Cellular and molecular biology of cancer stem cells in melanoma : possible therapeutic implications

Malignant melanoma is a tumor characterized by a very high level of heterogeneity, responsible for its malignant behavior and ability to escape from standard therapies. In this review we highlight the molecular and biological features of the subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), well known to be characterized by self-renewal properties, deeply involved in triggering the processes of tumor generation, metastasis, progression and drug resistance. From the molecular point of view, melanoma CSCs are identified and characterized by the expression of stemness markers, such as surface markers, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, embryonic stem cells and intracellular markers. These cells are endowed with different functional features. In particular, they play pivotal roles in the processes of tumor dissemination, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis, mediated by specific intracellular signaling pathways; moreover, they are characterized by a unique metabolic reprogramming. As reported for other types of tumors, the CSCs subpopulation in melanoma is also characterized by a low immunogenic profile as well as by the ability to escape the immune system, through the expression of a negative modulation of T cell functions and the secretion of immunosuppressive factors. These biological features allow melanoma CSCs to escape standard treatments, thus being deeply involved in tumor relapse. Targeting the CSCs subpopulation is now considered an attractive treatment strategy; in particular, combination treatments, based on both CSCs-targeting and standard drugs, will likely increase the therapeutic options for melanoma patients. The characterization of CSCs in liquid biopsies from single patients will pave the way towards precision medicine

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists reduce the migratory and the invasive behavior of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells by interfering with the activity of IGF-I

Androgen-independent prostate carcinoma is characterized by a high proliferation rate and by a strong metastatic behavior. We have previously shown that GnRH agonists exert a direct and specific inhibitory action on the proliferation of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells (DU 145). These compounds mainly act by interfering with the mitogenic activity of growth factors, such as the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). The present experiments were performed to clarify whether GnRH agonists might also affect the migratory and the invasive behavior of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells and to define their mechanism of action. First we showed that the GnRH agonist Leuprolide reduces the migration of DU 145 cells towards a chemoattractant and their ability to invade a reconstituted basement membrane. Experiments were then performed to clarify whether the GnRH agonist might act by interfering with the pro-metastatic activity of IGF-I. We found that, in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells, Leuprolide: a) interferes with the IGF-I system (receptor protein expression and tyrosine-phosphorylation); b) abrogates the IGF-I-induced phosphorylation of Akt (a kinase previously shown by us to mediate the pro-metastatic activity of IGF-I in prostate cancer cells); c) counteracts the migration and the invasive activity of the cells stimulated by IGF-I; d) abolishes the effects of IGF-I on cell morphology, on actin cytoskeleton organization and on alpha v beta 3 integrin expression/cellular localization. These data indicate that GnRH agonists, in addition to their well known antiproliferative effect, can also exert a significant inhibitory activity on the migratory and invasive behavior of androgen- independent prostate cancer cells, expressing the GnRH receptor. GnRH agonists act by interfering with the pro-metastatic activity of the growth factor IGF-I

Anticancer properties of tocotrienols : a review of cellular mechanisms and molecular targets

Vitamin E is composed of two groups of compounds: \u3b1-, \u3b2-, \u3b3-, and \u3b4-tocopherols (TPs), and the corresponding unsaturated tocotrienols (TTs). TTs are found in natural sources such as red palm oil, annatto seeds, and rice bran. In the last decades, TTs (specifically, \u3b3-TT and \u3b4-TT) have gained interest due to their health benefits in chronic diseases, based on their antioxidant, neuroprotective, cholesterol-lowering, anti-inflammatory activities. Several in vitro and in vivo studies pointed out that TTs also exert a significant antitumor activity in a wide range of cancer cells. Specifically, TTs were shown to exert antiproliferative/proapoptotic effects and to reduce the metastatic or angiogenic properties of different cancer cells; moreover, these compounds were reported to specifically target the subpopulation of cancer stem cells, known to be deeply involved in the development of resistance to standard therapies. Interestingly, recent studies pointed out that TTs exert a synergistic antitumor effect on cancer cells when given in combination with either standard antitumor agents (i.e., chemotherapeutics, statins, \u201ctargeted\u201d therapies) or natural compounds with anticancer activity (i.e., sesamin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), resveratrol, ferulic acid). Based on these observations, different TT synthetic derivatives and formulations were recently developed and demonstrated to improve TT water solubility and to reduce TT metabolism in cancer cells, thus increasing their biological activity. These promising results, together with the safety of TT administration in healthy subjects, suggest that these compounds might represent a new chemopreventive or anticancer treatment (i.e., in combination with standard therapies) strategy. Clinical trials aimed at confirming this antitumor activity of TTs are needed

Unraveling the molecular mechanisms and the potential chemopreventive/therapeutic properties of natural compounds in melanoma

Melanoma is the most fatal form of skin cancer. Current therapeutic approaches include surgical resection, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. However, these treatment strategies are associated with development of drug resistance and severe side effects. In recent years, natural compounds have also been extensively studied for their anti-melanoma effects, including tumor growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, angiogenesis and metastasis suppression and cancer stem cell elimination. Moreover, a considerable number of studies reported the synergistic activity of phytochemicals and standard anti-melanoma agents, as well as the enhanced effectiveness of their synthetic derivatives and novel formulations. However, clinical data confirming these promising effects in patients are still scanty. This review emphasizes the anti-tumor mechanisms and potential application of the most studied natural products for melanoma prevention and treatment

Estrogen receptor β agonists differentially affect the growth of human melanoma cell lines

Background Cutaneous melanoma is an aggressive malignancy; its incidence is increasing worldwide and its prognosis remains poor. Clinical observations indicate that estrogen receptor \u3b2 (ER\u3b2) is expressed in melanoma tissues and its expression decreases with tumor progression, suggesting its tumor suppressive function. These experiments were performed to investigate the effects of ER\u3b2 activation on melanoma cell growth. Methods and Results Protein expression was analyzed by Western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Cell proliferation was assessed by counting the cells by hemocytometer. ER\u3b2 transcriptional activity was evaluated by gene reporter assay. Global DNA methylation was analyzed by restriction enzyme assay and ER\u3b2 isoforms were identified by qRT-PCR. We demonstrated that ER\u3b2 is expressed in a panel of human melanoma cell lines (BLM, WM115, A375, WM1552). In BLM (NRAS-mutant) cells, ER\u3b2 agonists significantly and specifically inhibited cell proliferation. ER\u3b2 activation triggered its cytoplasmic-To-nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity. Moreover, the antiproliferative activity of ER\u3b2 agonists was associated with an altered expression of G1-S transition-related proteins. In these cells, global DNA was found to be hypomethylated when compared to normal melanocytes; this DNA hypomethylation status was reverted by ER\u3b2 activation. ER\u3b2 agonists also decreased the proliferation of WM115 (BRAF V600D-mutant) cells, while they failed to reduce the growth of A375 and WM1552 (BRAF V600E-mutant) cells. Finally, we could observe that ER\u3b2 isoforms are expressed at different levels in the various cell lines. Specific oncogenic mutations or differential expression of receptor isoforms might be responsible for the different responses of cell lines to ER\u3b2 agonists. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that ER\u3b2 is expressed in melanoma cell lines and that ER\u3b2 agonists differentially regulate the proliferation of these cells. These data confirm the notion that melanoma is a heterogeneous tumor and that genetic profiling is mandatory for the development of effective personalized therapeutic approaches for melanoma patients. Copyright

Growth-inhibitory activity of melatonin on human androgen-independent DU 145 prostate cancer cells

The pineal hormone melatonin has been shown to exert a direct oncostatic activity on neoplastic cells, particularly from breast cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of melatonin on the proliferation and on the cell cycle distribution of human androgen-independent DU 145 prostate cancer cells. Experiments were also performed to gain insights into the possible mechanism of action of the hormone

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists interfere with the mitogenic activity of the insulin-like growth factor system in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells

We have previously shown that LHRH agonists exert a direct and specific inhibitory action on the proliferation of the androgen-independent DU 145 prostate cancer cell line; however, the cellular mechanisms mediating this antiproliferative action are not well defined. It is well known that the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system plays a crucial role in the local regulation of the growth of androgen-independent prostate cancer. The present experiments were performed to evaluate whether LHRH agonists might exert their antimitogenic effect by interfering with the activity of the locally expressed IGF system. To this purpose, the effects of the LHRH agonist Zoladex (LHRH-A) on 1) the mitogenic action of IGF-I, 2) the tyrosine phosphorylation of type 1 IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR), 3) the concentration of IGF-IR, and 4) the secretion of IGF-binding protein-3 were studied. The results obtained show that in DU 145 cells, LHRH-A 1) counteracts the mitogenic action of IGF-I in a dose-dependent manner, 2) prevents the IGF-I-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the IGF-IR, 3) reduces the concentration of IGF-IR without affecting its Kd value, and 4) does not affect the secretion of IGF-binding protein-3 in the conditioned medium from these cells. These data suggest that LHRH agonists may inhibit the proliferation of human androgen-independent prostate tumor cells by interfering with some of the cellular mechanisms mediating the stimulatory action of the IGF system

Activation of the orphan nuclear receptor RORalpha counteracts the proliferative effect of fatty acids on prostate cancer cells : Crucial role of 5-lipoxygenase

The incidence of prostate carcinoma is very low in Eastern countries, such as Japan, suggesting that life style conditions may play a crucial role in the development of this pathology. Dietary omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic (LA) and arachidonic (AA) acids, have been shown to stimulate the proliferation of prostate cancer cells after being converted into 5-HETE by means of the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) pathway. Blockade of 5-LOX activity has been proposed as an attractive target for the prevention of the mitogenic action of dietary fats on prostate cancer. The 5-LOX gene has been shown to carry a response element for the orphan nuclear receptor RORalpha (for its RORalpha1 isoform in particular) in its promoter region. We attempt to clarify whether activation of RORalpha might modulate the expression of 5-LOX, thus interfering with the mitogenic activity of fatty acids in prostate cancer cells. We show that in androgen-independent DU 145 prostate cancer cells, LA, AA and their metabolite 5-HETE exert a strong stimulatory action on cell proliferation. This effect is completely counteracted by the simultaneous treatment of the cells with a non redox inhibitor of 5-LOX activity. We then demonstrate that: i) RORalpha, and specifically its RORalpha1 isoform, is expressed in DU 145 cells; ii) activation of RORalpha, by means of the thiazolidinedione derivative CGP 52608 (the synthetic RORalpha activator), significantly reduces 5-LOX expression, both at mRNA (as evaluated by comparative RT-PCR) and at protein (as investigated by Western blot analysis) level (this was confirmed by the reduced activity of 5-LOX in CGP 52608 treated cells); and iii) the treatment of DU 145 cells with CGP 52608 completely abrogated the proliferative action of both LA and AA. These results have been confirmed in another androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line (PC3). Our data indicate that, by decreasing the expression of 5-LOX, activation of RORalpha might interfere with the mitogenic activity of fatty acids on prostate cancer. We have shown previously that CGP 52608 reduces the proliferation and the metastatic behavior of DU 145 cells. These observations indicate that the orphan nuclear receptor RORalpha might be considered as a molecular target for the development of new chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic strategies for prostate carcinom

Locally expressed LHRH receptors mediate the oncostatic and antimetastatic activity of LHRH agonists on melanoma cells

Malignant melanoma is a tumor known for its uncontrollable growth and aggressive metastatic behavior. The mean survival time for patients with a metastatic melanoma is estimated to be less than 6 months, tumor cells being refractory to the conventional chemotherapy. A better understanding of the mechanisms regulating melanoma growth and progression might help increase the number of therapeutic options for this pathology. In this paper, we have shown that LHRH receptors are present in the BLM melanoma cell line, both at mRNA and at protein level; a potent LHRH agonist (LHRH-A; Zoladex) binds to these receptors with high affinity. BLM cells also express the mRNA for LHRH, indicating the presence of an autocrine LHRH-based system in melanoma cells. The treatment of BLM cells with LHRH-A dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation; this effect was found to be specific because it was completely abrogated by the simultaneous treatment of the cells with a LHRH antagonist. Similar observations could be obtained in another melanoma cell line (Me15392). The activation of LHRH receptors, by means of LHRH-A, also reduced the ability of melanoma cells to invade a reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel) and to migrate through a Boyden's chamber in response to a chemotactic stimulus. These data represent the first report that 1) LHRH and LHRH receptors are expressed in melanoma tumor cells; and 2) the activation of tumor LHRH receptors reduces both the proliferation and the metastatic potential of melanoma cells. It is suggested that the expression of LHRH receptors might represent a new diagnostic marker for the detection and progression of melanoma. These receptors might also be considered as a possible molecular target for a hormone-based therapeutic approach to this tumor

The luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone receptor in human prostate cancer cells: messenger ribonucleic acid expression, molecular size, and signal transduction pathway

Evidence has accumulated indicating that LHRH might behave as an autocrine/paracrine growth inhibitory factor in some peripheral tumors. However, LHRH receptors in tumor cells have not been fully characterized, so far. The present experiments were performed to analyze: 1) the messenger RNA expression; 2) the molecular size; and 3) the signal transduction pathway of LHRH receptors in prostate cancer. For these studies, the human androgen-dependent LNCaP and androgen-independent DU 145 prostate cancer cell lines were used. 1) By RT-PCR, a complementary DNA product, which hybridized with a 32P-labeled oligonucleotide probe specific for the pituitary LHRH receptor complementary DNA, was found both in LNCaP and in DU 145 cells. 2) Western blot analysis, using a monoclonal antibody raised against the human pituitary LHRH receptor, revealed the presence of a protein band of approximately 64 kDa (corresponding to the molecular mass of the pituitary receptor) in both cell lines. 3) In LNCaP and DU 145 cells, pertussis toxin completely abrogated the antiproliferative action of a LHRH agonist (LHRH-A). Moreover, LHRH-A substantially antagonized the pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of a Galpha(i) protein. Finally, LHRH-A significantly counteracted the forskolin-induced increase of intracellular cAMP levels in both cell lines. These data demonstrate that the LHRH receptor, which is present in prostate cancer cells, independently of whether they are androgen-dependent or not, corresponds to the pituitary receptor, in terms of messenger RNA expression and protein molecular size. However, at variance with the receptor of the gonadotrophs, prostate cancer LHRH receptor seems to be coupled to the Galpha(i) protein-cAMP signal transduction pathway, rather than to the Galpha(q/11)-phospholipase C signaling system. This might be responsible for the different actions of LHRH in anterior pituitary and in prostate cancer