Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy that is challenging to treat. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are reported to promote the malignant behavior of HCC cells via cytokines. Conophylline (CnP) has been reported to suppress activated hepatic stellate cells in liver fibrosis. We aimed to determine whether CnP is useful in suppressing tumor growth in HCC. We investigated whether CnP could suppress the HCC-promoting effect of CAFs derived from HCC tissues in vitro and in vivo. CAFs promoted the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells. CnP suppressed activated CAFs expressing α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) and inhibited the HCC-promoting effects of CAFs. CnP significantly reduced the levels of cancer-promoting cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 (IL-6), IL-8, C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 (CCL2), angiogenin, and osteopontin, which are secreted by CAFs. An in vivo study demonstrated that combined therapy with CnP and sorafenib against CAFs and HCC cells showed the strongest inhibition of tumor growth compared with the control and single treatment groups. Transcriptome analysis revealed that GPR68 in CAFs was strongly suppressed by CnP. The cancer-promoting effects of cytokines were eliminated by knockdown of GPR68 in CAFs. CnP inhibited the HCC-promoting effect of CAFs by suppression a number of HCC-promoting cytokines, which are secreted from CAFs expressing GPR68. Combination therapy with CnP and existing anti-cancer agents may be a promising therapeutic strategy in overcoming refractory HCC with activated CAFs.
Project description:Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) were isolated from specimens taken from primary human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nodules (4 patients in total), characterized for expression of typical stromal markers (including vimentin and alpha smooth muscle actin), and then incubated in complete medium (Iscove's Modified Dulbecco Medium, IMDM + 20% fetal bovine serum + antibiotic/antimycotic) without any treatment, or in the presence of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF beta 1) at a concentration of 5 ng/ml. The medium and the treatment were renewed every 2 days until the 14th day. At that time point, cells were washed 4 times with serum-free IMDM medium and then incubated with serum free IMDM medium for 48 hours to allow for enrichment with secreted CAFs proteins. The CAFs conditioned medium was then collected, concentrated using a centricon device (10 kDa cutoff), assayed for protein concentration, and finally subjected to Liquid Chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a characteristically dense stroma comprised predominantly of cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs promote tumor growth, metastasis and treatment resistance. We aimed to investigate the molecular changes and functional consequences associated with chemotherapy treatment of PDAC CAFs. Chemoresistant immortalized CAFs (R-CAFs) were generated by continuous incubation in 100nM gemcitabine. Gene expression differences between treatment naïve CAFs (N-CAFs) and R-CAFs were compared by array analysis. Immortalized human pancreatic CAFs were grown for 30 days in either control media or media containing 100nM gemcitabine. RNA was then isolated and hybidized on U133 Plus 2.0 Affymetrix arrays.
Project description:Determine the effect and specificity of HDAC2 siRNA compared to SAHA inhibition of HDAC2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Profile of treated cells compared to control Transcriptomic profiling
Project description:Despite accumulating cases of radiotherapy-induced abscopal effect in the lung cancer with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the occurrence of this effect remains infrequent and unpredictable to be a therapeutic goal. Here, we showed that the combination of radiotherapy (8Gy*3F) and ICI alleviated the tumor burden at the irradiated site whereas no discernible benefit was observed in the abscopal tumors. RNA-sequencing data showed that extracellular structure organization pathways were enriched in the abscopal tumors after combined therapy, with Sfrp2 being identified as a central hub. SFRP2 expression was observed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and was elevated in abscopal tumors after combined therapy. Blockade of SFRP2 followed by combined radiotherapy and ICI reinvigorated infiltration and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells, and elicited regression of abscopal tumors, which was abrogated by CD8α depletion. Mechanistically, in vitro experiments demonstrated that SFRP2+ CAFs induced apoptosis of CD8+ T cells. The spatial transcriptome analysis showed that SFRP2+ CAFs were located in proximity to the vessels and surrounded by abundant macrophages and limited CD8Tex, thereby creating an immunosuppressive perivascular niche, which was validated in paraffin sections of human lung cancer. Lineage-tracing assays showed SFRP2+ CAFs were derived from pericytes. IGF-1 released by irradiated tumors facilitated the transition of pericytes into fibroblasts and stimulated the expression of SFRP2. In summary, SFRP2+ CAFs hijack the abscopal effect from combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy via inducing apoptosis of CD8+ T cells and orchestrating a hostile perivascular niche in the lung cancer. Targeting SFRP2+ CAF may recondition the TME and promote the abscopal effect.
Project description:Despite accumulating cases of radiotherapy-induced abscopal effect in the lung cancer with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the occurrence of this effect remains infrequent and unpredictable to be a therapeutic goal. Here, we showed that the combination of radiotherapy (8Gy*3F) and ICI alleviated the tumor burden at the irradiated site whereas no discernible benefit was observed in the abscopal tumors. RNA-sequencing data showed that extracellular structure organization pathways were enriched in the abscopal tumors after combined therapy, with Sfrp2 being identified as a central hub. SFRP2 expression was observed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and was elevated in abscopal tumors after combined therapy. Blockade of SFRP2 followed by combined radiotherapy and ICI reinvigorated infiltration and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells, and elicited regression of abscopal tumors, which was abrogated by CD8α depletion. Mechanistically, in vitro experiments demonstrated that SFRP2+ CAFs induced apoptosis of CD8+ T cells. The spatial transcriptome analysis showed that SFRP2+ CAFs were located in proximity to the vessels and surrounded by abundant macrophages and limited CD8Tex, thereby creating an immunosuppressive perivascular niche, which was validated in paraffin sections of human lung cancer. Lineage-tracing assays showed SFRP2+ CAFs were derived from pericytes. IGF-1 released by irradiated tumors facilitated the transition of pericytes into fibroblasts and stimulated the expression of SFRP2. In summary, SFRP2+ CAFs hijack the abscopal effect from combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy via inducing apoptosis of CD8+ T cells and orchestrating a hostile perivascular niche in the lung cancer. Targeting SFRP2+ CAF may recondition the TME and promote the abscopal effect.
Project description:Despite accumulating cases of radiotherapy-induced abscopal effect in the lung cancer with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the occurrence of this effect remains infrequent and unpredictable to be a therapeutic goal. Here, we showed that the combination of radiotherapy (8Gy*3F) and ICI alleviated the tumor burden at the irradiated site whereas no discernible benefit was observed in the abscopal tumors. RNA-sequencing data showed that extracellular structure organization pathways were enriched in the abscopal tumors after combined therapy, with Sfrp2 being identified as a central hub. SFRP2 expression was observed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and was elevated in abscopal tumors after combined therapy. Blockade of SFRP2 followed by combined radiotherapy and ICI reinvigorated infiltration and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells, and elicited regression of abscopal tumors, which was abrogated by CD8α depletion. Mechanistically, in vitro experiments demonstrated that SFRP2+ CAFs induced apoptosis of CD8+ T cells. The spatial transcriptome analysis showed that SFRP2+ CAFs were located in proximity to the vessels and surrounded by abundant macrophages and limited CD8Tex, thereby creating an immunosuppressive perivascular niche, which was validated in paraffin sections of human lung cancer. Lineage-tracing assays showed SFRP2+ CAFs were derived from pericytes. IGF-1 released by irradiated tumors facilitated the transition of pericytes into fibroblasts and stimulated the expression of SFRP2. In summary, SFRP2+ CAFs hijack the abscopal effect from combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy via inducing apoptosis of CD8+ T cells and orchestrating a hostile perivascular niche in the lung cancer. Targeting SFRP2+ CAF may recondition the TME and promote the abscopal effect.
Project description:Despite accumulating cases of radiotherapy-induced abscopal effect in the lung cancer with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the occurrence of this effect remains infrequent and unpredictable to be a therapeutic goal. Here, we showed that the combination of radiotherapy (8Gy*3F) and ICI alleviated the tumor burden at the irradiated site whereas no discernible benefit was observed in the abscopal tumors. RNA-sequencing data showed that extracellular structure organization pathways were enriched in the abscopal tumors after combined therapy, with Sfrp2 being identified as a central hub. SFRP2 expression was observed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and was elevated in abscopal tumors after combined therapy. Blockade of SFRP2 followed by combined radiotherapy and ICI reinvigorated infiltration and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells, and elicited regression of abscopal tumors, which was abrogated by CD8α depletion. Mechanistically, in vitro experiments demonstrated that SFRP2+ CAFs induced apoptosis of CD8+ T cells. The spatial transcriptome analysis showed that SFRP2+ CAFs were located in proximity to the vessels and surrounded by abundant macrophages and limited CD8Tex, thereby creating an immunosuppressive perivascular niche, which was validated in paraffin sections of human lung cancer. Lineage-tracing assays showed SFRP2+ CAFs were derived from pericytes. IGF-1 released by irradiated tumors facilitated the transition of pericytes into fibroblasts and stimulated the expression of SFRP2. In summary, SFRP2+ CAFs hijack the abscopal effect from combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy via inducing apoptosis of CD8+ T cells and orchestrating a hostile perivascular niche in the lung cancer. Targeting SFRP2+ CAF may recondition the TME and promote the abscopal effect.