Showing papers by "Diane M. Simeone published in 2013"
TL;DR: An effective approach to isolate CTCs from blood samples of pancreatic, breast and lung cancer patients is demonstrated by using functionalised graphene oxide nanosheets on a patterned gold surface.
Abstract: The spread of cancer throughout the body is driven by circulating tumour cells (CTCs). These cells detach from the primary tumour and move from the bloodstream to a new site of subsequent tumour growth. They also carry information about the primary tumour and have the potential to be valuable biomarkers for disease diagnosis and progression, and for the molecular characterization of certain biological properties of the tumour. However, the limited sensitivity and specificity of current methods for measuring and studying these cells in patient blood samples prevents the realization of their full clinical potential. The use of microfluidic devices is a promising method for isolating CTCs. However, the devices are reliant on three-dimensional structures, which limits further characterization and expansion of cells on the chip. Here we demonstrate an effective approach to isolating CTCs from blood samples of pancreatic, breast and lung cancer patients, by using functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets on a patterned gold surface. CTCs were captured with high sensitivity at a low concentration of target cells (73 ± 32.4% at 3-5 cells per ml blood).
485 citations
05 Aug 2013
TL;DR: SOX2 is aberrantly expressed in pancreatic cancer and contributes to cell proliferation and stemness/dedifferentiation through the regulation of a set of genes controlling G1/S transition and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype, suggesting that targeting SOX2-positive cancer cells could be a promising therapeutic strategy.
Abstract: SOX2 (Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-Box2) has important functions during embryonic development and is involved in cancer stem cell (CSC) maintenance, in which it impairs cell growth and tumorigenicity. However, the function of SOX2 in pancreatic cancer cells is unclear. The objective of this study was to analyze SOX2 expression in human pancreatic tumors and determine the role of SOX2 in pancreatic cancer cells regulating CSC properties. In this report, we show that SOX2 is not expressed in normal pancreatic acinar or ductal cells. However, ectopic expression of SOX2 is observed in 19.3% of human pancreatic tumors. SOX2 knockdown in pancreatic cancer cells results in cell growth inhibition via cell cycle arrest associated with p21Cip1 and p27Kip1 induction, whereas SOX2 overexpression promotes S-phase entry and cell proliferation associated with cyclin D3 induction. SOX2 expression is associated with increased levels of the pancreatic CSC markers ALDH1, ESA and CD44. Importantly, we show that SOX2 is enriched in the ESA+/CD44+ CSC population from two different patient samples. Moreover, we show that SOX2 directly binds to the Snail, Slug and Twist promoters, leading to a loss of E-Cadherin and ZO-1 expression. Taken together, our findings show that SOX2 is aberrantly expressed in pancreatic cancer and contributes to cell proliferation and stemness/dedifferentiation through the regulation of a set of genes controlling G1/S transition and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype, suggesting that targeting SOX2-positive cancer cells could be a promising therapeutic strategy.
284 citations
TL;DR: The purpose of this study was to evaluate preoperative treatment with full‐dose gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and radiation therapy in patients with localized pancreatic cancer.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate preoperative treatment with full-dose gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and radiation therapy (RT) in patients with localized pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Eligibility included confirmation of adenocarcinoma, resectable or borderline resectable disease, a performance status � 2, and adequate organ function. Treatment consisted of two 28-day cycles of gemcitabine (1 g/m 2 over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15) and oxaliplatin (85 mg/m 2 on days 1 and 15) with RT during cycle 1 (30 Gray [Gy] in 2-Gy fractions). Patients were evaluated for surgery after cycle 2. Patients who underwent resection received 2 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Sixty-eight evaluable patients received treatment at 4 centers. By central radiology review, 23 patients had resectable disease, 39 patients had borderline resectable disease, and 6 patients had unresectable disease. Sixty-six patients (97%) completed cycle 1 with RT, and 61 patients (90%) completed cycle 2. Grade � 3 adverse events during preoperative therapy included neutropenia (32%), thrombocytopenia (25%), and biliary obstruction/cholangitis (14%). Forty-three patients underwent resection (63%), and complete (R0) resection was achieved in 36 of those 43 patients (84%). The median overall survival was 18.2 months (95% confidence interval, 13-26.9 months) for all patients, 27.1 months (95% confidence interval, 21.2-47.1 months) for those who underwent resection, and 10.9 months (95% confidence interval, 6.1-12.6 months) for those who did not undergo resection. A decrease in CA 19-9 level after neoadjuvant therapy was associated with R0 resection (P 5.02), which resulted in a median survival of 34.6 months (95% confidence interval, 20.3-47.1 months). Fourteen patients (21%) are alive and disease free at a median follow-up of 31.4 months (range, 24-47.6 months). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative therapy with full-dose gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and RT was feasible and resulted in a high percentage of R0 resections. The current results are particularly encouraging, because the majority of patients had borderline resectable disease. Cancer 2013;119:2692-700. V C 2013 American Cancer Society.
167 citations
TL;DR: Three different approaches showed that ligand-mediated activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is required to initiate pancreatic cancer, and establish that Wnt signaling is also critical for progression of pancreatic cancers, a finding with potential therapeutic implications.
Abstract: Wnt ligand expression and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway have been associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, but whether Wnt activity is required for the development of pancreatic cancer has remained unclear. Here, we report the results of three different approaches to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in a established transgenic mouse model of pancreatic cancer. First, we found that β-catenin null cells were incapable of undergoing acinar to ductal metaplasia, a process associated with development of premalignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions. Second, we addressed the specific role of ligand-mediated Wnt signaling through inducible expression of Dkk1, an endogenous secreted inhibitor of the canonical Wnt pathway. Finally, we targeted the Wnt pathway with OMP-18R5, a therapeutic antibody that interacts with multiple Frizzled receptors. Together, these approaches showed that ligand-mediated activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is required to initiate pancreatic cancer. Moreover, they establish that Wnt signaling is also critical for progression of pancreatic cancer, a finding with potential therapeutic implications.
165 citations
TL;DR: This review article will focus on recent studies regarding the function of the tumor stroma in pancreatic cancer and therapeutic treatments that are being advanced to target the stroma as a critical part of tumor management.
Abstract: Purpose of review This review intends to describe recent studies on pancreatic tumor-associated stroma and potential opportunities and limitations to its targeting. Recent findings One of the defining features of pancreatic cancer is extensive desmoplasia, or an inflammatory, fibrotic reaction. Carcinoma cells live in this complex microenvironment which is comprised of extracellular matrix (ECM), diffusible growth factors, cytokines and a variety of nonepithelial cell types including endothelial cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts and stellate cells. In addition to the heterogeneity noted in the nonneoplastic cells within the tumor microenvironment, it has also been recognized that neoplastic cancer cells themselves are heterogeneous, and include a subpopulation of stem-cell like cells within tumors termed cancer stem cells. Due to the failure of current therapeutics to improve outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer, new therapeutic avenues targeting different components of the tumor microenvironment are being investigated. In this review article, we will focus on recent studies regarding the function of the tumor stroma in pancreatic cancer and therapeutic treatments that are being advanced to target the stroma as a critical part of tumor management. Summary Recent studies have shed new light on the contribution of the pancreatic cancer fibroinflammatory stroma to pancreatic cancer biology. Additional studies are needed to better define its full contribution to tumor behavior and how to best understand the optimal ways to develop therapies that counteract its pro-neoplastic properties.
116 citations
TL;DR: This work reviews the markers used to identify pancreatic cancer stem cells, the signaling pathways that regulate PCSC functions, the complex interactions between PCSCs and stromal cells, and approaches to therapeutically target PCSC’s and improve treatment of patients with Pancreatic cancer.
103 citations
TL;DR: The results implicate Bmi1 in the invasiveness and growth of pancreatic cancer and demonstrate its key role in the regulation of pancreatIC cancer stem cells.
Abstract: Background
Bmi1 is an integral component of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and is involved in the pathogenesis of multiple cancers. It also plays a key role in the functioning of endogenous stem cells and cancer stem cells. Previous work implicated a role for cancer stem cells in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. We hypothesized that Bmi1 plays an integral role in enhancing pancreatic tumorigenicity and the function of cancer stem cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
99 citations
TL;DR: The data suggest that HAb18G/CD147 could be a promising therapeutic target for highly aggressive pancreatic cancer and a surrogate marker in the STAT3-targeted molecular therapies.
Abstract: Purpose: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a critical role in initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer. However, therapeutically targeting STAT3 has failed clinically. We previously identified HAb18G/CD147 as an effective target for cancer treatment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential role of HAb18G/CD147 in STAT3-involved pancreatic tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo . Experimental Design: The expression of HAb18G/CD147, pSTAT3, and CD44s was determined in tissue microarrays. The tumorigenic function and molecular signaling mechanism of HAb18G/CD147 were assessed by in vitro cellular and clonogenic growth, reporter assay, immunoblot assay, immunofluorescence staining, immunoprecipitation, and in vivo tumor formation using loss or gain-of-function strategies. Results: Highly expressed HAb18G/CD147 promoted cellular and clonogenic growth in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo . Cyclophilin A (CyPA), a ligand of CD147, stimulated STAT3 phosphorylation and its downstream genes cyclin D1/survivin through HAb18G/CD147-dependent mechanisms. HAb18G/CD147 was associated and colocalized with cancer stem cell marker CD44s in lipid rafts. The inhibitors of STAT3 and survivin, as well as CD44s neutralizing antibodies suppressed the HAb18G/CD147-induced cell growth. High HAb18G/CD147 expression in pancreatic cancer was significantly correlated with the poor tumor differentiation, and the high coexpression of HAb18G/CD147-CD44s-STAT3 associated with poor survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. Conclusions: We identified HAb18G/CD147 as a novel upstream activator of STAT3, which interacts with CD44s and plays a critical role in the development of pancreatic cancer. The data suggest that HAb18G/CD147 could be a promising therapeutic target for highly aggressive pancreatic cancer and a surrogate marker in the STAT3-targeted molecular therapies. Clin Cancer Res; 19(24); 6703–15. ©2013 AACR .
56 citations
47 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed transcriptome sequencing data from a compendium of 482 cancer and benign samples from 25 different tissue types, and defined distinct "outlier kinases" in individual breast and pancreatic cancer samples, based on highest levels of absolute and differential expression.
Abstract: Protein kinases represent the most effective class of therapeutic targets in cancer; therefore, determination of kinase aberrations is a major focus of cancer genomic studies. Here, we analyzed transcriptome sequencing data from a compendium of 482 cancer and benign samples from 25 different tissue types, and defined distinct "outlier kinases" in individual breast and pancreatic cancer samples, based on highest levels of absolute and differential expression. Frequent outlier kinases in breast cancer included therapeutic targets like ERBB2 and FGFR4, distinct from MET, AKT2, and PLK2 in pancreatic cancer. Outlier kinases imparted sample-specific dependencies in various cell lines, as tested by siRNA knockdown and/or pharmacologic inhibition. Outlier expression of polo-like kinases was observed in a subset of KRAS-dependent pancreatic cancer cell lines, and conferred increased sensitivity to the pan-PLK inhibitor BI-6727. Our results suggest that outlier kinases represent effective precision therapeutic targets that are readily identifiable through RNA sequencing of tumors.
41 citations
TL;DR: The results show that MUC5AC and endorepellin glycoforms may be highly specific and sensitive biomarkers for the differentiation of mucinous from nonmucinous pancreatic cysts.
TL;DR: This Smad4-PKA interaction was required for TGFβ-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition, invasion of pancreatic tumor cells, and regulation of tumor growth in vivo.
TL;DR: The results suggest that tissue optical spectroscopy has the potential to characterize pre-cancerous neoplasms in human pancreatic tissues.
Abstract: In a pilot study, multimodal optical spectroscopy coupled with quantitative tissue-optics models distinguished intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), a common precursor to pancreatic cancer, from normal tissues in freshly excised human pancreas. A photon-tissue interaction (PTI) model extracted parameters associated with cellular nuclear size and refractive index (from reflectance spectra) and extracellular collagen content (from fluorescence spectra). The results suggest that tissue optical spectroscopy has the potential to characterize pre-cancerous neoplasms in human pancreatic tissues.
TL;DR: A label‐free relative quantification LC‐MS/MS method for core‐fucosylation in alpha‐2‐macroglobulin (A2MG) immunoprecipitated from human sera is described, which provides a platform to quantify fucOSylation levels and can be used to study site‐specific core‐ fucosyation aberrations in other glycoproteins for other diseases.
Abstract: We describe a label-free relative quantification LC-MS/MS method for core-fucosylation in alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2MG) immunoprecipitated from human sera The method utilizes endoglycosidase F partial deglycosylation to reduce glycosylation microheterogeneity, while retaining the innermost N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and core fucose Precursor ion peak areas of partially deglycosylated peptides were obtained and site-specific core-fucosylation ratios based on the peak areas of core-fucosylated and nonfucosylated counterparts were calculated and evaluated for assay development This assay was applied in a preliminary study of sera samples from normal controls and patients with pancreatic diseases, including pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis A2MG fucosylation levels at sites N396 and N1424 were found to decrease in both chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer compared to normal controls The two sites were identified by two peptides and their core-fucosylation ratios were found to be internally consistent This method provides a platform to quantify fucosylation levels and can be used to study site-specific core-fucosylation aberrations in other glycoproteins for other diseases
TL;DR: It is proposed that metastatic disease to the pancreas has to remain in the differential diagnosis for any patient with a new pancreatic mass and prior cancer history and surgical resection is a viable treatment option if the underlying biology of the metastatic tumor is favorable.
TL;DR: The SUS award mechanism delivers on its promise of supporting junior surgeon-scientists who pursue academic careers and establish independent research programs and further studies are needed to determine how rates of subsequent independent research funding can be improved.
Patent•
29 Oct 2013TL;DR: In this paper, a microfluidic device for detecting rare cells in a fluid sample comprises the rare cell and other cells, which are separated from the other cells in the fluid sample.
Abstract: A microfluidic device for detecting rare cells in a fluid sample comprises the rare cell and other cells. The microfluidic device comprises an inlet for receiving the fluid sample, a labyrinth channel structure in fluid communication with the inlet, and an outlet in fluid communication with the labyrinth channel structure for collecting the rare cells separated from the other cells in the fluid sample. The labyrinth channel structure comprises at least one channel through which the fluid sample flows. The at least one channel has a plurality of segments and a plurality of corners with each corner defined between adjacent segments. The presence of the plurality of corners induces separation of the rare cells from the other cells in the fluid sample as the rare cells move to a first equilibrium position within the at least one channel when a ratio of inertial lift forces (FZ) and Dean flow (FD) of the fluid sample is from 2 to 10.
TL;DR: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and bile duct brushings are utilized in the cytologic evaluation of solid and cystic pancreaticobiliary tract lesions, and the diagnostic accuracy of cytology is determined.
TL;DR: The board of editors unanimously decided that it was necessary to devote the 13th Issue to the exocrine pancreas and its disorders, and recruited leading authorities in both the basic and clinical sciences to update readers in topics of importance in both domains.
01 Jan 2013
TL;DR: How targeting the Hedgehog, NOTCH, Wnt, MET, and TGF-β pathways of pancreatic cancer may increase the efficacy with which it is treated is discussed.
Abstract: Pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest malignancies, is a complex disease consisting of heterogeneous cancer cells with deregulated signaling pathways and a myriad of microenvironment cells, including infiltrating immune cells and fibroblasts, that impact tumor growth and susceptibility to conventional chemotherapy. Understanding the signaling pathways that drive pancreatic cancer is crucial to the development of novel targeted therapies to combat the disease, which is largely refractory to conventional therapeutic options. Among these pathways are the Hedgehog, NOTCH, Wnt, MET, and TGF-β pathways that control not only bulk tumor growth, but also self-renewal of cancer stem cells and maintenance of the desmoplastic stroma characteristic of the disease. In addition to altered signaling pathways, many cells within the tumor microenvironment promote both tumor growth and serve as a barrier to chemotherapy. Here we will discuss how targeting these components of the disease may increase the efficacy with which it is treated.
TL;DR: A sensitive CTC-chip using graphene oxides as nanomaterial to isolate, capture, identify, and characterize extremely rare CTCs is presented and is much easier to scan, count, and grow captured cells in comparison with previous micro-sized post-based structure.
Abstract: Introduction and Objective: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been identified in the art in peripheral blood from cancer patients and are likely the origin of metastatic disease. Isolation and capture of CTCs represent a potential alternative to invasive biopsies during diagnosis of disease. In the recent past, vVarious microfluidic- based CTC isolation technologieschips have been developed to capture, indentify, sort, and enumerate CTCs. but, they need to be more sensitive, reliable, and specific for CTC detection in early stage cancer patients. Here we present a microfluidic CTC-chip with functionalized nanomaterials to capture and culture CTCs. Methods: Micro-sized structuresposts functionalized with anti-epithelial-adhesion-molecule antibodies (Anti-EpCAM) are is the common approachstructures to capture CTCs. Here we present a microfluidic device with functionalized planar structure to capture CTCs. The CTC-chipmicrofluidic device has a PDMS chamber and patterned gold postatterns . functionalized with graphene oxides as nanomaterial and anti-epithelial-cell-adhesion-molecule antibodies (Anti-EpCAM). To investigate the capture efficiency before running cancer patients’ samples, a low number of cells were spiked into 1 mL of whole blood. We stained the captured cells with cytokeratin, CD45, and DAPI to identify CTCs. For clinical studies, we searched for CTCs in 10 pancreatic cancer patients, 6 breast cancer patients, 4 early lung cancer patients, and 5 healthy donors. Results: It is much easier to scan, count and grow captured cells in comparison with previous micro-sized post-based structure. CTCs were isolated by assembling Graphene oxide on the planar structures for enhanced sensitivity. is easy to functionalize the surface and sensitive to detect biomaterial. The functionalized graphene oxide has been used to selectively capture MCF-7 breast cancer cells with a capture rate higher than 8790 %. This new CTC-chip identified CTCs in the peripheral blood of patients with pancreatic, breast, and lung cancer in 20 of 20 samples (100%). Conclusion: We present a sensitive CTC-chip using graphene oxides as nanomaterial to isolate, capture, identify, and characterize extremely rare CTCs. This CTC-chipIt is much easier to scan, count, and grow captured cells in comparison with previous micro-sized post-based structure. We believe this CTC-chip offers great potential for clinical research on cancer. Citation Format: Hyeun Joong Yoon, Tae Hyun Kim, Zhuo Zhang, Nithya Ramnath, Max S. Wicha, Daniel F. Hayes, Diane M. Simeone, Sunitha Nagrath. Integrated micro nanotechnology for the sensitive isolation of circulating tumor cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5109. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5109
01 Jan 2013