Week 11 Flashcards
What does tumour micro environment look like
Tumours are made up of malignant cells these comprise the majority of cell types that make up the cancer
Multiple non malignant cell types found in tumours- these cells have variable functions which are important in ensuring the survival growth metastatic spread and allowing for evasion of cancer from immune system
-cancer associated fibroblasts, pericytes, endothelial cells, myeloid cells, lymphocytes
Non cellular components of cancer microenvironment: constituents of ECM like collagens-structural integrity and act as signalling molecules
Co evolution
Stromal cells may co-evolve with the tumour ie stromagenesis occurs alongside tumorigenesis
Contributes to tumorigenesis
Many cancers associated with inflammation
Virchow postulated link between cancer and inflammation
Eg hepatitis->. Hepatocellular cancer
Helicobacter pylori gastritis-> gastric cancer
IBD-> colon cancer
In humans NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors reduce cancer risk
Mouse models: in a transgenic mouse system expressing the HPV16 early region genes, a lack of mast cells reduced the development of skin cancer
Hodgkin lymphoma
Malignant cells- Hodgkin and reed sternberg HRS
Surrounded by prominent non tumour components made up of lots of different cell types. Majority of the large mass in Hodgkin lymphoma is made up of non malignant cells of tumour microenvironment
Some are eosinophils
Surrounding T cells providing growth and survival signals to the HRS cells to enable them to survive
The HRS cells providing signals to T cells enable them to become active and proliferate symbiotic environments
The immune system can kill cancer cells
Tumour microenvironment is in general tumour promoting
The main types cells capable of killing cancer cells: cytotoxic T cells: recognise antigen and kill cells, natural killer cells: anti tumour effect
Tumours display local immunosuppression due to production of cytokines by tumour cell also cell capable of killing cancer are overwhelmed by other cells in microenvironment preventing them from killing them
Lymphocytes exit and entry
Some cancers entirely dependent on their microenvironment: Hodgkin lymphoma
Explanation recruitment in Hodgkin:
-involves 2 lipids- lysophosphatidic acid and sphingosine-1-phosphate
-lysophosphatidic acid is crucial for recruiting cells to tissue environment: HRS cells produce a lot
-the cells that are recruited can also leave
-the lipid pathway responsible for retention of cells is sphingosine-1-phosphate. As levels increase in cancer then receptors on surface of lymphocytes decline and cells won’t move out
Lysophosphatidic acid promotes lymphocyte entry:
-blood vessel formation
-tumour growth and invasion
-neuropathic pain
-lymphocyte homing
This explains why Hodgkin patients have lymphopenia- stuck in cancer tissue
Soluble factors
Soluble factors produced by tumour cells modify stromal cell function as well as recruitment
Lysophospatidic acids and sphingosine-1-phosphate are 2 soluble fatcors
Cancer cell produces variety soluble factors include migration, recruitment, retention of immune cells, pre-existing cells in tissue can be modified by soluble factors so their function is. Changed such as myofibroblasts, macrophages and fibroblasts
PDGF responsible for modification, differentiation fibroblasts, into myofibroblasts, recruitment and modification of macrophages and modification of myofibroblasts
Myofibroblasts
Altered form of fibroblasts
Hybrid properties of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells
Produce collagen and other matrix proteins they can contract
Important for normal wound healing- important for contraction wounds
Found in breast- lactation
Found in excessive amounts in certain cancers- breast cancer
Cancer associated fibroblasts contribute to multiple pathways in cancer progression
By producing:
-collagen. Dense collagen difficult for immune cells get to tumour
-other soluble immunosuppressive agents TGF beta
-growth factors HGF
-proangiogenic factors VEGF
-MMPI (extracellular membrane degrading enzymes)
Evidence for involvement of CAF in tumour growth
Sub lethal irradiation of cancer associated fibroblasts followed by implantation with pancreatic cancer cells led to more aggressive tumours than implantation with normal fibroblasts (CAFs can promote tumour progression)
Ectopic expression of soluble factors eg HGF or TGF- beta by genetically modified fibroblasts induces breast cancer in normal breast epithelial cells (CAFs caused alterations in normal epithelia)
Cancer associated fibroblasts produce abnormal extracellular matrix
ECM produced by cancer associated fibroblasts if often dense and referred to as ‘desmoplastic’
The stroma can be growth promoting eg growth factors IGF1, HEGF can be tethered to the ECM
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Collagen can promote tumour cell growth
Collagen can promote cell growth HRS cells and protects them from chemo drugs
Discoidin domain receptor-1 DDR1 is an oncogenic tyrosine kinase that binds collagen
-binding of collagen induces conformational change which leads to an active receptor
Abnormal DDR1- mutation in receptors can lead to constitutively active receptor
Macrophages and cancer
Macrophages behave differently in different tissue environments
2 main groups of macrophages in cancer:
-M1: produce reactive oxygen species, pro inflammatory, provides defines against bacteria, they participate in Th1 - T cell mediated immunity. They have anti tumour activity
-M2: different cell surface receptors, produce different cytokines and are involved in tissue remodelling and angiogenesis, they have an immunosuppressive anti inflammatory response they are pro tumour
These two forms are interchangeable
M1- defence against bacteria, tumour suppression, immunostimualtion
M2- tissue repair and angiogenesis, tumour promotion , down regulation M1 and adaptive immunity
Molecular stratification
Tumour cell intrinsic: molecular features of tumour cells themselves
Tumour cell extrinsic: molecular features of tumour microenvironment
Immune therapy
Many cancers have cells present which are capable recognising and killing tumour cells but they are overwhelmed
If we can activate those small number tumour specific T cells we could provide a very effective therapy
This is now possible: we can give patients inhibitors to the immunosuppressive mechanisms (immune checkpoints) this unleashes the anti tumour immune response - effective in Hodgkins