Project description:We investigated the application of a mimetic 20 amino acid peptide derived from type IV collagen for treatment of breast cancer. We showed that the peptide induced a decrease of proliferation, adhesion, and migration of endothelial and tumor cells in vitro. We also observed an inhibition of triple negative MDA-MB-231 xenograft growth by 75% relative to control when administered intraperitoneally for 27 days at 10 mg/kg. We monitored in vivo the changes in vascular properties throughout the treatment using MRI and found that the vascular volume and permeability surface area product decreased significantly. The treatment also resulted in an increase of caspase-3 activity and in a reduction of microvascular density. The multiple mode of action of this peptide, i.e., anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumorigenic, makes it a viable candidate as a therapeutic agent as a monotherapy or in combination with other compounds.
Project description:Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) on immune cells (IC) using the VENTANA SP142 assay is linked to improved clinical outcome in atezolizumab plus nab-paclitaxel-treated patients with mTNBC in the IMpassion130 study. The goal of the current study was to evaluate prevalence of VENTANA SP142 PD-L1 assay by anatomic location in 670 histologically confirmed TNBC cases from subjects with metastatic disease screened for the phase 1 study PCD4989g (NCT01375842). PD-L1 immunohistochemistry was centrally tested on tumor cells (TC) and on tumor infiltrating IC, following manufacturer's instructions. At a 1% cutoff, tumor PD-L1 was more prevalent in IC than TC: 46% were PD-L1 IC+/TC-, 3% were PD-L1 IC-/TC+, and 10% were PD-L1 IC+/TC+. PD-L1 IC and TC immunostaining correlated with CD274 RNA expression, as assessed by fluidigm. Analyses of anatomic locations suggest that prevalence of PD-L1 IC+ was highest in lymph nodes (65.0%), lowest in liver metastases (26.9%), while breast tissue was intermediate (57.1%). Matched paired samples from the same subject collected synchronously or asynchronously showed a PD-L1 IC status agreement of 80% (8/10) and 75% (15/20), respectively. Our results suggest that the anatomic location of metastases and time of collection may influence the detection of PD-L1.
Project description:Enhancing the tumor immunogenic microenvironment has been suggested to circumvent triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) resistance and increase the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy. Here, we report a novel chemotherapeutic compound, TPH104, which induces immunogenic cell death in the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231, by increasing the stimulatory capacity of dendritic cells (DCs), with an IC50 value of 140 nM. TPH104 (5 µM) significantly increased ATP levels in the supernatant and mobilized intracellular calreticulin to the plasma membrane in MDA-MB-231 cells, compared to cells incubated with the vehicle. Incubating MDA-MB-231 cells for 12 h with TPH104 (1-5 µM) significantly increased TNF-α mRNA levels. The supernatants of dying MDAMB-231 cells incubated with TPH104 increased mouse bone marrow-derived DC maturation, the expression of MHC-II and CD86 and the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12. Overall, these results indicate that TPH104 induces immunogenic cell death in TNBC cells, in part, by activating DCs.
Project description:BackgroundTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is responsible for 10-20% cases of breast cancer and is resulting in rising healthcare costs. Thus, health-economic evaluations are needed to relate clinical outcomes and costs of treatment options and to provide recommendations of action from a health-economic perspective.MethodsWe investigated the cost-benefit-ratio of approved treatment options in metastatic TNBC in Germany by applying the efficiency frontier approach. These included sacituzumab-govitecan (SG), eribulin, vinorelbine, and capecitabine. Clinical benefit was measured as (i) median overall survival (mOS) and (ii) health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in terms of time to symptom worsening (TSW). To assess medical benefits, literature was systematically reviewed in PubMed for (i) and (ii), respectively. Treatment costs were calculated considering annual direct outpatient treatment costs from a statutory healthcare payer perspective. It was intended that both, (i) and (ii), yield an efficiency frontier.ResultsAnnual direct outpatient treatment costs amounted to EUR 176,415.21 (SG), EUR 47,414.14 (eribulin), EUR 13,711.35 (vinorelbine), and EUR 3,718.84 (capecitabine). Systematic literature review of (i) and statistical analysis resulted in OS values of 14.3, 9.56, 9.44, and 7.46 months, respectively. Capecitabine, vinorelbine, and SG are part of the efficiency frontier including OS. The highest additional benefit per additional cost was determined for vinorelbine, followed by SG. Systematic review of (ii) revealed that no TSW data of TNBC patients receiving vinorelbine were available, preventing the presentation of an efficiency frontier including HRQoL.ConclusionsVinorelbine is most cost-effective, followed by SG. Health-economic evaluations support decision-makers to assess treatment options within one indication area. In Germany, the efficiency frontier can provide decision support for the pricing of innovative interventions. Results of our analysis may thus guide reimbursement determination.
Project description:The Wnt-pathway has a critical role in development and tissue homeostasis and has attracted increased attention to develop anticancer drugs due to its aberrant activation in many cancers. In this study, we identified a novel small molecule series with a thienopyrimidine scaffold acting as a downstream inhibitor of the β-catenin-dependent Wnt-pathway. This novel chemotype was investigated using Wnt-dependent triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Structure activity relationship (SAR) exploration led to identification of low micromolar compounds such as 5a, 5d, 5e and a novel series with quinazoline scaffold such as 9d. Further investigation showed translation of activity to inhibit cancer survival of HCC1395 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cell lines without affecting a non-cancerous breast epithelial cell line MCF10a. This anti-proliferative effect was synergistic to docetaxel treatment. Collectively, we identified novel chemotypes acting as a downstream inhibitor of β-catenin-dependent Wnt-pathway that could expand therapeutic options to manage TNBC.
Project description:Human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a highly angiogenic disease for which antiangiogenic therapy has demonstrated only a modest response, and the reason for this remains unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of different antiangiogenic therapies on in vitro and in vivo steroid hormone and angiogenic growth factor production using canine and human inflammatory breast carcinoma cell lines as well as the possible involvement of sex steroid hormones in angiogenesis. IPC-366 and SUM149 cell lines and xenotransplanted mice were treated with different concentrations of VEGF, SU5416, bevacizumab and celecoxib. Steroid hormone (progesterone, dehydroepiandrostenedione, androstenedione, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estrone sulphate and 17β-oestradiol), angiogenic growth factors (VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGF-D) and IL-8 determinations in culture media, tumour homogenate and serum samples were assayed by EIA. In vitro, progesterone- and 17β-oestradiol-induced VEGF production promoting cell proliferation and androgens are involved in the formation of vascular-like structures. In vivo, intratumoural testosterone concentrations were augmented and possibly associated with decreased metastatic rates, whereas elevated E1SO4 concentrations could promote tumour progression after antiangiogenic therapies. In conclusion, sex steroid hormones could regulate the production of angiogenic factors. The intratumoural measurement of sex steroids and growth factors may be useful to develop preventive and individualized therapeutic strategies.
Project description:Apoptosis induction with taxanes or anthracyclines is the primary therapy for TNBC. Cancer cells can develop resistance to anticancer drugs, causing them to recur and metastasize. Therefore, non-apoptotic cell death inducers could be a potential treatment to circumvent apoptotic drug resistance. In this study, we discovered two novel compounds, TPH104c and TPH104m, which induced non-apoptotic cell death in TNBC cells. These lead compounds were 15- to 30-fold more selective in TNBC cell lines and significantly decreased the proliferation of TNBC cells compared to that of normal mammary epithelial cell lines. TPH104c and TPH104m induced a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death, characterized by the absence of cellular shrinkage and the absence of nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic blebs. Although TPH104c and TPH104m induced the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, TPH104c- and TPH104m-induced cell death did not increase the levels of cytochrome c and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase activation, and cell death was not rescued by incubating cells with the pan-caspase inhibitor, carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK). Furthermore, TPH104c and TPH104m significantly downregulated the expression of the mitochondrial fission protein, DRP1, and their levels determined their cytotoxic efficacy. Overall, TPH104c and TPH104m induced non-apoptotic cell death, and further determination of their cell death mechanisms will aid in the development of new potent and efficacious anticancer drugs to treat TNBC.
Project description:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a group of cancer with high diversity, limited therapies, and poor prognosis. TNBC cell lines and animal models provide effective tools for studies and drug discovery. Here, we report the development of two TNBC cell lines (XtMCF and LmMCF) based on our existing cell model that consists of normal breast epithelial cell line MCF10F, estradiol-transformed cells trMCF, and Boyden chamber-selected tumorigenic cells bsMCF. The XtMCF and LmMCF cell line were derived from xenograft and lung metastasis of bsMCF cells, respectively. The bsMCF, XtMCF, and LmMCF cells have undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), exhibiting a mesenchymal-like feature. In vivo studies showed XtMCF and LmMCF cells were highly tumorigenic and metastatic. The injection of 5 × 10(4) cells to CB17/SCID mice mammary fat pad produced xenografts in 9/9 mice and tumors reached 10 millimeters in diameter in 5 weeks. The injection of 1 × 10(6) XtMCF or 8 × 10(4) LmMCF cells into the mice tail vein was sufficient to form extensive lung metastases in 4 weeks. The two new cell lines exhibited CD44(+) /CD49f(+) and CD44(+) /EpCAM(+) cancer stem cell (CSC) characteristics, and the EGF-like domain of EpCAM was cleaved off. Together with the normal and early transformed counterparts, herein we provide a complete cancer model for the study of initiation, evolution, and identification of new therapeutics for TNBC. The finding that EGF-like domain of EpCAM was cleaved off in cells which have undergone EMT suggests this cleavage may be involved in the EMT process and the cancer stem cell properties of these cells.
Project description:Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most widespread form of senile dementia worldwide and represents a leading socioeconomic problem in healthcare. Although it is widely debated, the aggregation of the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) is linked to the onset and progression of this neurodegenerative disease. Molecules capable of interfering with specific steps in the fibrillation process remain of pharmacological interest. To identify such compounds, we have set up a small molecule screening process combining multiple experimental methods (UV and florescence spectrometry, ITC, and ATR-FTIR) to identify and characterise potential modulators of Aβ1-42 fibrillation through the description of the biochemical interactions (molecule-membrane Aβ peptide). Three known modulators, namely bexarotene, Chicago sky blue and indomethacin, have been evaluated through this process, and their modulation mechanism in the presence of a biomembrane has been described. Such a well-adapted physico-chemical approach to drug discovery proves to be an undeniable asset for the rapid characterisation of compounds of therapeutic interest for Alzheimer's disease. This strategy could be adapted and transposed to search for modulators of other amyloids such as tau protein.
Project description:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous breast cancer subtype with poor prognosis. Although anatomical imaging figures prominently for breast lesion screening, TNBC is often misdiagnosed, thus hindering early medical care. Ultrasound (US) molecular imaging using nanobubbles (NBs) capable of targeting tumor cells holds great promise for improved diagnosis and therapy. However, the lack of conventional biomarkers in TNBC impairs the development of current targeted agents. Here, we exploited the homotypic recognition of cancer cells to synthesize the first NBs based on TNBC cancer cell membrane (i.e., NBCCM) as a targeted diagnostic agent. We developed a microfluidic technology to synthesize NBCCM based on the self-assembly property of cell membranes in aqueous solutions. In vitro, optimal NBCCM had a hydrodynamic diameter of 683 ± 162 nm, showed long-lasting US contrast enhancements and homotypic affinity. In vivo, we demonstrated that NBCCM showed increased extravasation and retention in a TNBC mouse model compared to non-targeted NBs by US molecular imaging. Peak intensities and areas under the curves from time-intensity plots showed a significantly enhanced signal from NBCCM compared to non-targeted NBs (2.1-fold, P = 0.004, and, 3.6-fold, P = 0.0009, respectively). Immunofluorescence analysis further validated the presence of NBCCM in the tumor microenvironment. Circumventing the challenge for universal cancer biomarker identification, our approach could enable TNBC targeting regardless of tumor tissue heterogeneity, thus improving diagnosis and potentially gene/drug targeted delivery. Ultimately, our approach could be used to image many cancer types using biomimetic NBs prepared from their respective cancer cell membranes.