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Epigenetic rewiring towards mesenchymal-epithelial transformation in ovarian cancer-associated mesenchymal stem cells drives metastasis

ABSTRACT: Ovarian cancer develops early intra-peritoneal metastasis establishing a pro-tumorigenic tumor microenvironment (TME) through reprogramming normal mesenchymal stem cells into carcinoma-associated mesenchymal stem cells (CA-MSCs). CA-MSCs are the stromal stem cell of the TME, supporting cancer growth, increasing desmoplasia, angiogenesis and chemotherapy resistance. We demonstrate epigenetic rewiring drives CA-MSC formation via enhancer-enriched DNA hypermethylation, altered chromatin accessibility and differential histone modifications inducing a partial mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) increasing tumor cell adhesion. Direct CA-MSC:tumor cell interactions, confirmed in patient ascites, facilitate ovarian cancer metastasis through co-migration. WT1, a developmental mediator of MET, and EZH2, mediate CA-MSC epigenetic reprogramming. WT1 overexpression induces CA-MSC conversion while WT1 knock-down, in combination with EZH2 inhibition, blocks CA-MSC formation. EZH2 inhibition subsequently decreases intra-abdominal metastasis.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE138072 | GEO | 2020/12/22

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Carcinoma-associated mesenchymal stem cells (CA-MSCs) are critical stromal progenitor cells within the tumor microenvironment. We previously demonstrated that CA-MSCs differentially express BMP genes, promote tumor cell growth, increase cancer ‘stemness’ and chemotherapy resistance. Here we use RNA sequencing of normal omental MSCs and ovarian CA-MSCs to demonstrate CA-MSCs have global changes in gene expression. Using these expression profiles we create a unique predictive algorithm to classify CA-MSCs. Our classifier, accurately distinguishes normal omental, ovary and bone marrow MSCs from ovarian cancer CA-MSCs. Suggesting broad applicability, the model correctly classifies pancreatic and endometrial cancer CA-MSCs and distinguishes cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) from CA-MSCs. Using this classifier, we definitively demonstrate ovarian CA-MSCs arise from tumor mediated reprograming of local tissue MSCs. While cancer cells alone cannot induce a CA-MSC phenotype, the in vivo ovarian tumor micoenvironment (TME) can reprogram omental or ovary MSCs to protumorigenic CA-MSC (classifier score of >0.96). In vitro studies suggest that both tumor secreted factors and hypoxia are critical to induce the CA-MSC phenotype. Interestingly, while the breast cancer TME can reprogram BM MSCs into CA-MSCs, the ovarian TME cannot, demonstrating for the first time that tumor mediated CA-MSC conversion is tissue and cancer type dependent. Together these findings (1) provide a critical tool to define CA-MSCs and (2) highlight cancer cell influence on distinct normal tissues providing powerful insights into the mechanisms underlying cancer specific metastatic niche formation. Carcinoma-associated mesenchymal stem cells (CA-MSCs) are critical stromal progenitor cells within the tumor microenvironment. We previously demonstrated that CA-MSCs differentially express BMP genes, promote tumor cell growth, increase cancer ‘stemness’ and chemotherapy resistance. Here we use RNA sequencing of normal omental MSCs and ovarian CA-MSCs to demonstrate CA-MSCs have global changes in gene expression. Using these expression profiles we create a unique predictive algorithm to classify CA-MSCs. Our classifier, accurately distinguishes normal omental, ovary and bone marrow MSCs from ovarian cancer CA-MSCs. Suggesting broad applicability, the model correctly classifies pancreatic and endometrial cancer CA-MSCs and distinguishes cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) from CA-MSCs. Using this classifier, we definitively demonstrate ovarian CA-MSCs arise from tumor mediated reprograming of local tissue MSCs. While cancer cells alone cannot induce a CA-MSC phenotype, the in vivo ovarian tumor micoenvironment (TME) can reprogram omental or ovary MSCs to protumorigenic CA-MSC (classifier score of >0.96). In vitro studies suggest that both tumor secreted factors and hypoxia are critical to induce the CA-MSC phenotype. Interestingly, while the breast cancer TME can reprogram BM MSCs into CA-MSCs, the ovarian TME cannot, demonstrating for the first time that tumor mediated CA-MSC conversion is tissue and cancer type dependent. Together these findings (1) provide a critical tool to define CA-MSCs and (2) highlight cancer cell influence on distinct normal tissues providing powerful insights into the mechanisms underlying cancer specific metastatic niche formation.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a key complication affecting older individuals after anesthesia and surgery. Failure to translate multiple pharmacological therapies for PND from preclinical studies to clinical settings has necessitated the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) treatment has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for treating neurodegenerative diseases and has the potential to translate basic science into clinical practice. In this study, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanism of hUC-MSCs on PND in aged mice.METHODS: hUC-MSCs were isolated from an infant umbilical cord and identified using flow cytometry and differentiation assays. We established PND model by undergoing aseptic laparotomy under isoflurane anesthesia maintaining spontaneous ventilation in 18-month-old male C57BL/6 mice. hUC-MSCs were slowly injected into mice by coccygeal vein before anesthesia. Cognitive function, neuroinflammation, neuroplasticity, endogenous neurogenesis and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were assessed. To determine the mechanisms underlying by which hUC-MSCs mediate their neuroprotective effects in PND, K252a, an antagonist of BDNF receptor, was administered intraperitoneally before surgery. Hippocampal BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway and metabolomic signatures were evaluated.RESULTS: hUC-MSC treatment ameliorated the learning and memory impairment in aged mice with PND. The downstream effects were the suppression of neuroinflammatory responses and restoration of neurogenesis and neuroplasticity dysregulation. Interestingly, the level of mature BDNF, but not that of proBDNF, was increased in the hippocampus after hUC-MSC treatment. Further analysis revealed that the improved cognitive recovery and the restoration of neurogenesis and neuroplasticity dysregulation elicited by exposure to hUC-MSCs were, at least partially, mediated by the activation of the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway. Untargeted metabolomic further identified lipid metabolism dysfunction as potential downstream of the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway in hUC-MSC-mediated neuroprotection for PND.CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the beneficial effects of hUC-MSC treatment on PND and provides a justification to consider the potential use of hUC-MSCs in the perioperative period.

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Epigenetic rewiring towards mesenchymal-epithelial transformation in ovarian cancer-associated mesenchymal stem cells drives metastasis

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