Bone marrow as a metastatic niche for disseminated tumor cells from solid tumors.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Shiozawa Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4440229 | biostudies-other | 2015
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:PURPOSE OF REVIEW:To succinctly summarize recent findings concerning dormancy regulating interactions between bone marrow stromal cells and disseminated tumor cells. RECENT FINDINGS:Recent studies have highlighted roles of the bone marrow microenviroment, including osteoblasts, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and endothelial cells, in inducing or maintaining cancer cell dormancy. Key pathways of interest include: osteoblast-induced transforming growth factor (TGF)-?2 signaling, transfer of MSC-derived exosomes containing dormancy inducing microRNA, cancer cell cannibalism of MSCs, and endothelial cell secretion of thrombospondin 1 (TSP1). The bone marrow is a common site of metastatic disease recurrence following a period of cancer cell dormancy. Understanding why disseminated tumor cells enter into dormancy and later resume cell proliferation and growth is vital to developing effective therapeutics against these cells. The bone marrow stroma and the various pathways through which it participates in crosstalk with cancer cells are essential to furthering understanding of how dormancy is regulated.
| S-EPMC6156930 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCancer metastasis is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths and remains incurable. Current clinical methods for predicting metastatic recurrence are not sensitive enough to detect individual cancer cells in the body; therefore, current efforts are directed toward liquid biopsy-based assays to capture circulating and disseminated tumor cells (CTCs and DTCs) in the blood and bone marrow, respectively. The most promising strategy is fluorescence-based immunostaining using cancer cell-specific markers. However, despite recent efforts to develop robust processing and staining platforms, results from these platforms have been discordant among groups, particularly for DTC detection. While the choice of cancer cell-specific markers is a large factor in this discordance, we have found that marker-independent factors causing false signal are just as critical to consider. Bone marrow is particularly challenging to analyze by immunostaining because endogenous immune cell properties and bone marrow matrix components typically generate false staining. For immunostaining of whole tumor tissue containing ample cancer cells, this background staining can be overcome. Application of fluorescent-based staining for rare cells, however, is easily jeopardized by immune cells and autofluorescence that lead to false signal.ResultsWe have specifically found two types of background staining in bone marrow samples: autofluorescence of the tissue and non-specific binding of secondary antibodies. We systematically optimized a basic immunofluorescence protocol to eliminate this background using cancer cells spiked into human bone marrow. This enhanced the specificity of automated scanning detection software. Our optimized protocol also outperformed a commercial rare cell detection protocol in detecting candidate DTCs from metastatic patient bone marrow.ConclusionsRobust optimization to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of immunofluorescent staining of bone marrow is required in order to achieve the necessary sensitivity and specificity for rare cell detection. Background immunofluorescent staining in bone marrow causes uncertainty and inconsistency among investigators, which can be overcome by systematically addressing each contributing source. Our optimized assay eliminates sources of background signal, and is adaptable to automated staining platforms for high throughput analysis.
| S-EPMC6026516 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Bone marrow is a major homing site for circulating epithelial tumor cells. The present study was aimed to assess the proliferative capacity of occult metastatic cells in bone marrow of patients with operable solid tumors especially with regard to their clinical outcome. We obtained bone marrow aspirates from 153 patients with carcinomas of the prostate (n = 46), breast (n = 45), colon (n = 33), and kidney (n = 29). Most of the patients (87%) had primary disease with no clinical signs of overt metastases [tumor-node-metastasis (TNM)-stage UICC (Union Internationale Contre le Cancer) I-III]. After bone marrow was cultured for 21-102 days under special cell culture conditions, viable epithelial cells were detected by cytokeratin staining in 124 patients (81%). The cultured epithelial cells harbored Ki-ras2 mutations and numerical chromosomal aberrations. The highest median number of expanded tumor cells was observed in prostate cancer (2,619 per flask). There was a significant positive correlation between the number of expanded tumor cells and the UICC-stage of the patients (P = 0.03) or the presence of overt metastases (P = 0.04). Moreover, a strong expansion of tumor cells was correlated to an increased rate of cancer-related deaths (P = 0.007) and a reduced survival of the patients (P = 0.006). In conclusion, the majority of cancer patients have viable tumor cells in their bone marrow at primary tumor diagnosis, and the proliferative potential of these cells determines the clinical outcome.
| S-EPMC122350 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: Until now, limited clinical significance had been reported for disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in gynecologic malignancies. DTCs were previously reported not to be associated with established risk factors, L1CAM immunoreactivity, and outcome in endometrial carcinoma (EC). This study's primary objective was to investigate potential correlations of DTCs in the bone marrow (BM) of EC patients with disease-related survival, and a secondary objective was to evaluate associations between molecular classification of EC and DTCs. Methods: Patients treated for primary EC at Tuebingen University women's hospital between 2003 and 2016 were identified. A total of 402 patients with a complete set of BM cytology, molecular, and clinical data were evaluable. Results: DTC occurrence was distributed equally among all four molecular groups (p = 0.651). DTC positivity was associated with a less favorable disease-free survival (HR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.03-3.36, p = 0.036) and progression-free survival (HR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.01-3.44, p = 0.045). Presence of DTCs was associated with a higher frequency of distant disease recurrence (p = 0.017). Conclusions: In line with our previous findings, tumor cell dissemination is not associated with molecular features in our large cohort of primary EC patients. Since DTCs seem to be associated with survival and location of disease recurrence, further studies are needed to decisively define their role in EC survival.
| S-EPMC11313439 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeDisseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the BM of breast cancer patients predict early disease relapse, but the molecular heterogeneity of these cells is less well characterized. Expression of a 46-gene panel was used to detect DTCs and classify patient BM samples to determine whether a composite set of biomarkers could better predict metastatic relapse.MethodsUsing a high-throughput qRT-PCR assay platform, BM specimens collected from 70 breast cancer patients prior to neoadjuvant therapy were analyzed for the expression of 46 gene transcripts. Gene expression was scored positive (detectable) relative to a reference pool of 16 healthy female control BM specimens. To validate findings from a subset of 28 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients in the initial 70 patient cohort, an independent set of pre-therapeutic BM specimens from 16 TNBC patients was analyzed.ResultsExpression of each of the 46 gene transcripts was highly variable between patients. Individual gene expression was detected in 0-84% of BM specimens analyzed and all but two patient BM specimens expressed at least one transcript. Among a subset of 28 patients with TNBC, positivity of one or more of eight transcripts correlated with time to distant relapse (p = 0.03). In an independent set of 16 triple-negative patient BM samples, detection of five of these same eight gene transcripts also correlated with time to distant relapse (p = 0.03) with a positive predictive value of 89%.ConclusionsWe identified a set of gene transcripts whose detection in the BM of TNBC patients, prior to any treatment intervention, predicts time to first distant relapse, thus identifying a TNBC patient population which requires additional treatment intervention. Because these genes are presumably expressed in populations of DTCs and many encode proteins that are known therapeutic targets (e.g., ERBB2), these results also suggest a potential approach for targeted DTC therapy to mitigate distant metastases in TNBC.
| S-EPMC6797655 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Bone marrow (BM) cells depend on their niche for growth and survival. However, the genes modulated by niche stimuli have not been discriminated yet. For this purpose, we investigated BM aspirations from patients with various hematological malignancies. Each aspirate was fractionated, and the various samples were fixed at different time points and analyzed by microarray. Identification of niche-modulated genes relied on sustained change in expression following loss of niche regulation. Compared with the reference ('authentic') samples, which were fixed immediately following aspiration, the BM samples fixed after longer stay out-of-niche acquired numerous changes in gene-expression profile (GEP). The overall genes modulated included a common subset of functionally diverse genes displaying prompt and sustained 'switch' in expression irrespective of the tumor type. Interestingly, the 'switch' in GEP was reversible and turned 'off-and-on' again in culture conditions, resuming cell-cell-matrix contact versus respread into suspension, respectively. Moreover, the resuming of contact prolonged the survival of tumor cells out-of-niche, and the regression of the 'contactless switch' was followed by induction of a new set of genes, this time mainly encoding extracellular proteins including angiogenic factors and extracellular matrix proteins. Our data set, being unique in authentic expression design, uncovered niche-modulated and niche-modulating genes capable of controlling homing, expansion and angiogenesis.
| S-EPMC3542477 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Bone metastasis is a lethal and incurable disease. It is the result of the dissemination of cancer cells to the bone marrow. Due to the difficulty in sampling and detection, few techniques exist to efficiently and consistently detect and quantify disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow of cancer patients. Because mouse models represent a crucial tool with which to study cancer metastasis, we developed a novel method for the simple selection-free detection and quantification of bone marrow DTCs in mice. We have used this protocol to detect human and murine DTCs in xenograft, syngeneic, and genetically engineered mouse models. We are able to detect and quantify bone marrow DTCs in mice that do not have overt bone metastasis. This protocol is amenable not only for detection and quantification purposes but also to study the expression of markers of numerous biological processes or tissue-specificity.
| S-EPMC5342516 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeMolecular characterization of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow (BM) of breast cancer (BC) patients has been hindered by their rarity. To enrich for these cells using an antigen-independent methodology, we have evaluated a size-based microfiltration device in combination with several downstream biomarker assays.MethodsBM aspirates were collected from healthy volunteers or BC patients. Healthy BM was mixed with a specified number of BC cells to calculate recovery and fold enrichment by microfiltration. Specimens were pre-filtered using a 70 μm mesh sieve and the effluent filtered through CellSieve microfilters. Captured cells were analyzed by immunocytochemistry (ICC), FISH for HER-2/neu gene amplification status, and RNA in situ hybridization (RISH). Cells eluted from the filter were used for RNA isolation and subsequent qRT-PCR analysis for DTC biomarker gene expression.ResultsFiltering an average of 14×106 nucleated BM cells yielded approximately 17-21×103 residual BM cells. In the BC cell spiking experiments, an average of 87% (range 84-92%) of tumor cells were recovered with approximately 170- to 400-fold enrichment. Captured BC cells from patients co-stained for cytokeratin and EpCAM, but not CD45 by ICC. RNA yields from 4 ml of patient BM after filtration averaged 135ng per 10 million BM cells filtered with an average RNA Integrity Number (RIN) of 5.3. DTC-associated gene expression was detected by both qRT-PCR and RISH in filtered spiked or BC patient specimens but, not in control filtered normal BM.ConclusionsWe have tested a microfiltration technique for enrichment of BM DTCs. DTC capture efficiency was shown to range from 84.3% to 92.1% with up to 400-fold enrichment using model BC cell lines. In patients, recovered DTCs can be identified and distinguished from normal BM cells using multiple antibody-, DNA-, and RNA-based biomarker assays.
| S-EPMC5271341 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Up to 70% of patients with late-stage breast cancer have bone metastasis. Current treatment regimens for breast cancer bone metastasis are palliative with no therapeutic cure. Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) colonize inside the osteogenic niches in the early stage of bone metastasis. Drug delivery into osteogenic niches to inhibit DTC colonization can prevent bone metastasis from entering its late stage and therefore cure bone metastasis. Here, we constructed a 50% DSS6 peptide conjugated nanoparticle to target the osteogenic niche. The osteogenic niche was always located at the endosteum with immature hydroxyapatite. Arsenic-manganese nanocrystals (around 14 nm) were loaded in osteogenic niche-targeted PEG-PLGA nanoparticles with an acidic environment-triggered arsenic release. Arsenic formulations greatly reduced 4T1 cell adhesion to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)/preosteoblasts (pre-OBs) and osteogenic differentiation of osteoblastic cells. Arsenic formulations also prevented tumor cell colonization and dormancy via altering the direct interaction between 4T1 cells and MSCs/pre-OBs. The chemotactic migration of 4T1 cells toward osteogenic cells was blocked by arsenic in mimic 3D osteogenic niche. Systemic administration of osteogenic niche-targeted arsenic nanoparticles significantly extended the survival of mice with 4T1 syngeneic bone metastasis. Our findings provide an effective approach for osteogenic niche-specific drug delivery and suggest that bone metastasis can be effectively inhibited by blockage of tumor cell colonization in the bone microenvironment.
| S-EPMC8799883 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: The bone marrow (BM) is the main site of metastases and relapse in patients with neuroblastoma (NB). BM-residing mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were shown to promote tumor cell survival and chemoresistance. Here we characterize the MSC compartment of the metastatic NB BM niche. Methods: Fresh BM of 62 NB patients (all stages), and control fetal and adult BM were studied by flow cytometry using well-established MSC-markers (CD34-, CD45-, CD90+, CD105+), and CD146 and CD271 subtype-markers. FACS-sorted BM MSCs and tumor cells were validated by qPCR. Moreover, isolated MSCs were tested for multilineage differentiation and Colony-forming-unit-fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) capacity. Results: Metastatic BM contains a higher number of MSCs (p < 0.05) with increased differentiation capacity towards the osteoblast lineage. Diagnostic BM contains a MSC-subtype (CD146+CD271-), only detected in BM of patients with metastatic-NB, determined by flow cytometry. FACS-sorting clearly discriminated MSC(-subtypes) and NB fractions, validated by mRNA and DNA qPCR. Overall, the CD146+CD271- subtype decreased during therapy and was detected again in the majority of patients at relapse. Conclusions: We demonstrate that the neuroblastoma BM-MSC compartment is different in quantity and functionality and contains a metastatic-niche-specific MSC-subtype. Ultimately, the MSCs contribution to tumor progression could provide targets with potential for eradicating resistant metastatic disease.
| S-EPMC7692745 | biostudies-literature