Are Toll-like receptor gene polymorphisms associated with prostate cancer?

Anton G Kutikhin, Arseniy E YuzhalinDepartment of Epidemiology, Kemerovo State Medical Academy, Kemerovo, Russian FederationAbstract: The suggestion that there is a connection between chronic intraprostatic inflammation and prostate cancer was declared some years ago. As Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the key players in the processes of chronic intraprostatic inflammation, there is a hypothesis that TLR gene polymorphisms may be associated with prostate cancer risk. Although a number of comprehensive studies have been conducted on large samples in various countries, reliable connections between these single nucleotide polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk, stage, grade, aggressiveness, ability to metastasize, and mortality have not been detected. Results have also varied slightly in different populations. The data obtained regarding the absence of connection between the polymorphisms of the genes encoding interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinases (IRAK1 and IRAK4) and prostate cancer risk might indicate a lack of association between inherited variation in the TLR signaling pathway and prostate cancer risk. It is possible to consider that polymorphisms of genes encoding TLRs and proteins of the TLR pathway also do not play a major role in the etiology and pathogenesis of prostate cancer. Feasibly, it would be better to focus research on associations between TLR single nucleotide polymorphisms and cancer risk in other infection-related cancer types.Keywords: TLRs, single nucleotide polymorphisms, genetic variation, inflammation, innate immunit

Mimiviridae, Marseilleviridae und Virophagen als Erreger von Healthcare-assoziierten Infektionen mit wachsender Bedeutung

Aim: During the last decade it became obvious that viruses belonging to Mimiviridae and Marseilleviridae families (order Megavirales), may be potential causative agents of pneumonia. Thus, we have performed a review of the association of Mimiviridae , Marseilleviridae , and virophages with pneumonia, particularly healthcare-associated pneumonia, and other infections of the respiratory tract. Results and discussion: According to the analysis of the published articles, viruses belonging to Mimiviridae family can be potential agents of both community-acquired and healthcare-associated pneumonia. In particular, these viruses may be associated with poor outcome in patients of intensive care units. The exact mechanism of their pathogenicity, however, still remains unclear. The discrepancies between the results obtained by serological and genomic methods could be explained by the high polymorphism of nucleotide sequences of Mimiviridae family representatives. Further investigations on the Mimiviridae pathogenicity and on the determination of Mimiviridae -caused pneumonia risk groups are required. However, the pathogenicity of the viruses belonging to Marseilleviridae family and virophages is unclear up to now.Zielsetzung: Im letzten Jahrzehnt wurde vermutet, dass Viren der Familie der Mimiviridae und der Marseilleviridae (sog. Megavirales) Pneumonien verursachen können. Deshalb wurde eine Literaturrecherche zu den möglichen Zusammenhängen von Mimiviridae , Marseilleviridae , Virophagen und Pneumonien mit den Schwerpunkten HA-Infektionen und andere Infektionen der Atemwege durchgeführt. Ergebnisse und Diskussion: Die Analyse ergab, dass Viren aus der Familie der Mimiviridae potentielle Verursacher sowohl der CA- als auch der HA-Pneumonie sein können. Diese Viren können zu einem verschlechterten Outcome bei Intensivtherapiepatienten führen. Der genaue Mechanismus ihrer Pathogenität ist jedoch noch immer nicht geklärt. Die unterschiedlichen Ergebnisse zwischen serologischen und Genommethoden sind wahrscheinlich durch den hohen Polymorphismus der Nucleotidsequenzen der Vertreter der Mimiviridae zu erklären. Daher sind weitere Untersuchungen zur Pathogenität der Mimiviridae und ihrer Rolle bei der Pneumonieentstehung in Risikogruppen notwendig.Im Unterschied dazu ist die Pathogenität der Viren der Familie der Marseilleviridae und der Gruppe der Virophagen noch unklar

Targeting the CCL2-CCR2 signaling axis in cancer metastasis.

The CCL2-CCR2 signaling axis has generated increasing interest in recent years due to its association with the progression of cancer. Although first described as a chemotactic molecule with physiological roles in regulating inflammation, recent studies have revealed a pro-tumorigenic function for CCL2 in favoring cancer development and subsequent metastasis. CCL2 binds the cognate receptor CCR2, and together this signaling pair has been shown to have multiple pro-tumorigenic roles, from mediating tumor growth and angiogenesis to recruiting and usurping host stromal cells to support tumor progression. The importance of CCL2-CCR2 signaling has been further championed by the establishment of clinical trials targeting this signaling pair in solid and metastatic cancers. Here we review the roles of CCL2-CCR2 signaling in the development and progression of cancer metastasis. We further evaluate the outcome of several clinical trials targeting either CCL2 or CCR2, and discuss the prospects and challenges of manipulating CCL2-CCR2 interaction as a potential approach for combating metastatic disease

A core matrisome gene signature predicts cancer outcome

Background: Accumulating evidence implicates the tumour stroma as an important determinant of cancer progression but the protein constituents relevant for this effect are unknown. Here we utilised a bioinformatics approach to identify an extracellular matrix (ECM) gene signature overexpressed in multiple cancer types and strongly predictive of adverse outcome. Methods: Gene expression levels in cancers were determined using Oncomine. Geneset enrichment analysis was performed using the Broad Institute desktop application. Survival analysis was performed using KM plotter. Survival data were generated from publically available genesets. Results: We analysed ECM genes significantly upregulated across a large cohort of patients with ovarian, lung, gastric and colon cancers and defined a signature of nine commonly upregulated genes. Each of these nine genes was considerably overexpressed in all the cancers studied, and cumulatively, their expression was associated with poor prognosis across all data sets. Further, the gene signature expression was associated with enrichment of genes governing processes linked to poor prognosis, such as EMT, angiogenesis, hypoxia, and inflammation. Conclusions: Here we identify a nine-gene ECM signature, which strongly predicts outcome across multiple cancer types and can be used for prognostication after validation in prospective cancer cohorts.</p

Proteomics analysis of the matrisome from MC38 experimental mouse liver metastases

Background and Aim: Dissemination of primary tumors to distant anatomical sites has a substantial negative impact on patient prognosis. The liver is a common site for metastases from colorectal cancer, and patients with hepatic metastases have generally much shorter survival, raising a need to develop and implement novel strategies for targeting metastatic disease. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a meshwork of highly crosslinked, insoluble, high molecular weight proteins maintaining tissue integrity and establishing cell-cell interactions. Emerging evidence identifies the importance of the ECM in cancer cell migration, invasion, intravasation, and metastasis. Here, we isolated the extracellular matrix from MC38 mouse liver metastases using our optimized method of mild detergent solubilization followed by biochemical enrichment. Methods: The matrices were subjected to label-free quantitative mass spectrometry analysis, revealing proteins highly abundant in the metastatic matrisome. Results: The resulting list of differentially expressed proteins significantly predicted survival in patients with colorectal cancer but not other cancers with strong involvement of the extracellular matrix component. One of the proteins upregulated in liver metastatic ECM, Annexin A1, was not previously studied in the context of cancer-associated matrisome. Here we show that Annexin A1 was markedly upregulated in colon cancer cell lines compared to cancer cells of other origin, and also overrepresented in human primary colorectal lesions as well as hepatic metastases in comparison with their adjacent healthy tissue counterparts. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive ECM characterization of MC38 experimental liver metastases and proposes Annexin A1 as a putative target for this disease

Proteomics analysis of the matrisome from MC38 experimental mouse liver metastases

Background and Aim: Dissemination of primary tumors to distant anatomical sites has a substantial negative impact on patient prognosis. The liver is a common site for metastases from colorectal cancer, and patients with hepatic metastases have generally much shorter survival, raising a need to develop and implement novel strategies for targeting metastatic disease. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a meshwork of highly crosslinked, insoluble, high molecular weight proteins maintaining tissue integrity and establishing cell-cell interactions. Emerging evidence identifies the importance of the ECM in cancer cell migration, invasion, intravasation, and metastasis. Here, we isolated the extracellular matrix from MC38 mouse liver metastases using our optimized method of mild detergent solubilization followed by biochemical enrichment. Methods: The matrices were subjected to label-free quantitative mass spectrometry analysis, revealing proteins highly abundant in the metastatic matrisome. Results: The resulting list of differentially expressed proteins significantly predicted survival in patients with colorectal cancer but not other cancers with strong involvement of the extracellular matrix component. One of the proteins upregulated in liver metastatic ECM, Annexin A1, was not previously studied in the context of cancer-associated matrisome. Here we show that Annexin A1 was markedly upregulated in colon cancer cell lines compared to cancer cells of other origin, and also overrepresented in human primary colorectal lesions as well as hepatic metastases in comparison with their adjacent healthy tissue counterparts. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive ECM characterization of MC38 experimental liver metastases and proposes Annexin A1 as a putative target for this disease

Radiation combined with macrophage depletion promotes adaptive immunity and potentiates checkpoint blockade

Emerging evidence suggests a role for radiation in eliciting anti‐tumour immunity. We aimed to investigate the role of macrophages in modulating the immune response to radiation. Irradiation to murine tumours generated from colorectal (MC38) and pancreatic (KPC) cell lines induced colony‐stimulating factor 1 (CSF‐1). Coincident with the elevation in CSF‐1, macrophages increased in tumours, peaking 5 days following irradiation. These tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) were skewed towards an immunosuppressive phenotype. Macrophage depletion via anti‐CSF (aCSF) reduced macrophage numbers, yet only achieved tumour growth delay when combined with radiation. The tumour growth delay from aCSF after radiation was abrogated by depletion of CD8 T cells. There was enhanced recognition of tumour cell antigens by T cells isolated from irradiated tumours, consistent with increased antigen priming. The addition of anti‐PD‐L1 (aPD‐L1) resulted in improved tumour suppression and even regression in some tumours. In summary, we show that adaptive immunity induced by radiation is limited by the recruitment of highly immunosuppressive macrophages. Macrophage depletion partly reduced immunosuppression, but additional treatment with anti‐PD‐L1 was required to achieve tumour regression

Neutrophils promote hepatic metastasis growth through fibroblast growth factor (FGF)2-dependent angiogenesis.

Hepatic metastases are amenable to ablation, however many patients are not suitable candidates for such therapy and recurrence is common. The tumor microenvironment is known to be essential for metastatic growth, yet identification of plausible targets for cancer therapy in the microenvironment has proven elusive. We found that human colorectal cancer liver metastases and murine gastrointestinal experimental liver metastases are infiltrated by neutrophils. Plasticity in neutrophils has recently been shown to lead to both pro- and anti- tumor effects. Here, neutrophils promoted the growth of hepatic metastases, as depletion of neutrophils in already established, experimental, murine liver metastases led to diminished metastatic growth. Decreased growth was associated with reductions in vascular density and branching suggestive of vessel normalization Metastasis-associated neutrophils expressed substantially more FGF2 than naïve neutrophils indicating neutrophil polarization by the tumor microenvironment. Administration of FGF2 neutralizing antibody to mice bearing experimental liver metastases phenocopied neutrophil depletion by reducing liver metastatic colony growth, vascular density and branching. Conclusion Here we show using FGF2 as an example, that identification of factors responsible for the protumoral effects of infiltrating myeloid cells can be used to target established liver metastases. Such therapies could be utilized to limit disease progression and potentiate the effects of standard ablative therapies.</p