The CHER-LOB randomized phase II study showed that the combination of lapatinib and trastuzumab plus chemotherapy increases the pathologic complete remission (pCR) rate as compared to chemotherapy plus either trastuzumab or lapatinib. An extensive biomarker programme was prospectively planned to identify potential predictors of sensitivity to different treatments and evaluate treatment effect on tumor biomarkers.
Prospective Biomarker Analysis of the Randomized CHER-LOB Study Evaluating the Dual Anti-HER2 Treatment With Trastuzumab and Lapatinib Plus Chemotherapy as Neoadjuvant Therapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesCirculating microvesicles (MVs) have been described as important players in cell-to-cell communication carrying biological information both in normal and pathologic condition. MVs released by cancer cells may incorporate biomolecules such as active lipids, proteins and RNA, which can be delivered and internalized by recipient cells potentially altering gene expression of receiving cells eventually impacting disease progression. In this study, we took advantage of a leukemia in vitro model to investigate MVs as vehicles of protein coding messages. Leukemic cell lines (K562, REH and SHI-1) carrying recurrent translocations were analyzed. In the leukemic cells these translocations are transcribed into oncogenic fusion transcripts. Here, using gene expression microarrays we monitored leukemic fusion transcripts as hallmarks of leukemic cells transcriptome to track mRNA transfer from parental cells to MVs. Transcriptome analysis of K562 cells and released MVs disclosed MVs as not just small scale cells. In fact, a number of transcripts related to membrane activity, cell surface receptors and extracellular communication were enriched in the MVs pool. On the other hand, sets of transcripts related to the basal cellular functions and transcripts of the BCR-ABL oncogenic pathway downstream of the fusion protein were detected in MVs as well as in parental K562 cells. Moreover, through co-culture analyses uptake of leukemic MVs in receiving cells was confirmed and an MV-dosage dependent increase of target cell proliferation was demonstrated.
Expression Profiling of Circulating Microvesicles Reveals Intercellular Transmission of Oncogenic Pathways.
Cell line
View SamplesAnaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) makes up approximately 15% of paediatric non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of childhood. The vast majority of them is associated with the t(2;5)(p23;q35) translocation that results in the expression of a hybrid oncogenic tyrosine kinase, NPM-ALK. In order to investigate ALCL biological characteristics we used transcriptional profiling approach. Genome-wide gene expression profiling, performed on 23 paediatric ALCL and 12 reactive lymph nodes specimens, showed two novel ALCL subgroups based on their NPM-ALK expression levels (named (ALK low and ALK high). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed, in ALK low samples, a positive enrichment of genes involved in the Interleukin signaling pathway, whereas we found increased expression of genes related to cell cycle progression and division in ALK high tumour samples, such as Aurora Kinase A (AURKA) and B (AURKB). Growth inhibition was observed upon administration of AURKA and AURKB inhibitors Alisertib and Barasertib and it was associated with perturbation of the cell cycle and induction of apoptosis. In conclusion we identified two novel ALCL subgroups, which display unique biological characteristics suggesting sensitivity to distinct targeted therapies.
NPM-ALK expression levels identify two distinct subtypes of paediatric anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Induction of Expandable Tissue-Specific Stem/Progenitor Cells through Transient Expression of YAP/TAZ.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo investigate the role of YAP/TAZ as factors able to convert differentiated cells into stem cells of the same tissue, we compared the expression profiles of pancreatic organoids (yDucts) obtained by doxycycline-inducible expression of YAP in pancreatic acini with original acini and native ducts (Ducts).
Induction of Expandable Tissue-Specific Stem/Progenitor Cells through Transient Expression of YAP/TAZ.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo investigate the role of YAP/TAZ as factors able to convert differentiated cells into stem cells of the same tissue, we compared the expression profiles of mammary organoids (yOrg) obtained by doxycycline-inducible expression of YAP in luminal differentiated mammary cells with original luminal differentiated mammary cells (Lum) and organoids from native mammary stem cells (Org).
Induction of Expandable Tissue-Specific Stem/Progenitor Cells through Transient Expression of YAP/TAZ.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo investigate the role of YAP/TAZ as factors able to convert differentiated cells into stem cells of the same tissue, we compared the expression profiles of neural stem cells (NSCs) obtained by doxycycline-inducible expression of YAP (yNSCs) in neurons with original neurons and neural stem cells (NSCs) treated in the same way.
Induction of Expandable Tissue-Specific Stem/Progenitor Cells through Transient Expression of YAP/TAZ.
Specimen part
View SamplesTo investigate the role of YAP/TAZ as b-catenin inhibitors, we compared the expression profiles of Rex1GFPd2 ES cells transfected with siControl#1, siControl#2, siYAP/TAZ#1, siYAP/TAZ#2 and cultured in 2i medium or PD-only medium
YAP/TAZ incorporation in the β-catenin destruction complex orchestrates the Wnt response.
Specimen part
View SamplesUnder stress conditions mammalian cells activate compensatory mechanisms to survive and maintain cellular function. During catabolic conditions, such as low nutrients, systemic inflammation, cancer or infections, protein breakdown is enhanced and aminoacids are released from muscles to sustain liver gluconeogenesis and tissues protein synthesis. Proteolysis in muscle is orchestrated by a set of genes named atrophy-related genes. A system that is activated both in short and prolonged stress conditions is the family of Forkhead Box (Fox) O transcription factors. Here, we report that muscle-specific deletion of FoxO members resulted in protection from muscle loss because FoxO family is required for induction of autophagy-lysosome and ubiquitin-proteasome systems. Importantly, FoxOs are required for Akt activity but not for mTOR signalling underlining the concept that FoxOs are upstream mTOR for the control of protein breakdown when nutrients are lacking. Moreover, FoxO family controls the induction of critical genes belonging to several fundamental stress response pathways such as unfolded protein response, ROS detoxification and translational regulation. Finally, we identify a set of novel FoxO-dependent ubiquitin ligases including the recent discovered MUSA11 and a new one, which we named Specific of Muscle Atrophy and Regulated by Transcription (SMART). Our findings identify the critical role of FoxO in regulating a variety of genes belonging to pathways important for stress-response under catabolic conditions.
Regulation of autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system by the FoxO transcriptional network during muscle atrophy.
Sex
View SamplesThe side population (SP), recently identified in several normal tissues and in a variety of tumors, may comprise cells endowed with stem cell features. In this study, we investigated the presence of SP in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and found it in 4 out of 6 primary cultures from xenotransplants, as well as in 9 out of 25 clinical samples analyzed. SP cells from one xenograft bearing a large SP fraction were characterized in detail and they were capable of recreate the full repertoire of cancer cell populations observed in the parent tumor. Moreover, SP cells had higher proliferation rates, were much less apoptotic compared to non-SP cells, and generated tumors more rapidly than non-SP cells.
The side population of ovarian cancer cells is a primary target of IFN-alpha antitumor effects.
No sample metadata fields
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