Université de Fribourg

Arginase inhibition suppresses lung metastasis in the 4T1 breast cancer model independently of the immunomodulatory and anti-metastatic effects of VEGFR-2 blockade

Secondini, Chiara ; Coquoz, Oriana ; Spagnuolo, Lorenzo ; Spinetti, Thibaud ; Peyvandi, Sanam ; Ciarloni, Laura ; Botta, Francesca ; Bourquin, Carole ; Rüegg, Curzio

In: OncoImmunology, 2017, vol. 6, no. 6, p. e1316437

Tumor angiogenesis promotes tumor growth and metastasis. Anti-angiogenic therapy in combination with chemotherapy is used for the treatment of metastatic cancers, including breast cancer but therapeutic benefits are limited. Mobilization and accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) during tumor progression and therapy have been implicated in metastasis formation and resistance to...

Université de Fribourg

TLR7-based cancer immunotherapy decreases intratumoral myeloid-derived suppressor cells and blocks their immunosuppressive function

Spinetti, Thibaud ; Spagnuolo, Lorenzo ; Mottas, Inès ; Secondini, Chiara ; Treinies, Marina ; Rüegg, Curzio ; Hotz, Christian ; Bourquin, Carole

In: OncoImmunology, 2016, vol. 5, no. 11, p. e1230578

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells with the capacity to inhibit immunological responses. During cancer progression, MDSC are recruited to the tumor sites and secondary lymphoid organs, leading to the suppression of the antitumor function of NK and T cells. Here, we show that the TLR7/8 agonist resiquimod (R848) has a direct effect...

Université de Fribourg

Mechanism of irradiation-induced mammary cancer metastasis: A role for SAP-dependent Mkl1 signaling

Asparuhova, Maria B. ; Secondini, Chiara ; Rüegg, Curzio ; Chiquet-Ehrismann, Ruth

In: Molecular Oncology, 2015, vol. 9, no. 8, p. 1510–1527

Radiotherapy is a standard treatment after conservative breast cancer surgery. However, cancers relapsing within a previously irradiated area have an increased probability to metastasize. The mechanisms responsible for this aggressiveness remain unclear. Here, we used the clinically relevant 4T1 breast cancer model mimicking aggressive local relapse after radiotherapy to identify differences...

Université de Fribourg

Molecular Pathways: Emerging pathways mediating growth, invasion and metastasis of tumors progressing in an irradiated microenvironment

Kuonen, François ; Secondini, Chiara ; Rüegg, Curzio

In: Clinical Cancer Research, 2012, vol. 18, no. 19, p. 5196-5202

Radiotherapy is a well-established therapeutic modality in oncology. It provides survival benefits in several different cancer types. However, cancers relapsing after radiotherapy often develop into more aggressive conditions, which are difficult to treat and are associated with poor prognosis. Cumulating experimental evidence indicates that the irradiated tumor bed contributes to such...

Université de Fribourg

Inhibition of the Kit ligand/c-Kit axis attenuates metastasis in a mouse model mimicking local breast cancer relapse after radiotherapy

Kuonen, François ; Laurent, Jullien ; Secondini, Chiara ; Lorusso, Girieca ; Stehle, Jean-Christophe ; Rausch, Thierry ; Hull, Eveline Faes-van't ; Bieler, Gregory ; Alghisi, Gian Carlo ; Schwendener, Reto A. ; Andrejevic-Blant, Snezana ; Mirimanoff, René-Olivier ; Rüegg, Curzio

In: Clinical Cancer Research, 2012, vol. 18, no. 16, p. 4365-4374

Purpose: Local breast cancer relapse after breast-saving surgery and radiotherapy is associated with increased risk of distant metastasis formation. The mechanisms involved remain largely elusive. We used the well-characterized 4T1 syngeneic, orthotopic breast cancer model to identify novel mechanisms of post-radiation metastasis. Experimental Design: 4T1 cells were injected in 20 Gy...