-
Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery Jun 2021Mesothelioma is an aggressive mesothelial lining tumor. Available drug therapies include chemotherapeutic agents, targeted molecular therapies, and immune system... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Mesothelioma is an aggressive mesothelial lining tumor. Available drug therapies include chemotherapeutic agents, targeted molecular therapies, and immune system modulators. Mouse models were instrumental in the discovery and evaluation of such therapies, but there is need for improved understanding of the role of inflammation, tumor heterogeneity, mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and the tumor microenvironment. Novel mouse models may provide new insights and drive drug therapy discovery that improves efficacy.
AREAS COVERED
This review concerns available mouse models for mesothelioma drug discovery and development including the advantages and disadvantages of each. Gaps in current knowledge of mesothelioma are highlighted, and future directions for mouse model research are considered.
EXPERT OPINION
Soon, CRISPR-Cas gene-editing will improve understanding of mesothelioma mechanisms foundational to the discovery and testing of efficacious therapeutic targets. There are at least two likely areas of upcoming methodology development. One is concerned with precise modeling of inflammation - is it a causal process whereby inflammatory signals contribute to tumor initiation, or is it a secondary passenger process driven by asbestos exposure effects? The other area of methods improvement regards the availability of humanized immunocompromised mice harboring patient-derived xenografts. Combining human tumors in an environment with human immune cells will enable rapid innovation in immuno-oncology therapeutics.
Topics: Animals; Asbestos; Carcinogenesis; Drug Discovery; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Mice; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 33380218
DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1867530 -
Annual Review of Pathology Jan 2024Diffuse pleural mesothelioma (DPM) is a highly aggressive malignant neoplasm arising from the mesothelial cells lining the pleural surfaces. While DPM is a... (Review)
Review
Diffuse pleural mesothelioma (DPM) is a highly aggressive malignant neoplasm arising from the mesothelial cells lining the pleural surfaces. While DPM is a well-recognized disease linked to asbestos exposure, recent advances have expanded our understanding of molecular pathogenesis and transformed our clinical practice. This comprehensive review explores the current concepts and emerging trends in DPM, including risk factors, pathobiology, histologic subtyping, and therapeutic management, with an emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach to this complex disease.
Topics: Humans; Mesothelioma; Risk Factors
PubMed: 37722697
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-042420-092719 -
Cell Death & Disease Nov 2023Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the mesothelial layer associated with an extensive fibrotic response. The latter is in large part mediated by cancer-associated...
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the mesothelial layer associated with an extensive fibrotic response. The latter is in large part mediated by cancer-associated fibroblasts which mediate tumour progression and poor prognosis. However, understanding of the crosstalk between cancer cells and fibroblasts in this disease is mostly lacking. Here, using co-cultures of patient-derived mesothelioma cell lines and lung fibroblasts, we demonstrate that fibroblast activation is a self-propagated process producing a fibrotic extracellular matrix (ECM) and triggering drug resistance in mesothelioma cells. Following characterisation of mesothelioma cells/fibroblasts signalling crosstalk, we identify several FDA-approved targeted therapies as far more potent than standard-of-care Cisplatin/Pemetrexed in ECM-embedded co-culture spheroid models. In particular, the SRC family kinase inhibitor, Saracatinib, extends overall survival well beyond standard-of-care in a mesothelioma genetically-engineered mouse model. In short, we lay the foundation for the rational design of novel therapeutic strategies targeting mesothelioma/fibroblast communication for the treatment of mesothelioma patients.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Humans; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Mesothelioma; Fibroblasts; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts; Lung
PubMed: 37938546
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06240-x -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2020Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare, aggressive cancer of the mesothelial cells lining the pleural surface of the chest wall and lung. The etiology of MPM is... (Review)
Review
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare, aggressive cancer of the mesothelial cells lining the pleural surface of the chest wall and lung. The etiology of MPM is strongly associated with prior exposure to asbestos fibers, and the median survival rate of the diagnosed patients is approximately one year. Despite the latest advancements in surgical techniques and systemic therapies, currently available treatment modalities of MPM fail to provide long-term survival. The increasing incidence of MPM highlights the need for finding effective treatments. Targeted therapies offer personalized treatments in many cancers. However, targeted therapy in MPM is not recommended by clinical guidelines mainly because of poor target definition. A better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms and the predictors of poor clinical outcomes of MPM is required to identify novel targets and develop precise and effective treatments. Recent advances in the genomics and functional genomics fields have provided groundbreaking insights into the genomic and molecular profiles of MPM and enabled the functional characterization of the genetic alterations. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the relevant literature and highlights the potential of state-of-the-art genomics and functional genomics research to facilitate the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutic modalities in MPM.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers, Tumor; Genomics; Humans; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Phenomics; Pleural Neoplasms
PubMed: 32882916
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176342 -
Cell Reports. Medicine Feb 2023Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. A better understanding of mesothelioma genomics and transcriptomics...
Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. A better understanding of mesothelioma genomics and transcriptomics could advance therapies. Here, we present a mesothelioma cohort of 122 patients along with their germline and tumor whole-exome and tumor RNA sequencing data as well as phenotypic and drug response information. We identify a 48-gene prognostic signature that is highly predictive of mesothelioma patient survival, including CCNB1, the expression of which is highly predictive of patient survival on its own. In addition, we analyze the transcriptomics data to study the tumor immune microenvironment and identify synthetic-lethality-based signatures predictive of response to therapy. This germline and somatic whole-exome sequencing as well as transcriptomics data from the same patient are a valuable resource to address important biological questions, including prognostic biomarkers and determinants of treatment response in mesothelioma.
Topics: Humans; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Prognosis; Transcriptome; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma; Genomics; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 36773602
DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.100938 -
International Journal of Hyperthermia :... Aug 2017Mesothelioma of the peritoneum is a distinct entity that requires multidisciplinary care to improve oncological outcomes. In this article, we review the current... (Review)
Review
Mesothelioma of the peritoneum is a distinct entity that requires multidisciplinary care to improve oncological outcomes. In this article, we review the current management strategies discussed at the PSOGI meeting in Washington DC 2016 and provide evidence based recommendations for diagnosis and management of this disease.
Topics: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Humans; Hyperthermia, Induced; Mesothelioma; Peritoneal Neoplasms
PubMed: 28664790
DOI: 10.1080/02656736.2017.1320591 -
Molecular Cancer Jul 2023Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is a dreadful disease escaping the classical genetic model of cancer evolution and characterized by wide heterogeneity and...
BACKGROUND
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is a dreadful disease escaping the classical genetic model of cancer evolution and characterized by wide heterogeneity and transcriptional plasticity. Clinical evolution of MPM is marked by a progressive transdifferentiation that converts well differentiated epithelioid (E) cells into undifferentiated and pleomorphic sarcomatoid (S) phenotypes. Catching the way this transition takes place is necessary to understand how MPM develops and progresses and it is mandatory to improve patients' management and life expectancy. Bulk transcriptomic approaches, while providing a significant overview, failed to resolve the timing of this evolution and to identify the hierarchy of molecular events through which this transition takes place.
METHODS
We applied a spatially resolved, high-dimensional transcriptomic approach to study MPM morphological evolution. 139 regions across 8 biphasic MPMs (B-MPMs) were profiled using the GeoMx™Digital Spatial Profiler to reconstruct the positional context of transcriptional activities and the spatial topology of MPM cells interactions. Validation was conducted on an independent large cohort of 84 MPMs by targeted digital barcoding analysis.
RESULTS
Our results demonstrated the existence of a complex circular ecosystem in which, within a strong asbestos-driven inflammatory environment, MPM and immune cells affect each other to support S-transdifferentiation. We also showed that TGFB1 polarized M2-Tumor Associated Macrophages foster immune evasion and that TGFB1 expression correlates with reduced survival probability.
CONCLUSIONS
Besides providing crucial insights into the multidimensional interactions governing MPM clinical evolution, these results open new perspectives to improve the use of immunotherapy in this disease.
Topics: Humans; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Mesothelioma; Transcriptome; Ecosystem; Pleural Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms; Prognosis; Biomarkers, Tumor; Immunotherapy
PubMed: 37460925
DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01816-9 -
Journal of Thoracic Oncology : Official... May 2018Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an uncommon, almost universally fatal, asbestos-induced malignancy. New and effective strategies for diagnosis, prognostication,... (Review)
Review
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an uncommon, almost universally fatal, asbestos-induced malignancy. New and effective strategies for diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment are urgently needed. Herein we review the advances in MPM achieved in 2017. Whereas recent epidemiological data demonstrated that the incidence of MPM-related death continued to increase in United States between 2009 and 2015, new insight into the molecular pathogenesis and the immunological tumor microenvironment of MPM, for example, regarding the role of BRCA1 associated protein 1 and the expression programmed death receptor ligand 1, are highlighting new potential therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, there continues to be an ever-expanding number of clinical studies investigating systemic therapies for MPM. These trials are primarily focused on immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors alone or in combination with other immunotherapies and nonimmunotherapies. In addition, other promising targeted therapies, including pegylated adenosine deiminase (ADI-PEG20), which focuses on argininosuccinate synthase 1-deficient tumors, and tazemetostat, an enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit inhibitor of BRCA1 associated protein 1 gene (BAP1)-deficient tumors, are currently being explored.
Topics: Humans; Immunotherapy; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma, Malignant
PubMed: 29524617
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2018.02.021 -
Cancer Cytopathology Feb 2022Cytology effusions are often the only material available for diagnosing malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, the cytomorphological features alone are not... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Cytology effusions are often the only material available for diagnosing malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, the cytomorphological features alone are not always diagnostic, and cytology samples preclude an assessment for pleural tissue invasion. Accordingly, immunohistochemical, soluble, and molecular biomarkers have been developed. The aim of this study is to provide quantitative evidence regarding the diagnostic performance of novel biomarkers. To that end, a systematic literature review was performed of articles dealing with a loss of BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1), methylthioadenosine (MTAP), 5-hydroxymethylcitosine (5-hmC), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), insulin like-growth factor II messenger RNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3), enhanced zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) staining, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) homozygous deletion (HD) testing, soluble mesothelin, and microRNA quantification in cytological samples for the diagnosis of MPM versus reactive atypical mesothelial cells. Sensitivity and specificity were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed. The quality of the studies was assessed with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2, and the quality of the evidence was evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Seventy-one studies were included. BAP1 loss showed a sensitivity of 0.65 (confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.71) and a specificity of 0.99 (CI, 0.93-1.00). MTAP loss and p16 HD showed 100% specificity with sensitivities of 0.47 (CI, 0.38-0.57) and 0.62 (CI, 0.53-0.71), respectively. BAP1 loss and CDKN2A HD combined showed maximal specificity and a sensitivity of 0.83 (CI, 0.78-0.89). GLUT1 and IMP3 showed sensitivities of 0.82 (CI, 0.70-0.90) and 0.65 (CI, 0.41-0.90), respectively, with comparable specificity. Mesothelin showed a sensitivity of 0.73 (CI, 0.68-0.77) and a specificity of 0.90 (CI, 0.84-0.93). In conclusion, some of the recently emerging biomarkers are close to 1.00 specificity. Their moderate sensitivity on their own, however, can be significantly improved by the use of 2 biomarkers, such as a combination of BAP1 and CDKN2A with fluorescence in situ hybridization or a combination of BAP1 and MTAP immunohistochemistry.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Glucose Transporter Type 1; Homozygote; Humans; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Pleural Neoplasms; Sequence Deletion
PubMed: 34478240
DOI: 10.1002/cncy.22509 -
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences :... Aug 2014Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumor, mainly derived from the pleura, which is predominantly associated with exposure to asbestos fibers. The prognosis of... (Review)
Review
Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumor, mainly derived from the pleura, which is predominantly associated with exposure to asbestos fibers. The prognosis of MM patients is particularly severe, with a median survival of approximately 9-12 months and latency between exposure and diagnosis ranging from 20-50 years (median 30 years). Emerging evidence has demonstrated that tumor aggressiveness is associated with genome and gene expression abnormalities; therefore, several studies have recently focused on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in MM tumorigenesis. miRNAs are small non-protein coding single-stranded RNAs (17-22 nucleotides) involved in numerous cellular processes that negatively regulate gene expression by modulating the expression of downstream target genes. miRNAs are often deregulated in cancer; in particular, the differential miRNA expression profiles of MM cells compared to unaffected mesothelial cells have suggested potential roles of miRNAs as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in MM oncogenesis. In this review, the mechanism of MM carcinogenesis was evaluated through the analysis of the published miRNA expression data. The roles of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and prognostic factors for potential therapeutic strategies will be presented and discussed.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers, Tumor; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Lung; Lung Neoplasms; Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma, Malignant; MicroRNAs; Oncogenes; Prognosis
PubMed: 24562347
DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1584-5