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Pena-Burgos EM, Torena Lerchundi N, Fuentes-Sánchez J, Tapia-Viñe M, Fernández-Baíllo N, Pozo-Kreilinger JJ. Notochordal cell derived lesions: a 55-year casuistic analysis of 50 cases with radiologic-pathologic correlation in a tertiary referral hospital, and literature review. EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN SPINE SOCIETY, THE EUROPEAN SPINAL DEFORMITY SOCIETY, AND THE EUROPEAN SECTION OF THE CERVICAL SPINE RESEARCH SOCIETY 2024:10.1007/s00586-024-08419-y. [PMID: 39048841 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-024-08419-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Distinct lesions are derived from notochordal cells (NCDL), ranging from benign to malignant ones. This study presents fifty NCDL cases diagnosed in a tertiary hospital of reference from the past 55 years: forty-two conventional chordomas, including one chondroid chordoma subtype, four benign notochordal cell tumors (BNCT), two conventional chordomas with BNCT foci, and two dedifferentiated chordomas. All patients were adults. Three BNCT were incidentally diagnosed, and one case presented local pain. Chordomas began with local pain and/or neurological symptoms. BNCT were well-defined intraosseous lesions, hypointense on T1-weighted images (WI) and hyperintense on T2-WI, without enhancement in the contrast. Conventional chordomas, including its chondroid subtype, were lobulated masses with cortical disruption and soft tissue extension, hypointense on T1-WI and hyperintense on T2-WI, with variable contrast enhancement. BNCT were histologically composed of solid sheets of vacuolated cells with clear cytoplasm and round and central nuclei. No atypia, lobular growth pattern, myxoid matrix, or bone infiltration were seen. Conventional chordomas were histologically composed of physaliphorous cells in a myxoid stroma with lobulated and infiltrating growth patterns. Observational follow-up using radiological controls was decided on for the BNCT cases. None of these cases presented local recurrence or metastasis. En-bloc resection and adjuvant radiotherapy were selected for sacral and vertebral chordoma cases. Sixteen patients died due to tumor-related factors; twenty-eight presented local recurrence, and four developed distant metastases. New therapeutic options are being studied for chordoma cases. Clinical, radiological, and histopathological data are necessary to properly diagnose and follow up of NCDL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Manuela Pena-Burgos
- Pathology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Paseo de la Castellana, 261, Madrid, 28046, Spain.
| | | | - Jorge Fuentes-Sánchez
- Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Tapia-Viñe
- Radiology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Desai R, Pelargos PE, Dunn IF. Chordoma: Genetics and Contemporary Management. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5877. [PMID: 38892063 PMCID: PMC11172617 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Chordomas, arising from notochord remnants, are rare neoplasms with aggressive growth patterns despite their histologically low-grade nature. This review explores their embryological origins, molecular markers like brachyury, and genetic alterations driving pathogenesis. Diagnosis relies on advanced imaging and biopsy confirmation due to overlapping features with chondrosarcoma. The WHO classification distinguishes conventional, dedifferentiated, and poorly differentiated chordomas, each with distinct prognostic implications. Recent genomic analyses uncovered recurrent mutations in PI3K signaling pathways and chromatin remodeling genes, informing prognostic models. Surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment, though adjuvant radiation complements surgical resection. Although chordomas are generally considered refractory to medical therapy, emerging targeted molecular strategies show potential promise in ongoing trials. This review aims to provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of chordomas, guiding clinicians in diagnosis, treatment, and prognostication for improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ian F. Dunn
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA; (R.D.); (P.E.P.)
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3
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Kawaai K, Oishi Y, Kuroda Y, Tamura R, Toda M, Matsuo K. Chordoma cells possess bone-dissolving activity at the bone invasion front. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024:10.1007/s13402-024-00946-6. [PMID: 38652222 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00946-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Chordomas are malignant tumors that destroy bones, compress surrounding nerve tissues and exhibit phenotypes that recapitulate notochordal differentiation in the axial skeleton. Chordomas recur frequently, as they resist radio-chemotherapy and are difficult to completely resect, leading to repeated bone destruction and local expansion via unknown mechanisms. Here, using chordoma specimens and JHC7 chordoma cells, we asked whether chordoma cells possess bone-dissolving activity. METHODS CT imaging and histological analysis were performed to evaluate the structure and mineral density of chordoma-invaded bone and osteolytic marker expression. JHC7 cells were subjected to immunocytochemistry, imaging of cell fusion, calcium dynamics and acidic vacuoles, and bone lysis assays. RESULTS In patients, we found that the skull base invaded by chordoma was highly porous, showed low mineral density and contained brachyury-positive chordoma cells and conventional osteoclasts both expressing the osteolytic markers tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and collagenases. JHC7 cells expressed TRAP and cathepsin K, became multinucleated via cell-cell fusion, showed spontaneous calcium oscillation, and were partly responsive to the osteoclastogenic cytokine RANKL. JHC7 cells exhibited large acidic vacuoles, and nonregulatory bone degradation without forming actin rings. Finally, bone-derived factors, calcium ions, TGF-β1, and IGF-1 enhanced JHC7 cell proliferation. CONCLUSION In chordoma, we propose that in addition to conventional bone resorption by osteoclasts, chordoma cells possess bone-dissolving activity at the tumor-bone boundary. Furthermore, bone destruction and tumor expansion may occur in a positive feedback loop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhiro Kawaai
- Laboratory of Cell and Tissue Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yumiko Oishi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kuroda
- Laboratory of Cell and Tissue Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryota Tamura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Toda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Matsuo
- Laboratory of Cell and Tissue Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan.
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4
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Chase DH, Bebenek AM, Nie P, Jaime-Figueroa S, Butrin A, Castro DA, Hines J, Linhares BM, Crews CM. Development of a Small Molecule Downmodulator for the Transcription Factor Brachyury. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202316496. [PMID: 38348945 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202316496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Brachyury is an oncogenic transcription factor whose overexpression drives chordoma growth. The downmodulation of brachyury in chordoma cells has demonstrated therapeutic potential, however, as a transcription factor it is classically deemed "undruggable". Given that direct pharmacological intervention against brachyury has proven difficult, attempts at intervention have instead targeted upstream kinases. Recently, afatinib, an FDA-approved kinase inhibitor, has been shown to modulate brachyury levels in multiple chordoma cell lines. Herein, we use afatinib as a lead to undertake a structure-based drug design approach, aided by mass-spectrometry and X-ray crystallography, to develop DHC-156, a small molecule that more selectively binds brachyury and downmodulates it as potently as afatinib. We eliminated kinase-inhibition from this novel scaffold while demonstrating that DHC-156 induces the post-translational downmodulation of brachyury that results in an irreversible impairment of chordoma tumor cell growth. In doing so, we demonstrate the feasibility of direct brachyury modulation, which may further be developed into more potent tool compounds and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davis H Chase
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - Adrian M Bebenek
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - Pengju Nie
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - Saul Jaime-Figueroa
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - Arseniy Butrin
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - Danielle A Castro
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - John Hines
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - Brian M Linhares
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
| | - Craig M Crews
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT-06511
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Hoch CC, Knoedler L, Knoedler S, Bashiri Dezfouli A, Schmidl B, Trill A, Douglas JE, Adappa ND, Stögbauer F, Wollenberg B. Integrated Molecular and Histological Insights for Targeted Therapies in Mesenchymal Sinonasal Tract Tumors. Curr Oncol Rep 2024; 26:272-291. [PMID: 38376625 PMCID: PMC10920452 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-024-01506-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of mesenchymal sinonasal tract tumors (STTs), a distinct subset of STTs. Despite their rarity, mesenchymal STTs represent a unique clinical challenge, characterized by their rarity, often slow progression, and frequently subtle or overlooked symptoms. The complex anatomy of the sinonasal area, which includes critical structures such as the orbit, brain, and cranial nerves, further complicates surgical treatment options. This underscores an urgent need for more advanced and specialized therapeutic approaches. RECENT FINDINGS Advancements in molecular diagnostics, particularly in next-generation sequencing, have significantly enhanced our understanding of STTs. Consequently, the World Health Organization has updated its tumor classification to better reflect the distinct histological and molecular profiles of these tumors, as well as to categorize mesenchymal STTs with greater accuracy. The growing understanding of the molecular characteristics of mesenchymal STTs opens new possibilities for targeted therapeutic interventions, marking a significant shift in treatment paradigms. This review article concentrates on mesenchymal STTs, specifically addressing sinonasal tract angiofibroma, sinonasal glomangiopericytoma, biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma, and skull base chordoma. These entities are marked by unique histopathological and molecular features, which challenge conventional treatment approaches and simultaneously open avenues for novel targeted therapies. Our discussion is geared towards delineating the molecular underpinnings of mesenchymal STTs, with the objective of enhancing therapeutic strategies and addressing the existing shortcomings in the management of these intricate tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosima C Hoch
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonard Knoedler
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel Knoedler
- Institute of Regenerative Biology and Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ali Bashiri Dezfouli
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich (TranslaTUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany
| | - Benedikt Schmidl
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Anskar Trill
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich (TranslaTUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany
| | - Jennifer E Douglas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nithin D Adappa
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fabian Stögbauer
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara Wollenberg
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany.
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Varachev V, Shekhtman A, Guskov D, Rogozhin D, Zasedatelev A, Nasedkina T. Diagnostics of IDH1/2 Mutations in Intracranial Chondroid Tumors: Comparison of Molecular Genetic Methods and Immunohistochemistry. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:200. [PMID: 38248076 PMCID: PMC10814347 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14020200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Intracranial chondroid tumors are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by the presence of a cartilage matrix. These tumors exhibit overlapping clinical and histological features. Mutations in IDH1/2 genes serve as important diagnostic markers of tumor type, particularly chondrosarcoma. To improve the accuracy of IDH1/2 diagnostics, we compared three methods: biochip assay, real-time PCR with DNA melting analysis using TaqMan probes and sequencing (qPCR-DMA-Sanger), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Tumor samples from 96 patients were investigated. The IDH1 mutations were detected in 34/64 (53%) chondrosarcomas; IHC detected 27/56 (48.2%) mutations, the qPCR-DMA-Sanger method 27/59 (46%) mutations, and the biochip assay revealed 29/60 (48.3%) mutations. The detection of IDH1 mutations in chordoma (2/15) and osteosarcoma (2/7) suggested the need for a revised diagnosis. In benign tumors, IDH1 mutations were present in chondroma (4/6), but absent in chondromyxoid fibroma (0/4). The most frequent IDH1 mutations were R132C (60%), R132L, and R132G (13.5% each), R132H (8%), and R132S (5%). The concordance between the biochip assay and IHC was 90%, between IHC and PCR-DMA-Sanger 83%, and between biochip assay and qPCR-DMA-Sanger was 98%, respectively. No IDH2 mutations were found. The use of independent diagnostic methods may improve the detection of IDH-mutant specimens in chondroid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vyacheslav Varachev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (V.V.); (D.G.); (A.Z.)
| | - Anastasia Shekhtman
- N.N. Burdenko National Medical Research Center of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 125047 Moscow, Russia;
- Russian Children’s Clinical Hospital, N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 119571 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Dmitrii Guskov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (V.V.); (D.G.); (A.Z.)
| | - Dmitrii Rogozhin
- Russian Children’s Clinical Hospital, N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 119571 Moscow, Russia;
- N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 115522 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Zasedatelev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (V.V.); (D.G.); (A.Z.)
| | - Tatiana Nasedkina
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (V.V.); (D.G.); (A.Z.)
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7
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Şişli HB, Hayal TB, Şenkal S, Bulut E, Kıratlı B, Asutay AB, Şahin F, Bayrak ÖF, Doğan A. Activation of Wnt Pathway Suppresses Growth of MUG-Chor1 Chordoma Cell Line. Cell Biochem Biophys 2023; 81:823-837. [PMID: 37751039 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-023-01178-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Chordoma as a malignant bone tumor, occurs along the axial skeleton and does not have an effective therapy. Brachyury, which is a crucial player for the formation of early embryonic notochord, is abundantly found in both sporadic and familial chordoma. During embryonic development, Brachyury expression was reported to be regulated by the Wnt pathway. The objective of the study is to investigate the role of Wnt signaling in a human chordoma cell line in terms of proliferation, survival, and invasiveness. We tried to elucidate the signaling events that regulate Chordoma cancer. In this regard, Wnt pathway was activated or inhibited using various strategies including small molecules, siRNA-based knockdown and overexpression applications. The results indicated the negative regulatory effect of Wnt signaling activity on proliferation and migration capacity of the chordoma cells. It was revealed that when GSK3β was inhibited, the Wnt pathway was activated and negatively regulated T/Bra expression. Activity of the Wnt pathway caused cell cycle arrest, reduced migration potential of the cells, and led to cell death. Therefore, the present study suggests that the Wnt pathway plays a key role in suppressing the proliferation and invasive characteristics of human chordoma cells and has a great potential as a therapeutic target in further clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatice Burcu Şişli
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Taha Bartu Hayal
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Selinay Şenkal
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Ezgi Bulut
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Binnur Kıratlı
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Ayla Burçin Asutay
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Fikrettin Şahin
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Ömer Faruk Bayrak
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey
| | - Ayşegül Doğan
- Faculty of Engineering, Genetics and Bioengineering Department, Yeditepe University, İstanbul, 34755, Turkey.
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8
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Kemmler CL, Smolikova J, Moran HR, Mannion BJ, Knapp D, Lim F, Czarkwiani A, Hermosilla Aguayo V, Rapp V, Fitch OE, Bötschi S, Selleri L, Farley E, Braasch I, Yun M, Visel A, Osterwalder M, Mosimann C, Kozmik Z, Burger A. Conserved enhancers control notochord expression of vertebrate Brachyury. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6594. [PMID: 37852970 PMCID: PMC10584899 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42151-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell type-specific expression of key transcription factors is central to development and disease. Brachyury/T/TBXT is a major transcription factor for gastrulation, tailbud patterning, and notochord formation; however, how its expression is controlled in the mammalian notochord has remained elusive. Here, we identify the complement of notochord-specific enhancers in the mammalian Brachyury/T/TBXT gene. Using transgenic assays in zebrafish, axolotl, and mouse, we discover three conserved Brachyury-controlling notochord enhancers, T3, C, and I, in human, mouse, and marsupial genomes. Acting as Brachyury-responsive, auto-regulatory shadow enhancers, in cis deletion of all three enhancers in mouse abolishes Brachyury/T/Tbxt expression selectively in the notochord, causing specific trunk and neural tube defects without gastrulation or tailbud defects. The three Brachyury-driving notochord enhancers are conserved beyond mammals in the brachyury/tbxtb loci of fishes, dating their origin to the last common ancestor of jawed vertebrates. Our data define the vertebrate enhancers for Brachyury/T/TBXTB notochord expression through an auto-regulatory mechanism that conveys robustness and adaptability as ancient basis for axis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassie L Kemmler
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jana Smolikova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hannah R Moran
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brandon J Mannion
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Comparative Biochemistry Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Dunja Knapp
- Technische Universität Dresden, CRTD Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabian Lim
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anna Czarkwiani
- Technische Universität Dresden, CRTD Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Viviana Hermosilla Aguayo
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Rapp
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Olivia E Fitch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Seraina Bötschi
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Licia Selleri
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emma Farley
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ingo Braasch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Maximina Yun
- Technische Universität Dresden, CRTD Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Axel Visel
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Marco Osterwalder
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian Mosimann
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Zbynek Kozmik
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Alexa Burger
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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9
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Xu J, Shi Q, Wang B, Ji T, Guo W, Ren T, Tang X. The role of tumor immune microenvironment in chordoma: promising immunotherapy strategies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1257254. [PMID: 37720221 PMCID: PMC10502727 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1257254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare malignant bone tumor with limited therapeutic options, which is resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and targeted therapy is also shown with little efficacy. The long-standing delay in researching its mechanisms of occurrence and development has resulted in the dilemma of no effective treatment targets and no available drugs in clinical practice. In recent years, the role of the tumor immune microenvironment in driving tumor growth has become a hot and challenging topic in the field of cancer research. Immunotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of various tumors. However, the study of the immune microenvironment of chordoma is still in its infancy. In this review, we aim to present a comprehensive reveal of previous exploration on the chordoma immune microenvironment and propose promising immunotherapy strategies for chordoma based on these characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuhui Xu
- Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qianyu Shi
- Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Boyang Wang
- Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Ji
- Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Ren
- Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Tang
- Department of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Tumor, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
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10
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Kemmler CL, Smolikova J, Moran HR, Mannion BJ, Knapp D, Lim F, Czarkwiani A, Hermosilla Aguayo V, Rapp V, Fitch OE, Bötschi S, Selleri L, Farley E, Braasch I, Yun M, Visel A, Osterwalder M, Mosimann C, Kozmik Z, Burger A. Conserved enhancer logic controls the notochord expression of vertebrate Brachyury. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.20.536761. [PMID: 37131681 PMCID: PMC10153258 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.20.536761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The cell type-specific expression of key transcription factors is central to development. Brachyury/T/TBXT is a major transcription factor for gastrulation, tailbud patterning, and notochord formation; however, how its expression is controlled in the mammalian notochord has remained elusive. Here, we identify the complement of notochord-specific enhancers in the mammalian Brachyury/T/TBXT gene. Using transgenic assays in zebrafish, axolotl, and mouse, we discover three Brachyury-controlling notochord enhancers T3, C, and I in human, mouse, and marsupial genomes. Acting as Brachyury-responsive, auto-regulatory shadow enhancers, deletion of all three enhancers in mouse abolishes Brachyury/T expression selectively in the notochord, causing specific trunk and neural tube defects without gastrulation or tailbud defects. Sequence and functional conservation of Brachyury-driving notochord enhancers with the brachyury/tbxtb loci from diverse lineages of fishes dates their origin to the last common ancestor of jawed vertebrates. Our data define the enhancers for Brachyury/T/TBXTB notochord expression as ancient mechanism in axis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassie L. Kemmler
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jana Smolikova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hannah R. Moran
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brandon J. Mannion
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Comparative Biochemistry Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Dunja Knapp
- Technische Universität Dresden, CRTD/Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabian Lim
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anna Czarkwiani
- Technische Universität Dresden, CRTD/Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Viviana Hermosilla Aguayo
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Rapp
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Olivia E. Fitch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Seraina Bötschi
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Licia Selleri
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emma Farley
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Ingo Braasch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Maximina Yun
- Technische Universität Dresden, CRTD/Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Axel Visel
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Marco Osterwalder
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Cardiology, Berne University Hospital, Berne, Switzerland
| | - Christian Mosimann
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Zbynek Kozmik
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alexa Burger
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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11
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Halvorsen SC, Benita Y, Hopton M, Hoppe B, Gunnlaugsson HO, Korgaonkar P, Vanderburg CR, Nielsen GP, Trepanowski N, Cheah JH, Frosch MP, Schwab JH, Rosenberg AE, Hornicek FJ, Sassi S. Transcriptional Profiling Supports the Notochordal Origin of Chordoma and Its Dependence on a TGFΒ1-TBXT Network. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 193:532-547. [PMID: 36804377 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2023.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare malignant tumor demonstrating notochordal differentiation. It is dependent on brachyury (TBXT), a hallmark notochordal gene and transcription factor, and shares histologic features and the same anatomic location as the notochord. In this study, we perform a molecular comparison of chordoma and notochord to identify dysregulated cellular pathways. The lack of a molecular reference from appropriate control tissue limits our understanding of chordoma and its relationship to notochord. Accordingly, we conducted an unbiased comparison of chordoma, human notochord, and an atlas of normal and cancerous tissue using gene expression profiling to clarify the chordoma/notochord relationship and potentially identify novel drug targets. We found striking consistency in gene expression profiles between chordoma and notochord, supporting the hypothesis that chordoma develops from notochordal remnants. We identified a 12-gene diagnostic chordoma signature and found that the TBXT/transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/SOX6/SOX9 pathway is hyperactivated in the tumor, suggesting that pathways associated with chondrogenesis are a central driver of chordoma development. Experimental validation in chordoma cells confirms these findings and emphasizes the dependence of chordoma proliferation and survival on TGF-β. Our computational and experimental evidence provides the first molecular connection between notochord and chordoma and identifies core members of a chordoma regulatory pathway involving TBXT. This pathway provides new therapeutic targets for this unique malignant neoplasm and highlights TGF-β as a prime druggable candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan C Halvorsen
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yair Benita
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Megan Hopton
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brooke Hoppe
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hilmar Orn Gunnlaugsson
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Parimal Korgaonkar
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Charles R Vanderburg
- Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - G Petur Nielsen
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicole Trepanowski
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jaime H Cheah
- High Throughput Sciences Facility, Koch Institute of MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Joseph H Schwab
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew E Rosenberg
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Francis J Hornicek
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Slim Sassi
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
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12
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Jae-Min Park A, McDowell S, Mesfin A. Management of Chordoma of the Sacrum and Mobile Spine. JBJS Rev 2022; 10:01874474-202212000-00004. [PMID: 36639876 DOI: 10.2106/jbjs.rvw.22.00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
➢ Chordomas account for 1% to 4% of primary tumors of the spine and sacrum. ➢ En bloc resection is the preferred surgical treatment for the management of chordomas. ➢ Proton beam radiation is increasingly being used as a postoperative radiation modality for the treatment of chordomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jae-Min Park
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Physical Performance, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, New York
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13
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Freed DM, Sommer J, Punturi N. Emerging target discovery and drug repurposing opportunities in chordoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1009193. [PMID: 36387127 PMCID: PMC9647139 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1009193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of effective and personalized treatment options for patients with rare cancers like chordoma is hampered by numerous challenges. Biomarker-guided repurposing of therapies approved in other indications remains the fastest path to redefining the treatment paradigm, but chordoma's low mutation burden limits the impact of genomics in target discovery and precision oncology efforts. As our knowledge of oncogenic mechanisms across various malignancies has matured, it's become increasingly clear that numerous properties of tumors transcend their genomes - leading to new and uncharted frontiers of therapeutic opportunity. In this review, we discuss how the implementation of cutting-edge tools and approaches is opening new windows into chordoma's vulnerabilities. We also note how a convergence of emerging observations in chordoma and other cancers is leading to the identification and evaluation of new therapeutic hypotheses for this rare cancer.
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14
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Park M, Park I, Hong CK, Kim SH, Cha YJ. Differences in stromal component of chordoma are associated with contrast enhancement in MRI and differential gene expression in RNA sequencing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16504. [PMID: 36192442 PMCID: PMC9529962 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20787-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordoma is a malignant bone neoplasm demonstrating notochordal differentiation and it frequently involves axial skeleton. Most of chordomas are conventional type with varying amount of myxoid stroma. Previously known prognostic factors for conventional chordoma are not specific for chordoma: old age, metastasis, tumor extent, and respectability. Here, we aimed to investigate the histologic, radiologic, and transcriptomic differences in conventional chordoma based on the stromal component. A total of 45 patients diagnosed with conventional chordoma were selected between May 2011 and March 2020 from a single institution. Electronic medical records, pathology slides, and pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were reviewed. Of the 45 patients, ten cases (4 stroma-rich and 6 stroma-poor tumor) were selected for RNA sequencing, and available cases in the remainder were used for measuring target gene mRNA expression with qPCR for validation. Differential gene expression and gene set analysis were performed. Based on histologic evaluation, there were 25 (55.6%) stroma-rich and 20 (44.4%) stroma-poor cases. No clinical differences were found between the two groups. Radiologically, stroma-rich chordomas showed significant signal enhancement on MRI (72.4% vs 27.6%, p = 0.002). Upregulated genes in stroma-rich chordomas were cartilage-, collagen/extracellular matrix-, and tumor metastasis/progression-associated genes. Contrarily, tumor suppressor genes were downregulated in stroma-rich chordomas. On survival analysis, Kaplan–Meier plot was separated that showed inferior outcome of stroma-rich group, although statistically insignificant. In conclusion, the abundant stromal component of conventional chordoma enhanced well on MRI and possibly contributed to the biological aggressiveness that supported by transcriptomic characteristics. Further extensive investigation regarding radiologic-pathologic-transcriptomic correlation in conventional chordoma in a larger cohort could verify additional clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Park
- Department of Radiology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Inho Park
- Center for Precision Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Pathology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chang-Ki Hong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Neurosurgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Se Hoon Kim
- Department of Pathology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoon Jin Cha
- Department of Pathology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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15
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Updates in Pathology for Retroperitoneal Soft Tissue Sarcoma. Curr Oncol 2022; 29:6400-6418. [PMID: 36135073 PMCID: PMC9497884 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol29090504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Retroperitoneal tumors are extremely rare. More than 70% of primary retroperitoneal soft tissue tumors are malignant. The most common sarcomas in the retroperitoneum include liposarcomas and leiomyosarcoma, however other sarcomas, along with benign mesenchymal tumors, can occur. Sarcomas are a heterogenous group of tumors with overlapping microscopic features, posing a diagnostic challenge for the pathologist. Correct tumor classification has become important for prognostication and the evolving targeted therapies for sarcoma subtypes. In this review, the pathology of retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas is discussed, which is important to the surgical oncologist. In addition, less common sarcomas and benign mesenchymal tumors of the retroperitoneum, which may mimic sarcoma clinically and pathologically, are also discussed.
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16
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Huo X, Wang K, Song L, Yang Y, Zhu S, Ma J, Tian K, Fan Y, Wang L, Wu Z. Bibliometric analysis of publication trends in chordoma research (1992−2021). INTERDISCIPLINARY NEUROSURGERY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inat.2022.101589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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17
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Bozsodi A, Scholtz B, Papp G, Sapi Z, Biczo A, Varga PP, Lazary A. Potential molecular mechanism in self-renewal is associated with miRNA dysregulation in sacral chordoma - A next-generation RNA sequencing study. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10227. [PMID: 36033338 PMCID: PMC9404356 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chordoma, the most frequent malignant primary spinal neoplasm, characterized by a high rate of recurrence, is an orphan disease where the clarification of the molecular oncogenesis would be crucial to developing new, effective therapies. Dysregulated expression of non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs (miRNA) has a significant role in cancer development. Methods Next-generation RNA sequencing (NGS) was used for the combinatorial analysis of mRNA-miRNA gene expression profiles in sacral chordoma and nucleus pulposus samples. Advanced bioinformatics workflow was applied to the data to predict miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks with altered activity in chordoma. Results A large set of significantly dysregulated miRNAs in chordoma and their differentially expressed target genes have been identified. Several molecular pathways related to tumorigenesis and the modulation of the immune system are predicted to be dysregulated due to aberrant miRNA expression in chordoma. We identified a gene set including key regulators of the Hippo pathway, which is targeted by differently expressed miRNAs, and validated their altered expression by RT-qPCR. These newly identified miRNA/RNA interactions are predicted to have a role in the self-renewal process of chordoma stem cells, which might sustain the high rate of recurrence for this tumor. Conclusions Our results can significantly contribute to the designation of possible targets for the development of anti-chordoma therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpad Bozsodi
- National Center for Spinal Disorders, Buda Health Center, Királyhágó u. 1-3, Budapest, H-1126, Hungary
- School of PhD Studies, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Beata Scholtz
- Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatic Core Facility, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98, Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary
| | - Gergo Papp
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Zoltan Sapi
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Adam Biczo
- National Center for Spinal Disorders, Buda Health Center, Királyhágó u. 1-3, Budapest, H-1126, Hungary
| | - Peter Pal Varga
- National Center for Spinal Disorders, Buda Health Center, Királyhágó u. 1-3, Budapest, H-1126, Hungary
| | - Aron Lazary
- National Center for Spinal Disorders, Buda Health Center, Királyhágó u. 1-3, Budapest, H-1126, Hungary
- Department of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopaedics, Semmelweis University, Királyhágó u. 1-3, Budapest, H-1126, Hungary
- Corresponding author.
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18
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Passeri T, Dahmani A, Masliah-Planchon J, Naguez A, Michou M, El Botty R, Vacher S, Bouarich R, Nicolas A, Polivka M, Franck C, Schnitzler A, Némati F, Roman-Roman S, Bourdeaut F, Adle-Biassette H, Mammar H, Froelich S, Bièche I, Decaudin D. Dramatic In Vivo Efficacy of the EZH2-Inhibitor Tazemetostat in PBRM1-Mutated Human Chordoma Xenograft. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14061486. [PMID: 35326637 PMCID: PMC8946089 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14061486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Chordomas are rare bone tumors characterized by a high recurrence rate. Presently, no medical treatment is available for advanced diseases due to the lack of molecular data and preclinical models. The current study showed the establishment and characterization of the largest panel chordoma xenografts, allowing pharmacological studies. In one PBRM1-mutated model, we demonstrated a strong therapeutic efficacy of the EZH2-inhibitor tazemetostat, encouraging further research on EZH2-inhibitors in chordomas. Abstract Chordomas are rare neoplasms characterized by a high recurrence rate and a poor long-term prognosis. Considering their chemo-/radio-resistance, alternative treatment strategies are strongly required, but their development is limited by the paucity of relevant preclinical models. Mutations affecting genes of the SWI/SNF complexes are frequently found in chordomas, suggesting a potential therapeutic effect of epigenetic regulators in this pathology. Twelve PDX models were established and characterized on histological and biomolecular features. Patients whose tumors were able to grow into mice had a statistically significant lower progression-free survival than those whose tumors did not grow after in vivo transplantation (p = 0.007). All PDXs maintained the same histopathological features as patients’ tumors. Homozygous deletions of CDKN2A/2B (58.3%) and PBRM1 (25%) variants were the most common genomic alterations found. In the tazemetostat treated PDX model harboring a PBRM1 variant, an overall survival of 100% was observed. Our panel of chordoma PDXs represents a useful preclinical tool for both pharmacologic and biological assessments. The first demonstration of a high antitumor activity of tazemetostat in a PDX model harboring a PBRM1 variant supports further evaluation for EZH2-inhibitors in this subgroup of chordomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Passeri
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (T.P.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (M.M.); (R.E.B.); (F.N.)
- Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (J.M.-P.); (S.V.); (C.F.); (A.S.); (I.B.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lariboisière Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, 75010 Paris, France;
| | - Ahmed Dahmani
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (T.P.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (M.M.); (R.E.B.); (F.N.)
| | - Julien Masliah-Planchon
- Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (J.M.-P.); (S.V.); (C.F.); (A.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Adnan Naguez
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (T.P.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (M.M.); (R.E.B.); (F.N.)
| | - Marine Michou
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (T.P.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (M.M.); (R.E.B.); (F.N.)
| | - Rania El Botty
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (T.P.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (M.M.); (R.E.B.); (F.N.)
| | - Sophie Vacher
- Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (J.M.-P.); (S.V.); (C.F.); (A.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Rachida Bouarich
- Integrated Cancer Research Site, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France; (R.B.); (F.B.)
| | - André Nicolas
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Marc Polivka
- Department of Pathology, Lariboisière Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, UMR 1141 Inserm, 75010 Paris, France; (M.P.); (H.A.-B.)
| | - Coralie Franck
- Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (J.M.-P.); (S.V.); (C.F.); (A.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Anne Schnitzler
- Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (J.M.-P.); (S.V.); (C.F.); (A.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Fariba Némati
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (T.P.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (M.M.); (R.E.B.); (F.N.)
| | - Sergio Roman-Roman
- Department of Translational Research, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Franck Bourdeaut
- Integrated Cancer Research Site, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France; (R.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Homa Adle-Biassette
- Department of Pathology, Lariboisière Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, UMR 1141 Inserm, 75010 Paris, France; (M.P.); (H.A.-B.)
| | - Hamid Mammar
- Proton Therapy Center, Institut Curie, 91400 Orsay, France;
| | - Sébastien Froelich
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lariboisière Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, 75010 Paris, France;
| | - Ivan Bièche
- Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (J.M.-P.); (S.V.); (C.F.); (A.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Didier Decaudin
- Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation, Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, University of Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France; (T.P.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (M.M.); (R.E.B.); (F.N.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-1-56-24-62-40
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19
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Guinebretière JM, de Pinieux G. Les tumeurs notochordales : de la notochorde au chordome. Ann Pathol 2022; 42:249-258. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annpat.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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20
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Jalessi M, Gholami MS, Razmara E, Hassanzadeh S, Sadeghipour A, Jahanbakhshi A, Tabibkhooei A, Bahrami E, Falah M. Association between TBXT rs2305089 polymorphism and chordoma in Iranian patients identified by a developed T-ARMS-PCR assay. J Clin Lab Anal 2021; 36:e24150. [PMID: 34837714 PMCID: PMC8761424 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chordoma is a locally aggressive bone tumor with a high capability of recurrence. Because chordoma often occurs at critical locations next to neurovascular structures, there is an urgent need to introduce validated biomarkers. T‐box transcription factor T (TBXT; OMIM: 601397) plays an important role in the pathogenesis and survival of chordoma cells. Methods Herein, we aimed to show whether rs2305089 polymorphism is correlated with chordoma in the Iranian population. In order to detect rs2305089, tetra‐primer amplification refractory mutation system‐polymerase chain reaction (T‐ARMS‐PCR) was used. In total, 19 chordoma patients and 108 normal healthy individuals were recruited and screened using T‐ARMS‐PCR. The results were subsequently validated by Sanger sequencing. Results The genotype distributions and allele frequencies were significantly different among the patient and healthy groups (p‐value <0.05). The A allele of rs2305089 showed a significant positive association with chordoma risk (p‐value <0.05). DNA sequencing verified the T‐ARMS‐PCR results as well. This study demonstrated the association between TBXT rs2305089 and chordoma in an Iranian population using a simple, accurate, and cost‐effective T‐ARMS‐PCR assay. Conclusions Our results were in line with those of previous studies showing that TBXT rs2305089 is associated with chordoma development. We also developed an efficient T‐ARMS‐PCR assay to determine the genotype of rs2305089.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Jalessi
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Saeed Gholami
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ehsan Razmara
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sajad Hassanzadeh
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Sadeghipour
- Pathology Department, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amin Jahanbakhshi
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Tabibkhooei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Eshagh Bahrami
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Falah
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Health Institute, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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21
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Abstract
This review provides an overview of the spectrum of tumors showing notochordal differentiation. This spectrum encompasses benign entities that are mostly discovered incidentally on imaging, reported as benign notochordal cell tumor, usually not requiring surgical intervention; slowly growing and histologically low-grade tumors referred to as conventional chordoma but associated with a significant metastatic potential and mortality; and more aggressive disease represented by histologically higher-grade tumors including dedifferentiated chordoma, a high-grade biphasic tumor characterized by a conventional chordoma juxtaposed to a high-grade sarcoma, usually with a spindle or pleomorphic cell morphology, and associated with a poor prognosis and poorly differentiated chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Tirabosco
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4LP, UK.
| | - Paul O'Donnell
- Department of Radiology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4LP, UK
| | - Adrienne M Flanagan
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4LP, UK; UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1 E 6DD, UK
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22
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Sumransub N, Murugan P, Marette S, Clohisy DR, Skubitz KM. Multiple malignant tumors in a patient with familial chordoma, a case report. BMC Med Genomics 2021; 14:213. [PMID: 34465320 PMCID: PMC8406958 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-021-01064-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chordoma is a rare bone tumor that is typically resistant to chemotherapy and is associated with genetic abnormalities of the T-box transcription factor T (TBXT) gene, which encodes the transcription factor brachyury. Brachyury is felt to be a major contributor to the development of chordomas. CASE PRESENTATION We describe a 67-year-old woman who developed an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in her thigh. Despite treatment with standard chemotherapy regimens, she had a rapidly progressive course of disease with pulmonary metastases and passed away 8 months from diagnosis with pulmonary complications. Her medical history was remarkable in that she had a spheno-occipital chordoma at age 39 and later developed multiple other tumors throughout her life including Hodgkin lymphoma and squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma of the skin. She had a family history of chordoma and her family underwent extensive genetic study in the past and were found to have a duplication of the TBXT gene. CONCLUSIONS Brachyury has been found to associate with tumor progression, treatment resistance, and metastasis in various epithelial cancers, and it might play roles in tumorigenesis and aggressiveness in this patient with multiple rare tumors and germ line duplication of the TBXT gene. Targeting this molecule may be useful for some malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuttavut Sumransub
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Paari Murugan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- The Masonic Cancer Center, 425 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Shelly Marette
- The Masonic Cancer Center, 425 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Department of Radiology, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Denis R Clohisy
- The Masonic Cancer Center, 425 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2450 Riverside Ave Suite R200, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA
| | - Keith M Skubitz
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- The Masonic Cancer Center, 425 E River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE MMC 480, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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23
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Abstract
CONTEXT.— Chordomas are uncommon malignant neoplasms with notochordal differentiation encountered by neuropathologists, bone/soft tissue pathologists, and general surgical pathologists. These lesions most commonly arise in the axial skeleton. Optimal therapy typically involves complete surgical resection, which is often technically difficult owing to the anatomic location, leading to a high rate of recurrence. Lesions have been generally resistant to radiation and chemotherapy; however, experimental studies involving targeted therapy and immunotherapy are currently underway. OBJECTIVE.— To summarize the clinical and pathologic findings of the various types of chordoma (conventional chordoma, dedifferentiated chordoma, and poorly differentiated chordoma), the differential diagnosis, and recent advances in molecular pathogenesis and therapeutic modalities that are reliant on accurate diagnosis. DATA SOURCES.— Literature review based on PubMed searches containing the term "chordoma" that address novel targeted and immunomodulatory therapeutic modalities; ongoing clinical trials involved in treating chordoma with novel therapeutic modalities identified through the Chordoma Foundation and ClinicalTrials.gov; and the authors' practice experience combined with various authoritative texts concerning the subject. CONCLUSIONS.— Chordoma is a clinically and histologically unique malignant neoplasm, and numerous diagnostic considerations must be excluded to establish the correct diagnosis. Treatment options have largely been centered on surgical excision with marginal results; however, novel therapeutic options including targeted therapy and immunotherapy are promising means to improve prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Ulici
- From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Jesse Hart
- From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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24
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Zhao T, Siu IM, Williamson T, Zhang H, Ji C, Burger PC, Connis N, Ruzevick J, Xia M, Cottone L, Flanagan AM, Hann CL, Gallia GL. AZD8055 enhances in vivo efficacy of afatinib in chordomas. J Pathol 2021; 255:72-83. [PMID: 34124783 DOI: 10.1002/path.5739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Chordomas are primary bone tumors that arise in the cranial base, mobile spine, and sacrococcygeal region, affecting patients of all ages. Currently, there are no approved agents for chordoma patients. Here, we evaluated the anti-tumor efficacy of small molecule inhibitors that target oncogenic pathways in chordoma, as single agents and in combination, to identify novel therapeutic approaches with the greatest translational potential. A panel of small molecule compounds was screened in vivo against patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of chordoma, and potentially synergistic combinations were further evaluated using chordoma cell lines and xenograft models. Among the tested agents, inhibitors of EGFR (BIBX 1382, erlotinib, and afatinib), c-MET (crizotinib), and mTOR (AZD8055) significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo but did not induce tumor regression. Co-inhibition of EGFR and c-MET using erlotinib and crizotinib synergistically reduced cell viability in chordoma cell lines but did not result in enhanced in vivo activity. Co-inhibition of EGFR and mTOR pathways using afatinib and AZD8055 synergistically reduced cell viability in chordoma cell lines. Importantly, this dual inhibition completely suppressed tumor growth in vivo, showing improved tumor control. Together, these data demonstrate that individual inhibitors of EGFR, c-MET, and mTOR pathways suppress chordoma growth both in vitro and in vivo. mTOR inhibition increased the efficacy of EGFR inhibition on chordoma growth in several preclinical models. The insights gained from our study potentially provide a novel combination therapeutic strategy for patients with chordoma. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianna Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - I-Mei Siu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tara Williamson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Haoyu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chenchen Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter C Burger
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nick Connis
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Ruzevick
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Menghang Xia
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lucia Cottone
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Adrienne M Flanagan
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Histopathology Department, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Christine L Hann
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gary L Gallia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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25
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Tehrani SG, Kaltoft NS, Melchior LC, Loya AC. Extra-axial chordoma of the thumb: Report of a rare case with clinicopathologic and molecular analysis. Pathol Res Pract 2021; 225:153564. [PMID: 34340129 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2021.153564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chordoma is a very rare malignant tumor, with a phenotype that recapitulates notochord, and is chiefly located in the axial skeleton with only few cases reported in the extra-axial skeleton and soft tissues. The diagnosis can be challenging for both clinicians, radiologists and pathologists because of the rarity of tumor, its unspecific radiological pattern and histomorphological similarities to other tumors like extra-skeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, soft tissue myoepithelioma and metastatic adenocarcinomas, more so on small biopsies. We present a case of a recurrent extra-axial chordoma with a prominent soft tissue component in the left thumb around proximal phalanx of an 80-year-old man, with detailed report of the histopathological, imaging and most importantly molecular features, which are in conformity with the typical profile of notochordal neoplasms. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first DNA-methylation- and the copy number variation analysis of an extra-axial chordoma with a very rare localization, thumb. With this case study we try to give a better understanding of tumor's specification, lessen the diagnostic confusion by highlighting its extra-axial occurrence, and more importantly present substantial molecular data, which might help in providing more therapeutic opportunities in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Anand C Loya
- Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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26
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Yepes S, Shah NN, Bai J, Koka H, Li C, Gui S, McMaster ML, Xiao Y, Jones K, Wang M, Vogt A, Zhu B, Zhu B, Hutchinson A, Yeager M, Hicks B, Carter B, Freedman ND, Beane-Freeman L, Chanock SJ, Zhang Y, Parry DM, Yang XR, Goldstein AM. Rare Germline Variants in Chordoma-Related Genes and Chordoma Susceptibility. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112704. [PMID: 34070849 PMCID: PMC8197919 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Chordoma is an extremely rare bone cancer that has not been fully characterized and few risk factors have been identified, highlighting the need for improving our understanding of the disease biology. Our study aims to identify chordoma susceptibility genes by investigating 265 genes involved in chordoma-related signaling pathways and other biological processes on germline DNA of 138 chordoma patients of European ancestry compared to internal control datasets and general population databases. Results were intersected with whole genome sequencing data from 80 skull-base chordoma patients of Chinese ancestry. Several rare loss-of-function and predicted deleterious missense variants were enriched in chordoma cases in both datasets, suggesting a complex model of pathways potentially involved in chordoma development and susceptibility, warranting further investigation in larger studies. Abstract Background: Chordoma is a rare bone cancer with an unknown etiology. TBXT is the only chordoma susceptibility gene identified to date; germline single nucleotide variants and copy number variants in TBXT have been associated with chordoma susceptibility in familial and sporadic chordoma. However, the genetic susceptibility of chordoma remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated rare germline genetic variants in genes involved in TBXT/chordoma-related signaling pathways and other biological processes in chordoma patients from North America and China. Methods: We identified variants that were very rare in general population and internal control datasets and showed evidence for pathogenicity in 265 genes in a whole exome sequencing (WES) dataset of 138 chordoma patients of European ancestry and in a whole genome sequencing (WGS) dataset of 80 Chinese patients with skull base chordoma. Results: Rare and likely pathogenic variants were identified in 32 of 138 European ancestry patients (23%), including genes that are part of notochord development, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Sonic Hedgehog, SWI/SNF complex and mesoderm development pathways. Rare pathogenic variants in COL2A1, EXT1, PDK1, LRP2, TBXT and TSC2, among others, were also observed in Chinese patients. Conclusion: We identified several rare loss-of-function and predicted deleterious missense variants in germline DNA from patients with chordoma, which may influence chordoma predisposition and reflect a complex susceptibility, warranting further investigation in large studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Yepes
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Correspondence: (S.Y.); (A.M.G.)
| | - Nirav N. Shah
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Jiwei Bai
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing 100070, China; (J.B.); (C.L.); (S.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Hela Koka
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Chuzhong Li
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing 100070, China; (J.B.); (C.L.); (S.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Songbai Gui
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing 100070, China; (J.B.); (C.L.); (S.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Mary Lou McMaster
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Yanzi Xiao
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Kristine Jones
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Mingyi Wang
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Aurelie Vogt
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Bin Zhu
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Bin Zhu
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Amy Hutchinson
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Meredith Yeager
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Belynda Hicks
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Brian Carter
- American Cancer Society, Inc, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA;
| | - Neal D. Freedman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Laura Beane-Freeman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Stephen J. Chanock
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Yazhuo Zhang
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing 100070, China; (J.B.); (C.L.); (S.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Dilys M. Parry
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Xiaohong R. Yang
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
| | - Alisa M. Goldstein
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.N.S.); (H.K.); (M.L.M.); (Y.X.); (K.J.); (M.W.); (A.V.); (B.Z.); (B.Z.); (A.H.); (M.Y.); (B.H.); (N.D.F.); (L.B.-F.); (S.J.C.); (D.M.P.); (X.R.Y.)
- Correspondence: (S.Y.); (A.M.G.)
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27
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Lee SJ, Paeng SH, Kang MS, Jung SJ, Yoon SA, Park HY, Yoon HK, Yang YI, Cho HJ. Retropharyngeal chordoma extending to the spinal cord, mimicking a neurogenic tumor: a case report and literature review. J Int Med Res 2021; 49:300060521999566. [PMID: 33730897 PMCID: PMC8166386 DOI: 10.1177/0300060521999566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordomas are rare, locally aggressive bone malignancies with poor prognoses. However, those with minimal or no bone involvement are more easily resectable because of their well-delineated margins and thus have better prognoses. Such extraosseous chordomas of the spine are localized both intradurally and extradurally. Only a few case reports have focused on extraosseous, extradural spinal chordomas. Radiologically, this type of chordoma has a dumbbell shape; however, dumbbell-shaped spinal tumors are traditionally thought to be neurogenic tumors (i.e., schwannomas or neurofibromas). We herein report a unique case involving a woman with a dumbbell-shaped extraosseous chordoma protruding predominantly into the retropharyngeal space. A 44-year-old woman presented for evaluation of a left submandibular mass. A T2-hyperintense, gadolinium-enhancing mass was found in her cervical spinal canal, protruding through the C2/3 neural foramen into the retropharyngeal space with minimal vertebral involvement. The initial diagnosis was a neurogenic tumor, most likely a schwannoma. After subtotal removal, the pathologic diagnosis was a chordoma. Because chordomas and schwannomas have significantly different prognoses, caution is warranted when a dumbbell-shaped tumor is identified in the spine with minimal or no vertebral deterioration on radiology. This report also provides the first thorough review of extraosseous dumbbell-shaped intraspinal–extraspinal chordomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Joo Lee
- Department of Radiology, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Hwa Paeng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Seon Kang
- Department of Pathology, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Jin Jung
- Department of Pathology, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin Ae Yoon
- Department of Pediatrics, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha Young Park
- Department of Pathology, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Kyoung Yoon
- Department of Pathology, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Il Yang
- Department of Pathology, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwa Jin Cho
- Department of Pathology, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
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Dridi M, Boutonnat J, Dumollard JM, Peoc'h M, Karpathiou G. Patterns of brachyury expression in chordomas. Ann Diagn Pathol 2021; 53:151760. [PMID: 33989961 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2021.151760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chordomas are rare malignant midline tumors, presumed to arise from notochordal remnants. This was further suggested by the discovery of the brachyury in chordomas pathogenesis. Its immunohistochemical expression has become the principal adjunct in the diagnosis of chordomas. However, studies about brachyury expression in chordomas are not fully comparable, mainly because they use different primary antibodies. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the expression of brachyury expression in a series of chordomas in conjunction to clinicopathological characteristics and to review the relevant literature providing all the details needed in the immunohistochemical study of brachyury. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retrospective study of 62 chordomas, diagnosed over a 22-year period. No dedifferentiated or poorly differentiated cases were included. A monoclonal primary antibody (clone A-4) was used and brachyury expression was evaluated by the H-score. Clinicopathological parameters studied were age, sex, tumor localization, decalcification status and tissue age. Fetal notochords were used for comparison. RESULTS Mean H-score of nuclear brachyury expression was 129.8. The tissue age significantly influenced brachyury expression, the older samples expressing less brachyury. Decalcification demonstrated a trend to weaken brachyury expression. Clinical characteristics were not correlated with the patterns of brachyury expression. Notochords were negative. Literature review reveals several polyclonal antibodies used and a positivity of 75%-100% in chordomas with even more variable results in notochords. CONCLUSION In chordomas, as in other tumor types, an uniformization of studies about brachyury expression is needed, by considering the clone used, and the decalcification and the age of the sample, given the growing importance of brachyury in diagnosis and therapeutic steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maroa Dridi
- Pathology Departments, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, France
| | | | | | - Michel Peoc'h
- Pathology Departments, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, France
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29
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DeMaria PJ, Bilusic M, Park DM, Heery CR, Donahue RN, Madan RA, Bagheri MH, Strauss J, Shen V, Marté JL, Steinberg SM, Schlom J, Gilbert MR, Gulley JL. Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase II Study of Yeast-Brachyury Vaccine (GI-6301) in Combination with Standard-of-Care Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced, Unresectable Chordoma. Oncologist 2021; 26:e847-e858. [PMID: 33594772 PMCID: PMC8100546 DOI: 10.1002/onco.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brachyury is a transcription factor overexpressed in chordoma and is associated with chemotherapy resistance and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. GI-6301 is a recombinant, heat-killed Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast-based vaccine targeting brachyury. A previous phase I trial of GI-6301 demonstrated a signal of clinical activity in chordomas. This trial evaluated synergistic effects of GI-6301 vaccine plus radiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Adults with locally advanced, unresectable chordoma were treated on a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Patients received three doses of GI-6301 (80 × 107 yeast cells) or placebo followed by radiation, followed by continued vaccine or placebo until progression. Primary endpoint was overall response rate, defined as a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) in the irradiated tumor site at 24 months. Immune assays were conducted to evaluate immunogenicity. RESULTS Between May 2015 and September 2019, 24 patients enrolled on the first randomized phase II study in chordoma. There was one PR in each arm; no CRs were observed. Median progressive-free survival for vaccine and placebo arms was 20.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7-37.5 months) and 25.9 months (95% CI, 9.2-30.8 months), respectively. Hazard ratio was 1.02 (95% CI, 0.38-2.71). Vaccine was well tolerated with no vaccine-related serious adverse events. Preexisting brachyury-specific T cells were detected in most patients in both arms. Most patients developed T-cell responses during therapy, with no difference between arms in frequency or magnitude of response. CONCLUSION No difference in overall response rate was observed, leading to early discontinuation of this trial due to low conditional power to detect statistical difference at the planned end of accrual. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Chordoma is a rare neoplasm lacking effective systemic therapies for advanced, unresectable disease. Lack of clinically actionable somatic mutations in chordoma makes development of targeted therapy quite challenging. While the combination of yeast-brachyury vaccine (GI-6301) and standard radiation therapy did not demonstrate synergistic antitumor effects, brachyury still remains a good target for developmental therapeutics in chordoma. Patients and their oncologists should consider early referral to centers with expertise in chordoma (or sarcoma) and encourage participation in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Joseph DeMaria
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Marijo Bilusic
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Deric M Park
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Christopher R Heery
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Precision Biosciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Renee N Donahue
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ravi A Madan
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mohammad Hadi Bagheri
- Clinical Image Processing Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Julius Strauss
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Victoria Shen
- Clinical Image Processing Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer L Marté
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Seth M Steinberg
- Biostatistics and Data Management Section, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark R Gilbert
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - James L Gulley
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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30
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Samarasinghe KTG, Jaime-Figueroa S, Burgess M, Nalawansha DA, Dai K, Hu Z, Bebenek A, Holley SA, Crews CM. Targeted degradation of transcription factors by TRAFTACs: TRAnscription Factor TArgeting Chimeras. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:648-661.e5. [PMID: 33836141 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Many diseases, including cancer, stem from aberrant activation or overexpression of oncoproteins that are associated with multiple signaling pathways. Although proteins with catalytic activity can be successfully drugged, the majority of other protein families, such as transcription factors, remain intractable due to their lack of ligandable sites. In this study, we report the development of TRAnscription Factor TArgeting Chimeras (TRAFTACs) as a generalizable strategy for targeted transcription factor degradation. We show that TRAFTACs, which consist of a chimeric oligonucleotide that simultaneously binds to the transcription factor of interest (TOI) and to HaloTag-fused dCas9 protein, can induce degradation of the former via the proteasomal pathway. Application of TRAFTACs to two oncogenic TOIs, NF-κB and brachyury, suggests that TRAFTACs can be successfully employed for the targeted degradation of other DNA-binding proteins. Thus, TRAFTAC technology is potentially a generalizable strategy to induce degradation of other transcription factors both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kusal T G Samarasinghe
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Saul Jaime-Figueroa
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Michael Burgess
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Dhanusha A Nalawansha
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Katherine Dai
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Zhenyi Hu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Adrian Bebenek
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Scott A Holley
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Craig M Crews
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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31
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Wang L, Guan X, Hu Q, Wu Z, Chen W, Song L, Wang K, Tian K, Cao C, Zhang D, Ma J, Tong X, Zhang B, Zhang J, Zeng C. TGFB3 downregulation causing chordomagenesis and its tumor suppression role maintained by Smad7. Carcinogenesis 2021; 42:913-923. [PMID: 34057989 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare bone tumor arising from notochordal remnants, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. By integrated mRNA and microRNA analyses, we found significant downregulation of TGFB3 along with upregulation of its inhibitor, miR-29 family in chordoma comparing with notochord. Somatic copy number gains of miR-29 loci in chordoma highlighted a mechanism of inactivation of TGFB3 signaling in tumor formation. In zebrafish, knockout and knockdown homologous tgfb3 resulted in a chordoma-like neoplasm. On the other hand, Smad7 negative feedback regulation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is retentive in chordoma cell UM-Chor1 despite its disruption in most cancer cells (e.g. A549). Therefore, contrary to other cancers, exogenous TGF-β activated Smad7 by downregulating miR-182 and inhibited cell migration and invasion in UM-Chor1. Meanwhile, TGF-β decreased chordoma characteristic protein Brachyury. Altogether, downregulation of TGFB3 causes chordomagenesis, showing a feasible target for therapies. The retention of Smad7 negative regulation may maintain the suppressor role of TGF-β in chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- Neurosurgery Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, NCRC-ND, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaonan Guan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences/China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingtao Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences/China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Wu
- Neurosurgery Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, NCRC-ND, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Lairong Song
- Neurosurgery Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, NCRC-ND, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Neurosurgery Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, NCRC-ND, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Kaibing Tian
- Neurosurgery Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, NCRC-ND, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Chunwei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dake Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Junpeng Ma
- Neurosurgery Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, NCRC-ND, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Tong
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Junting Zhang
- Neurosurgery Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, NCRC-ND, Tiantan Xili, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Changqing Zeng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences/China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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32
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Pennington Z, Ehresman J, McCarthy EF, Ahmed AK, Pittman PD, Lubelski D, Goodwin CR, Sciubba DM. Chordoma of the sacrum and mobile spine: a narrative review. Spine J 2021; 21:500-517. [PMID: 33589095 DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2020.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Chordoma is a notochord-derived primary tumor of the skull base and vertebral column known to affect 0.08 to 0.5 per 100,000 persons worldwide. Patients commonly present with mechanical, midline pain with or without radicular features secondary to nerve root compression. Management of these lesions has classically revolved around oncologic resection, defined by en bloc resection of the lesion with negative margins as this was found to significantly improve both local control and overall survival. With advancement in radiation modalities, namely the increased availability of focused photon therapy and proton beam radiation, high-dose (>50 Gy) neoadjuvant or adjuvant radiotherapy is also becoming a standard of care. At present chemotherapy does not appear to have a role, but ongoing investigations into the ontogeny and molecular pathophysiology of chordoma promise to identify therapeutic targets that may further alter this paradigm. In this narrative review we describe the epidemiology, histopathology, diagnosis, and treatment of chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach Pennington
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 5-185A, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jeff Ehresman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 5-185A, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Edward F McCarthy
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - A Karim Ahmed
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 5-185A, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Patricia D Pittman
- Department of Neuropathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Daniel Lubelski
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 5-185A, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - C Rory Goodwin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Daniel M Sciubba
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 5-185A, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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33
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Levine AB, Wong D, Fatehi M, Yip S. Ependymoma and Chordoma. Neurosurgery 2021; 87:860-870. [PMID: 33057707 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyaa329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ependymoma and chordoma are 2 tumors that occur throughout the craniospinal axis, and for which the extent of neurosurgical resection has a key prognostic role. Both tumors have distinctive pathologic features, yet can present significant diagnostic challenges to pathologists in cases without classical histology. The molecular understanding of ependymoma has had significant advances in the past decade, with the identification of 9 molecular groups with significant prognostic and clinical implications, while a comprehensive study of chordoma further emphasized the key role of brachyury overexpression in its pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis, radiology and gross pathology, histology, and molecular features of these 2 tumors, as well as active research into targeted therapies, with an emphasis on practical diagnostic challenges, and the use of immunohistochemical and molecular tests in routine diagnostic practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian B Levine
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Derek Wong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mostafa Fatehi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stephen Yip
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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34
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Sheppard HE, Dall’Agnese A, Park WD, Shamim MH, Dubrulle J, Johnson HL, Stossi F, Cogswell P, Sommer J, Levy J, Sharifnia T, Wawer MJ, Nabet B, Gray NS, Clemons PA, Schreiber SL, Workman P, Young RA, Lin CY. Targeted brachyury degradation disrupts a highly specific autoregulatory program controlling chordoma cell identity. CELL REPORTS MEDICINE 2021; 2:100188. [PMID: 33521702 PMCID: PMC7817874 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2020.100188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chordomas are rare spinal tumors addicted to expression of the developmental transcription factor brachyury. In chordomas, brachyury is super-enhancer associated and preferentially downregulated by pharmacologic transcriptional CDK inhibition, leading to cell death. To understand the underlying basis of this sensitivity, we dissect the brachyury transcription regulatory network and compare the consequences of brachyury degradation with transcriptional CDK inhibition. Brachyury defines the chordoma super-enhancer landscape and autoregulates through binding its super-enhancer, and its locus forms a transcriptional condensate. Transcriptional CDK inhibition and brachyury degradation disrupt brachyury autoregulation, leading to loss of its transcriptional condensate and transcriptional program. Compared with transcriptional CDK inhibition, which globally downregulates transcription, leading to cell death, brachyury degradation is much more selective, inducing senescence and sensitizing cells to anti-apoptotic inhibition. These data suggest that brachyury downregulation is a core tenet of transcriptional CDK inhibition and motivates developing strategies to target brachyury and its autoregulatory feedback loop. Brachyury defines the chordoma super-enhancer landscape Brachyury autoregulates through a transcriptional condensate CDK7/12/13i and brachyury degradation target the brachyury transcriptional condensate Brachyury degradation inhibits chordoma identity genes and induces senescence
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadley E. Sheppard
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Woojun D. Park
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - M. Hamza Shamim
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Julien Dubrulle
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hannah L. Johnson
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Fabio Stossi
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | - Joan Levy
- Chordoma Foundation, Durham, NC 27713, USA
| | - Tanaz Sharifnia
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | | | - Behnam Nabet
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Nathanael S. Gray
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Paul A. Clemons
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Stuart L. Schreiber
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Paul Workman
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Richard A. Young
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Charles Y. Lin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Corresponding author
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Ball S, Dash A, Igid HP, Thein KZ, Sharma U, Tijani L. Primary Extra-axial Chordoma Masquerading as Lung Cancer: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Clin Lung Cancer 2020; 21:e560-e563. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cllc.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Holley C, Breining T, Scheithauer M, Möller P, Barth TFE. [Primary extra-axial chondroid chordoma of the anterior nasal septum: case report of a rare chordoma with literature review]. HNO 2020; 69:221-228. [PMID: 33095325 DOI: 10.1007/s00106-020-00957-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
An 87-year-old patient reported a nodular, progressively enlarging mass of the anterior nasal septum leading to partial obstruction of the nostrils. The tumor showed no infiltration of the subcutis, bone, or paranasal sinuses in imaging or intraoperatively. Histological examination revealed a chondroid tumor with lobular growth and physaliferous cell morphology. Immunohistochemistry revealed a brachyury-positive tumor without EWSR1 rearrangement, leading to the diagnosis of a chondroid chordoma. The reported case demonstrates the differential diagnostic considerations pertaining to this rare tumor, which can also have an untypical and very rare extra-axial location. Review of the literature identified 34 primary extraosseous chordomas of the nose, nasopharynx, and paranasal sinuses, and allowed the nasal chordoma presented herein to be included in this group of extra-axial chordomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Holley
- Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Deutschland.
| | - T Breining
- Klinik für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Ulm, Deutschland
| | - M Scheithauer
- Klinik für Hals‑, Nasen‑, Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Ulm, Deutschland
| | - P Möller
- Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Deutschland
| | - T F E Barth
- Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Deutschland
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Dedifferentiated Chordoma: Clinicopathologic and Molecular Characteristics With Integrative Analysis. Am J Surg Pathol 2020; 44:1213-1223. [PMID: 32427623 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000001501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dedifferentiated chordoma is a rare chordoma subtype characterized by a high-grade sarcoma juxtaposed to conventional chordoma. We identified a series of dedifferentiated chordomas, reviewed clinicopathologic features, performed next-generation sequencing in select cases, and analyzed all related English-language publications. Our series included 7 men and 3 women (age 15 to 80 y [median: 54 y]; <1% of >1000 chordomas surveyed). The tumor (2.8 to 24.5 cm [median: 5.8 cm] in size) presented de novo or as recurrence (including postradiotherapy) in sacrum (n=5), skull base (n=2), lumbar spine (n=1), thoracic/mediastinum (n=1), and lung (n=1; as metastasis). Histologically, the dedifferentiated component (3% to 95% [median: 60%]) was pleomorphic-to-fibrosarcomatous, juxtaposed to conventional (n=8) or chondroid (n=2) component. By immunohistochemistry, the conventional/chondroid component consistently expressed cytokeratin and brachyury, whereas the dedifferentiated component showed loss of both. We identified a sacral conventional chordoma with INI1 loss, with one of the lung metastases showing biphasic histology with loss of cytokeratin and brachyury in the dedifferentiated component. Sequencing identified tumor suppressor mutations in 4 tumors, including TP53 mutations in the dedifferentiated component in 3 tumors. Of 7 patients with follow-up, 6 developed metastases; 4 died at 15 to 99 months (median: 24 mo) after dedifferentiated chordoma diagnosis. Collectively, of 87 dedifferentiated chordoma patients described in 1913-2020 (including 10 herein), the median overall survival was 20 months. In summary, dedifferentiated chordoma involves diverse sites and presents de novo, postradiotherapy, or as recurrence/metastasis months-to-years after initial diagnosis. The dedifferentiated component shows loss of brachyury and cytokeratin staining and harbors recurrent TP53 mutations, implicating tumor suppressor dysregulation in chordoma dedifferentiation.
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38
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Cottone L, Cribbs AP, Khandelwal G, Wells G, Ligammari L, Philpott M, Tumber A, Lombard P, Hookway ES, Szommer T, Johansson C, Brennan PE, Pillay N, Jenner RG, Oppermann U, Flanagan AM. Inhibition of Histone H3K27 Demethylases Inactivates Brachyury (TBXT) and Promotes Chordoma Cell Death. Cancer Res 2020; 80:4540-4551. [PMID: 32855205 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Expression of the transcription factor brachyury (TBXT) is normally restricted to the embryo, and its silencing is epigenetically regulated. TBXT promotes mesenchymal transition in a subset of common carcinomas, and in chordoma, a rare cancer showing notochordal differentiation, TBXT acts as a putative oncogene. We hypothesized that TBXT expression is controlled through epigenetic inhibition to promote chordoma cell death. Screening of five human chordoma cell lines revealed that pharmacologic inhibition of the histone 3 lysine 27 demethylases KDM6A (UTX) and KDM6B (JMJD3) leads to cell death. This effect was phenocopied by dual genetic inactivation of KDM6A/B using CRISPR/Cas9. Inhibition of KDM6A/B with a novel compound KDOBA67 led to a genome-wide increase in repressive H3K27me3 marks with concomitant reduction in active H3K27ac, H3K9ac, and H3K4me3 marks. TBXT was a KDM6A/B target gene, and chromatin changes at TBXT following KDOBA67 treatment were associated with a reduction in TBXT protein levels in all models tested, including primary patient-derived cultures. In all models tested, KDOBA67 treatment downregulated expression of a network of transcription factors critical for chordoma survival and upregulated pathways dominated by ATF4-driven stress and proapoptotic responses. Blocking the AFT4 stress response did not prevent suppression of TBXT and induction of cell death, but ectopic overexpression of TBXT increased viability, therefore implicating TBXT as a potential therapeutic target of H3K27 demethylase inhibitors in chordoma. Our work highlights how knowledge of normal processes in fetal development can provide insight into tumorigenesis and identify novel therapeutic approaches. SIGNIFICANCE: Pharmacologic inhibition of H3K27-demethylases in human chordoma cells promotes epigenetic silencing of oncogenic TBXT, alters gene networks critical to survival, and represents a potential novel therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Cottone
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adam P Cribbs
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Garima Khandelwal
- Department of Cancer Biology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Graham Wells
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lorena Ligammari
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Philpott
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Tumber
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Lombard
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edward S Hookway
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tamas Szommer
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Catrine Johansson
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Paul E Brennan
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nischalan Pillay
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, United Kingdom
| | - Richard G Jenner
- Department of Cancer Biology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Udo Oppermann
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- FRIAS - Freiburg Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Adrienne M Flanagan
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, United Kingdom
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Xu J, Chen M, Wu Y, Zhang H, Zhou J, Wang D, Zou T, Shen J. The Role of Transcriptional Factor Brachyury on Cell Cycle Regulation in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1078. [PMID: 32719747 PMCID: PMC7348045 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for almost 80-85% of all lung cancer cases. The transcriptional factor brachyury has been verified to promote tumor cells migrate, invade, and metastasis in various types of tumors, whereas divergent roles of brachyury on cell proliferation have been reported in several types of tumor cells. In this study, we attempted to explore the effect of brachyury on the cell cycle progression and proliferation capability of NSCLC cells. Firstly, we performed RNA-sequence and ChIP-sequence to explore underlying downstream pathways regulated by brachyury. Cell proliferation and colony formation assays were utilized to detect the effect of brachyury on the proliferation ability of two types of lung NSCLC cells: H460 and Calu-1, which represent different brachyury expression levels. Following cell cycle and cell apoptosis assays were used to investigate the mechanism by which brachyury promotes NSCLC grow and progression. RNA-sequence and ChIP-sequence (ChIP-seq) showed that one of the vital downstream pathways regulated by brachyury involves in cell cycle progression. Through cell proliferation assays and colony formation assays, we found that inhibition of brachyury could decrease the capability of proliferation in H460 cells. We also found that brachyury overexpression could prevent the transition from G0/G1 to S phase in Calu-1 cells, and brachyury knockdown could decrease the transition of G2/M phase in H460 cells. The cell apoptosis assays showed that inhibition of brachyury could promote apoptosis in H460 cells. In this study we demonstrate that brachyury and downstream target genes together involve in tumor cell cycle regulation by inducing accelerated transition through G2/M, promote tumor cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in lung NSCLC H460 cells. Targeting brachyury expression could be developed into a promising avenue for the prevention of lung cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Xu
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yinghui Wu
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Jundong Zhou
- Suzhou Cancer Center Core Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Donglai Wang
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Tianming Zou
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Jun Shen
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
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40
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Salle H, Pocard M, Lehmann-Che J, Bourthoumieu S, Labrousse F, Pimpie C, Lemnos L, Guichard JP, Froelich S, Adle-Biassette H. Development of a Novel Orthotopic Primary Human Chordoma Xenograft Model: A Relevant Support for Future Research on Chordoma. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2020; 79:314-324. [PMID: 31841164 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlz121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chordomas are slow-growing rare malignant neoplasms. The aim of this study was to establish a primary model of chordoma in the lumbosacral orthotopic area, to compare the growth rate to the subcutaneous site, and to show that this new graft site optimizes tumor growth and bony invasion. Eleven chordoma samples were transplanted subcutaneously in the flank and/or in contact with the lumbosacral region and grown into nude mice. Engraftment rate was significantly more successful in the lumbosacral environment compared with the flank at P0. Two xenografts from 2 patients showed bone invasion. One tumor was maintained through multiple rounds of serial transplantation, creating a model for study. Histological and immunostaining analysis confirmed that tumor grafts recapitulated the primary tumor from which they were derived, consisting of a myxoid chordoma expressing brachyury, cytokeratin AE1, EMA, and VEGF. Clear destruction of the bone by the tumor cells could be demonstrated. Molecular studies revealed PIK3CA and PTEN mutations involved in PI3K signaling pathway and most of the frequently reported chromosomal alterations. We present a novel orthotopic primary xenograft model of chordoma implanted for the first time in the lumbosacral area showing bone invasion, PIK3CA, and PTEN mutations that will facilitate preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Salle
- From the Université Paris-Diderot, Unité INSERM U965-Paris 7, Paris, France.,Service Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Lariboisière - AP-HP, Paris, France.,Hôpital Dupuytren, CHU Limoges, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France.,Hôpital Dupuytren, CHU Limoges, Service Neurochirurgie, Limoges, France
| | - Marc Pocard
- From the Université Paris-Diderot, Unité INSERM U965-Paris 7, Paris, France.,Service Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Lariboisière - AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Jacqueline Lehmann-Che
- Université de Paris, HIPI INSERM U976, Paris, France.,Molecular Oncology Unit, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Bourthoumieu
- Université de Limoges, EA6309 Maintenance myélinique et neuropathie périphérique, Limoges, France
| | | | - Cynthia Pimpie
- From the Université Paris-Diderot, Unité INSERM U965-Paris 7, Paris, France
| | - Leslie Lemnos
- Hôpital Dupuytren, CHU Limoges, Service Neurochirurgie, Limoges, France
| | | | - Sebastien Froelich
- From the Université Paris-Diderot, Unité INSERM U965-Paris 7, Paris, France
| | - Homa Adle-Biassette
- Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, Hôpital Lariboisère - AP-HP, Paris, France.,Plateforme de Bio-Pathologie et de Technologies Innovantes en Santé, Centre de Ressources Biologiques BB-0033-00064, Hôpital Lariboisière-APHP, Paris, France.,Université Paris, NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Paris, France
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41
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Wu C, Garden PM, Walt DR. Ultrasensitive Detection of Attomolar Protein Concentrations by Dropcast Single Molecule Assays. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:12314-12323. [PMID: 32602703 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c04331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Measurements of very low levels of biomolecules, including proteins and nucleic acids, remain a critical challenge in many clinical diagnostic applications due to insufficient sensitivity. While digital measurement methods such as Single Molecule Arrays (Simoa), or digital ELISA, have made significant advances in sensitivity, there are still many potential disease biomarkers that exist in accessible biofluids at levels below the detection limits of these techniques. To overcome this barrier, we have developed a simple strategy for single molecule counting, dropcast single molecule assays (dSimoa), that enables more target molecules to be counted through increased sampling efficiency and with a simpler workflow. In this approach, beads are simply dropcast onto a microscope slide and dried into a monolayer film for digital signal readout. The dSimoa platform achieves attomolar limits of detection, with an up to 25-fold improvement in sensitivity over Simoa, the current state of the art for ultrasensitive protein detection. Furthermore, due to its simple readout process and improved cost-effectiveness compared to existing digital bioassays, dSimoa increases amenability to integration into point-of-care platforms. As an illustration of the potential utility of dSimoa, we demonstrate its ability to measure previously undetectable levels of Brachyury, a tissue biomarker for chordoma, in plasma samples. With its significantly enhanced sensitivity and simplicity, dSimoa can pave the way toward the discovery of new biomarkers for early disease diagnosis and improved health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie Wu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Padric M Garden
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - David R Walt
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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42
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Chen M, Wu Y, Zhang H, Li S, Zhou J, Shen J. The Roles of Embryonic Transcription Factor BRACHYURY in Tumorigenesis and Progression. Front Oncol 2020; 10:961. [PMID: 32695672 PMCID: PMC7338565 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor brachyury, with a DNA-binding T-domain, regulates posterior mesoderm formation and notochord development through binding with highly conserved palindromic consensus sequence in a variety of organisms. The absence of brachyury expression in majority of adult normal tissues and exclusive tumor-specific expression provides the potential to be developed into a novel and promising diagnostic and therapeutic target in cancer. As a sensitive and specific marker in the diagnosis of chordoma, brachyury protein has been verified to involve in the process of carcinogenesis and progression of chordoma and several epithelial carcinomas in various studies, but the mechanism by which brachyury promotes tumor cells migrate, invade and metastasis still remains less clear. To this end, we attempt to summarize the literature on the upstream regulatory pathway of brachyury transcription and downstream controlling network by brachyury activation, all of which involve in both the embryonic development and tumor progression. We present the respective correlation of brachyury expression with tumor progression, distant metastasis, survival rate and prognosis in several types of tumor samples (including chordoma, lung cancer, breast carcinoma, and prostate cancer), and various brachyury gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments are summarized to explore its specific role in respective tumor cell line in vitro. In addition, we also discuss another two programs relating to brachyury function: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell cycle control, both of which implicate in the regulation of brachyury on biological behavior of tumor cells. This review will provide an overview of the function of master transcriptional factor brachyury, compare the similarities and differences of its role between embryonic development and carcinogenesis, and list the evidence on which brachyury-target therapies have the potential to help control advanced cancer populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Chen
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yinghui Wu
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
- Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
- Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Suoyuan Li
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
- Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Jundong Zhou
- Suzhou Cancer Center Core Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jun Shen
- Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
- Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
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43
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Chordomas: A review with emphasis on their pathophysiology, pathology, molecular biology, and genetics. Pathol Res Pract 2020; 216:153089. [PMID: 32825957 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2020.153089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chordomas are uncommon, bone, axial, or (rarely) extra-axial tumors that are malignant and frequently recur but less commonly metastasize. They usually affect adults, with a very small proportion being pediatric tumors. For children, such tumors present a different biology, since they are more common as scull rather than sacral tumors, with aggressive histological features, including a loss of SMARCB1/INI1 and a dismal prognosis. Histologically, chordomas, believed to derive from notochordal tissue, characteristically show physaliphorous cells in a myxoid or chondroid matrix. Dedifferentiated and poorly differentiated forms can be observed. Moreover, a grading scale for chordomas has been proposed. Cytokeratin, EMA, S100, and brachyury are expressed by most chordomas. These are chemo-resistant tumors, for which surgical resection and/or radiotherapy are the treatments of choice. In this review, the histological, immunohistochemical, molecular, and clinical data of chordomas are discussed.
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Yaniv D, Soudry E, Strenov Y, Cohen MA, Mizrachi A. Skull base chordomas review of current treatment paradigms. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020; 6:125-131. [PMID: 32596658 PMCID: PMC7296475 DOI: 10.1016/j.wjorl.2020.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chordomas are locally invasive neoplasms, arising from notochordal remnants and can appear anywhere along the axial skeleton. Local recurrences are common, and distant metastases may occur years after the initial presentation. Methods Literature review of current treatment strategies for chordomas of the skull base. Results Surgery is the mainstay of treatment and complete resection has paramount importance for prognosis. When complete resection is not achieved recurrent disease is common. The anatomical complexity of the skull base makes resection complex. Endonasal endoscopic approaches to the clivus has become increasingly favored in recent years although addressing reconstruction of the skull base to prevent CSF leak may be challenging. Evidence suggests that radiotherapy should not be considered as a primary single modality when trying to achieve cure of the disease. Nonetheless, immediate post-operative radiotherapy improves survival. Many strategies have been suggested to preserve sensitive vital structures in the skull base during treatment but as for survival there is no evidence of advantage when comparing adjuvant therapy with photon radiotherapy, gamma knife surgery, proton beam therapy, and carbon ion radiation therapy. There is no evidence to support cytotoxic chemotherapy in the treatment of chordomas but targeted therapies have started to show promise. Several optional molecular targets exist. Brachyury is overexpressed in 95% of chordomas but not in other mesenchymal neoplasms. However, its precise role in chordoma pathogenesis is currently unclear, and its cellular location in the nucleus makes it difficult to target. The inhibition of brachyury in chordoma cell lines induces growth arrest and apoptosis. This does not have clinical application to date. There are retrospective results with different molecular targeted therapies for advanced chordomas with some effectiveness. Conclusion Despite improvements made in the past 10 years in our knowledge of chordoma biology, available therapies still offer a limited benefit. There is an unmet need for new therapeutic options for patients with advanced disease. Therefore, patients with advanced disease should be encouraged to participate in clinical trials when and where available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yaniv
- Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ethan Soudry
- Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yulia Strenov
- Department of Pathology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Marc A Cohen
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aviram Mizrachi
- Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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45
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Scheipl S, Igrec J, Leithner A, Smolle M, Haybäck J, Liegl B. [Chordoma: is there a molecular basis for diagnosis and treatment?]. DER PATHOLOGE 2020; 41:153-162. [PMID: 32100085 DOI: 10.1007/s00292-020-00761-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chordomas are malignant bone tumours with a reported annual incidence of 0.08 per 100,000 cases. They show a notochordal differentiation and are characterised by their nuclear expression of brachyury (TBXT). Chordomas are localised in the axial skeleton, where they occur from the clivus to the sacrococcygeal region. They are slow growing, locally destructive tumours, and are often not diagnosed until they have reached an advanced stage. Putative precursor-lesions are benign notochordal cell lesions, which are microscopically small and intraosseous. Different histological chordoma subtypes exist, which differ in their prognosis. To date, there are no known recurrent genetic drivers for this disease. Brachyury seems to play a key role in the pathogenesis of chordoma, though the detailed mechanism still needs to be elucidated. Surgical en bloc resection with negative margins is the only curative treatment for this disease. High-dose irradiation, particularly with protons and carbon ions, is a therapeutic alternative in cases of inoperable tumours. Currently, there is no approved medical treatment for chordoma. Clinical trials exploring additional therapeutic modalities are ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Scheipl
- Univ.-Klinik für Orthopädie und Traumatologie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Österreich.
| | - Jasminka Igrec
- Univ.-Klinik für Radiologie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 9, 8036, Graz, Österreich
| | - Andreas Leithner
- Univ.-Klinik für Orthopädie und Traumatologie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Österreich
| | - Maria Smolle
- Univ.-Klinik für Orthopädie und Traumatologie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Österreich
| | - Johannes Haybäck
- Institut für Pathologie, Neuropathologie und Molekularpathologie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Müllerstraße 44, 6020, Innsbruck, Österreich
- Institut für Pathologie, Univ.-Klinikum Magdeburg A.ö.R., Medizinische Fakultät, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Leipziger Straße 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Deutschland
- Diagnostik- und Forschungsinstitut für Pathologie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010, Graz, Österreich
| | - Bernadette Liegl
- Diagnostik- und Forschungsinstitut für Pathologie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010, Graz, Österreich
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46
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Brachyury: Strategies for Drugging an Intractable Cancer Therapeutic Target. Trends Cancer 2020; 6:271-273. [PMID: 32209441 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
New approaches to drug discovery are unlocking enormous therapeutic potential residing in cancer-specific molecules. Brachyury is emerging as an exciting new drug target for the rare bone cancer chordoma. Here, recent advances targeting Brachyury in chordoma are discussed and how these might open doors to the targeting of other, more common cancer types.
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47
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Ozair MZ, Shah PP, Mathios D, Lim M, Moss NS. New Prospects for Molecular Targets for Chordomas. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2020; 31:289-300. [PMID: 32147018 DOI: 10.1016/j.nec.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chordomas are malignant, highly recurrent tumors of the midline skeleton that arise from the remnants of the notochord. The development of systemic therapy is critically important to ultimately managing this tumor. Several ongoing trials are attempting to use molecular targeted therapies for mutated pathways in recurrent and advanced chordomas and have shown promise. In addition, immunotherapies, including brachyury-directed vaccination and checkpoint inhibition, have also been attempted with encouraging results. This article discusses the major pathways that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of chordoma with an emphasis on molecular vulnerabilities that future therapies are attempting to exploit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zeeshan Ozair
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Pavan Pinkesh Shah
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Dimitrios Mathios
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Michael Lim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Nelson S Moss
- Department of Neurosurgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Abstract
Clinically, radiologically, and pathologically, chondroid neoplasms of the skull can be diagnostically challenging due to overlapping features in each of these domains. Compounding the problem for the pathologist, there is also significant morphologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic overlap between benign and malignant cartilaginous lesions, and the majority of these lesions are encountered quite rarely in routine surgical pathology practice. Each of these factors contribute to the diagnostic difficulty posed by these lesions, highlighting the importance of radiologic-pathologic correlation in the diagnosis. This review is intended to provide an update for surgical pathologists on some of the most commonly encountered chondroid neoplasms in the skull, and includes the following lesions: chondromyxoid fibroma, synovial chondromatosis, chondrosarcoma and variants, and chordoma and variants. For each of these lesions, the differential diagnosis and useful ancillary tests will be discussed in the context of a broad range of additional primary and secondary lesions.
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49
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Cottone L, Eden N, Usher I, Lombard P, Ye H, Ligammari L, Lindsay D, Brandner S, Pižem J, Pillay N, Tirabosco R, Amary F, Flanagan AM. Frequent alterations in p16/CDKN2A identified by immunohistochemistry and FISH in chordoma. JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY CLINICAL RESEARCH 2020; 6:113-123. [PMID: 31916407 PMCID: PMC7164370 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The expression of p16/CDKN2A, the second most commonly inactivated tumour suppressor gene in cancer, is lost in the majority of chordomas. However, the mechanism(s) leading to its inactivation and contribution to disease progression have only been partially addressed using small patient cohorts. We studied 384 chordoma samples from 320 patients by immunohistochemistry and found that p16 protein was lost in 53% of chordomas and was heterogeneously expressed in these tumours. To determine if CDKN2A copy number loss could explain the absence of p16 protein expression we performed fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) for CDKN2A on consecutive tissue sections. CDKN2A copy number status was altered in 168 of 274 (61%) of samples and copy number loss was the most frequent alteration acquired during clinical disease progression. CDKN2A homozygous deletion was always associated with p16 protein loss but only accounted for 33% of the p16‐negative cases. The remaining immunonegative cases were associated with disomy (27%), monosomy (12%), heterozygous loss (20%) and copy number gain (7%) of CDKN2A, supporting the hypothesis that loss of protein expression might be achieved via epigenetic or post‐transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. We identified that mRNA levels were comparable in tumours with and without p16 protein expression, but other events including DNA promoter hypermethylation, copy number neutral loss of heterozygosity and expression of candidate microRNAs previously implicated in the regulation of CDKN2A expression were not identified to explain the protein loss. The data argue that p16 loss in chordoma is commonly caused by a post‐transcriptional regulatory mechanism that is yet to be defined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Cottone
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nadia Eden
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Inga Usher
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Hongtao Ye
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | | | - Daniel Lindsay
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Sebastian Brandner
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Division of Neuropathology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Jože Pižem
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nischalan Pillay
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Roberto Tirabosco
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Fernanda Amary
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Adrienne M Flanagan
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
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50
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Manojlovic-Gacic E, Rostami E, Karavitaki N, Casar-Borota O. Histopathology of Parasellar Neoplasms. Neuroendocrinology 2020; 110:740-752. [PMID: 32155632 PMCID: PMC7490502 DOI: 10.1159/000507084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The anatomical and histological complexity of the parasellar region as well as the presence of embryonic remnants determine the huge diversity of parasellar neoplasms. Some of them are only located in the parasellar region, whereas others can occur elsewhere, within or outside the central nervous system. Their spectrum ranges from histologically benign and low-grade malignant to high-grade malignant tumours. Although rare, metastases can pose differential diagnostic dilemmas. The severity of the clinical picture, the challenges of surgery and the risk of adverse sequelae related to surgery or radiotherapy make parasellar tumours interesting entities for the clinicians irrespective of their histological malignancy grade. Due to the different cell origins of parasellar tumours, the World Health Organization classification system does not categorise them as a distinct group. Detailed criteria for classification and malignancy grading are presented in the classification systems covering central nervous system tumours, haematological malignancies and tumours of the soft tissue and bone. In the last few years, molecular genetic features have been integrated into the diagnosis of several types of the parasellar tumours enhancing diagnostic accuracy and providing information of the value for targeting therapies. In this review, we will present histopathological and molecular genetic features, updated classification criteria and recent advances in the diagnostics and rationale for novel pharmacological therapies of selected types of parasellar neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elham Rostami
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niki Karavitaki
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Olivera Casar-Borota
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden,
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden,
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