Project description:Intra-tumor heterogeneity of tumor-initiating cell (TIC) activity drives colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and therapy resistance. Here, we used single-cell mRNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of patient-derived CRC models to decipher distinct cell subpopulations based on their transcriptional profiles. Cell type-specific expression modules of stem-like, transit amplifying-like, and differentiated CRC cells resemble differentiation states of normal intestinal epithelial cells. Strikingly, identified subpopulations differ in proliferative activity and metabolic state. In summary, we here show at single-cell resolution that transcriptional heterogeneity identifies functional states during TIC differentiation. Targeting transcriptional states associated to cancer cell differentiation might unravel vulnerabilities in human CRC.
Project description:Brain metastasis (BrM) represents the most common and aggressive brain malignancy, predominantly arising from non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma. Recent studies have revealed the importance of the brain tumor microenvironment (TME), notably diverse immune cells, which play important roles in regulating cancer progression in both primary and metastatic brain malignancies. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is another critical TME component formed by endothelial cells, mural cells, astrocytic end-feet, and closely-associated microglial cells. Metastasizing cancer cells can utilize different strategies to traverse the BBB and once they have successfully seeded and colonized the brain, they can exploit the vasculature for their own benefit, forming the blood-tumor barrier. To explore the mechanisms underlying tumor vascularization in brain metastasis we performed a comprehensive multiomic analysis of the key components of the tumor vasculature. We integrated single-cell and/or bulk RNA sequencing of sorted endothelial and mural cells isolated from human and mouse BrM and non-tumor samples; immunofluorescence imaging analysis of the spatial architecture of the TME; and functional studies using BrM mouse models to target vascular regulators of tumor immunity. Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of the biology underlying vascularization in metastatic brain tumors, specifically highlighting the importance of vascular cells as immune regulators and proposing novel therapeutic strategies for these aggressive tumors.
Project description:Abstract from manuscript Glioblastoma develops an immunosuppressive microenvironment that fosters tumorigenesis and resistance to current therapeutic strategies. Here we use multiplexed tissue imaging and single-cell RNA-sequencing to characterize the composition, spatial organization, and clinical significance of extracellular purinergic signaling in glioblastoma. We show that glioblastoma exhibit strong expression of CD39 and CD73 ectoenzymes, correlating with increased adenosine levels. Microglia are the predominant source of CD39, while CD73 is principally expressed by tumor cells, particularly in tumors with amplification of EGFR and astrocyte-like differentiation. Spatially-resolved single-cell analyses demonstrate strong spatial correlation between tumor CD73 and microglial CD39, and that their spatial proximity is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Together, this data reveals that tumor CD73 expression correlates with tumor genotype, lineage differentiation, and functional states, and that core purine regulatory enzymes expressed by neoplastic and tumor-associated myeloid cells interact to promote a distinctive adenosine-rich signaling niche and immunosuppressive microenvironment potentially amenable to therapeutic targeting.
Project description:The majority of meningiomas are benign tumors associated with favorable outcomes; however, the less common aggressive variants with unfavorable outcomes often recur and may be due to sub-populations of less-differentiated cells residing within the tumor. These sub-populations of tumor cells, termed tumor-initiating cells, may be isolated from heterogeneous tumors when sorted or cultured in defined medium designed for enrichment of the tumor-initiating cells. We report the isolation and characterization of a population of tumor-initiating cells derived from an atypical meningioma. These meningioma-initiating cells (MICs) self-renew, differentiate, and can recapitulate the histological characteristics of the parental tumor when transplanted into athymic nude mice. Immunohistochemistry reveals protein expression patterns similar to neural stem and progenitor cells while genomic profiling verified the isolation of cancer cells (with defined meningioma chromosomal aberrations) from the bulk tumor. Furthermore, microarray analysis of gene expression reveals that many epithelial to mesenchymal transition genes are upregulated in the MICs, consistent with the presence of both neural stem cell and mature neural cell molecular markers seen in the derived cultures. Pathway analysis identifies biochemical processes and gene networks related to aberrant cell cycle progression, particularly the loss of heterozygosity of tumor suppressor genes CDKN2A (p16INK4A), p14ARF, and CDKN2B (p15INK4B). Flow cytometric analysis revealed the expression of CD44 and activated leukocyte adhesion molecule (ALCAM/CD166); these may prove to be markers able to identify this cell type. In conclusion, we identify a tumor-initiating population from an atypical meningioma that displays a unique phenotype and these results provide increased understanding of atypical meningioma progression. Part 1 of 2: Affymetrix SNP arrays were performed according to the manufacturer's directions on DNA extracted from primary tissue and their counterpart cell lines Part 2 of 2: Illumina gene expression array analysis was performed according to the manufacturer's directions on RNA extracted from cultured primary Meningioma and neural stem cell lines
Project description:Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and most aggressive type of primary brain tumor. The brain-infiltrative character of glioblastoma makes complete surgical removal of the tumor impossible and neither radiation nor current chemotherapy provide cure. Recent evidence shows that glioblastoma multiforme consists of heterogeneous cell populations which differ in tumor-forming potential. Enriched tumor-initiating capacity has been linked to poorly differentiated glioblastoma cells sharing features with neural stem cells. Thus, these cells are important targets for new therapeutic strategies. We aim to identify novel targets controlling maintenance and differentiation in glioblastoma-initiating cells through high throughput screening. To this end, we utilized libraries of small chemical compounds and small interference RNAs in combination with automated imaging and data analysis. Patient-derived glioblastoma cells were expanded and characterized using neural stem cell conditions. In culture, the cells showed low differentiation but expression of neural stem cell markers such as Nestin and Sox2. Upon intracranial injection into SCID mice these cells gave rise to tumors displaying the hallmarks of the human disease. Differentiation of glioblastoma-initiating cells (for example elicited through bone morphogenetic protein, BMP) was associated with strong morphological changes. Hence, cellular morphology, as well as markers specific for differentiation or death were used as screen readout. Lentiviral RNA interference-based screening yielded several gene knockdowns leading to ‘forced’ differentiation of glioblastoma-initiating cells. For example, knockdown of TRRAP (transformation/transcription domain associated protein) led to strongly increased differentiation and loss of proliferative and self-renewing capacity in these cells. TRRAP is an adapter protein implicated in oncogenic transformation through c-MYC transcription activation, also participating in chromatin remodeling and DNA repair. Glioblastoma-initiating cells with reduced TRRAP displayed increased apoptosis upon treatment with the genotoxic agent temozolomide. In vivo, Trapp knockdown cells were not able to give rise to glioblastoma upon transplantation into the brain of SCID mice. Together, these findings support a crucial role for TRRAP in maintenance and tumorigenicity of glioblastoma-initiating cells and might offer future therapeutic options. Two treatments compared to control: two different shRNA sequences for TRRAP were compared to a control shRNA sequence in their effects on global transcription in brain tumor initiating cells