scholarly journals Obesity and Cancer Metastasis: Molecular and Translational Perspectives

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3798
Author(s):  
Stephanie Annett ◽  
Gillian Moore ◽  
Tracy Robson
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Metastatic Tumor ◽  
Established Risk Factor ◽  
Metastatic Behavior ◽  
Obesity And Cancer ◽  
Enhance Tumor Growth

Obesity is a modern health problem that has reached pandemic proportions. It is an established risk factor for carcinogenesis, however, evidence for the contribution of adipose tissue to the metastatic behavior of tumors is also mounting. Over 90% of cancer mortality is attributed to metastasis and metastatic tumor cells must communicate with their microenvironment for survival. Many of the characteristics observed in obese adipose tissue strongly mirror the tumor microenvironment. Thus in the case of prostate, pancreatic and breast cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma, which are all located in close anatomical proximity to an adipose tissue depot, the adjacent fat provides an ideal microenvironment to enhance tumor growth, progression and metastasis. Adipocytes provide adipokines, fatty acids and other soluble factors to tumor cells whilst immune cells infiltrate the tumor microenvironment. In addition, there are emerging studies on the role of the extracellular vesicles secreted from adipose tissue, and the extracellular matrix itself, as drivers of obesity-induced metastasis. In the present review, we discuss the major mechanisms responsible for the obesity–metastatic link. Furthermore, understanding these complex mechanisms will provide novel therapies to halt the tumor–adipose tissue crosstalk with the ultimate aim of inhibiting tumor progression and metastatic growth.

scholarly journals The Importance of Breast Adipose Tissue in Breast Cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
pp. 5760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charu Kothari ◽  
Caroline Diorio ◽  
Francine Durocher
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Breast Development ◽  
Endocrine Organ ◽  
Female Breast ◽  
Breast Adipose Tissue ◽  
Breast Adipose ◽  
Obesity And Cancer

Adipose tissue is a complex endocrine organ, with a role in obesity and cancer. Adipose tissue is generally linked to excessive body fat, and it is well known that the female breast is rich in adipose tissue. Hence, one can wonder: what is the role of adipose tissue in the breast and why is it required? Adipose tissue as an organ consists of adipocytes, an extracellular matrix (ECM) and immune cells, with a significant role in the dynamics of breast changes throughout the life span of a female breast from puberty, pregnancy, lactation and involution. In this review, we will discuss the importance of breast adipose tissue in breast development and its involvement in breast changes happening during pregnancy, lactation and involution. We will focus on understanding the biology of breast adipose tissue, with an overview on its involvement in the various steps of breast cancer development and progression. The interaction between the breast adipose tissue surrounding cancer cells and vice-versa modifies the tumor microenvironment in favor of cancer. Understanding this mutual interaction and the role of breast adipose tissue in the tumor microenvironment could potentially raise the possibility of overcoming breast adipose tissue mediated resistance to therapies and finding novel candidates to target breast cancer.

scholarly journals The dynamic behavior of lipid droplets in the pre-metastatic niche

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunliang Shang ◽  
Jie Qiao ◽  
Hongyan Guo
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Metastatic Tumor ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
Metastatic Niche ◽  
Niche Formation

AbstractThe pre-metastatic niche is a favorable microenvironment for the colonization of metastatic tumor cells in specific distant organs. Lipid droplets (LDs, also known as lipid bodies or adiposomes) have increasingly been recognized as lipid-rich, functionally dynamic organelles within tumor cells, immune cells, and other stromal cells that are linked to diverse biological functions and human diseases. Moreover, in recent years, several studies have described the indispensable role of LDs in the development of pre-metastatic niches. This review discusses current evidence related to the biogenesis, composition, and functions of LDs related to the following characteristics of the pre-metastatic niche: immunosuppression, inflammation, angiogenesis/vascular permeability, lymphangiogenesis, organotropism, reprogramming. We also address the function of LDs in mediating pre-metastatic niche formation. The potential of LDs as markers and targets for novel antimetastatic therapies will be discussed.

scholarly journals The Role of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 in Gastrointestinal Cancers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Zou ◽  
Wei Shen ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Shibo Ying
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Arginine Methylation ◽  
Gastrointestinal Tumors ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Arginine Methyltransferase ◽  
Tumorigenic Mechanism ◽  
Methyltransferase 1

Mammals can produce nine kinds of arginine methylation enzymes that can be divided into three types (I, II, and III) according to their catalytic activity. Arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1), as the first discovered arginine methyltransferase type I, has been reported to be involved in cell signal transduction, DNA damage repair, RNA transcription and other processes. Its imbalance or abnormal expression is also involved in cancer metastasis. PRMT1 is highly expressed in gastrointestinal tumors and promotes tumor biomarkers expression, chemotherapy resistance and tumorigenicity to promote cancer progression, while downregulation of PRMT1 expression can inhibit the migration and invasion of related tumor cells or promote tumor cells apoptosis and inhibit the progression of cancer. Therefore, PRMT1 may be a cancer therapeutic target. In this paper, arginine methylase 1 expression in various types of gastrointestinal tumors, the tumorigenic mechanism and the role of PRMT1 in tumorigenesis and development were reviewed.

scholarly journals Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF): fuel for cancer progression

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saurabh Satija ◽  
Harpreet Kaur ◽  
Murtaza M. Tambuwala ◽  
Prabal Sharma ◽  
Manish Vyas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Oxygen Deficiency ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Transcription Factor Activation ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Adaptive Reactions

Hypoxia is an integral part of tumor microenvironment, caused primarily due to rapidly multiplying tumor cells and a lack of proper blood supply. Among the major hypoxic pathways, HIF-1 transcription factor activation is one of the widely investigated pathways in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME). HIF-1 is known to activate several adaptive reactions in response to oxygen deficiency in tumor cells. HIF-1 has two subunits, HIF-1β (constitutive) and HIF-1α (inducible). The HIF-1α expression is largely regulated via various cytokines (through PI3K-ACT-mTOR signals), which involves the cascading of several growth factors and oncogenic cascades. These events lead to the loss of cellular tumor suppressant activity through changes in the level of oxygen via oxygen-dependent and oxygen-independent pathways. The significant and crucial role of HIF in cancer progression and its underlying mechanisms have gained much attention lately among the translational researchers in the fields of cancer and biological sciences, which have enabled them to correlate these mchanisms with various other disease modalities. In the present review, we have summarized the key findings related to the role of HIF in the progression of tumors.

scholarly journals RHBDL2 Is a Critical Membrane Protease for Anoikis Resistance in Human Malignant Epithelial Cells

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsung-Lin Cheng ◽  
Chao-Han Lai ◽  
Shinn-Jong Jiang ◽  
Jui-Hsiang Hung ◽  
Shi-Kai Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Caspase 3 ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Metastatic Tumor ◽  
Anoikis Resistance ◽  
Rhomboid Protease ◽  
Egfr Activation ◽  
Kinase Phosphorylation

Anoikis resistance allows metastatic tumor cells to survive in a homeless environment. Activation of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling is one of the key mechanisms for metastatic tumor cells to resist anoikis, yet the regulation mechanisms of homeless-triggered EGFR activation in metastatic tumor cells remain unclear. Rhomboid-like-2 (RHBDL2), an evolutionally conserved intramembrane serine protease, can cleave the EGF ligand and thus trigger EGFR activation. Herein, we demonstrated that RHBDL2 overexpression in human epithelial cells resulted in promotion of cell proliferation, reduction of cell adhesion, and suppression of anoikis. During long-term suspension cultures, increased RHBDL2 was only detected in aggressive tumor cell lines. Treatment with the rhomboid protease inhibitor or RHBDL2 shRNA increased cleaved caspase 3, a marker of apoptosis. Finally, inhibition of EGFR activation increased the cleaved caspase 3 and attenuated the detachment-induced focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation. Taken together, these findings provide evidence for the first time that RHBDL2 is a critical molecule in anoikis resistance of malignant epithelial cells, possibly through the EGFR-mediated signaling. Our study demonstrates RHBDL2 as a new therapeutic target for cancer metastasis.

scholarly journals The Activity of KIF14, Mieap, and EZR in a New Type of the Invasive Component, Torpedo-Like Structures, Predetermines the Metastatic Potential of Breast Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1909
Author(s):  
Tatiana S. Gerashchenko ◽  
Sofia Y. Zolotaryova ◽  
Artem M. Kiselev ◽  
Liubov A. Tashireva ◽  
Nikita M. Novikov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Ether Lipid ◽  
Metastatic Tumor ◽  
Metastatic Potential ◽  
Breast Cancer Metastasis ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Invasive Component ◽  
Positive Expression

Intratumor morphological heterogeneity reflects patterns of invasive growth and is an indicator of the metastatic potential of breast cancer. In this study, we used this heterogeneity to identify molecules associated with breast cancer invasion and metastasis. The gene expression microarray data were used to identify genes differentially expressed between solid, trabecular, and other morphological arrangements of tumor cells. Immunohistochemistry was applied to evaluate the association of the selected proteins with metastasis. RNA-sequencing was performed to analyze the molecular makeup of metastatic tumor cells. High frequency of metastases and decreased metastasis-free survival were detected in patients either with positive expression of KIF14 or Mieap or negative expression of EZR at the tips of the torpedo-like structures in breast cancers. KIF14- and Mieap-positive and EZR-negative cells were mainly detected in the torpedo-like structures of the same breast tumors; however, their transcriptomic features differed. KIF14-positive cells showed a significant upregulation of genes involved in ether lipid metabolism. Mieap-positive cells were enriched in genes involved in mitophagy. EZR-negative cells displayed upregulated genes associated with phagocytosis and the chemokine-mediated signaling pathway. In conclusion, the positive expression of KIF14 and Mieap and negative expression of EZR at the tips of the torpedo-like structures are associated with breast cancer metastasis.

scholarly journals Inflammatory Cells in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2418
Author(s):  
Roberto Tamma ◽  
Girolamo Ranieri ◽  
Giuseppe Ingravallo ◽  
Tiziana Annese ◽  
Angela Oranger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Tumor Antigens ◽  
Cell Lymphoma ◽  
B Cell Lymphoma ◽  
Large B Cell Lymphoma ◽  
Large B Cell

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), known as the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtype, is characterized by high clinical and biological heterogeneity. The tumor microenvironment (TME), in which the tumor cells reside, is crucial in the regulation of tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis, but it also has profound effects on therapeutic efficacy. The role of immune cells during DLBCL development is complex and involves reciprocal interactions between tumor cells, adaptive and innate immune cells, their soluble mediators and structural components present in the tumor microenvironment. Different immune cells are recruited into the tumor microenvironment and exert distinct effects on tumor progression and therapeutic outcomes. In this review, we focused on the role of macrophages, Neutrophils, T cells, natural killer cells and dendritic cells in the DLBCL microenvironment and their implication as target for DLBCL treatment. These new therapies, carried out by the induction of adaptive immunity through vaccination or passive of immunologic effectors delivery, enhance the ability of the immune system to react against the tumor antigens inducing the destruction of tumor cells.

scholarly journals Role of MSC in the Tumor Microenvironment

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf Hass
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Tumor Development ◽  
Tumor Stroma ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cellular Interactions ◽  
Cell Functions ◽  
Metastatic Behavior ◽  
Stem Cell Niches

The tumor microenvironment represents a dynamically composed matrix in which tissue-associated cancer cells are embedded together with a variety of further cell types to form a more or less separate organ-like structure. Constantly mutual interactions between cells of the tumor microenvironment promote continuous restructuring and growth in the tumor. A distinct organization of the tumor stroma also facilitates the formation of transient cancer stem cell niches, thereby contributing to progressive and dynamic tumor development. An important but heterogeneous mixture of cells that communicates among the cancer cells and the different tumor-associated cell types is represented by mesenchymal stroma-/stem-like cells (MSC). Following recruitment to tumor sites, MSC can change their functionalities, adapt to the tumor’s metabolism, undergo differentiation and synergize with cancer cells. Vice versa, cancer cells can alter therapeutic sensitivities and change metastatic behavior depending on the type and intensity of this MSC crosstalk. Thus, close cellular interactions between MSC and cancer cells can eventually promote cell fusion by forming new cancer hybrid cells. Consequently, newly acquired cancer cell functions or new hybrid cancer populations enlarge the plasticity of the tumor and counteract successful interventional strategies. The present review article highlights some important features of MSC within the tumor stroma.

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