Project description:Comparison of gene expression data between control and MFP-treated C4-HD tumors. The role of active antitumor immunity in hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer has been historically underlooked. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of the immune system to antiprogestin-induced tumor growth inhibition using a hormone-dependent breast cancer model. BALB/c-GFP+ bone marrow (BM) cells were transplanted into immunodeficient NSG mice to generate an immunocompetent NSG/BM-GFP+ (NSG-R) mouse model. Treatment with the antiprogestin Mifepristone (MFP) inhibited growth of 59-2-HI tumors with similar kinetics in both animal models. Interestingly, MFP treatment reshaped the tumor microenvironment, enhancing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Tumors in MFP-treated immunocompetent mice showed increased infiltration of F4/80+ macrophages, NK, and CD8 T cells, displaying a central memory phenotype. Mechanistically, MFP induced immunogenic cell death in vivo and in vitro, as depicted by the expression and subcellular localization of the alarmins calreticulin and HMGB-1 and the induction of an immunogenic cell death gene program. Moreover, MFP-treated tumor cells efficiently activated immature dendritic cells, evidenced by enhanced expression of MHC-II and CD86, and induced a memory T cell response, attenuating tumor onset and growth after re-challenge. Finally, MFP treatment increased the sensitivity of HR+ 59-2-HI tumor to PD-L1 blockade, suggesting that antiprogestins may improve immunotherapy response rates. These results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effect of hormonal treatment and the rational design of therapeutic combinations based on endocrine and immunomodulatory agents in HR+ breast cancer.
Project description:Introduction: Over the past several years, we have been interested in understanding the mechanisms by which hormone-dependent (HD) mammary carcinomas grow in the absence of the stimulatory hormone. We have hypothesized that the stromal compartment plays a pivotal role in the acquisition of the hormone-independent (HI) phenotype by providing stimulatory factors that replace the proliferative effects of the hormone. Methods: We used DNA microarrays to compare the gene expression profiles of tumors from the MPA mouse breast cancer model, one hormone-dependent (C4-HD) and one hormone-independent (C4-HI), using whole tumor samples or laser-captured purified stromal and epithelial cells obtained from the same tumors. The expression of selected genes was validated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays. Results: We identified 413 genes that were expressed in tumor stroma but not in epithelial cells. Eighty-five percent of these genes were upregulated, whereas the remaining 15% were downregulated in C4-HI tumors relative to their expression in the C4-HD tumor stroma. Several matrix metallopeptidases, including Mmp13, Mmp3, Mmp10 and Mmp9, were overexpressed in the C4-HI tumor microenvironment. On the other hand, 1100 genes were specifically expressed in the tumor parenchyma. Among them, the 29% were upregulated, whereas the remaining 71% were downregulated, in C4-HI relative to C4-HD tumor epithelium. Steap, Pdgfc, Runx2, Cxcl9 and Sdf2 were among the genes with high expression in the C4-HI tumor parenchyma. Interestingly, we found that Fgf2 was one of the few genes upregulated by MPA in C4-HD tumors, confirming its pivotal role in regulating tumor growth in this model. Conclusions: We demonstrate a gene expression profile that distinguishes epithelial from stromal cells in mammary tumors with different hormone dependence. Our results support the hypothesis that the tumor-associated stroma may contribute to hormone-independent tumor growth. The fact that Fgf2 was one of these few stimulatory genes is worth investigating. reference X sample
Project description:Introduction: Over the past several years, we have been interested in understanding the mechanisms by which hormone-dependent (HD) mammary carcinomas grow in the absence of the stimulatory hormone. We have hypothesized that the stromal compartment plays a pivotal role in the acquisition of the hormone-independent (HI) phenotype by providing stimulatory factors that replace the proliferative effects of the hormone. Methods: We used DNA microarrays to compare the gene expression profiles of tumors from the MPA mouse breast cancer model, one hormone-dependent (C4-HD) and one hormone-independent (C4-HI), using whole tumor samples or laser-captured purified stromal and epithelial cells obtained from the same tumors. The expression of selected genes was validated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays. Results: We identified 413 genes that were expressed in tumor stroma but not in epithelial cells. Eighty-five percent of these genes were upregulated, whereas the remaining 15% were downregulated in C4-HI tumors relative to their expression in the C4-HD tumor stroma. Several matrix metallopeptidases, including Mmp13, Mmp3, Mmp10 and Mmp9, were overexpressed in the C4-HI tumor microenvironment. On the other hand, 1100 genes were specifically expressed in the tumor parenchyma. Among them, the 29% were upregulated, whereas the remaining 71% were downregulated, in C4-HI relative to C4-HD tumor epithelium. Steap, Pdgfc, Runx2, Cxcl9 and Sdf2 were among the genes with high expression in the C4-HI tumor parenchyma. Interestingly, we found that Fgf2 was one of the few genes upregulated by MPA in C4-HD tumors, confirming its pivotal role in regulating tumor growth in this model. Conclusions: We demonstrate a gene expression profile that distinguishes epithelial from stromal cells in mammary tumors with different hormone dependence. Our results support the hypothesis that the tumor-associated stroma may contribute to hormone-independent tumor growth. The fact that Fgf2 was one of these few stimulatory genes is worth investigating.
Project description:Mifepristone is an antagonist of the progesterone receptor in clinical use. Here, we explored the effects of mifepristone alone, and the effect of progesterone after the dose of mifepristone, on the transcriptomic signature in endometria from cycling women.
Project description:Illumina sequencing was used to assay the effect of mifepristone treatment on gene expression in adult Drosophila, including males, virgin females and mated females.
Project description:The molecules significantly altered in endometrium displaying PAEC after three months of mifepristone exposure are mainly involved in the structural architecture of tissue, which may explain the morphological features of PAEC Our study has generated new knowledge on the molecular profile of endometrium displaying PAEC after 3 months of mifepristone treatment due to symptomatic leiomyoma. This knowledge is of great importance as the application of progesterone receptor modulators (PRMs) for the medical management of benign gynecological conditions is increasing.
Project description:Prostate cancer is the most common, lethal malignancy in men. Although androgen withdrawal therapies are used to treat advanced disease, progression to a castration-resistant, end-stage is the usual outcome. In this study, the tested hypothesis was that the androgen receptor remains essential for the growth and viability of castration-resistant disease. Knocking down the androgen receptor in well-established tumors grown in castrated mice caused growth arrest, decreased serum PSA, and frequently regression and total eradication of tumors. Growth control of castration-resistant tumors appeared to be linked to the extent of androgen receptor knockdown, which triggers upregulation of many genes involved in apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of tumorigenesis and protein synthesis. Our findings provide proof of principle that in vivo knockdown of the androgen receptor is a viable therapeutic strategy to control and possibly eradicate prostate cancers that have progressed to the lethal castration-resistant state. C4-2 human prostate cancer cells stably expressing a tetracycline-inducible AR-targeted short hairpin RNA (shRNA) or scrambled shRNA were generated. These two cell lines were incubated in the absence of androgens with or without doxycycline hyclase (DOX). Comparison analysis of the gene expression profiles of C4-2 cells stably expressing AR shRNA + DOX and control cells (AR shRNA - DOX and scrambled shRNA ± DOX) was conducted to identify differentially regulated genes due to AR knockdown after normalization and data filtering. Genes were considered to be significantly different if the expression in the induced AR shRNA + DOX cells was at least 1.7-fold greater or 1.7-fold less than that seen in the control cells, with P< 0.05.
Project description:Illumina sequencing was used to assay the effect of mifepristone treatment on gene expression in adult Drosophila, including males, virgin females and mated females. Males of strain w[1118]; p53B[6] were crossed to virgins of w[1118]; rtTA(3)E2 and progeny males and virgins were collected over 48 hours. One half of the virgins were mated to w[1118] males at ratio of 1:1 virgins to males for 4 days. Mated females were then separated from the w[1118] males. The mated females, males and virgins females were then maintained at approximately 20 flies per vial, on food with and without supplementation with 160ug/ml mifepristone for 12 days. Total fly RNA was isolated from 20 animals per sample. Three replicate samples were generated for each type of flies: males, mated females and virgin females.
Project description:Prostate cancer C4-2B cells were cultured in enzalutamide in a dose-escalation manner. After sixty passages cells were resistant to enzalutamide, with a specific sets of genes been deregulated. We performed global gene expression analysis by cDNA microarrays to identify genes responsible for enzalutamide resistance in C4-2B-MDVR cells. Enzalutamide resistant C4-2B-MDVR cells were selected from C4-2B cells during long time enzalutamide treatment. Genes responsible for enzalutamide resistance were identified using C4-2B vs. C4-2B-MDVR RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.