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Monje M, Borniger JC, D'Silva NJ, Deneen B, Dirks PB, Fattahi F, Frenette PS, Garzia L, Gutmann DH, Hanahan D, Hervey-Jumper SL, Hondermarck H, Hurov JB, Kepecs A, Knox SM, Lloyd AC, Magnon C, Saloman JL, Segal RA, Sloan EK, Sun X, Taylor MD, Tracey KJ, Trotman LC, Tuveson DA, Wang TC, White RA, Winkler F. Roadmap for the Emerging Field of Cancer Neuroscience. Cell 2020; 181:219-222. [PMID: 32302564 PMCID: PMC7286095 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates that the nervous system plays a central role in cancer pathogenesis. In turn, cancers and cancer therapies can alter nervous system form and function. This Commentary seeks to describe the burgeoning field of "cancer neuroscience" and encourage multidisciplinary collaboration for the study of cancer-nervous system interactions.
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Abstract
Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the central nervous system and have diverse functions in blood–brain barrier maintenance, neural circuitry formation and function, and metabolic regulation. To better understand the diverse roles of astrocytes, we will summarize what is known about astrocyte development and the challenges limiting our understanding of this process. We will also discuss new approaches and technologies advancing the field.
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Lozzi B, Huang TW, Sardar D, Huang AYS, Deneen B. Regionally Distinct Astrocytes Display Unique Transcription Factor Profiles in the Adult Brain. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:61. [PMID: 32153350 PMCID: PMC7046629 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most abundant type of glial cell in the central nervous system and perform a myriad of vital functions, however, the nature of their diversity remains a longstanding question in neuroscience. Using transcription factor motif discovery analysis on region-specific gene signatures from astrocytes we uncovered universal and region-specific transcription factor expression profiles. This analysis revealed that motifs for Nuclear Factor-I (NFI) are present in genes enriched in astrocytes from all regions, with NFIB and NFIX exhibiting pan-astrocyte expression in the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, cortex, and brainstem. Further analysis into region-specific motif patterns, identified Nkx3-1, Stat4, Pgr, and Nkx6-1 as prospective region-specific transcription factors. Validation studies revealed that Nkx6-1 is exclusively expressed in astrocytes in the brainstem and associates with the promoters of several brainstem specific target genes. These studies illustrate the presence of multiple transcriptional layers in astrocytes across diverse brain regions and provide a new entry point for examining how astrocyte diversity is specified and maintained.
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Yu K, Lin CCJ, Hatcher A, Lozzi B, Kong K, Huang-Hobbs E, Cheng YT, Beechar VB, Zhu W, Zhang Y, Chen F, Mills GB, Mohila CA, Creighton CJ, Noebels JL, Scott KL, Deneen B. PIK3CA variants selectively initiate brain hyperactivity during gliomagenesis. Nature 2020; 578:166-171. [PMID: 31996845 PMCID: PMC7577741 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-1952-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a universally lethal form of brain cancer that exhibits an array of pathophysiological phenotypes, many of which are mediated by interactions with the neuronal microenvironment1,2. Recent studies have shown that increases in neuronal activity have an important role in the proliferation and progression of glioblastoma3,4. Whether there is reciprocal crosstalk between glioblastoma and neurons remains poorly defined, as the mechanisms that underlie how these tumours remodel the neuronal milieu towards increased activity are unknown. Here, using a native mouse model of glioblastoma, we develop a high-throughput in vivo screening platform and discover several driver variants of PIK3CA. We show that tumours driven by these variants have divergent molecular properties that manifest in selective initiation of brain hyperexcitability and remodelling of the synaptic constituency. Furthermore, secreted members of the glypican (GPC) family are selectively expressed in these tumours, and GPC3 drives gliomagenesis and hyperexcitability. Together, our studies illustrate the importance of functionally interrogating diverse tumour phenotypes driven by individual, yet related, variants and reveal how glioblastoma alters the neuronal microenvironment.
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Jalali A, Yu K, Beechar V, Mehra D, Lozzi B, Bondy M, Deneen B. GENE-21. ROLE OF POT1 MUTATION IN GLIOMA PROLIFERATION AND SEXUAL DIVERGENCE OF SURVIVAL. Neuro Oncol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noz175.423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Germline POT1 mutations are associated with risk of several cancers including glioma. In The Cancer Genome Atlas, we found that the level of POT1 gene expression in tumors is associated with overall survival in IDH wild-type glioma independent of age and tumor grade (P=0.036). To assess if POT1 expression in a native mouse model of IDH wild-type glioma (referred to as C3 tumors) affects survival, we targeted both mouse POT1 orthologs (Pot1a/Pot1b) in C3 tumors using CRISPR/Cas9, generating C5 tumors. Interestingly, we noted a sexual divergence of survival, with female C5 mice dying faster than males (P=0.0034), whereas C3 mice show no sexual divergence in survival. To assess the genes and pathways underlying this divergence, we performed RNAseq profiling on C3 and C5 tumors and normalized the sex differences in the C5 profile for baseline sex differences in the C3 profile. Compared to males, female C5 tumors had lower enrichment of numerous gene sets related to immune surveillance. To specifically assess the effects of glioma-associated human POT1 variants, we expressed these variants in a mouse tumor sphere culture. We noted that expression of POT1-G95C variant increased the rate of sphere formation in vitro. In vivo expression of this variant in embryonic mouse brain during the gliogenic period increased the proliferative rate as assessed by BrdU uptake (P=0.008). These findings suggest a potential role for human POT1 variants in growth and proliferation of glial progenitor cells as well as glioma tumor cells. Additionally, the sexual divergence of survival in C5 tumors points to a differential interaction between POT1 loss and sex in regulation of immune response to these tumors.
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Laug D, Huang TW, Huerta NAB, Huang AYS, Sardar D, Ortiz-Guzman J, Carlson JC, Arenkiel BR, Kuo CT, Mohila CA, Glasgow SM, Lee HK, Deneen B. Nuclear factor I-A regulates diverse reactive astrocyte responses after CNS injury. J Clin Invest 2019; 129:4408-4418. [PMID: 31498149 PMCID: PMC6763246 DOI: 10.1172/jci127492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive astrocytes are associated with every form of neurological injury. Despite their ubiquity, the molecular mechanisms controlling their production and diverse functions remain poorly defined. Because many features of astrocyte development are recapitulated in reactive astrocytes, we investigated the role of nuclear factor I-A (NFIA), a key transcriptional regulator of astrocyte development whose contributions to reactive astrocytes remain undefined. Here, we show that NFIA is highly expressed in reactive astrocytes in human neurological injury and identify unique roles across distinct injury states and regions of the CNS. In the spinal cord, after white matter injury (WMI), NFIA-deficient astrocytes exhibit defects in blood-brain barrier remodeling, which are correlated with the suppression of timely remyelination. In the cortex, after ischemic stroke, NFIA is required for the production of reactive astrocytes from the subventricular zone (SVZ). Mechanistically, NFIA directly regulates the expression of thrombospondin 4 (Thbs4) in the SVZ, revealing a key transcriptional node regulating reactive astrogenesis. Together, these studies uncover critical roles for NFIA in reactive astrocytes and illustrate how region- and injury-specific factors dictate the spectrum of reactive astrocyte responses.
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Wang CY, Deneen B, Tzeng SF. BRCA1/BRCA2-containing complex subunit 3 controls oligodendrocyte differentiation by dynamically regulating lysine 63-linked ubiquitination. Glia 2019; 67:1775-1792. [PMID: 31184779 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes (OLs) provide the myelin sheath surrounding axons that propagates action potentials in the central nervous system (CNS). The metabolism of myelinated membranes and proteins is strictly regulated in the OLs and is closely associated with OL differentiation and maturation. The ubiquitination-associated proteasome and endosomal system have not yet been well studied during OL differentiation and maturation. Here, we determined the functions of the Lys63-linked ubiquitination (K63Ub) and K63-specific deubiquitination (DUB) systems regulated by BRCA1/BRCA2-containing complex subunit 3 (BRCC3) during OL differentiation. The competitive inhibition of K63Ub by overexpression of mutant ubiquitin (K63R) in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) indicated that the two major CNS myelin proteins, myelin basic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein (PLP), were upregulated in OLs derived from K63R OPCs. In contrast, the knockdown of BRCC3 (BRCC3-KD) through the application of lentivirus-mediated shRNA delivery system into OPCs suppressed OL differentiation by decreasing MBP expression and PLP production. Further immunoprecipitation assays revealed higher levels of sphingolipid GalC, MBP, and PLP, which were associated with K63Ub-immunoprecipitants and detected in endosome/lysosomal compartments, in BRCC3-KD OLs than those in OLs transfected with the scrambled shRNA (scramble OLs). The differentiation of OLs from BRCC3-KD OPCs was impaired in the demyelinating corpus callosum of rats receiving a cuprizone-containing diet. In the demyelinating tissues from human patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, we detected a decreased number of BRCC3-expressing OLs at the lesion site, accompanied by a greater number of OLs expressing EEA1 and K63Ub at high levels. Altogether, the counterbalance of the K63Ub machinery and BRCC3-triggered DUB machinery are important for the cellular trafficking of myelin proteins and OL differentiation.
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Cuevas-Diaz Duran R, Wang CY, Zheng H, Deneen B, Wu JQ. Brain Region-Specific Gene Signatures Revealed by Distinct Astrocyte Subpopulations Unveil Links to Glioma and Neurodegenerative Diseases. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0288-18.2019. [PMID: 30957015 PMCID: PMC6449165 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0288-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, there are no effective treatments for glioma or for neurodegenerative diseases because of, in part, our limited understanding of the pathophysiology and cellular heterogeneity of these diseases. Mounting evidence suggests that astrocytes play an active role in the pathogenesis of these diseases by contributing to a diverse range of pathophysiological states. In a previous study, five molecularly distinct astrocyte subpopulations from three different brain regions were identified. To further delineate the underlying diversity of these populations, we obtained mouse brain region-specific gene signatures for both protein-coding and long non-coding RNA and found that these astrocyte subpopulations are endowed with unique molecular signatures across diverse brain regions. Additional gene set and single-sample enrichment analyses revealed that gene signatures of different subpopulations are differentially correlated with glioma tumors that harbor distinct genomic alterations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that links transcriptional profiles of astrocyte subpopulations with glioma genomic mutations. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that subpopulations of astrocytes in select brain regions are associated with specific neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, the present study provides a new perspective for understanding the pathophysiology of glioma and neurodegenerative diseases and highlights the potential contributions of diverse astrocyte populations to normal, malignant, and degenerative brain functions.
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Scavuzzo MA, Chmielowiec J, Yang D, Wamble K, Chaboub LS, Duraine L, Tepe B, Glasgow SM, Arenkiel BR, Brou C, Deneen B, Borowiak M. Pancreatic Cell Fate Determination Relies on Notch Ligand Trafficking by NFIA. Cell Rep 2018; 25:3811-3827.e7. [PMID: 30590051 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.11.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Notch is activated globally in pancreatic progenitors; however, for progenitors to differentiate into endocrine cells, they must escape Notch activation to express Neurogenin-3. Here, we find that the transcription factor nuclear factor I/A (NFIA) promotes endocrine development by regulating Notch ligand Dll1 trafficking. Pancreatic deletion of NFIA leads to cell fate defects, with increased duct and decreased endocrine formation, while ectopic expression promotes endocrine formation in mice and human pancreatic progenitors. NFIA-deficient mice exhibit dysregulation of trafficking-related genes including increased expression of Mib1, which acts to target Dll1 for endocytosis. We find that NFIA binds to the Mib1 promoter, with loss of NFIA leading to an increase in Dll1 internalization and enhanced Notch activation with rescue of the cell fate defects after Mib1 knockdown. This study reveals NFIA as a pro-endocrine factor in the pancreas, acting to repress Mib1, inhibit Dll1 endocytosis and thus promote escape from Notch activation.
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Yu K, Hatcher A, Woo J, John Lin CC, Kong K, Mohila C, Lozzi B, Creighton C, Noebels J, Deneen B. CBMT-23. MODULATION OF HYPERSYNAPTIC MICROENVIRONMENT DIFFERENTIALLY PROMOTES GLIOMAGENESIS ACROSS PIK3CA VARIANTS. Neuro Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noy148.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Sponagel J, Yu K, Deneen B, Ippolito J, Rubin J. CBMT-22. The PI3K/mTOR PATHWAY CONTRIBUTES TO SEX DIFFERENCES IN GLIOBLASTOMA. Neuro Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noy148.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Danussi C, Bose P, Silberman P, Arnam JSV, Vitucci M, Tang O, Heguy A, Chan TA, Sulman EP, Lang F, Creighton CJ, Deneen B, Miller CR, Picketts DJ, Kannan K, Huse JT. Abstract 4322: Atrx inactivation drives motility and dysregulates differentiation in glioma cells of origin through global epigenomic remodeling. Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2018-4322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Comprehensive genomic profiling in cancer continues to reveal frequent alterations in epigenetic regulators, firmly implicating chromatin biology in the oncogenic process. For instance, genetic inactivation of the SWI/SNF chromatin regulator ATRX (α-thalassemia mental retardation X-linked) represents a defining molecular alteration in both adult and pediatric malignant glioma, and occurs frequently in other cancers as well. ATRX deficiency has been linked to a wide spectrum of physiological dysfunction, including aberrant gene regulation, abnormal telomere maintenance, genomic instability, and aneuploidy. However, the precise oncogenic mechanism(s) induced by ATRX deficiency remain unclear, particularly those involving epigenomic dysregulation. To model these events in putative glioma cells of origin, we inactivated Atrx in primary murine neuroepithelial progenitors (mNPCs). Atrx loss, especially when coupled with Tp53 inactivation, promoted mNPC motility while also modulating differentiation state and potential, effectively recapitulating characteristic disease phenotypes and molecular features. Moreover, these phenotypes correlated with altered gene expression profiles in functionally relevant molecular networks (e.g. cell differentiation and migration). Integrating these transcriptional changes with shifts in chromatin accessibility occurring with Atrx deficiency, along with genome-wide Atrx distribution as determined by ChIP-seq, revealed highly significant spatial correlations between differentially expressed genes, regions of altered chromatin compaction, and genomic sites normally occupied by Atrx. Finally, target genes mediating specific Atrx-deficient phenotypes in vitro exhibited similarly selective misexpression in ATRX-mutant human glioma tissues and cell lines. These findings demonstrate that, in appropriate cellular and molecular contexts, ATRX deficiency and its epigenomic sequelae are sufficient to induce disease-defining oncogenic phenotypes.
Citation Format: Carla Danussi, Promita Bose, Pedro Silberman, John S. Van Arnam, Mark Vitucci, Oliver Tang, Adriana Heguy, Timothy A. Chan, Erik P. Sulman, Frederick Lang, Chad J. Creighton, Benjamin Deneen, C Ryan Miller, David J. Picketts, Kasthuri Kannan, Jason T. Huse. Atrx inactivation drives motility and dysregulates differentiation in glioma cells of origin through global epigenomic remodeling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4322.
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Sponagel J, Yu K, Ippolito J, Deneen B, Rubin J. HGG-10. THE PI3K/mTOR PATHWAY CONTRIBUTES TO SEX DIFFERENCES IN GLIOBLASTOMA. Neuro Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noy059.282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Chen F, Zhang Y, Gibbons DL, Deneen B, Kwiatkowski DJ, Ittmann M, Creighton CJ. Pan-Cancer Molecular Classes Transcending Tumor Lineage Across 32 Cancer Types, Multiple Data Platforms, and over 10,000 Cases. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 24:2182-2193. [PMID: 29440175 PMCID: PMC5932236 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-3378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: The Cancer Genome Atlas data resources represent an opportunity to explore commonalities across cancer types involving multiple molecular levels, but tumor lineage and histology can represent a barrier in moving beyond differences related to cancer type.Experimental Design: On the basis of gene expression data, we classified 10,224 cancers, representing 32 major types, into 10 molecular-based "classes." Molecular patterns representing tissue or histologic dominant effects were first removed computationally, with the resulting classes representing emergent themes across tumor lineages.Results: Key differences involving mRNAs, miRNAs, proteins, and DNA methylation underscored the pan-cancer classes. One class expressing neuroendocrine and cancer-testis antigen markers represented ∼4% of cancers surveyed. Basal-like breast cancers segregated into an exclusive class, distinct from all other cancers. Immune checkpoint pathway markers and molecular signatures of immune infiltrates were most strongly manifested within a class representing ∼13% of cancers. Pathway-level differences involving hypoxia, NRF2-ARE, Wnt, and Notch were manifested in two additional classes enriched for mesenchymal markers and miR200 silencing.Conclusions: All pan-cancer molecular classes uncovered here, with the important exception of the basal-like breast cancer class, involve a wide range of cancer types and would facilitate understanding the molecular underpinnings of cancers beyond tissue-oriented domains. Numerous biological processes associated with cancer in the laboratory setting were found here to be coordinately manifested across large subsets of human cancers. The number of cancers manifesting features of neuroendocrine tumors may be much higher than previously thought, which disease is known to occur in many different tissues. Clin Cancer Res; 24(9); 2182-93. ©2018 AACR.
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Kfoury N, Sun T, Yu K, Rockwell N, Tinkum KL, Qi Z, Warrington NM, McDonald P, Roy A, Weir SJ, Mohila CA, Deneen B, Rubin JB. Cooperative p16 and p21 action protects female astrocytes from transformation. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018; 6:12. [PMID: 29458417 PMCID: PMC5819173 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-018-0513-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying sex differences in cancer incidence are not defined but likely involve dimorphism (s) in tumor suppressor function at the cellular and organismal levels. As an example, sexual dimorphism in retinoblastoma protein (Rb) activity was shown to block transformation of female, but not male, murine astrocytes in which neurofibromin and p53 function was abrogated (GBM astrocytes). Correlated sex differences in gene expression in the murine GBM astrocytes were found to be highly concordant with sex differences in gene expression in male and female GBM patients, including in the expression of components of the Rb and p53 pathways. To define the basis of this phenomenon, we examined the functions of the cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, p16, p21 and p27 in murine GBM astrocytes under conditions that promote Rb-dependent growth arrest. We found that upon serum deprivation or etoposide-induced DNA damage, female, but not male GBM astrocytes, respond with increased p16 and p21 activity, and cell cycle arrest. In contrast, male GBM astrocytes continue to proliferate, accumulate chromosomal aberrations, exhibit enhanced clonogenic cell activity and in vivo tumorigenesis; all manifestations of broad sex differences in cell cycle regulation and DNA repair. Differences in tumorigenesis disappeared when female GBM astrocytes are also rendered null for p16 and p21. These data elucidate mechanisms underlying sex differences in cancer incidence and demonstrate sex-specific effects of cytotoxic and targeted therapeutics. This has critical implications for lab and clinical research.
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Byrd TT, Fousek K, Pignata A, Szot C, Samaha H, Seaman S, Dobrolecki L, Salsman VS, Oo HZ, Bielamowicz K, Landi D, Rainusso N, Hicks J, Powell S, Baker ML, Wels WS, Koch J, Sorensen PH, Deneen B, Ellis MJ, Lewis MT, Hegde M, Fletcher BS, St Croix B, Ahmed N. TEM8/ANTXR1-Specific CAR T Cells as a Targeted Therapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2018; 78:489-500. [PMID: 29183891 PMCID: PMC5771806 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-1911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease lacking targeted therapy. In this study, we developed a CAR T cell-based immunotherapeutic strategy to target TEM8, a marker initially defined on endothelial cells in colon tumors that was discovered recently to be upregulated in TNBC. CAR T cells were developed that upon specific recognition of TEM8 secreted immunostimulatory cytokines and killed tumor endothelial cells as well as TEM8-positive TNBC cells. Notably, the TEM8 CAR T cells targeted breast cancer stem-like cells, offsetting the formation of mammospheres relative to nontransduced T cells. Adoptive transfer of TEM8 CAR T cells induced regression of established, localized patient-derived xenograft tumors, as well as lung metastatic TNBC cell line-derived xenograft tumors, by both killing TEM8+ TNBC tumor cells and targeting the tumor endothelium to block tumor neovascularization. Our findings offer a preclinical proof of concept for immunotherapeutic targeting of TEM8 as a strategy to treat TNBC.Significance: These findings offer a preclinical proof of concept for immunotherapeutic targeting of an endothelial antigen that is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer and the associated tumor vasculature. Cancer Res; 78(2); 489-500. ©2017 AACR.
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Danussi C, Bose P, Parthasarathy P, Silberman P, Van Arnam JS, Vitucci M, Tang O, Heguy A, Chan T, Sulman E, Lang F, Creighton CJ, Deneen B, Miller CR, Picketts D, Kannan K, Huse J. GENE-24. ATRX DEFICIENCY IN GLIOMA CELLS OF ORIGIN PROMOTES DISEASE-DEFINING PHENOTYPES BY WAY OF GLOBAL EPIGENOMIC REMODELING. Neuro Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nox168.398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Rockwell N, Kfoury N, Sun T, Yu K, Tinkum K, McDonald P, Roy A, Weir S, Mohila C, Deneen B, Rubin J. CBIO-31. SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE ACTIVITY OF CYCLIN DEPENDENT KINASE INHIBITORS UNDERLIE GREATER THRESHOLD FOR GLIOMIC TRANSFORMATION IN FEMALE ASTROCYTES. Neuro Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nox168.149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Zhu W, Krishna S, Garcia C, Lin CCJ, Mitchell BD, Scott KL, Mohila CA, Creighton CJ, Yoo SH, Lee HK, Deneen B. Daam2 driven degradation of VHL promotes gliomagenesis. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 29053101 PMCID: PMC5650470 DOI: 10.7554/elife.31926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Von Hippel-Landau (VHL) protein is a potent tumor suppressor regulating numerous pathways that drive cancer, but mutations in VHL are restricted to limited subsets of malignancies. Here we identified a novel mechanism for VHL suppression in tumors that do not have inactivating mutations. Using developmental processes to uncover new pathways contributing to tumorigenesis, we found that Daam2 promotes glioma formation. Protein expression screening identified an inverse correlation between Daam2 and VHL expression across a host of cancers, including glioma. These in silico insights guided corroborating functional studies, which revealed that Daam2 promotes tumorigenesis by suppressing VHL expression. Furthermore, biochemical analyses demonstrate that Daam2 associates with VHL and facilitates its ubiquitination and degradation. Together, these studies are the first to define an upstream mechanism regulating VHL suppression in cancer and describe the role of Daam2 in tumorigenesis. Glioblastoma is the deadliest form of brain cancer, and the rate of patient survival has not significantly improved over the past 70 years. This cancer arises when glial cells, which provide support and insulation to nerve cells, develop mutations that alter the activity of certain genes or alter the role they play in cells. However, there are also several key genes linked to glioblastomas that don’t exhibit mutations, such as the gene that encodes the Von Hippel Landau protein (or VHL for short). This protein normally helps to protect us from developing cancer, but it is not clear how this protein is prevented from performing this role in glioblastomas. One possibility is that proteins that regulate how cells grow and develop may control VHL. For example, a protein called Daam2 plays a critical role in a signaling pathway that is required for glial cell development. Zhu et al. used biochemical techniques to study Daam2 and VHL in both human cells and mouse models of glioblastoma. The experiments show that glioblastoma cells have lower levels of VHL compared to normal cells. This decrease is caused by Daam 2, which interacts with VHL and promotes its degradation. Further experiments found that in several different types of cancer, higher levels of Daam2 are linked with the presence of lower levels of VHL. These findings indicate that the interaction between Daam2 and VHL could be a new target for drugs to treat glioblastoma and possibly other forms of cancer. Daam2 and VHL have also been linked to multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other diseases that affect the nervous system. Therefore, understanding how these proteins interact may also help to develop new treatments for these conditions.
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Wang CY, Deneen B, Tzeng SF. MicroRNA-212 inhibits oligodendrocytes during maturation by down-regulation of differentiation-associated gene expression. J Neurochem 2017; 143:112-125. [DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Revised: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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John Lin CC, Yu K, Hatcher A, Huang TW, Lee HK, Carlson J, Weston MC, Chen F, Zhang Y, Zhu W, Mohila CA, Ahmed N, Patel AJ, Arenkiel BR, Noebels JL, Creighton CJ, Deneen B. Identification of diverse astrocyte populations and their malignant analogs. Nat Neurosci 2017; 20:396-405. [PMID: 28166219 PMCID: PMC5824716 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 345] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain, where they perform a wide array of functions, yet the nature of their cellular heterogeneity and how it oversees these diverse roles remains shrouded in mystery. Using an intersectional fluorescence-activated cell sorting-based strategy, we identified five distinct astrocyte subpopulations present across three brain regions that show extensive molecular diversity. Application of this molecular insight toward function revealed that these populations differentially support synaptogenesis between neurons. We identified correlative populations in mouse and human glioma and found that the emergence of specific subpopulations during tumor progression corresponded with the onset of seizures and tumor invasion. In sum, we have identified subpopulations of astrocytes in the adult brain and their correlates in glioma that are endowed with diverse cellular, molecular and functional properties. These populations selectively contribute to synaptogenesis and tumor pathophysiology, providing a blueprint for understanding diverse astrocyte contributions to neurological disease.
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Glasgow SM, Deneen B. lnc'edin to Myelin. Neuron 2017; 93:252-254. [PMID: 28103473 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in numerous developmental processes. In a technical and bioinformatics tour-de-force, He et al. (2017) provide critical insight into the dynamics of lncRNA expression, function, and mechanism during oligodendrocyte development and after injury.
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Zhu W, Lee HK, Loturco J, Mohila C, Deneen B. HG-05 * DAAM2 PROMOTES TUMOR PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION IN GLIOBLASTOMA. Neuro Oncol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nov061.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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74
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Yu K, Carlson J, Lin CCJ, Zhu W, Ahmed N, Li XN, Mohila C, Monje M, Patel AJ, Deneen B. PM-04 * DECODING THE CELLULAR HETEROGENEITY OF PEDIATRIC HIGH GRADE GLIOMA. Neuro Oncol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nov061.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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75
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Molofsky AV, Deneen B. Astrocyte development: A Guide for the Perplexed. Glia 2015; 63:1320-9. [PMID: 25963996 DOI: 10.1002/glia.22836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the predominant cell type in the brain and perform key functions vital to CNS physiology, including blood brain barrier formation and maintenance, synaptogenesis, neurotransmission, and metabolic regulation. To fully understand the contributions of astrocytes to brain function, it will be important to bridge the existing gap between development and physiology. In this review, we provide an overview of Astrocyte development, including recent insights into molecular mechanisms of astrocyte specification, regional patterning and proliferation. This developmental perspective is complemented with recent findings that describe the functional maturation of astrocytes and their prospective diversity. Future progress in understanding Astrocyte development will depend on the development of astrocyte- stage specific markers and tools for manipulating astrocytes without affecting neuron production. Ultimately, a mechanistic approach to Astrocyte development will be crucial to developing new treatments for the many neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, neuroimmune, and neoplastic diseases involving astrocyte dysfunction.
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