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Combining bevacizumab and chemoradiation in rectal cancer. Translational results of the AXEBeam trial.

ABSTRACT: Objective: Insights about differences in tumor vasculature and how it reacts to VEGF inhibition is limited, but nevertheless of major relevance to anti-angiogenic therapy. In this study we therefore characterize the effect of bevacizumab combined with chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and explore molecular and genetic markers for response prediction to this combination treatment. Material and Methods: In an academic multicentric randomized phase II study, patients with advanced rectal cancer have been treated with bevacizumab (5mg/kg) in combination with capecitabine (1650mg/m2/day) and radiotherapy (45Gy; 1.8Gy/day) with (50mg/m2) or without oxaliplatin prior to surgery. Of 59 patients, tumor tissue and blood samples were collected before treatment and after the first loading dose of bevacizumab but before CRT (week 3). First, cDNA micro-arrays were performed on the biopsies to investigate differences in gene expression of tumors from patients with and without a pathological complete response (pCR) before start of treatment and to identify biological processes affected by bevacizumab delivery. The paraffin embedded tissue was stained for blood vessels (CD31/CD34) combined with α-SMA (pericytes) and CA-IX (hypoxia). To explore candidate blood-based biomarkers ELISA’s were performed for PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, THBS-1, IL-8, CYR61 and Ang-2. The expression of all markers was correlated with the pathological response of the patients. Results: Differences in tumoral gene expression are observed between patients with and without a pCR, with the first response group presenting a more angiogenic phenotype before start of treatment and changes in angiogenic processes after bevacizumab delivery. One dose of bevacizumab leads to a decrease in the number of pericyte covered blood vessels, a decrease in circulating PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB and Thrombospondin-1. Patients showing a pCR having less pericyte covered blood vessels, more hypoxia, and less circulating PDGF-BB compared to patients who did not have a pCR after bevacizumab treatment with chemoradiation and bevacizumab. Conclusions: The translational data demonstrate that tumors with an angiogenic expression profile respond better to bevacizumab combined with CRT and points towards a possible role for PDGF, CA-IX and pericyte covered blood vessels for the early response prediction to this treatment. Our findings suggest a role for mural cell recruitment and vessel maturation for the susceptibility of the tumor vasculature to bevacizumab treatment. Further validation of our biological observations and hypothesis generating data in randomized trials is needed.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE60331 | GEO | 2016/08/02

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA258171

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Objective: Insights about differences in tumor vasculature and how it reacts to VEGF inhibition is limited, but nevertheless of major relevance to anti-angiogenic therapy. In this study we therefore characterize the effect of bevacizumab combined with chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and explore molecular and genetic markers for response prediction to this combination treatment. Material and Methods: In an academic multicentric randomized phase II study, patients with advanced rectal cancer have been treated with bevacizumab (5mg/kg) in combination with capecitabine (1650mg/m2/day) and radiotherapy (45Gy; 1.8Gy/day) with (50mg/m2) or without oxaliplatin prior to surgery. Of 59 patients, tumor tissue and blood samples were collected before treatment and after the first loading dose of bevacizumab but before CRT (week 3). First, cDNA micro-arrays were performed on the biopsies to investigate differences in gene expression of tumors from patients with and without a pathological complete response (pCR) before start of treatment and to identify biological processes affected by bevacizumab delivery. The paraffin embedded tissue was stained for blood vessels (CD31/CD34) combined with Î±-SMA (pericytes) and CA-IX (hypoxia). To explore candidate blood-based biomarkers ELISAâs were performed for PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, THBS-1, IL-8, CYR61 and Ang-2. The expression of all markers was correlated with the pathological response of the patients. Results: Differences in tumoral gene expression are observed between patients with and without a pCR, with the first response group presenting a more angiogenic phenotype before start of treatment and changes in angiogenic processes after bevacizumab delivery. One dose of bevacizumab leads to a decrease in the number of pericyte covered blood vessels, a decrease in circulating PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB and Thrombospondin-1. Patients showing a pCR having less pericyte covered blood vessels, more hypoxia, and less circulating PDGF-BB compared to patients who did not have a pCR after bevacizumab treatment with chemoradiation and bevacizumab. Conclusions: The translational data demonstrate that tumors with an angiogenic expression profile respond better to bevacizumab combined with CRT and points towards a possible role for PDGF, CA-IX and pericyte covered blood vessels for the early response prediction to this treatment. Our findings suggest a role for mural cell recruitment and vessel maturation for the susceptibility of the tumor vasculature to bevacizumab treatment. Further validation of our biological observations and hypothesis generating data in randomized trials is needed. This study involves samples of patients enrolled in the AXEbeam trail that were analysed by Primeview microarray (Affymetrix). Biopsies were taken at two different timepoints: before treatment (tumor and normal mucosa) and after the first loading dose of bevacizumab but before chemoradiation (only tumor, week 3). Patients were classified into two groups: with a complete pathological response at time of surgery (Responders=R) or non-responders (NR). For the responders, we collected 21 samples in total (7 tumor samples and 8 normal mucosa samples taken before treatment and 6 tumor samples collected at week 3). From the non-responders we had 26 samples in total (9 tumor and 10 mucosa samples before treatment and 7 tumor samples at week 3 after a single dose of bevacizumab). Microarrays were run in two batches (15xxx versus 16xxx CEL file samples; indicated in the description field). Three samples (NJ 04/003 T1, RVS 09/002 M and NJ 04/003 W3) were put twice on the array (15897+16789; 15893+16790; 15898+16791) to verify and exclude batch effects. Please note that, due to these three technical repeats the total number of microarray CEL files is 50 (21 Responders, 26 Non-responders and 3 repeats).

Project description:Pericytes are multifunctional contractile cells that reside on capillaries. Pericytes are critical regulators of cerebral blood flow and blood-brain barrier function, and pericyte dysfunction may contribute to the pathophysiology of human neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived pericytes (iPericytes) are a promising tool for vascular research. However, it is unclear how iPericytes functionally compare to primary human brain vascular pericytes (HBVPs). We differentiated iPSCs into iPericytes of either the mesoderm or neural crest lineage using established protocols. We compared iPericyte and HBVP morphologies, quantified gene expression by qPCR and bulk RNA sequencing, and visualised pericyte protein markers by immunocytochemistry. To determine whether the gene expression of neural crest iPericytes, mesoderm iPericytes or HBVPs correlated with their functional characteristics in vitro, we quantified EdU incorporation following exposure to the key pericyte mitogen, platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB and, contraction and relaxation in response to the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 or vasodilator adenosine, respectively. iPericytes were morphologically similar to HBVPs and expressed canonical pericyte markers. Consistent with the ability of HBVPs to respond to PDGF-BB signalling, PDGF-BB enhanced and PDGF receptor (PDGFR)β inhibitors impaired iPericyte proliferation. Administration of endothelin-1 led to iPericyte contraction and adenosine led to iPericyte relaxation, of a magnitude similar to the response evoked in HBVPs. We determined that neural crest iPericytes were less susceptible to PDGFRβ inhibition, but responded most robustly to vasoactive meditators. iPericytes express pericyte-associated genes and proteins and, exhibit an appropriate physiological response upon exposure to a key endogenous mitogen or vasoactive mediators. Therefore, this protocol to generate functional iPericytes would be suitable for use in future investigations exploring pericyte function or dysfunction in neurological diseases.

Project description:The blood-brain barrier (BBB) consists of specific physical barriers, enzymes and transporters, which together maintain the necessary extracellular environment of the central nervous system (CNS). The main physical barrier is found in the CNS endothelial cell, and depends on continuous complexes of tight junctions combined with reduced vesicular transport. Other possible constituents of the BBB include extracellular matrix, astrocytes and pericytes, but the relative contribution of these different components to the BBB remains largely unknown. Here we demonstrate a direct role of pericytes at the BBB in vivo. Using a set of adult viable pericyte-deficient mouse mutants we show that pericyte deficiency increases the permeability of the BBB to water and a range of low-molecular-mass and high-molecular-mass tracers. The increased permeability occurs by endothelial transcytosis, a process that is rapidly arrested by the drug imatinib. Furthermore, we show that pericytes function at the BBB in at least two ways: by regulating BBB-specific gene expression patterns in endothelial cells, and by inducing polarization of astrocyte end-feet surrounding CNS blood vessels. Our results indicate a novel and critical role for pericytes in the integration of endothelial and astrocyte functions at the neurovascular unit, and in the regulation of the BBB. The brain microvascular fragments were isolated from mice with different genotypes, each represented by 3-4 biological replicates. Genotypes 1-2: Platelet derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B) retention-motif knockout (pdgfbret/ret) represent the pericyte-deficient situation, and the heterozygous mice (pdgfbret/+) are used as controls. Genotypes 3-4: Hypomorphic PDGF-B mutants that rescue pdgfb-/- null mice, in which a one copy of a conditionally silent human PDGF-B transgene targeted to the Rosa 26 locus (R26P) is turned on by endothelial-specific expression of Cre recombinase. In this data set these mice are named as Tie2Cre, R26P+/0, pdgfb-/- (representing the pericyte-deficient situation). Mice wt for pdgfb (pdgfb+/+) and carrying one silent copy of R26P (R26P+/0), are used as controls. Genotype 5: Adult Notch3+/+ wildtype (WT).

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Combining bevacizumab and chemoradiation in rectal cancer. Translational results of the AXEBeam trial.

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