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Cheng Z, Li L, Zhang Y, Ren Y, Gu J, Wang X, Zhao H, Lu H. HBV-infected hepatocellular carcinoma can be robustly classified into three clinically relevant subgroups by a novel analytical protocol. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:7025463. [PMID: 36736372 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac601] [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: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for a relatively large proportion of all primary liver malignancies. Among the several known risk factors, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the important causes of HCC. In this study, we demonstrated that the HBV-infected HCC patients could be robustly classified into three clinically relevant subgroups, i.e. Cluster1, Cluster2 and Cluster3, based on consistent differentially expressed mRNAs and proteins, which showed better generalization. The proposed three subgroups showed different molecular characteristics, immune microenvironment and prognostic survival characteristics. The Cluster1 subgroup had near-normal levels of metabolism-related proteins, low proliferation activity and good immune infiltration, which were associated with its good liver function, smaller tumor size, good prognosis, low alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and lower clinical stage. In contrast, the Cluster3 subgroup had the lowest levels of metabolism-related proteins, which corresponded with its severe liver dysfunction. Also, high proliferation activity and poor immune microenvironment in Cluster3 subgroup were associated with its poor prognosis, larger tumor size, high AFP levels, high incidence of tumor thrombus and higher clinical stage. The characteristics of the Cluster2 subgroup were between the Cluster1 and Cluster3 groups. In addition, MCM2-7, RFC2-5, MSH2, MSH6, SMC2, SMC4, NCPAG and TOP2A proteins were significantly upregulated in the Cluster3 subgroup. Meanwhile, abnormally high phosphorylation levels of these proteins were associated with high levels of DNA repair, telomere maintenance and proliferative features. Therefore, these proteins could be identified as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers. In general, our research provided a novel analytical protocol and insights for the robust classification, treatment and prevention of HBV-infected HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Cheng
- State Key Lab of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- SJTU-Yale Joint Center of Biostatistics and Data Science, National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
| | - Leijie Li
- State Key Lab of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- SJTU-Yale Joint Center of Biostatistics and Data Science, National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
| | - Yuening Zhang
- State Key Lab of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- SJTU-Yale Joint Center of Biostatistics and Data Science, National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
| | - Yongyong Ren
- SJTU-Yale Joint Center of Biostatistics and Data Science, National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
| | - Jianlei Gu
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Xinbo Wang
- State Key Lab of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- SJTU-Yale Joint Center of Biostatistics and Data Science, National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Hui Lu
- State Key Lab of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- SJTU-Yale Joint Center of Biostatistics and Data Science, National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Sahu A, Wang X, Munson P, Klomp JP, Wang X, Gu SS, Han Y, Qian G, Nicol P, Zeng Z, Wang C, Tokheim C, Zhang W, Fu J, Wang J, Nair NU, Rens JA, Bourajjaj M, Jansen B, Leenders I, Lemmers J, Musters M, van Zanten S, van Zelst L, Worthington J, Liu JS, Juric D, Meyer CA, Oubrie A, Liu XS, Fisher DE, Flaherty KT. Discovery of Targets for Immune-Metabolic Antitumor Drugs Identifies Estrogen-Related Receptor Alpha. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:672-701. [PMID: 36745048 PMCID: PMC9975674 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-0244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Drugs that kill tumors through multiple mechanisms have the potential for broad clinical benefits. Here, we first developed an in silico multiomics approach (BipotentR) to find cancer cell-specific regulators that simultaneously modulate tumor immunity and another oncogenic pathway and then used it to identify 38 candidate immune-metabolic regulators. We show the tumor activities of these regulators stratify patients with melanoma by their response to anti-PD-1 using machine learning and deep neural approaches, which improve the predictive power of current biomarkers. The topmost identified regulator, ESRRA, is activated in immunotherapy-resistant tumors. Its inhibition killed tumors by suppressing energy metabolism and activating two immune mechanisms: (i) cytokine induction, causing proinflammatory macrophage polarization, and (ii) antigen-presentation stimulation, recruiting CD8+ T cells into tumors. We also demonstrate a wide utility of BipotentR by applying it to angiogenesis and growth suppressor evasion pathways. BipotentR (http://bipotentr.dfci.harvard.edu/) provides a resource for evaluating patient response and discovering drug targets that act simultaneously through multiple mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE BipotentR presents resources for evaluating patient response and identifying targets for drugs that can kill tumors through multiple mechanisms concurrently. Inhibition of the topmost candidate target killed tumors by suppressing energy metabolism and effects on two immune mechanisms. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 517.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avinash Sahu
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Xiaoman Wang
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Phillip Munson
- Department of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Xiaoqing Wang
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengqing Stan Gu
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ya Han
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gege Qian
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Phillip Nicol
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zexian Zeng
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chenfei Wang
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Collin Tokheim
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wubing Zhang
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jingxin Fu
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nishanth Ulhas Nair
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | | | - Bas Jansen
- Lead Pharma, Kloosterstraat, Oss, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jaap Lemmers
- Lead Pharma, Kloosterstraat, Oss, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Musters
- Lead Pharma, Kloosterstraat, Oss, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Jun S. Liu
- Department of Statistics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Dejan Juric
- Department of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Clifford A. Meyer
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - X. Shirley Liu
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David E. Fisher
- Department of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Keith T. Flaherty
- Department of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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Qiu Z, Zhao L, Shen JZ, Liang Z, Wu Q, Yang K, Min L, Gimple RC, Yang Q, Bhargava S, Jin C, Kim C, Hinz D, Dixit D, Bernatchez JA, Prager BC, Zhang G, Dong Z, Lv D, Wang X, Kim LJ, Zhu Z, Jones KA, Zheng Y, Wang X, Siqueira-Neto JL, Chavez L, Fu XD, Spruck C, Rich JN. Transcription Elongation Machinery Is a Druggable Dependency and Potentiates Immunotherapy in Glioblastoma Stem Cells. Cancer Discov 2022; 12:502-521. [PMID: 34615656 PMCID: PMC8831451 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-1848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain cancer characterized by therapeutic resistance, which is promoted by GBM stem cells (GSC). Here, we interrogated gene expression and whole-genome CRISPR/Cas9 screening in a large panel of patient-derived GSCs, differentiated GBM cells (DGC), and neural stem cells (NSC) to identify master regulators of GSC stemness, revealing an essential transcription state with increased RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription. The YY1 and transcriptional CDK9 complex was essential for GSC survival and maintenance in vitro and in vivo. YY1 interacted with CDK9 to regulate transcription elongation in GSCs. Genetic or pharmacologic targeting of the YY1-CDK9 complex elicited RNA m6A modification-dependent interferon responses, reduced regulatory T-cell infiltration, and augmented efficacy of immune checkpoint therapy in GBM. Collectively, these results suggest that YY1-CDK9 transcription elongation complex defines a targetable cell state with active transcription, suppressed interferon responses, and immunotherapy resistance in GBM. SIGNIFICANCE: Effective strategies to rewire immunosuppressive microenvironment and enhance immunotherapy response are still lacking in GBM. YY1-driven transcriptional elongation machinery represents a druggable target to activate interferon response and enhance anti-PD-1 response through regulating the m6A modification program, linking epigenetic regulation to immunomodulatory function in GBM.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 275.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Qiu
- Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Linjie Zhao
- Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jia Z. Shen
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Zhengyu Liang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Qiulian Wu
- Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kailin Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Lihua Min
- Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Ryan C. Gimple
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Qiyuan Yang
- NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Shruti Bhargava
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Chunyu Jin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Cheryl Kim
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Denise Hinz
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Deobrat Dixit
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jean A. Bernatchez
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Briana C. Prager
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Guoxin Zhang
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Zhen Dong
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Deguan Lv
- Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Xujun Wang
- SJTU-Yale Joint Center for Biostatistics, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Leo J.Y. Kim
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Zhe Zhu
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Katherine A. Jones
- Regulatory Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Ye Zheng
- NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Xiuxing Wang
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lukas Chavez
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Xiang-Dong Fu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Charles Spruck
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California.
| | - Jeremy N. Rich
- Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Corresponding Authors: Jeremy N. Rich: ; +1(412) 623-3364; Address: UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232; Charles Spruck: ; +1(858) 401-3459; Address: 10901 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
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