular focus on selectins, integrins, chemokines, and chemokine receptors known to be expressed by melanoma cells. Biological understanding of how these molecules might be utilized by MMICs to propel the metastatic cascade could critically impact the development of more effective therapies for advanced

  12. The Molecular Landscape of Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancers

    PubMed Central

    Morris, Luc G. T.; Chandramohan, Raghu; West, Lyndsay; Zehir, Ahmet; Chakravarty, Debyani; Pfister, David G.; Wong, Richard J.; Lee, Nancy Y.; Sherman, Eric J.; Baxi, Shrujal S.; Ganly, Ian; Singh, Bhuvanesh; Shah, Jatin P.; Shaha, Ashok R.; Boyle, Jay O.; Patel, Snehal G.; Roman, Benjamin R.; Barker, Christopher A.; McBride, Sean M.; Chan, Timothy A.; Dogan, Snjezana; Hyman, David M.; Berger, Michael F.; Solit, David B.; Riaz, Nadeem; Ho, Alan L.

    2016-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer is usually incurable. Implementation of precision oncology for these patients has been limited by incomplete understanding of the molecular alterations underlying advanced disease. At the same time, the molecular profiles of many rare head and neck cancer types are unknown. These significant gaps in knowledge need to be addressed to rationally devise new therapies. OBJECTIVE To illuminate the distinct biology of recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancers and review implementation of precision oncology for patients with advanced disease. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS After exclusions, 151 patients with advanced, treatment-resistant head and neck tumors, including squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), and other salivary and cutaneous cancers, whose tumors were sequenced between January 2014 and July 2015 at Memorial Sloan Kettering were recruited. Next-generation sequencing of tumors as part of clinical care included high-depth (median 600×) exonic coverage of 410 cancer genes and whole-genome copy number analysis. INTERVENTIONS Next-generation sequencing of tumors and matched normal DNA. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Feasibility, the frequency of actionable molecular alterations, the effect on decision making, and identification of alterations associated with recurrent and metastatic disease. RESULTS Overall, 151 patients (95 men and 56 women; mean [range] age, 61.8 [17-100] years) were included in the study. Next-generation sequencing ultimately guided therapy in 21 of 151 patients (14%) (13 of 53 [25%] of patients with HNSCC) by refining diagnoses and matching patients to specific therapies, in some cases with dramatic responses on basket studies. Molecular alterations were potentially actionable in 28 of 135 patients (21%). The genetic profiles of recurrent and metastatic tumors were often distinct from primary tumors. Compared to primary human papillomavirus (HPV

  13. Clinical impact of targeted therapies in patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Nerich, Virginie; Hugues, Marion; Paillard, Marie Justine; Borowski, Laëtitia; Nai, Thierry; Stein, Ulrich; Nguyen Tan Hon, Thierry; Montcuquet, Philippe; Maurina, Tristan; Mouillet, Guillaume; Kleinclauss, François; Pivot, Xavier; Limat, Samuel; Thiery-Vuillemin, Antoine

    2014-01-01

    Introduction The aim of this retrospective clinical study was to assess, in the context of the recent evolution of systemic therapies, the potential effect of targeted therapies on overall survival (OS) of patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) in daily practice. Patients and methods All consecutive patients with histologically confirmed mccRCC who received systemic therapy between January 2000 and December 2010 in two oncology treatment centers in our Franche-Comté region in eastern France were included in the analysis. The primary end point was OS. The analysis of prognostic factors was performed using a two-step approach: univariate then multivariate analysis with a stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results For the entire cohort of 111 patients, the median OS was 17 months (95% confidence interval [CI]; 13–22 months) and the two-year OS was 39%. Three prognostic factors were independent predictors of long survival: prior nephrectomy (hazard ratio =0.38 [0.22–0.64], P<0.0001); systemic therapy by targeted therapy (hazard ratio =0.50 [0.31–0.80], P=0.005); and lack of liver metastasis (hazard ratio =0.43 [0.22–0.82], P=0.002). Median OS was 21 months [14–29 months] for patients who received at least one targeted therapy compared with 12 months [7–15 months] for patients who were treated only by immunotherapy agents (P=0.003). Conclusion Our results suggest that targeted therapies are associated with improved OS in comparison with cytokines, which is in line with other publications. PMID:24600236

  14. Prognostic impact of the pretreatment aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase ratio in patients treated with first-line systemic tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Kang, Minyong; Yu, Jiwoong; Sung, Hyun Hwan; Jeon, Hwang Gyun; Jeong, Byong Chang; Park, Se Hoon; Jeon, Seong Soo; Lee, Hyun Moo; Choi, Han Yong; Seo, Seong Il

    2018-05-13

    To examine the prognostic role of the pretreatment aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase or De Ritis ratio in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma receiving first-line systemic tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. We retrospectively searched the medical records of 579 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who visited Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from January 2001 through August 2016. After excluding 210 patients, we analyzed 360 patients who received first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. Cancer-specific survival and overall survival were defined as the primary and secondary end-points, respectively. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify independent prognosticators of survival outcomes. The overall population was divided into two groups according to the pretreatment De Ritis ratio as an optimal cut-off value of 1.2, which was determined by a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Patients with a higher pretreatment De Ritis ratio (≥1.2) had worse cancer-specific survival and overall survival outcomes, compared with those with a lower De Ritis ratio (<1.2). Notably, a higher De Ritis ratio (≥1.2) was found to be an independent predictor of both cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio 1.61, 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.30) and overall survival outcomes (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.19-2.39), along with male sex, multiple metastasis (≥2), non-clear cell histology, advanced pT stage (≥3), previous metastasectomy and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center risk classification. Our findings show that the pretreatment De Ritis ratio can provide valuable information about the survival outcomes of metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients receiving first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. © 2018 The Japanese Urological Association.

  15. IGF1R as a Key Target in High Risk, Metastatic Medulloblastoma

    PubMed Central

    Svalina, Matthew N.; Kikuchi, Ken; Abraham, Jinu; Lal, Sangeet; Davare, Monika A.; Settelmeyer, Teagan P.; Young, Michael C.; Peckham, Jennifer L.; Cho, Yoon-Jae; Michalek, Joel E.; Hernandez, Brian S.; Berlow, Noah E.; Jackson, Melanie; Guillaume, Daniel J.; Selden, Nathan R.; Bigner, Darell D.; Nazemi, Kellie J.; Green, Sarah C.; Corless, Christopher L.; Gultekin, Sakir; Mansoor, Atiya; Rubin, Brian P.; Woltjer, Randall; Keller, Charles

    2016-01-01

    Risk or presence of metastasis in medulloblastoma causes substantial treatment-related morbidity and overall mortality. Through the comparison of cytokines and growth factors in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of metastatic medulloblastoma patients with factors also in conditioned media of metastatic MYC amplified medulloblastoma or leptomeningeal cells, we were led to explore the bioactivity of IGF1 in medulloblastoma by elevated CSF levels of IGF1, IGF-sequestering IGFBP3, IGFBP3-cleaving proteases (MMP and tPA), and protease modulators (TIMP1 and PAI-1). IGF1 led not only to receptor phosphorylation but also accelerated migration/adhesion in MYC amplified medulloblastoma cells in the context of appropriate matrix or meningothelial cells. Clinical correlation suggests a peri-/sub-meningothelial source of IGF-liberating proteases that could facilitate leptomeningeal metastasis. In parallel, studies of key factors responsible for cell autonomous growth in MYC amplified medulloblastoma prioritized IGF1R inhibitors. Together, our studies identify IGF1R as a high value target for clinical trials in high risk medulloblastoma. PMID:27255663

  16. IGF1R as a Key Target in High Risk, Metastatic Medulloblastoma.

    PubMed

    Svalina, Matthew N; Kikuchi, Ken; Abraham, Jinu; Lal, Sangeet; Davare, Monika A; Settelmeyer, Teagan P; Young, Michael C; Peckham, Jennifer L; Cho, Yoon-Jae; Michalek, Joel E; Hernandez, Brian S; Berlow, Noah E; Jackson, Melanie; Guillaume, Daniel J; Selden, Nathan R; Bigner, Darell D; Nazemi, Kellie J; Green, Sarah C; Corless, Christopher L; Gultekin, Sakir; Mansoor, Atiya; Rubin, Brian P; Woltjer, Randall; Keller, Charles

    2016-06-03

    Risk or presence of metastasis in medulloblastoma causes substantial treatment-related morbidity and overall mortality. Through the comparison of cytokines and growth factors in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of metastatic medulloblastoma patients with factors also in conditioned media of metastatic MYC amplified medulloblastoma or leptomeningeal cells, we were led to explore the bioactivity of IGF1 in medulloblastoma by elevated CSF levels of IGF1, IGF-sequestering IGFBP3, IGFBP3-cleaving proteases (MMP and tPA), and protease modulators (TIMP1 and PAI-1). IGF1 led not only to receptor phosphorylation but also accelerated migration/adhesion in MYC amplified medulloblastoma cells in the context of appropriate matrix or meningothelial cells. Clinical correlation suggests a peri-/sub-meningothelial source of IGF-liberating proteases that could facilitate leptomeningeal metastasis. In parallel, studies of key factors responsible for cell autonomous growth in MYC amplified medulloblastoma prioritized IGF1R inhibitors. Together, our studies identify IGF1R as a high value target for clinical trials in high risk medulloblastoma.

  17. Sequential therapy in metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma: TKI-TKI vs TKI-mTOR.

    PubMed

    Felici, Alessandra; Bria, Emilio; Tortora, Giampaolo; Cognetti, Francesco; Milella, Michele

    2012-12-01

    With seven targeted agents, directed against the VEGF/VEGF receptor (VEGFR) axis or the mTOR pathway, approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma and more active agents in advanced phase of clinical testing, questions have arisen with regard to their optimal use, either in combination or in sequence. One of the most compelling (and debated) issues is whether continued VEGF/VEGFR inhibition with agents hitting the same targets (TKI-TKI) affords better results than switching mechanisms of action by alternating VEGFR and mTOR inhibition (TKI-mTOR). In this article, the authors review the (little) available evidence coming from randomized Phase III clinical trials and try to fill in the (many) remaining gaps using evidence from small-size, single-arm Phase II studies and retrospective series, as well as reviewing preclinical evidence supporting either strategy.

  18. Metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma to the breast.

    PubMed

    Sheen-Chen, Shyr-Ming; Eng, Hock-Liew; Ko, Sheung-Fat

    2005-01-01

    Secondary malignancy metastatic to the breast is uncommon, with an incidence of 0.5% to 3% of patients with extramammary malignancy. Although rhabdomyosarcoma is a common aggressive primary malignancy in the pediatric age group, metastatic deposits to the breast rarely occur and are mainly seen in adolescent girls. Here, we report an intriguing, rare adult case with metastasis to the breast from nasal rhabdomyosarcoma. A 31-year-old woman with the complaint of right neck mass noted recently came to this hospital for help. She had a history of nasal malignancy treated with radiotherapy in another hospital three months previously. Physical examination revealed multiple neck masses at bilateral neck areas. Bilateral neck dissection was performed and rhabdomyosarcoma, metastatic to lymph node, was the final diagnosis. One year after operation, the patient felt a large lump in her left breast. Surgical excision was performed and histological analysis was consistent with rhabdomyoblastic origin. Secondary malignancy metastatic to the breast is uncommon, yet this entity does exist. In view of the therapeutic implication, a metastatic breast lesion should not be mistaken as the primary breast carcinoma. Only with the awareness of such a possibility can prompt diagnosis and optimal treatment be achieved.

  19. Diagnostic usefulness of MUC1 and MUC4 for distinguishing between metastatic adenocarcinoma cells and reactive mesothelial cells in effusion cell blocks.

    PubMed

    Cho, Jin Seong; Kim, Ga-Eon; Lee, Ji Shin; Lee, Jae Hyuk; Nam, Jong Hee; Choi, Chan

    2013-01-01

    The aim of our study was to determine the diagnostic value of MUC1 and MUC4 for distinguishing between metastatic adenocarcinoma cells (MAC) and reactive mesothelial cells (RMC) in effusion fluids. A total of 237 cell block specimens from pleural and peritoneal effusions, including 196 malignant effusions with MAC and 41 benign effusions with RMC, were stained with antibodies against MUC1 and MUC4. Membranous staining with or without cytoplasmic staining was considered to be positive. MUC1 immunoreactivity was observed in 194 (99.0%) of 196 cases of MAC and in 20 (48.8%) of 41 cases of RMC. MUC4 immunoreactivity was observed in 174 (88.8%) of 196 cases of MAC and in 4 (9.8%) of 41 cases of RMC. For distinguishing MAC from RMC, the MUC1 reactivity was found to be 99.0% sensitive and 51.2% specific with a positive predictive value of 90.7% and a negative predictive value of 91.3%. The sensitivity of MUC4 for MAC was 88.8%, the specificity was 90.2%, the negative predictive value was 62.7%, and the positive predictive value was 97.8%. Our data suggest that MUC4 appears to be a sensitive and specific marker for differentiating between MAC and RMC. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  20. Group B streptococcal metastatic endophthalmitis.

    PubMed

    Nagelberg, H P; Petashnick, D E; To, K W; Woodcome, H A

    1994-04-15

    Reports of invasive Group B Streptococcus infection in adults with underlying medical conditions have been increasing. Ocular infection with this organism is unusual. Metastatic endophthalmitis in adults caused by this organism has been reported rarely and has only been associated with endocarditis. We encountered two cases of Group B streptococcal metastatic endophthalmitis in adults who did not have endocarditis. These cases reflect the increasing incidence of invasive Group B Streptococcus infection with its varying manifestations. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of considering this pathogen as a cause of metastatic endophthalmitis in adults with predisposing illnesses.