Selective depletion of metastatic stem cells as therapy for human colorectal cancer (2018)
Figure 6

Figure 6. T22-GFP-H6-FdU prevents metastasis in the M5-patient derived model in a CXCR4-dependent manner.

T22-GFP-H6-FdU prevents metastases in the CXCR4+ patient-derived M5 model by potently reducing the total and mean number of liver, lung and peritoneal mets, as recorded in H&E stained histology sections at the end of treatment, in comparison to free oligo-FdU o Buffer-treatment. In contrast, the number of LN mets is not reduced after T22-GFP-H6-FdU or free oligo-FdU administration (N=6 mice per Buffer group; N=7 mice per Free oligo-FdU group and N=8 mice per T22-GFP-H6-FdU group; 3 samples/mouse). Data expressed as mean±s.e.m.

Comparison of metastatic foci number by site between groups: (B: Buffer; F: Free oligo-FdU; T-F: T22-GFP-H6-FdU). P values for Statistical Differences:

- T-F vs B: *P=0.006 for LN mets; *P=0.001 for LV mets; *P=0.003 for LG mets; *P=0.001 for PTN mets (Green line, Panel A)

- F vs B: *P=0.015 for PTN mets (Red line, Panel A)

-T-F vs F: *P=0.001 for LV mets, *P=0.022 for PTN mets (Black line, panel A)

See Table 1 for the recording of the percent of metastasis-free mice (mice with undetectable metastases at the end of treatment, and therefore with an absence of CXCR4+ tumor cells) after T22-GFP-H6-FdU treatment. Also, Table 1 describes the reduction in mean foci number and foci size in metastasis positive mice after T22-GFP-H6-FdU treatment, as compared to Buffer or free-oligo-FdU.

T22-GFP-H6-FdU induces a higher reduction of CXCR4+ cancer cell fraction (CXCR4+ CCF) in liver, lung and peritoneal metastatic tissue, at the end of treatment, than free oligo-FdU, as measured by anti-CXCR4 IHC. In contrast, T22-GFP-H6-FdU or free oligo-FdU does not reduce the CXCR4+ CCF in LN mets or primary tumor tissue after therapy. (N=6 mice per Buffer group; N=7 mice per Free oligo-FdU group and N=8 mice per T22-GFP-H6-FdU group; 3 samples/mouse). Data expressed as mean±s.e.m

Comparison of Remaining CXCR4+ CCF by site between groups: (B: Buffer; F: Free oligo-FdU; T-F: T22-GFP-H6-FdU). P values for Statistical Differences: - T-F vs B: *P=0.012 for LV mets, P=0.027 for LG mets; P=0.038 for PTN mets (Green Line, Panel B)

- T-F vs F: *P=0.013 for LV mets (Black line, Panel B)

(C) Representative CXCR4 IHC images of the reduction in CXCR4+ CCF induced by T22-GFP-H6-FdU (or its absence in free oligo-FdU mice) at the end of treatment, in the M5 patient-derived CRC model, which quantitation is reported in panel B. In the M5 model, the highest reduction in foci number and size occurs in liver metastases, which show the highest reduction in CXCR4+ CCF.

Note the correlation between the reduction in CXCR4+ CCF induced by T22-GFP-H6-FdU and its antimetastatic effect at each site, measured as number of liver, lung or peritoneal mets (Table 1) in the M5 metastatic CRC models (as it happens in the SW1417 model (Appendix Fig S8)).

Note in both, Table 1, and Appendix Table S1, that 83% of mice in the T22-GFP-H6-FdU group remained free of liver, lung or peritoneal metastases at the end of treatment in the SW1417 CRC model, whereas in the M5 CRC model these parameters were in the 38-63% range. Scale bar, 100 μm. Asterisks: tumor tissue; vL: lymphatic vessel, LN: lymphatic metastasis.