| 1. |
- Medrek, Catharina, et al.
(författare)
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The presence of tumor associated macrophages in tumor stroma as a prognostic marker for breast cancer patients
- 2012
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Ingår i: BMC Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2407. ; 12, s. 306-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) are alternatively activated macrophages that enhance tumor progression by promoting tumor cell invasion, migration and angiogenesis. TAMs have an anti-inflammatory function resembling M2 macrophages. CD163 is regarded as a highly specific monocyte/macrophage marker for M2 macrophages. In this study we evaluated the specificity of using the M2 macrophage marker CD163 as a TAM marker and compared its prognostic value with the more frequently used pan-macrophage marker CD68. We also analyzed the prognostic value of the localization of CD163(+) and CD68(+) myeloid cells in human breast cancer.Methods: The extent of infiltrating CD163+ or CD68+ myeloid cells in tumor nest versus tumor stroma was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays with tumors from 144 breast cancer cases. Spearman's Rho and chi(2) tests were used to examine the correlations between CD163(+) or CD68(+) myeloid cells and clinicopathological parameters. Kaplan Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to assess the impact of CD163(+) and CD68(+) myeloid cells in tumor stroma and tumor nest, respectively, on recurrence free survival, breast cancer specific and overall survival.Results: We found that infiltration of CD163(+) and CD68(+) macrophages into tumor stroma, but not into tumor nest, were of clinical relevance. CD163(+) macrophages in tumor stroma positively correlated with higher grade, larger tumor size, Ki67 positivity, estrogen receptor negativity, progesterone receptor negativity, triple-negative/basal-like breast cancer and inversely correlated with luminal A breast cancer. Some CD163+ areas lacked CD68 expression, suggesting that CD163 could be used as a general anti-inflammatory myeloid marker with prognostic impact. CD68(+) macrophages in tumor stroma positively correlated to tumor size and inversely correlated to luminal A breast cancer. More importantly, CD68 in tumor stroma was an independent prognostic factor for reduced breast cancer specific survival.Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of analyzing the localization rather than merely the presence of TAMs as a prognostic marker for breast cancer patients.
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| 2. |
- Acs, Balazs, et al.
(författare)
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Variability in Breast Cancer Biomarker Assessment and the Effect on Oncological Treatment Decisions: A Nationwide 5-Year Population-Based Study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Cancers. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6694. ; 13:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We compared estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth-factor receptor 2 (HER2), Ki67, and grade scores among the pathology departments in Sweden. We investigated how ER and HER2 positivity rates affect the distribution of endocrine and HER2-targeted treatments among oncology departments. All breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2018 in Sweden were identified in the National Quality Register for Breast Cancer. Cases with data on ER, PR, HER2, Ki67, grade, and treatment were selected (43,261 cases from 29 departments following the guidelines for biomarker testing). The ER positivity rates ranged from 84.2% to 97.6% with 6/29 labs out of the overall confidence intervals (CIs), while PR rates varied between 64.8% and 86.6% with 7/29 labs out of the CIs. HER2 positivity rates ranged from 9.4% to 16.3%, with 3/29 labs out of the overall CIs. Median Ki67 varied between 15% and 30%, where 19/29 labs showed significant intra-laboratory variability. The proportion of grade-II cases varied between 42.9% and 57.1%, and 13/29 labs were outside of the CI. Adjusting for patient characteristics, the proportion of endocrine and anti-HER2 treatments followed the rate of ER and HER2 positivity, illustrating the clinical effect of inter- and intra-laboratory variability. There was limited variability among departments in ER, PR, and HER2 testing. However, even a few outlier pathology labs affected endocrine and HER2-targeted treatment rates in a clinically relevant proportion, suggesting the need for improvement. High variability was found in grading and Ki67 assessment, illustrating the need for the adoption of new technologies in practice.
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| 3. |
- Allaoui, Roni, et al.
(författare)
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Cancer-associated fibroblast-secreted CXCL16 attracts monocytes to promote stroma activation in triple-negative breast cancers
- 2016
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Triple-negative (TN) breast cancers (ER â ' PR â ' HER2 â ') are highly metastatic and associated with poor prognosis. Within this subtype, invasive, stroma-rich tumours with infiltration of inflammatory cells are even more aggressive. The effect of myeloid cells on reactive stroma formation in TN breast cancer is largely unknown. Here, we show that primary human monocytes have a survival advantage, proliferate in vivo and develop into immunosuppressive myeloid cells expressing the myeloid-derived suppressor cell marker S100A9 only in a TN breast cancer environment. This results in activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts and expression of CXCL16, which we show to be a monocyte chemoattractant. We propose that this migratory feedback loop amplifies the formation of a reactive stroma, contributing to the aggressive phenotype of TN breast tumours. These insights could help select more suitable therapies targeting the stromal component of these tumours, and could aid prediction of drug resistance.
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| 4. |
- Allaoui, Roni, et al.
(författare)
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Infiltration of γδ T cells, IL-17 + T cells and FoxP3 + T cells in human breast cancer
- 2017
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Ingår i: Cancer Biomarkers. - 1574-0153. ; 20:4, s. 395-409
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have a strong prognostic value in various forms of cancers. These data often refer to use of the pan-T cell marker CD3, or the cytotoxic T lymphocyte marker CD8α. However, T cells are a heterogeneous group of cells with a wide array of effector mechanisms ranging from immunosuppression to cytotoxicity. OBJECTIVE: In this study we have investigated the prognostic effects of some unconventional T cell subtypes in breast cancer; γδ T cells, IL-17+ T cells and FoxP3+ T cells (Tregs) in relation to the conventional CD3 and CD8α T cell markers. METHODS: This was done using immunohistochemistry on a human breast cancer tissue microarray consisting of 498 consecutive cases of primary breast cancer. RESULTS: Infiltration of γδ T cells and T cell infiltration in general (CD3), correlated with a good prognosis, while Treg infiltration with a worse. Infiltration of γδ T cells was associated with a significantly improved clinical outcome in all breast cancer subtypes except triple negative tumors. Only infiltration of either CD3+ or CD8α+ cells was independently associated with better prognosis for all breast cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds further light on the prognostic impact of various T cell subtypes in breast cancer.
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| 5. |
- Bergenfelz, Caroline, et al.
(författare)
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Wnt5a induces a tolerogenic phenotype of macrophages in sepsis and breast cancer patients.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of immunology. - : The American Association of Immunologists. - 1550-6606 .- 0022-1767. ; 188:11, s. 5448-5458
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A well-orchestrated inflammatory reaction involves the induction of effector functions and, at a later stage, an active downregulation of this potentially harmful process. In this study we show that under proinflammatory conditions the noncanonical Wnt protein, Wnt5a, induces immunosuppressive macrophages. The suppressive phenotype induced by Wnt5a is associated with induction of IL-10 and inhibition of the classical TLR4-NF-κB signaling. Interestingly, this phenotype closely resembles that observed in reprogrammed monocytes in sepsis patients. The Wnt5a-induced feedback inhibition is active both during in vitro LPS stimulation of macrophages and in patients with sepsis caused by LPS-containing, Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, using breast cancer patient tissue microarrays, we find a strong correlation between the expression of Wnt5a in malignant epithelial cells and the frequency of CD163(+) anti-inflammatory tumor-associated macrophages. In conclusion, our data point out Wnt5a as a potential target for an efficient therapeutic modality in severe human diseases as diverse as sepsis and malignancy.
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| 6. |
- Blom, Anna M, et al.
(författare)
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Expression of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in colorectal cancer is an adverse prognostic factor and correlates negatively with infiltrating immune cells and PD-L1 expression
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - 1664-3224. ; 14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) is an oncogenic protein that has been associated with a decrease in infiltrating T-cells in periampullary adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to investigate whether this is also the case for colorectal cancer (CRC) and to evaluate the relationship between COMP expression and clinopathological features.METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression levels of COMP in tumor cells and stroma in primary tumors from a cohort of 537 CRC patients. The expression of immune cell markers, including CD3+, CD8+, FoxP3+, CD68+, CD56+, CD163+, and PD-L1, was evaluated previously. Tumor fibrosis was assessed by Sirius Red staining and evaluation of collagen fiber organization.RESULTS: COMP expression correlated positively with TNM-stage and grade of differentiation. Patients with CRC expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS than those with low COMP expression (p<0.0001), and fewer infiltrating T-cells were detected in tumors with high COMP expression. Additionally, a negative correlation was identified between the expression of COMP and PD-L1 on both tumor cells and immune cells. Cox regression analysis showed that tumors expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS, independent of all evaluated immune cell markers. Tumor fibrosis was correlated with high expression of COMP in the stroma (p<0.0001), and tumors with high levels of COMP expression and denser fibrosis displayed more sparse immune cell infiltration.DISCUSSION: The results suggest that COMP expression in CRC may exert an immune regulatory effect by increasing dense fibrosis and decreasing immune cell infiltration. These findings support the notion that COMP is an important factor in the development and progression of CRC.
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| 7. |
- Briem, Oscar, et al.
(författare)
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CD169+ Macrophages in Primary Breast Tumors Associate with Tertiary Lymphoid Structures, Tregs and a Worse Prognosis for Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer
- 2023
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Ingår i: Cancers. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6694. ; 15:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The presence of CD169+ macrophages in the draining lymph nodes of cancer patients is, for unknown reasons, associated with a beneficial prognosis. We here investigated the prognostic impact of tumor-infiltrating CD169+ macrophages in primary tumors (PTs) and their spatial relation to tumor-infiltrating B and T cells. Using two breast cancer patient cohorts, we show that CD169+ macrophages were spatially associated with the presence of B and T cell tertiary lymphoid-like structures (TLLSs) in both PTs and lymph node metastases (LNMs). While co-infiltration of CD169+/TLLS in PTs correlated with a worse prognosis, the opposite was found when present in LNMs. RNA sequencing of breast tumors further confirmed that SIGLEC1 (CD169) expression was associated with mature tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS), and Treg and Breg signatures. We propose that the negative prognostic value related to CD169+ macrophages in PTs is a consequence of an immunosuppressive tumor environment rich in TLSs, Tregs and Bregs.
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| 8. |
- Gonzalez, Hugo, et al.
(författare)
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Cellular architecture of human brain metastases
- 2022
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Ingår i: Cell. - : Elsevier BV. - 0092-8674. ; 185:4, s. 20-745
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Brain metastasis (BrM) is the most common form of brain cancer, characterized by neurologic disability and an abysmal prognosis. Unfortunately, our understanding of the biology underlying human BrMs remains rudimentary. Here, we present an integrative analysis of >100,000 malignant and non-malignant cells from 15 human parenchymal BrMs, generated by single-cell transcriptomics, mass cytometry, and complemented with mouse model- and in silico approaches. We interrogated the composition of BrM niches, molecularly defined the blood-tumor interface, and revealed stromal immunosuppressive states enriched with infiltrated T cells and macrophages. Specific single-cell interrogation of metastatic tumor cells provides a framework of 8 functional cell programs that coexist or anticorrelate. Collectively, these programs delineate two functional BrM archetypes, one proliferative and the other inflammatory, that are evidently shaped through tumor-immune interactions. Our resource provides a foundation to understand the molecular basis of BrM in patients with tumor cell-intrinsic and host environmental traits.
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| 9. |
- Gorji Bahri, Gilar, et al.
(författare)
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Stromal cartilage oligomeric matrix protein as a tumorigenic driver in ovarian cancer via Notch3 signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Translational Medicine. - 1479-5876. ; 22:351, s. 1-19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, is vital in preserving cartilage integrity. Further, its overexpression is associated with the aggressiveness of several types of solid cancers. This study investigated COMP's role in ovarian cancer, exploring clinicopathological links and mechanistic insights.Methods: To study the association of COMP expression in cancer cells and stroma with clinicopathological features of ovarian tumor patients, we analyzed an epithelial ovarian tumor cohort by immunohistochemical analysis. Subsequently, to study the functional mechanisms played by COMP, an in vivo xenograft mouse model and several molecular biology techniques such as transwell migration and invasion assay, tumorsphere formation assay, proximity ligation assay, and RT-qPCR array were performed.Results: Based on immunohistochemical analysis of epithelial ovarian tumor tissues, COMP expression in the stroma, but not in cancer cells, was linked to worse overall survival (OS) of ovarian cancer patients. A xenograft mouse model showed that carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) expressing COMP stimulate the growth and metastasis of ovarian tumors through the secretion of COMP. The expression of COMP was upregulated in CAFs stimulated with TGF-β. Functionally, secreted COMP by CAFs enhanced the migratory capacity of ovarian cancer cells. Mechanistically, COMP activated the Notch3 receptor by enhancing the Notch3-Jagged1 interaction. The dependency of the COMP effect on Notch was confirmed when the migration and tumorsphere formation of COMP-treated ovarian cancer cells were inhibited upon incubation with Notch inhibitors. Moreover, COMP treatment induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and upregulation of active β-catenin in ovarian cancer cells.Conclusion: This study suggests that COMP secretion by CAFs drives ovarian cancer progression through the induction of the Notch pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.
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| 10. |
- Gunnarsdottir, Frida Björk, et al.
(författare)
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Breast cancer associated CD169(+) macrophages possess broad immunosuppressive functions but enhance antibody secretion by activated B cells
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - 1664-3224. ; 14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- CD169(+) resident macrophages in lymph nodes of breast cancer patients are for unknown reasons associated with a beneficial prognosis. This contrasts CD169(+) macrophages present in primary breast tumors (CD169(+) TAMs), that correlate with a worse prognosis. We recently showed that these CD169(+) TAMs were associated with tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and T-regs in breast cancer. Here, we show that CD169(+) TAMs can be monocyte-derived and express a unique mediator profile characterized by type I IFNs, CXCL10, PGE(2) and inhibitory co-receptor expression pattern. The CD169(+) monocyte-derived macrophages (CD169(+) Mo-M) possessed an immunosuppressive function in vitro inhibiting NK, T and B cell proliferation, but enhanced antibody and IL6 secretion in activated B cells. Our findings indicate that CD169(+) Mo-M in the primary breast tumor microenvironment are linked to both immunosuppression and TLS functions, with implications for future targeted Mo-M therapy.
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| 11. |
- Gunnarsdóttir, Frida Björk, et al.
(författare)
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Inflammatory macrophage derived TNFα downregulates estrogen receptor α via FOXO3a inactivation in human breast cancer cells
- 2020
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Ingår i: Experimental Cell Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0014-4827. ; 390:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Patients with estrogen receptor α positive (ERα+) breast cancer can respond to endocrine therapy, but treatment resistance is common and associated with downregulation of ERα expression in the dormant residual cells. Here we show, using long-term NSG xenograft models of human breast cancer and primary human monocytes, in vitro primary cell cultures and tumors from breast cancer patients, that macrophage derived tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) downregulates ERα in breast cancer cells via inactivation of the transcription factor Forkhead box O transcription factor 3a (FOXO3a). Moreover, presence of tumor associated macrophages in the primary tumor of breast cancer patients, was associated with ERα negativity, and with worse prognosis in patients with ERα+ tumors. We propose that pro-inflammatory macrophages, despite being tumoricidal, may have direct effects on tumor progression and endocrine resistance in breast cancer patients. Our findings suggest that TNFα antagonists should be evaluated for treatment of ERα+ breast cancer.
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| 12. |
- Hagerling, Catharina, et al.
(författare)
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Immune effector monocyte–neutrophil cooperation induced by the primary tumor prevents metastatic progression of breast cancer
- 2019
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 116:43, s. 21704-21714
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Metastatic behavior varies significantly among breast cancers. Mechanisms explaining why the majority of breast cancer patients never develop metastatic outgrowth are largely lacking but could underlie the development of novel immunotherapeutic target molecules. Here we show interplay between nonmetastatic primary breast cancer and innate immune response, acting together to control metastatic progression. The primary tumor systemically recruits IFNγ-producing immune effector monocytes to the lung. IFNγ up-regulates Tmem173/ STING in neutrophils and enhances their killing capacity. The immune effector monocytes and tumoricidal neutrophils target disseminated tumor cells in the lungs, preventing metastatic outgrowth. Importantly, our findings could underlie the development of immunotherapeutic target molecules that augment the function of immune effector monocytes and neutrophils.
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| 13. |
- Hagerling, Catharina, et al.
(författare)
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LGR5 in breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ: a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target
- 2020
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Ingår i: Bmc Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2407. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Novel biomarkers are required to discern between breast tumors that should be targeted for treatment from those that would never become clinically apparent and/or life threatening for patients. Moreover, therapeutics that specifically target breast cancer (BC) cells with tumor-initiating capacity to prevent recurrence are an unmet need. We investigated the clinical importance of LGR5 in BC and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to explore LGR5 as a biomarker and a therapeutic target. Methods We stained BC (n = 401) and DCIS (n = 119) tissue microarrays with an antibody against LGR5. We examined anLGR5knockdown ER(-)cell line that was orthotopically transplanted and used for in vitro colony assays. We also determined the tumor-initiating role of Lgr5 in lineage-tracing experiments. Lastly, we transplanted ER(-)patient-derived xenografts into mice that were subsequently treated with a LGR5 antibody drug conjugate (anti-LGR5-ADC). Results LGR5 expression correlated with small tumor size, lower grade, lymph node negativity, and ER-positivity. ER(+)patients with LGR5(high)tumors rarely had recurrence, while high-grade ER(-)patients with LGR5(high)expression recurred and died due to BC more often. Intriguingly, all the DCIS patients who later died of BC had LGR5-positive tumors. Colony assays and xenograft experiments substantiated a role for LGR5 in ER(-)tumor initiation and subsequent growth, which was further validated by lineage-tracing experiments in ER-/triple-negative BC mouse models. Importantly, by utilizing LGR5(high)patient-derived xenografts, we showed that anti-LGR5-ADC should be considered as a therapeutic for high-grade ER-BC. Conclusion LGR5 has distinct roles in ER(-)vs. ER+BC with potential clinical applicability as a biomarker to identify patients in need of therapy and could serve as a therapeutic target for high-grade ER-BC.
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| 14. |
- Hagerling, Catharina
(författare)
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The impact of Wnt5a signaling and tumor associated macrophages in breast cancer
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide with approximately 1.150.000 new cases each year and accounting for over 400.000 deaths per year. The main cause of death for women with breast cancer is secondary tumors. Downregulation of Wnt5a in primary ductal breast cancer has been correlated with poor outcome and higher tumor grade and found to be an independent predictor of recurrence. The ability of Wnt5a to inhibit tumor progression can partly be explained by Wnt5a induced cell-extracellular adhesion that inhibits cell migration. We found that Wnt5a can further inhibit tumor progression by inducing cell-cell adhesion through CK1α-induced Ser-45 phoshporylation of β-catenin promoting β-catenin/E-cadherin complex formation, hence in line with prior data indicating a beneficial effect of Wnt5a in breast cancer. Macrophages are part of the innate immune system and they can differentiate into tumoricidal pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages or anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. The anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages will limit pro-inflammatory activity that in abundance would cause additional tissue damage. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) have many features in common with M2 macrophages; they are anti-inflammatory and have a weak tumoricidal capacity. We show that Wnt5a induces an anti-inflammatory tolerogenic macrophage phenotype in a pro-inflammatory environment and we could validate our in vitro data by showing the clinical relevance in both breast cancer and sepsis patients. The CD163 marker has been reported to recognize M2 macrophages, while CD68, on the other hand, is a frequently used pan-macrophage marker that recognizes both pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. We evaluated CD163 as a TAM marker in human breast cancer and compared it to CD68. We revealed and could highlight the clinical importance of analyzing the localization of TAMs in human breast cancer. While TAMs in the tumor nest did not have any correlation with clinicopathological feature or patient outcome, we found TAMs in tumor stroma to be highly relevant. CD163+ TAMs in tumor stroma correlated with unbeneficial clinicopathological features, and dense infiltration of CD68+ TAMs in tumor stroma was an independent risk factor for reduced breast cancer specific survival.
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| 15. |
- Hagerling, Catharina, et al.
(författare)
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WNT-5a-CKIalpha signaling promotes beta -catenin/E-cadherin complex formation and intercellular adhesion in human breast epithelial cells.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 1083-351X. ; 284, s. 10968-10979
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wnt-5a is a non-transforming Wnt protein that is implicated in cell-polarity, adhesion and motility. We have previously shown that low expression of Wnt-5a is a predictor of shorter disease-free survival in human breast cancer. Here, we investigated whether ss-catenin/E-cadherin mediated cell-cell adhesion was affected by loss of Wnt-5a in breast carcinomas, thereby promoting a metastatic behavior of the tumor. We show that Wnt-5a stimulation of human breast epithelial cells leads to an increased Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion. Furthermore, Wnt-5a/Casein Kinase Ia (CKIa)-specific Ser45-phosphorylation of ss-catenin is associated with an increased complex formation of ss-catenin/E-cadherin. Mutation of Ser45 decreases the ss-catenin/E-cadherin association. Also, the inhibitory effect of Wnt-5a on breast epithelial cell invasion is reduced upon mutation of ss-catenin-Ser45. The Wnt-5a-CKIa induced Ser45-phosphorylation does not lead to degradation of ss-catenin. Finally we show that human breast cancers lacking Wnt-5a protein have a significantly lower level of membrane-associated ss-catenin. Downregulation of Wnt-5a expression and subsequent reduction of membrane-associated ss-catenin in invasive breast cancer, can therefore contribute to a decreased cell-cell adhesion and increased motility resulting in a higher probability for metastatic disease.
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| 16. |
- Hambraeus, Mette, et al.
(författare)
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Differential Activation of Immune Effector Processes in Mature Compared to Immature Sacrococcygeal Teratomas
- 2022
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Ingår i: Fetal and Pediatric Pathology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1551-3815 .- 1551-3823. ; 41:3, s. 413-425
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: This study aims to characterize the molecular signatures of sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs). Methods: Three SCTs were analyzed with whole genome genotyping. RNA sequencing of 10 SCTs dominated by mature, immature and neuroglial elements was analyzed. Expression in SCT-samples with different elements were compared to each other and to a reference group of malignant pediatric tumors. Macrophages, T- and B-lymphocytes were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: No chromosomal imbalances were detected. SCTs showed overexpression of genes involved in neurosignaling, DNA-binding molecules and pathways of early germ cells. Genes associated with immune effector processes were overexpressed in mature compared to immature SCTs, and immune cell infiltration was found predominantly around mature epithelial elements. Conclusion: The broad repertoire of histological elements in SCTs reflects differences in transcriptional regulation rather than differences in gene copy numbers. A paucity of immune response in immature SCTs may be a factor contributing to their uninhibited growth.
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| 17. |
- Källberg, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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AIRE is expressed in breast cancer TANs and TAMs to regulate the extrinsic apoptotic pathway and inflammation
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Leukocyte Biology. - 1938-3673. ; 115:4, s. 664-678
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) is a transcriptional regulator expressed in the thymus and necessary for maintaining immunological self-tolerance. Extra-thymic AIRE expression is rare and a role for AIRE in tumor-associated innate immune cells has not yet been established. In this study we show that AIRE is expressed in human pro-tumor neutrophils. In breast cancer, AIRE was primarily located to tumor associated neutrophils (TANs), and to a lesser extent to tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and tumor cells. Expression of AIRE in TAN/TAMs, but not in cancer cells, was associated with an adverse prognosis. We show that the functional role for AIRE in neutrophils and macrophages is to regulate expression of immune mediators and the extrinsic apoptotic pathway involving the Fas/TNFR death receptors and Cathepsin G. We here propose that the role for AIRE in TAN/TAMs in breast tumors is to regulate cell death and inflammation, thus promoting tumor progression.
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| 18. |
- Papadakos, Konstantinos S., et al.
(författare)
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High levels of expression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in lymph node metastases in breast cancer are associated with reduced survival
- 2021
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Ingår i: Cancers. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6694. ; 13:23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a regulator of the extracellular matrix and is expressed primarily in the cartilage. Recently, COMP expression was also documented in breast cancer patients both in sera and tumor biopsies, in both of which it could serve as an independent prognostic marker. This study aimed to assess COMP as a potential biomarker in the group of metastatic breast cancer patients. Levels of COMP were measured by ELISA in serum samples of 141 metastatic breast cancer patients. Biopsies from primary tumors, synchronous lymph node metastases, and distant metastases were stained for COMP expression. The levels of serum COMP were higher in patients with ER‐ and HER2‐positive tumors when compared to triple‐negative tumors and correlated with the presence of bone and lung metastases, circulating tumor cell count, and clusters. Most of the primary tumors expressing COMP (70%) retained the expression also in the lymph node metastases, which correlated with visceral metastases and reduced survival. In conclusion, COMP appears as a valuable biomarker in metastatic breast cancer patients indicating a more severe stage of the disease. Serum COMP levels were associated with specific types of metastases in patients with metastatic breast cancer emphasizing that further studies are warranted to elucidate its potential role as a monitoring marker.
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| 19. |
- Papadakos, Konstantinos S, et al.
(författare)
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The prognostic and potentially immunomodulatory role of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in patients with gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma
- 2024
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Ingår i: Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy. - 1432-0851. ; 73:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a novel regulator of the tumor microenvironment. Studies in colon cancer and pancreatobiliary adenocarcinoma have revealed COMP expression to be associated with decreased infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Herein, the expression of COMP was investigated in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma with particular reference to its the relationship with the immune microenvironment.METHODS: COMP expression was evaluated in tissue microarrays representing primary tumors from 159 patients with chemo- and radiotherapy naïve esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma and 67 matched samples of lymph node metastases using immunohistochemistry. Additionally, collagen fibers were stained with Sirius Red and evaluated with the FIJI macro TWOMBLI algorithm.RESULTS: The expression of COMP in cancer cells in the entire cohort was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (p = 0.013) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.029), while COMP expression in the stroma was correlated with shorter RFS (p = 0.042). Similar correlations were found for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, whereas COMP expression was not prognostic in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Further, in the entire cohort, the expression of COMP in the stroma was correlated with exclusion of different populations of immune cells (CD8+, CD3+, FoxP3+, CD20+) from the tumor microenvironment. Finally, higher density and alignment of collagen fibers were correlated with the expression of COMP in the stroma.CONCLUSIONS: Expression of COMP in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma was correlated with shorter OS and RFS. A reduced number of immune cells infiltrated the tumor microenvironment when COMP expression was detected. This phenomenon could be attributed to the denser collagen deposits, a hallmark of tumor fibrosis observed in COMP-expressing tumors.
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| 20. |
- Smolag, Karolina I., et al.
(författare)
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Complement inhibitor factor H expressed by breast cancer cells differentiates CD14+ human monocytes into immunosuppressive macrophages
- 2020
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Ingår i: OncoImmunology. - 2162-4011. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Macrophages are a major immune cell type in the tumor microenvironment, where they display a tumor-supporting phenotype. Factor H (FH) is a complement inhibitor that also plays a role in several cellular functions. To date, the phenotype of monocytes stimulated with FH has been unexplored. We discovered that FH is a survival factor for CD14+ primary human monocytes, promoting their differentiation into macrophages in serum-free medium. This activity was localized to the C-terminal domains of FH and it was inhibited in plasma, indicating that the phenomenon may be most relevant in tissues. FH-induced macrophages display characteristics of immunosuppressive cells including expression of CD163 and CD206, release of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and changes in metabolism. Furthermore, FH-induced macrophages express low levels of HLA-DR but high levels of co-inhibitory molecule programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and accordingly, a reduced capacity for T-cell activation. Finally, we show that FH is expressed by human breast cancer cells and that this correlates with the presence of immunosuppressive macrophages, breast cancer recurrence and severity of the disease. We propose that the expression of FH by tumor cells and the promotion of an immunosuppressive cancer microenvironment by this protein should be taken into account when considering the effectiveness of immunotherapies against breast cancer.
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| 21. |
- Stenström, Jenny, et al.
(författare)
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Regulatory T lymphocyte infiltration in metastatic breast cancer—an independent prognostic factor that changes with tumor progression
- 2021
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Ingår i: Breast Cancer Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1465-5411 .- 1465-542X. ; 23:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer have poor outcome with a median survival of approximately 2 years. While novel therapeutic options are urgently needed, the great majority of breast cancer research has focused on the primary tumor and less is known about metastatic breast cancer and the prognostic impact of the metastatic tumor microenvironment. Here we investigate the immune landscape in unique clinical material. We explore how the immune landscape changes with metastatic progression and elucidate the prognostic role of immune cells infiltrating primary tumors and corresponding lymph node and more importantly distant metastases. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed on human breast cancer tissue microarrays from primary tumors (n = 231), lymph node metastases (n = 129), and distant metastases (n = 43). Infiltration levels of T lymphocytes (CD3+), regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs, FOXP3+), macrophages (CD68+), and neutrophils (NE+) were assessed in primary tumors. T lymphocytes and Tregs were further investigated in lymph node and distant metastases. Results: T lymphocyte and Treg infiltration were the most clinically important immune cell populations in primary tumors. Infiltration of T lymphocytes and Tregs in primary tumors correlated with proliferation (P = 0.007, P = 0.000) and estrogen receptor negativity (P = 0.046, P = 0.026). While both T lymphocyte and Treg infiltration had a negative correlation to luminal A subtype (P = 0.031, P = 0.000), only Treg infiltration correlated to luminal B (P = 0.034) and triple-negative subtype (P = 0.019). In primary tumors, infiltration of T lymphocytes was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.77, CI = 1.01–3.13, P = 0.048), while Treg infiltration was an independent prognostic factor for breast cancer-specific survival (HR = 1.72, CI = 1.14–2.59, P = 0.01). Moreover, breast cancer patients with Treg infiltration in their distant metastases had poor post-recurrence survival (P = 0.039). Treg infiltration levels changed with metastatic tumor progression in 50% of the patients, but there was no significant trend toward neither lower nor higher infiltration. Conclusion: Treg infiltration could have clinical applicability as a prognostic biomarker, deciphering metastatic breast cancer patients with worse prognosis, and accordingly, could be a suitable immunotherapeutic target for patients with metastatic breast cancer. Importantly, half of the patients had changes in Treg infiltration during the course of metastatic progression emphasizing the need to characterize the metastatic immune landscape.
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| 22. |
- Valind, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Macrophage infiltration promotes regrowth in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma after chemotherapy
- 2023
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Ingår i: OncoImmunology. - 2162-4011 .- 2162-402X. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite aggressive treatment, the 5-year event-free survival rate for children with high-risk neuroblastoma is <50%. While most high-risk neuroblastoma patients initially respond to treatment, often with complete clinical remission, many eventually relapse with therapy-resistant tumors. Novel therapeutic alternatives that prevent the recurrence of therapy-resistant tumors are urgently needed. To understand the adaptation of neuroblastoma under therapy, we analyzed the transcriptomic landscape in 46 clinical tumor samples collected before (PRE) or after (POST) treatment from 22 neuroblastoma patients. RNA sequencing revealed that many of the top-upregulated biological processes in POST MYCN amplified (MNA +) tumors compared to PRE MNA + tumors were immune-related, and there was a significant increase in numerous genes associated with macrophages. The infiltration of macrophages was corroborated by immunohistochemistry and spatial digital protein profiling. Moreover, POST MNA + tumor cells were more immunogenic compared to PRE MNA + tumor cells. To find support for the macrophage-induced outgrowth of certain subpopulations of immunogenic tumor cells following treatment, we examined the genetic landscape in multiple clinical PRE and POST tumor samples from nine neuroblastoma patients revealing a significant correlation between an increased amount of copy number aberrations (CNA) and macrophage infiltration in POST MNA + tumor samples. Using an in vivo neuroblastoma patient-derived xenograft (PDX) chemotherapy model, we further show that inhibition of macrophage recruitment with anti-CSF1R treatment prevents the regrowth of MNA + tumors following chemotherapy. Taken together, our work supports a therapeutic strategy for fighting the relapse of MNA + neuroblastoma by targeting the immune microenvironment.
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| 23. |
- Verhoeven, Bronte Manouk, et al.
(författare)
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The immune cell atlas of human neuroblastoma
- 2022
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Ingår i: Cell Reports Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 2666-3791. ; 69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Understanding the complete immune cell composition of human neuroblastoma (NB) is crucial for the development of immunotherapeutics. Here, we perform single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on 19 human NB samples coupled with multiplex immunohistochemistry, survival analysis, and comparison with normal fetal adrenal gland data. We provide a comprehensive immune cell landscape and characterize cell-state changes from normal tissue to NB. Our analysis reveals 27 immune cell subtypes, including distinct subpopulations of myeloid, NK, B, and T cells. Several different cell types demonstrate a survival benefit. In contrast to adult cancers and previous NB studies, we show an increase in inflammatory monocyte cell state when contrasting normal and tumor tissue, while no differences in cytotoxicity and exhaustion score for T cells, nor in Treg activity, are observed. Our receptor-ligand interaction analysis reveals a highly complex interactive network of the NB microenvironment from which we highlight several interactions that we suggest for future therapeutic studies.
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