Cell of origin markers identify different prognostic subgroups of lung adenocarcinoma

Cell-of-Origin Targeted Drug Repurposing for Triple-Negative and Inflammatory Breast Carcinoma with HDAC and HSP90 Inhibitors Combined with Niclosamide

We recently identified a cell-of-origin-specific mRNA signature associated with metastasis and poor outcome in triple-negative carcinoma (TNBC). This TNBC cell-of-origin signature is associated with the over-expression of histone deacetylases and zinc finger protein HDAC1, HDAC7, and ZNF92, respectively. Based on this signature, we discovered that the combination of three drugs (an HDAC inhibitor, an anti-helminthic Niclosamide, and an antibiotic Tanespimycin that inhibits HSP90) synergistically reduces the proliferation of the twelve tested TNBC cell lines. Additionally, we discovered that four out of five inflammatory breast carcinoma cell lines are sensitive to this combination. Significantly, the concentration of the drugs that are used in these experiments are within or below clinically achievable dose, and the synergistic activity only emerged when all three drugs were combined. Our results suggest that HDAC and HSP90 inhibitors combined with the tapeworm drug Niclosamide can achieve remarkably synergistic inhibition of TNBC and IBC. Since Niclosamide, HDAC, and HSP90 inhibitors were approved for clinical use for other cancer types, it may be possible to repurpose their combination for TNBC and IBC.

ZNF92, an unexplored transcription factor with remarkably distinct breast cancer over-expression associated with prognosis and cell-of-origin

Tumor phenotype is shaped both by transforming genomic alterations and the normal cell-of-origin. We identified a cell-of-origin associated prognostic gene expression signature, ET-9, that correlates with remarkably shorter overall and relapse free breast cancer survival, 8.7 and 6.2 years respectively. The genes associated with the ET-9 signature are regulated by histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7) partly through ZNF92, a previously unexplored transcription factor with a single PubMed citation since its cloning in 1990s. Remarkably, ZNF92 is distinctively over-expressed in breast cancer compared to other tumor types, on a par with the breast cancer specificity of the estrogen receptor. Importantly, ET-9 signature appears to be independent of proliferation, and correlates with outcome in lymph-node positive, HER2+, post-chemotherapy and triple-negative breast cancers. These features distinguish ET-9 from existing breast cancer prognostic signatures that are generally related to proliferation and correlate with outcome in lymph-node negative, ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers. Our results suggest that ET-9 could be also utilized as a predictive signature to select patients for HDAC inhibitor treatment.

Accuracy of 18F-FDG in Detecting Stage I Lung Adenocarcinomas According to IASLC/ATS/ERS Classification

BACKGROUND

Only a small number of studies have explored the clinicopathological features of pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PA) associated with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) false-negative (FN) results. Herein, we investigated the FDG-PET diagnostic performance by stratifying PAs according to International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (IASLC/ATS/ERS) classification.

METHODS

From January 2002 to December 2016, all consecutive patients who underwent pulmonary resection for stage I PA at six thoracic surgery institutions were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnostic performance of FDG-PET was analysed according to IASLC/ATS/ERS classification and two validated subclassifications. Univariable and multivariable logistic analysis were used to identify predictors of FDG-PET FN results.

RESULTS

Five hundred and fifty (550) patients with stage I PA were included in the analyses. Most of the patients were male (n=354 [64.4%]) and smokers (n=369 [67.1%]). Ninety-seven (n=97 [17.6%]) FN cases were observed at FDG-PET imaging. On multivariable analysis, a lepidic pattern was found to be independently associated with FDG-PET FN results (odds ratio [OR], 3.20; p<0.001), while a solid pattern more commonly presented with a positive finding (OR, 0.40; p=0.066). According to Nakamura's classification, we observed an independent association between lepidic pattern and FDG-PET FN results (OR, 3.17; p<0.001), while solid/micropapillary patterns were independently related with increased FDG uptake (OR, 0.35; p=0.021). According to Yoshizawa's classification, Intermediate-grade tumours were independently correlated with FN FDG-PET results (OR, 2.78; p=0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort, histopathological features were significantly associated with FDG uptake. In particular, some adenocarcinoma subtypes (mostly Lepidic pattern) have a tendency towards FN FDG-PET findings. The correlation between computed tomography findings, clinical characteristics, and FDG uptake is mandatory, in order to tailor the precise diagnostic and therapeutic pathway for each patient.

Definitive evidence for Club cells as progenitors for mutant Kras/Trp53-deficient lung cancer

Accumulating evidence suggests that both the nature of oncogenic lesions and the cell-of-origin can strongly influence cancer histopathology, tumor aggressiveness and response to therapy. Although oncogenic Kras expression and loss of Trp53 tumor suppressor gene function have been demonstrated to initiate murine lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) in alveolar type II (AT2) cells, clear evidence that Club cells, representing the second major subset of lung epithelial cells, can also act as cells-of-origin for LUAD is lacking. Equally, the exact anatomic location of Club cells that are susceptible to Kras transformation and the resulting tumor histotype remains to be established. Here, we provide definitive evidence for Club cells as progenitors for LUAD. Using in vivo lineage tracing, we find that a subset of Kras^12V -expressing and Trp53-deficient Club cells act as precursors for LUAD and we define the stepwise trajectory of Club cell-initiated tumors leading to lineage marker conversion and aggressive LUAD. Our results establish Club cells as cells-of-origin for LUAD and demonstrate that Club cell-initiated tumors have the potential to develop aggressive LUAD.

Kinomic profiling of tumour xenografts derived from patients with non-small cell lung cancer confirms their fidelity and reveals potentially actionable pathways

INTRODUCTION

High fidelity between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) primary tumours and patient-derived tumour xenografts (PDTXs) is of paramount relevance to spur their application. Extensive proteomic and kinomic analysis of these preclinical models are missing and may inform about their functional status, in terms of phosphopeptides and hyperactive signalling pathways.

METHODS

We investigated tumour xenografts derived from patients with NSCLC to identify hyperactive signalling pathways. Fresh tumour fragments from 81 NSCLC surgical samples were implanted in Nod/Scid/Gamma mice, and engrafted tumours were compared with primary specimens by morphology, immunohistochemistry, gene mutation analyses, and kinase activity profiling. Four different tyrosine and serine/threonine kinase inhibitors were tested against primary tumour and PDTX lysates using the PamGene peptide microarray platform.

RESULTS

The engraftment rate was 33%, with successful engraftment being more associated with poor clinical outcomes. Genomic profiles led to the recognition of hotspot mutations, some of which were initially undetected in donor samples. Kinomic analyses showed that characteristics of primary tumours were retained in PDTXs, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) responses of individual PDTX lines were either expected, based on the genetic status, or alternatively defined suitable targets unpredictable by single-genome fingerprints.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, PDTXs mostly resembled their parental NSCLC. Combining genomic and kinomic analyses of tumour xenografts derived from patients with NSCLC, we identified patients' specific targetable pathways, confirming PDTXs as a preclinical tool for biomarker identification and therapeutic algorithm'' improvement.

Cells of origin of lung cancers: lessons from mouse studies

As one of the most common forms of cancer, lung cancers present as a collection of different histological subtypes. These subtypes are characterized by distinct sets of driver mutations and phenotypic appearance, and they often show varying degrees of heterogenicity, aggressiveness, and response/resistance to therapy. Intriguingly, lung cancers are also capable of showing features of multiple subtypes or converting from one subtype to another. The intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity of lung cancers as well as incidences of subtype transdifferentiation raise the question of to what extent the tumor characteristics are dictated by the cell of origin rather than the acquired driver lesions. We provide here an overview of the studies in experimental mouse models that try to address this question. These studies convincingly show that both the cell of origin and the genetic driver lesions play a critical role in shaping the phenotypes of lung tumors. However, they also illustrate that there is far from a direct one-to-one relationship between the cell of origin and the cancer subtype, as most epithelial cells can be reprogrammed toward diverse lung cancer fates when exposed to the appropriate set of driver mutations.

MUC5AC enhances tumor heterogeneity in lung adenocarcinoma with mucin production and is associated with poor prognosis

OBJECTIVE

The clinicopathological significance of Mucin5AC (MUC5AC) in lung adenocarcinoma with mucin production is still unclear. This study aimed to explore MUC5AC expression in lung adenocarcinoma with mucin production and its correlation with histological subtypes, common driver mutations and its impact on prognosis.

METHODS

MUC5AC and thyroid transcription factor 1 immunohistochemistry was performed on surgical samples from 90 patients with lung adenocarcinoma with mucin production. Common driver mutations including EGFR and KRAS mutations and ALK rearrangement were detected by established methods.

RESULTS

MUC5AC was significantly associated with lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.023) and tumors with intra-cytoplasmic mucin (P < 0.001). Moreover, MUC5AC was more significant in invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (P < 0.001), as well as in tumors with KRAS mutations (P = 0.005) and a lack of thyroid transcription factor 1 expression (P < 0.001). Conversely, MUC5AC was less significantly detected in acinar predominant adenocarcinoma (P = 0.036) and tumors with EGFR mutations (P = 0.001). Notably, MUC5AC in non-pure mucinous subtype of lung adenocarcinoma with mucin production showed more aggressive behavior, distinct expression pattern and a lack of significant correlation with thyroid transcription factor 1 (P = 0.113) when compared with pure mucinous subtype. MUC5AC-positive tumors were significantly associated with a worse prognosis compared to MUC5AC-negative tumors (P < 0.001). A multivariate survival analysis showed that MUC5AC was an independent prognosis factor for poor prognosis (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The clinicopathological features of non-pure mucinous subtype of lung adenocarcinoma with mucin production were distinct and should be distinguished from pure mucinous subtype. MUC5AC was associated with poor prognosis and could be a potential therapeutic target for this distinct type of lung adenocarcinoma that has few effective treatments.

Bioinformatics Analysis of Microarray Datasets to Identify Prognostic Factors in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Most patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) present high recurrence rate and poor prognosis after therapy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify prognostic factors involved in LUAD. Five microarray datasets (including GSE75037, GSE63459, GSE43458, GSE32863, and GSE10072) were downloaded. After data preprocessing and quality control, meta-analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the MetaDE.ES method in MetaDE package. Subsequently, network construction and module identification were conducted by the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis method. Moreover, survival-associated genes were identified using the univariate and multivariate Cox regression method in survival package. The risk score model was constructed by prognosis associated genes, followed by the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Oncomine expressions analysis of several prognosis associated genes was conducted. The expression levels of key genes were detected using quantitative real-time PCR experiments. A total of 1434 DEGs between LUAD and normal samples were identified. Nine disease-associated modules were identified, in which M8 module was most correlated with LAUD phenotype. A total of 89 indicators (including T stage, M stage, and ADIPOR2) were significantly associated with LAUD prognosis, while only T stage and 9 DEGs (e.g., ARHGEF3, GTSE1, RBM15 and CD52) were retained as the potential prognostic factors following multivariate COX regression analysis. The upregulated adiponectin receptor 2 (ADIPOR2), rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 3 (ARHGEF3), and CD52 molecule (CD52), and downregulated GTSE1 were validated in LAUD samples of Oncomine database. Importantly, ADIPOR2 and ARHGEF3 were confirmed to be down-regulated in LUAD tissues. ADIPOR2, ARHGEF3, G2 and S-phase expressed 1 (GTSE1) and CD52 might be promising prognostic factors in LUAD.

Expanding anaplastic lymphoma kinase therapeutic indication to early stage non-small cell lung cancer

Oncogene-addicted non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have been witnessing overwhelming therapeutic improvements, especially in advanced disease management, due to the advent of more potent tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, the concrete chance to cure anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged patients remains prerogative of surgical and peri-operative medical approaches to early disease stage. Clinical investigations in the adjuvant setting of genotype-restricted lung cancers (i.e., EGFR+, ALK+, etc.) are under-represented owing to the need of large patients' enrollment and solid overall survival (OS) data, which solely can show real long-term impact of these therapeutic interventions. Current available radiological and molecular technologies will widely increase the number of surgical early stage patients, including ALK+, spurring the development of rational approaches aimed to prevent disease recurrence and prolong patients' survival. Ongoing clinical trials, evaluating crizotinib and alectinib as adjuvant treatments, will gauge the real impact of TKIs in terms of patients' disease free survival (DFS) and OS; other peri-operative investigations (e.g., neo-adjuvant strategies) will add information about ALK inhibitors' tumor growth restraint capacities and early adaptation mechanisms to ALK targeting. Nevertheless, multiple questions are and will remain unanswered: if should be treated indifferently all ALK+ patients or, alternatively, should be stratified in different risk groups based on the detectable residual disease [i.e., minimal residual disease (MRD) after surgery]; whether ALK inhibitors administration could facilitate the accumulations of persister cells driving resistance mechanisms to targeted therapies; if alternative strategies, as combined treatments targeting different molecular hubs, could enhance disease control and cancer eradication.

Expression of mucins (MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC and MUC6) in ALK-positive lung cancer: Comparison with EGFR-mutated lung cancer

ALK-positive (ALK+) lung adenocarcinoma usually shows a more advanced-staged disease with frequent nodal metastasis and highly aggressive outcomes compared with EGFR-mutated lung cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profiles of several mucins in ALK + lung cancers to gain insight into the relationship between the more aggressive biological nature of ALK + lung cancers and the role of mucins. We examined the immunohistochemical profiles of mucins MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6 in 19 ALK + lung cancers compared with 42 EGFR-mutated lung cancers. ALK + cancers were found to occur in younger patients and were characterized by a solid-predominant histologic subtype with frequent signet ring cells and peritumoral muciphages. By contrast, EGFR-mutated cancers lacked ALK-specific histological patterns. Although all MUC1 and MUC5AC were expressed in both subtypes, MUC1 expression in ALK + cancers was visualized exclusively through cytoplasmic staining, whereas those in EGFR-mutated cancers were predominantly membranous staining in apical area (92.9%) and focally in cytoplasmic staining (7.1%). MUC5AC expression in ALK + cancers was exclusively visualized through cytoplasmic staining (100%), whereas EGFR-mutated cancers showed predominantly perinuclear dot-like patterns (90.5%) and focal cytoplasmic staining (9.5%). MUC2 and MUC6 expression was not detected in either type of lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The high frequency of both MUC1 and MUC5AC cytoplasmic expression, coupled with a lack of MUC2 and MUC6 expression in ALK + lung cancer may contribute to the biologically aggressive behavior of ALK + cancer. Inhibitors to these types of mucins may thus act as a barrier to cancerous extension reducing their aggressive behavior.