1
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Keller PJ, Adams EJ, Wu R, Côté A, Arora S, Cantone N, Meyer R, Mertz JA, Gehling V, Cui J, Stuckey JI, Khanna A, Zhao F, Chen Z, Yu Z, Cummings RT, Taimi M, Lakhani NJ, Rasco D, Gutierrez M, Duska L, Devitt M, Rippley R, Levell J, Truong J, Wang J, Sun K, Trojer P. Comprehensive Target Engagement by the EZH2 Inhibitor Tulmimetostat Allows for Targeting of ARID1A Mutant Cancers. Cancer Res 2024; 84:2501-2517. [PMID: 38833522 PMCID: PMC11292196 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-24-0398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Recurrent somatic mutations in the BRG1/BRM-associated factor (BAF) chromatin remodeling complex subunit ARID1A occur frequently in advanced urothelial, endometrial, and ovarian clear cell carcinomas, creating an alternative chromatin state that may be exploited therapeutically. The histone methyltransferase EZH2 has been previously identified as targetable vulnerability in the context of ARID1A mutations. In this study, we describe the discovery of tulmimetostat, an orally available, clinical stage EZH2 inhibitor, and it elucidates the aspects of its application potential in ARID1A mutant tumors. Tulmimetostat administration achieved efficacy in multiple ARID1A mutant bladder, ovarian, and endometrial tumor models and improved cisplatin response in chemotherapy-resistant models. Consistent with its comprehensive and durable level of target coverage, tulmimetostat demonstrated greater efficacy than other PRC2-targeted inhibitors at comparable or lower exposures in a bladder cancer xenograft mouse model. Tulmimetostat mediated extensive changes in gene expression, in addition to a profound reduction in global H3K27me3 levels in tumors. Phase I clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data indicated that tulmimetostat exhibits durable exposure and profound target engagement. Importantly, a tulmimetostat controlled gene expression signature identified in whole blood from a cohort of 32 patients with cancer correlated with tulmimetostat exposure, representing a pharmacodynamic marker for the assessment of target coverage for PRC2-targeted agents in the clinic. Collectively, these data suggest that tulmimetostat has the potential to achieve clinical benefit in solid tumors as a monotherapy but also in combination with chemotherapeutic agents, and may be beneficial in various indications with recurrent ARID1A mutations. Significance: The EZH2 inhibitor tulmimetostat achieves comprehensive target inhibition in ARID1A mutant solid tumor models and cancer patients that can be assessed with a pharmacodynamic gene signature in peripheral blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia J. Keller
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Elizabeth J. Adams
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Rentian Wu
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Alexandre Côté
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Shilpi Arora
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Nico Cantone
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Rosana Meyer
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Jennifer A. Mertz
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Victor Gehling
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Jike Cui
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Jacob I. Stuckey
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Avinash Khanna
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Feng Zhao
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Zehua Chen
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Ziyang Yu
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | | | - Mohammed Taimi
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | | | - Drew Rasco
- South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics, San Antonio, Texas.
| | | | - Linda Duska
- University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia.
| | - Michael Devitt
- University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia.
| | - Ronda Rippley
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Julian Levell
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Jennifer Truong
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Jing Wang
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Kaiming Sun
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Patrick Trojer
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, A MorphoSys Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Tameni A, Toffalori C, Vago L. Tricking the trickster: precision medicine approaches to counteract leukemia immune escape after transplant. Blood 2024; 143:2710-2721. [PMID: 38728431 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023019962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Over the last decades, significant improvements in reducing the toxicities of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) have widened its use as consolidation or salvage therapy for high-risk hematological malignancies. Nevertheless, relapse of the original malignant disease remains an open issue with unsatisfactory salvage options and limited rationales to select among them. In the last years, several studies have highlighted that relapse is often associated with specific genomic and nongenomic mechanisms of immune escape. In this review we summarize the current knowledge about these modalities of immune evasion, focusing on the mechanisms that leverage antigen presentation and pathologic rewiring of the bone marrow microenvironment. We present examples of how this biologic information can be translated into specific approaches to treat relapse, discuss the status of the clinical trials for patients who relapsed after a transplant, and show how dissecting the complex immunobiology of allo-HCT represents a crucial step toward developing new personalized approaches to improve clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Tameni
- Unit of Immunogenetics, Leukemia Genomics and Immunobiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Toffalori
- Unit of Immunogenetics, Leukemia Genomics and Immunobiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Vago
- Unit of Immunogenetics, Leukemia Genomics and Immunobiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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3
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Sung PJ, Selvam M, Riedel SS, Xie HM, Bryant K, Manning B, Wertheim GB, Kulej K, Pham L, Bowman RL, Peresie J, Nemeth MJ, Levine RL, Garcia BA, Meyer SE, Sidoli S, Bernt KM, Carroll M. FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibition modulates PRC2 and promotes differentiation in acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 2024; 38:291-301. [PMID: 38182819 PMCID: PMC11141246 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-023-02131-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Internal tandem duplication mutations in fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3-ITD) are recurrent in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and increase the risk of relapse. Clinical responses to FLT3 inhibitors (FLT3i) include myeloid differentiation of the FLT3-ITD clone in nearly half of patients through an unknown mechanism. We identified enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a component of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), as a mediator of this effect using a proteomic-based screen. FLT3i downregulated EZH2 protein expression and PRC2 activity on H3K27me3. FLT3-ITD and loss-of-function mutations in EZH2 are mutually exclusive in human AML. We demonstrated that FLT3i increase myeloid maturation with reduced stem/progenitor cell populations in murine Flt3-ITD AML. Combining EZH1/2 inhibitors with FLT3i increased terminal maturation of leukemic cells and reduced leukemic burden. Our data suggest that reduced EZH2 activity following FLT3 inhibition promotes myeloid differentiation of FLT3-ITD leukemic cells, providing a mechanistic explanation for the clinical observations. These results demonstrate that in addition to its known cell survival and proliferation signaling, FLT3-ITD has a second, previously undefined function to maintain a myeloid stem/progenitor cell state through modulation of PRC2 activity. Our findings support exploring EZH1/2 inhibitors as therapy for FLT3-ITD AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela J Sung
- Department of Medicine - Leukemia, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Murugan Selvam
- Department of Medicine - Leukemia, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Simone S Riedel
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hongbo M Xie
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katie Bryant
- Department of Medicine - Leukemia, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Bryan Manning
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gerald B Wertheim
- Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katarzyna Kulej
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lucie Pham
- Department of Medicine - Leukemia, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Robert L Bowman
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer Peresie
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Michael J Nemeth
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Ross L Levine
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin A Garcia
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sara E Meyer
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Simone Sidoli
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kathrin M Bernt
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Martin Carroll
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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4
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Yaguchi A, Fujimura J, Maruyama K, Fujiwara M, Ishibashi T, Tomita O, Shimizu T. Recurrent spinal atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor with pulmonary metastasis. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2024; 7:e1975. [PMID: 38217390 PMCID: PMC10850004 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRT) are aggressive pediatric central nervous system malignancies that predominantly affect the brain and have poor survival outcomes. However, spinal ATRT is an uncommon subset of ATRT, and its clinical course and management are poorly understood. CASE We describe a case of spinal ATRT in a previously healthy 5-year-old girl who initially presented with rapid-onset gait disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an extramedullary tumor at thoracic level 5 (T5) without bony destruction or metastasis. The patient partially recovered after surgical resection. One month was required for a definitive diagnosis, and the pathology confirmed ATRT characterized by the loss of INI-1 protein expression. Chemoradiotherapy with local irradiation and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation led to complete remission and functional recovery for 5 months. However, the condition exhibited progression in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) region, resulting in cerebellar, cerebral, and spinal tumor development. Eventually, the disease metastasized to the lungs and disseminated to the entire cerebrospinal cord and fluid. The patient died 15 months after the initial diagnosis. CONCLUSION This case emphasizes the importance of considering ATRT as a potential diagnostic modality for pediatric spinal cord tumors, enabling prompt multidisciplinary intervention. The heterogeneous appearance of spinal ATRT may make distinguishing it from other spinal tumors difficult, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. The treatment approach for ATRT remains challenging with no established standards. Local irradiation may be preferable to minimize neurodevelopmental effects, and initial craniospinal irradiation may potentially prevent recurrence. Our case emphasizes the likelihood of extracranial metastasis in ATRT, thereby highlighting the importance of a comprehensive assessment of both genetic and epigenetic profiles to identify any factors that may influence the clinical course of this disease. Prompt diagnosis and comprehensive therapeutic strategies are critical for improving outcomes in spinal ATRT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Yaguchi
- Department of PediatricsJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Junya Fujimura
- Department of PediatricsJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Kazutaka Maruyama
- Department of PediatricsJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Megumi Fujiwara
- Department of PediatricsJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Takeshi Ishibashi
- Department of PediatricsJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Osamu Tomita
- Department of PediatricsJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Toshiaki Shimizu
- Department of PediatricsJuntendo University Faculty of MedicineTokyoJapan
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5
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Singh H, Kumar M, Kanungo H. Role of Gene Mutations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Review Article. Glob Med Genet 2023; 10:123-128. [PMID: 37360004 PMCID: PMC10289861 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1770768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an immensely heterogeneous disease characterized by the clonal growth of promyelocytes or myeloblasts in bone marrow as well as in peripheral blood or tissue. Enhancement in the knowledge of the molecular biology of cancer and recognition of intermittent mutations in AML contribute to favorable circumstances to establish targeted therapies and enhance the clinical outcome. There is high interest in the development of therapies that target definitive abnormalities in AML while eradicating leukemia-initiating cells. In recent years, there has been a better knowledge of the molecular abnormalities that lead to the progression of AML, and the application of new methods in molecular biology techniques has increased that facilitating the advancement of investigational drugs. In this review, literature or information on various gene mutations for AML is discussed. English language articles were scrutinized in plentiful directories or databases like PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Sciences, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The important keywords used for searching databases is "Acute myeloid leukemia", "Gene mutation in Acute myeloid leukemia", "Genetic alteration in Acute myeloid leukemia," and "Genetic abnormalities in Acute myeloid leukemia."
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Singh
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Microbiology, Index Institute of Dental Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Magesh Kumar
- Department of Periodontics, Index Institute of Dental Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Himanshu Kanungo
- Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Index Institute of Dental Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
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6
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Abstract
The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and its highly related homolog EZH1 are considered to be epigenetic silencing factors, and they play key roles in the growth and differentiation of cells as the core components of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). EZH1 and EZH2 are known to have a role in human malignancies, and alterations in these two genes have been implicated in transformation of human malignancies. Inhibition of EZH1/2 has been shown to result in tumor regression in humans and has been studied and evaluated in the preclinical setting and in multiple clinical trials at various levels. Our work thus contributes to the understanding of the relationship between regulatory molecules associated with EZH1/2 proteins and tumor progression, and may provide new insights for mechanism-based EZH1/2-targeted therapy in tumors.
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7
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Clinical characteristics and outcomes of EZH2-mutant myelodysplastic syndrome: A large single institution analysis of 1774 patients. Leuk Res 2023; 124:106999. [PMID: 36542963 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2022.106999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
EZH2 mutations in myeloid neoplasms are loss of function type, and have been linked to poor overall survival (OS) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). However, the specific determinants of outcomes in EZH2-mutant (mut) MDS are not well characterized. In this single-center retrospective study, clinical and genomic data were collected on 1774 patients with MDS treated at Moffitt Cancer Center. In our cohort, 83 (4.7%) patients had a pathogenic EZH2 mutation. Patients with EZH2mut MDS were older than EZH2-wild type (wt) group (median age- 72 vs. 69 years, p = 0.010). The most common co-occurring mutation in EZH2mut MDS was ASXL1, with a significantly higher frequency than EZH2wt (54% vs. 19%, p < 0.001). Patients with EZH2mut MDS had lower response rates to hypomethylating agents compared to EZH2wt MDS (26% vs. 39%; p = 0.050). Median OS of patients with EZH2mut MDS was 30.8 months, with a significantly worse OS than EZH2wt group (35.5 vs. 61.2 months, p = 0.003) in the lower-risk IPSS-R categories. Among patients with EZH2mut MDS, co-presence of ASXL1 or RUNX1 mutations was associated with inferior median OS compared to their wt counterparts (26.8 vs. 48.7 months, p = 0.031). Concurrent chromosome 7 abnormalities (12%) were also associated with significantly worse OS (median OS- 20.8 vs. 35.5 months, p = 0.002) in EZH2mut MDS. Future clinical trials should explore the potential role of novel targeted therapies in improving outcomes in patients with EZH2mut MDS.
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Dual inhibition of EZH1/2 induces cell cycle arrest of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells through upregulation of CDKN1C and TP53INP1. Int J Hematol 2023; 117:78-89. [PMID: 36280659 DOI: 10.1007/s12185-022-03469-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Disease-risk stratification and development of intensified chemotherapy protocols have substantially improved the outcome of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, outcomes of relapsed or refractory cases remain poor. Previous studies have discussed the oncogenic role of enhancer of zeste homolog 1 and 2 (EZH1/2), and the efficacy of dual inhibition of EZH1/2 as a treatment for hematological malignancy. Here, we investigated whether an EZH1/2 dual inhibitor, DS-3201 (valemetostat), has antitumor effects on B cell ALL (B-ALL). DS-3201 inhibited growth of B-ALL cell lines more significantly and strongly than the EZH2-specific inhibitor EPZ-6438, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro. RNA-seq analysis to determine the effect of DS-3201 on cell cycle arrest-related genes expressed by B-ALL cell lines showed that DS-3201 upregulated CDKN1C and TP53INP1. CRIPSR/Cas9 knockout confirmed that CDKN1C and TP53INP1 are direct targets of EZH1/2 and are responsible for the antitumor effects of DS-3201 against B-ALL. Furthermore, a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model showed that DS-3201 inhibited the growth of B-ALL harboring MLL-AF4 significantly. Thus, DS-3201 provides another option for treatment of B-ALL.
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Shinohara H, Sawado R, Nakagawa M, Hattori A, Yamagata K, Tauchi K, Ito J, Kuwahara Y, Okuda T, Ogawa C, Kitabayashi I. Dual targeting of EZH1 and EZH2 for the treatment of malignant rhabdoid tumors. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2022; 27:14-25. [PMID: 36212776 PMCID: PMC9529991 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRTs) are rare and highly aggressive pediatric cancers with no standard of care. MRTs are characterized by loss of SMARCB1, which results in upregulated expression of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), which is responsible for the methylation of lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me3), leading to the repression of gene expression. Although previous reports suggest EZH2 as an effective therapeutic target, the functions of EZH1, the other homolog of EZH, in MRT remain unknown. Here, we show that EZH1, as well as EZH2, contributes to MRT cell growth and H3K27 methylation. Depletion or selective inhibition of EZH2 led to a compensatory increase in EZH1 expression, and depletion of EZH1 enhanced the effect of EZH2 inhibition. EZH1/2 dual inhibitors suppressed MRT cell growth markedly, reflecting the reduction of H3K27me3 accumulation at one of the EZH1/2 targets, the CDKN2A locus. Dual inhibition of EZH1/2 in vivo suppressed tumor growth completely, with no significant adverse effects. These findings indicate that both EZH1 and EZH2 are potential targets for MRT therapy, and that EZH1/2 dual inhibitors may be promising therapeutic strategies for MRT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Shinohara
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Rie Sawado
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Makoto Nakagawa
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Ayuna Hattori
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
- Department of Biosystems Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kazutsune Yamagata
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Kimiharu Tauchi
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Jumpei Ito
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasumichi Kuwahara
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Okuda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Chitose Ogawa
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Issay Kitabayashi
- Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
- Corresponding author Issay Kitabayashi, Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan.
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10
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Keam SJ. Valemetostat Tosilate: First Approval. Drugs 2022; 82:1621-1627. [DOI: 10.1007/s40265-022-01800-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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11
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Markouli M, Strepkos D, Piperi C. Impact of Histone Modifications and Their Therapeutic Targeting in Hematological Malignancies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13657. [PMID: 36362442 PMCID: PMC9654260 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematologic malignancies are a large and heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by complex pathogenetic mechanisms. The abnormal regulation of epigenetic mechanisms and specifically, histone modifications, has been demonstrated to play a central role in hematological cancer pathogenesis and progression. A variety of epigenetic enzymes that affect the state of histones have been detected as deregulated, being either over- or underexpressed, which induces changes in chromatin compaction and, subsequently, affects gene expression. Recent advances in the field of epigenetics have revealed novel therapeutic targets, with many epigenetic drugs being investigated in clinical trials. The present review focuses on the biological impact of histone modifications in the pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies, describing a wide range of therapeutic agents that have been discovered to target these alterations and are currently under investigation in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christina Piperi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (M.M.); (D.S.)
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12
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Li F, Gao C, Li X, Wang J, Zhao Y, Ke Y, Liu Y, Liu HM, Hu Z, Wei L, Chen ZS. Jiyuan oridonin A induces differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells including leukemic stem-like cells. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1001552. [PMID: 36133825 PMCID: PMC9484275 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1001552] [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: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive form of hematological neoplasia characterized by failure of myeloid differentiation. AML is a leading cause of death from leukemia. Cytarabine chemotherapy resistance is a major source of refractory/relapsed AML. A major obstacle to the successful treatment of AML results from residual disease maintained by leukemic stem cells (LSCs), which are mostly resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Here, we determined the effect of a natural compound, Jiyuan oridonin A (JOA), on the differentiation blockade in the M2 subtype [particularly t (8;21)] of AML cells, M3 subtype of AML cells (APL cells), and leukemic stem-like cells both in vitro and in vivo. We found that JOA induced cell differentiation and suppressed the colony formation capacity in various AML cell lines (Kasumi-1, KG-1, MUTZ-8, NB4, and HL-60) without eliciting apoptosis. The mechanism of JOA-induced cell differentiation depends on the specificity of cell type. JOA mediated the differentiation of Kasumi-1 cells by activating the hematopoietic cell lineage signaling pathway, while inhibition of c-MYC was involved in the JOA-induced differentiation of NB4 cells. Moreover, JOA was identified to target leukemic stem-like cells by induced cell differentiation in vivo. These findings demonstrated that JOA could inhibit the proliferation of M2 and M3 subtypes of AML cells and leukemic stem-like cells by overcoming the differentiation blockade, which may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for AML to overcome relapse and drug resistance in patients with AML. Our findings highlight the possibility of using compounds like JOA as a promising differentiation-induced agent for the treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahui Li
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Congying Gao
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Xueming Li
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Jiangyun Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yu Ke
- School of Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ying Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hong-Min Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhenbo Hu
- Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
- *Correspondence: Zhenbo Hu, ; Liuya Wei, ; Zhe-Sheng Chen,
| | - Liuya Wei
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
- *Correspondence: Zhenbo Hu, ; Liuya Wei, ; Zhe-Sheng Chen,
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Zhenbo Hu, ; Liuya Wei, ; Zhe-Sheng Chen,
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13
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Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor I3 Induces the Differentiation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells with t (8; 21) or MLL Gene Translocation and Leukemic Stem-Like Cells. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:3345536. [PMID: 36072977 PMCID: PMC9441378 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3345536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by the clonal expansion and differentiation arrest of leukemic cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow. Though the treatment using cytarabine-based protocol for AML patients with t (8; 21) translocation has improved the 5-year overall survival rate, drug resistance continues to be the principal limiting factor for the cure of the disease. In addition, very few AML patients with mixed lineage leukemia gene rearrangements (MLLr) have a desirable outcome. This study evaluated the cell differentiation effect of a potent HDAC (histone deacetylase) inhibitor, I3, and its possible mechanism on the AML cells with t (8; 21) translocation or MLLr and leukemic stem-like cells (Kasumi-1, KG-1, MOLM-13, and THP-1). I3 exhibited efficient anti-proliferative activity on these cells via promoting cell differentiation, accompanied by the cell cycle exit at G0/G1. Importantly, I3 showed the properties of HDAC inhibition, as assessed by the acetylation of histones H3 and H4, which resulted in blocking the activation of the VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)-MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway in the Kasumi-1 cell line. These data demonstrate that I3 could be a potent chromatin-remodeling agent to surmount the differentiation block in AML patients, including those with t (8; 21) translocation or MLLr, and could be a potent and selective agent for AML treatment.
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14
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Xu L, Zhang J, Sun J, Hou K, Yang C, Guo Y, Liu X, Kalvakolanu DV, Zhang L, Guo B. Epigenetic regulation of cancer stem cells: Shedding light on the refractory/relapsed cancers. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 202:115110. [PMID: 35640714 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115110] [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: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The resistance to drugs, ability to enter quiescence and generate heterogeneous cancer cells, and enhancement of aggressiveness, make cancer stem cells (CSCs) integral part of tumor progression, metastasis and recurrence after treatment. The epigenetic modification machinery is crucial for the viability of CSCs and evolution of aggressive forms of a tumor. These mechanisms can also be targeted by specific drugs, providing a promising approach for blocking CSCs. In this review, we summarize the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in CSCs which contribute to drug resistance, quiescence and tumor heterogeneity. We also discuss the drugs that can potentially target these processes and data from experimental and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libo Xu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China; Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Jinghua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Jicheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Kunlin Hou
- Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Chenxin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Ying Guo
- Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Xiaorui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Dhan V Kalvakolanu
- Greenebaum NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ling Zhang
- Department of Plastic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China; Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
| | - Baofeng Guo
- Department of Plastic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
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15
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Chemical biology and pharmacology of histone lysine methylation inhibitors. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2022; 1865:194840. [PMID: 35753676 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2022.194840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Histone lysine methylation is a post-translational modification that plays a key role in the epigenetic regulation of a broad spectrum of biological processes. Moreover, the dysregulation of histone lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases particularly cancer. Due to their pathobiological importance, KMTs have garnered immense attention over the last decade as attractive therapeutic targets. These endeavors have culminated in tens of chemical probes that have been used to interrogate many aspects of histone lysine methylation. Besides, over a dozen inhibitors have been advanced to clinical trials, including the EZH2 inhibitor tazemetostat approved for the treatment of follicular lymphoma and advanced epithelioid sarcoma. In this Review, we highlight the chemical biology and pharmacology of KMT inhibitors and targeted protein degraders focusing on the clinical development of EZH1/2, DOT1L, Menin-MLL, and WDR5-MLL inhibitors. We also briefly discuss the pharmacologic targeting of other KMTs.
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16
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Leukemic Stem Cells as a Target for Eliminating Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Gaps in Translational Research. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 175:103710. [DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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17
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Panobinostat, a Pan-HDAC Inhibitor, Substantially Decreases the Quiescent Population of Leukemic Cells either in Monoculture or in Co-culture with Bone Marrow Stromal Cells. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER MANAGEMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.5812/ijcm.120599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: It is increasingly evident that interactions between leukemic cells and their niches can have profound effects on clinical outcomes and have been contributed to the failure in treatment and drug shortage in the eradication of minimal residual disease, at least in part, through moving the cells from proliferative state to quiescent state. Objectives: We, therefore, investigated the effects of different bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on the induction of quiescence and tested the advantage of pan-HDAC inhibitor panobinostat in the induction of apoptosis and targeting the quiescence cells of APL-derived (NB4) and CML-derived (K562) cell lines. Methods: We firstly evaluated the effect of BMSCs including mesenchymal stem cell (MSC), osteoblast, and macrophage on the induction of NB4 and K562 cells quiescence in co-culture models. Next, the alterations in mRNA expression of quiescence-related genes and leukemia-driver oncogenes were evaluated in different models. Finally, the anti-leukemic effects of panobinostat were evaluated, using MTT assay and evaluation of apoptosis and G0 population. Results: Upon 10 days of co-culture with stromal cells, we found that leukemic cells significantly accumulated in the G0 phase. The co-cultured cells also depictured an overall overexpression of most quiescence promoter genes. The oncogenes were underexpressed in the majority of co-cultured models. The results also showed that although panobinostat could induce apoptosis in co-cultured cells, its effect on the reduction of the G0 population was more striking. Conclusions: These data propose that leukemia cells' quiescence state induced by stromal cells is reversible by HDAC inhibition and panobinostat could be a potentiate drug for eradication of treatment-resistance quiescence leukemic cells.
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18
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Feoli A, Viviano M, Cipriano A, Milite C, Castellano S, Sbardella G. Lysine methyltransferase inhibitors: where we are now. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:359-406. [PMID: 35441141 PMCID: PMC8985178 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00196e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein lysine methyltransferases constitute a large family of epigenetic writers that catalyse the transfer of a methyl group from the cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine to histone- and non-histone-specific substrates. Alterations in the expression and activity of these proteins have been linked to the genesis and progress of several diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, and growing defects, hence they represent interesting targets for new therapeutic approaches. Over the past two decades, the identification of modulators of lysine methyltransferases has increased tremendously, clarifying the role of these proteins in different physio-pathological states. The aim of this review is to furnish an updated outlook about the protein lysine methyltransferases disclosed modulators, reporting their potency, their mechanism of action and their eventual use in clinical and preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Feoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Monica Viviano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Alessandra Cipriano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Ciro Milite
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Gianluca Sbardella
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
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19
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Chan LH, Yan Q. Awakening KDM5B to defeat leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2202245119. [PMID: 35312367 PMCID: PMC9060505 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202245119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lok Hei Chan
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Qin Yan
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
- Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
- Yale Center for Research on Aging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
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20
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Ping M, Wang S, Guo Y, Jia J. TRIM21 improves apatinib treatment in gastric cancer through suppressing EZH1 stability. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 586:177-184. [PMID: 34856418 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.07.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a common tumor with high metastatic rate worldwide. Promoting chemosensitivity is effective for improving therapeutic outcome and survival rate for GC patients. Tripartite motif-containing 21 (TRIM21), a member of TRIM-containing proteins, plays crucial roles in regulating numerous cellular events involved in tumor progression. However, it's regulatory effects on GC growth and drug sensitivity are still unclear. In the present study, we identified that TRIM21 expression was remarkably decreased in human GC tissues compared with the adjacent normal ones, and its down-regulation was closely linked to higher recurrence and lower overall survival rate among GC patients. We then found that apatinib (APA)-reduced GC cell proliferation was significantly abolished by TRIM21 knockdown; however, promoting TRIM21 expression further improved the sensitivity of GC cells to APA treatment, as proved by the remarkably decreased cell viability and colony formation. Furthermore, TRIM21 over-expression dramatically enhanced apoptosis, while its knockdown markedly diminished apoptotic cell death in APA-incubated GC cells. Moreover, stem cell properties of GC cells were also restrained by TRIM21. Our in vivo experiments showed that APA-repressed tumor growth was considerably abolished by TRIM21 knockdown, whereas being further elevated by TRIM21 over-expression. In addition, we showed that TRIM21 markedly decreased enhancer of zeste homolog 1 (EZH1) protein expression levels in GC cells, and importantly, a direct interaction between TRIM21 and EZH1 was verified. Of note, our in vitro studies revealed that EZH1 over-expression remarkably abolished the function of TRIM21 to restrain cell viability and induce apoptosis in APA-incubated GC cells, indicating that EZH1 suppression was necessary for TRIM21 to inhibit GC progression. Together, our findings demonstrated that TRIM21 may be a novel therapeutic target for GC treatment through reducing EZH1 to improve chemosensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Ping
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Shumin Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Yarong Guo
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Junmei Jia
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi Province, China.
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21
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Du Y, Han M, Cao K, Li Q, Pang J, Dou L, Liu S, Shi Z, Yan F, Feng S. Gold Nanorods Exhibit Intrinsic Therapeutic Activity via Controlling N6-Methyladenosine-Based Epitranscriptomics in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. ACS NANO 2021; 15:17689-17704. [PMID: 34694795 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c05547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Reprograming the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) landscape is a promising therapeutic strategy against recalcitrant leukemia. In this study, we synthesized gold nanorods (GNRs) of different aspect ratios using a binary surfactant mixture of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium oleate. Following surface functionalization with chitosan and a 12-mer peptide, GNRa-CSP12 measuring 130 × 21 nm2 was selectively taken up by leukemia cells via targeted endocytosis. Low doses of GNRa-CSP12 inhibited the growth of leukemia cells by disrupting the redox balance and inducing ferroptosis. Mechanistically, GNRa-CSP12 abrogated endogenous Fe2+-dependent m6A demethylase activity, which led to global m6A hypomethylation and post-transcriptional regulation of downstream genes that are involved in glycolysis, hypoxia, and immune checkpoint pathways. In addition, combination treatment with GNRa-CSP12 and tyrosine kinases inhibitors (TKIs) synergistically obviated the m6A-mediated TKI resistance phenotype. Finally, GNRa-CSP12 as a potential immunotherapeutic agent could enhance immunotherapy outcome in leukemia. Our preclinical findings provide the proof-of-concept for targeting m6A-methylation-based epitranscriptomics using nanoparticle as an "epigenetic drug" for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Du
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Mingda Han
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Kunxia Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Jiuxia Pang
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, Minnesota 55912, United States
| | - Liping Dou
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853 Beijing, China
| | - Shujun Liu
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, Minnesota 55912, United States
| | - Zhan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Fei Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Shouhua Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
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22
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Wang S, C Ordonez-Rubiano S, Dhiman A, Jiao G, Strohmier BP, Krusemark CJ, Dykhuizen EC. Polycomb group proteins in cancer: multifaceted functions and strategies for modulation. NAR Cancer 2021; 3:zcab039. [PMID: 34617019 PMCID: PMC8489530 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcab039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs) are a heterogenous collection of dozens, if not hundreds, of protein complexes composed of various combinations of subunits. PRCs are transcriptional repressors important for cell-type specificity during development, and as such, are commonly mis-regulated in cancer. PRCs are broadly characterized as PRC1 with histone ubiquitin ligase activity, or PRC2 with histone methyltransferase activity; however, the mechanism by which individual PRCs, particularly the highly diverse set of PRC1s, alter gene expression has not always been clear. Here we review the current understanding of how PRCs act, both individually and together, to establish and maintain gene repression, the biochemical contribution of individual PRC subunits, the mis-regulation of PRC function in different cancers, and the current strategies for modulating PRC activity. Increased mechanistic understanding of PRC function, as well as cancer-specific roles for individual PRC subunits, will uncover better targets and strategies for cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijie Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, 201 S. University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Sandra C Ordonez-Rubiano
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, 201 S. University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Alisha Dhiman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, 201 S. University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Guanming Jiao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, 201 S. University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Brayden P Strohmier
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, 201 S. University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Casey J Krusemark
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, 201 S. University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Emily C Dykhuizen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, 201 S. University St., West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
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23
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The metabolic flexibility of quiescent CSC: implications for chemotherapy resistance. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:835. [PMID: 34482364 PMCID: PMC8418609 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04116-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Quiescence has been observed in stem cells (SCs), including adult SCs and cancer SCs (CSCs). Conventional chemotherapies mostly target proliferating cancer cells, while the quiescent state favors CSCs escape to chemotherapeutic drugs, leaving risks for tumor recurrence or metastasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) provides various signals that maintain resident quiescent CSCs, protect them from immune surveillance, and facilitates their recurrence potential. Since the TME has the potential to support and initiate stem cell-like programs in cancer cells, targeting the TME components may prove to be a powerful modality for the treatment of chemotherapy resistance. In addition, an increasing number of studies have discovered that CSCs exhibit the potential of metabolic flexibility when metabolic substrates are limited, and display increased robustness in response to stress. Accompanied by chemotherapy that targets proliferative cancer cells, treatments that modulate CSC quiescence through the regulation of metabolic pathways also show promise. In this review, we focus on the roles of metabolic flexibility and the TME on CSCs quiescence and further discuss potential treatments of targeting CSCs and the TME to limit chemotherapy resistance.
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24
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Zeisig BB, So CWE. Therapeutic Opportunities of Targeting Canonical and Noncanonical PcG/TrxG Functions in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2021; 22:103-125. [PMID: 33929894 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-111120-102443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptional deregulation is a key driver of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a heterogeneous blood cancer with poor survival rates. Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) genes, originally identified in Drosophila melanogaster several decades ago as master regulators of cellular identity and epigenetic memory, not only are important in mammalian development but also play a key role in AML disease biology. In addition to their classical canonical antagonistic transcriptional functions, noncanonical synergistic and nontranscriptional functions of PcG and TrxG are emerging. Here, we review the biochemical properties of major mammalian PcG and TrxG complexes and their roles in AML disease biology, including disease maintenance as well as drug resistance. We summarize current efforts on targeting PcG and TrxG for treatment of AML and propose rational synthetic lethality and drug-induced antagonistic pleiotropy options involving PcG and TrxG as potential new therapeutic avenues for treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd B Zeisig
- Leukaemia and Stem Cell Biology Group, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, United Kingdom;
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
| | - Chi Wai Eric So
- Leukaemia and Stem Cell Biology Group, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, United Kingdom;
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
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25
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Epigenetic dysregulation in myeloid malignancies. Blood 2021; 138:613-624. [PMID: 34157099 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019004262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic deregulation is now a well-recognized -though not yet fully understood- mechanism that contributes to the development and progression of myeloid malignancies. In the past 15 years, next generation sequencing studies have revealed patterns of aberrant DNA methylation, altered chromatin states, and mutations in chromatin modifiers across the spectrum of myeloid malignancies. Studies into the mechanisms that drive these diseases through mouse modeling have helped identify new avenues for therapeutic interventions, from initial treatment to resistant, relapsed disease. This is particularly significant when chemotherapy with cytotoxic agents remains the general standard of care. In this review, we will discuss some of the recent findings of epigenetic mechanisms and how these are informing the development of more targeted strategies for therapeutic intervention in myeloid malignancies.
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Clinical developments in epigenetic-directed therapies in acute myeloid leukemia. Blood Adv 2021; 4:970-982. [PMID: 32150613 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019001245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous disease arising from acquired genetic and epigenetic aberrations which stifle normal development and differentiation of hematopoietic precursors. Despite the complex and varied biological underpinnings, induction therapy for AML has remained fairly uniform over 4 decades and outcomes remain poor for most patients. Recently, enhanced understanding of the leukemic epigenome has resulted in the translational investigation of a number of epigenetic modifying agents currently in various stages of clinical development. These novel therapies are based on mechanistic rationale and offer the potential to improve AML patient outcomes. In light of many recent advances in this field, we provide an updated, clinically oriented review of the evolving landscape of epigenetic modifying agents for the treatment of AML.
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van Gils N, Denkers F, Smit L. Escape From Treatment; the Different Faces of Leukemic Stem Cells and Therapy Resistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Oncol 2021; 11:659253. [PMID: 34012921 PMCID: PMC8126717 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.659253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Standard induction chemotherapy, consisting of an anthracycline and cytarabine, has been the first-line therapy for many years to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although this treatment induces complete remissions in the majority of patients, many face a relapse (adaptive resistance) or have refractory disease (primary resistance). Moreover, older patients are often unfit for cytotoxic-based treatment. AML relapse is due to the survival of therapy-resistant leukemia cells (minimal residual disease, MRD). Leukemia cells with stem cell features, named leukemic stem cells (LSCs), residing within MRD are thought to be at the origin of relapse initiation. It is increasingly recognized that leukemia "persisters" are caused by intra-leukemic heterogeneity and non-genetic factors leading to plasticity in therapy response. The BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax, combined with hypomethylating agents or low dose cytarabine, represents an important new therapy especially for older AML patients. However, often there is also a small population of AML cells refractory to venetoclax treatment. As AML MRD reflects the sum of therapy resistance mechanisms, the different faces of treatment "persisters" and LSCs might be exploited to reach an optimal therapy response and prevent the initiation of relapse. Here, we describe the different epigenetic, transcriptional, and metabolic states of therapy sensitive and resistant AML (stem) cell populations and LSCs, how these cell states are influenced by the microenvironment and affect treatment outcome of AML. Moreover, we discuss potential strategies to target dynamic treatment resistance and LSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noortje van Gils
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fedor Denkers
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Linda Smit
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Feng W, Yang X, Wang L, Wang R, Yang F, Wang H, Liu X, Ren Q, Zhang Y, Zhu X, Zheng G. P2X7 promotes the progression of MLL-AF9 induced acute myeloid leukemia by upregulation of Pbx3. Haematologica 2021; 106:1278-1289. [PMID: 32165482 PMCID: PMC8094107 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2019.243360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleotides mediate intercellular communication by activating purinergic receptors and take part in various physiological and pathological processes. Abnormal purinergic signaling plays important roles in malignant progression. P2X7, which belongs to the P2X family of purinergic receptors, is abnormally expressed in various types of malignancies including leukemia. However, its role and molecular mechanism in leukemia have not been elucidated. Here, we analyzed the correlation between P2X7 expression and AML clinical outcome; explored the role and mechanism of P2X7 in AML progression by using mouse acute myeloid leukemia (AML), nude mouse xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models. High levels of P2X7 expression were correlated with worse survival in AML. P2X7 was highly expressed in MLL-rearranged AML. Furthermore, P2X7 accelerated the progression of MLL-rearranged AML by both promoting cell proliferation and increasing leukemia stem cell (LSC) levels. Moreover, P2X7 caused upregulation of Pbx3 accounts for its pro-leukemic effects. The P2X7-Pbx3 pathway might also contribute to the progression of other types of leukemia as well as solid tumors with high levels of P2X7 expression. Our study provides new insights into the malignant progression caused by abnormal purinergic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Feng
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Lina Wang
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Feifei Yang
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Qian Ren
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Yingchi Zhang
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Xiaofan Zhu
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Guoguang Zheng
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, China
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Kagiyama Y, Fujita S, Shima Y, Yamagata K, Katsumoto T, Nakagawa M, Honma D, Adachi N, Araki K, Kato A, Inaki K, Ono Y, Fukuhara S, Kobayashi Y, Tobinai K, Kitabayashi I. CDKN1C-mediated growth inhibition by an EZH1/2 dual inhibitor overcomes resistance of mantle cell lymphoma to ibrutinib. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:2314-2324. [PMID: 33792119 PMCID: PMC8177787 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare subtype of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is characterized by overexpression of cyclin D1. Although novel drugs, such as ibrutinib, show promising clinical outcomes, relapsed MCL often acquires drug resistance. Therefore, alternative approaches for refractory and relapsed MCL are needed. Here, we examined whether a novel inhibitor of enhancer of zeste homologs 1 and 2 (EZH1/2), OR‐S1 (a close analog of the clinical‐stage compound valemetostat), had an antitumor effect on MCL cells. In an ibrutinib‐resistant MCL patient–derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model, OR‐S1 treatment by oral administration significantly inhibited MCL tumor growth, whereas ibrutinib did not. In vitro growth assays showed that compared with an established EZH2‐specific inhibitor GSK126, OR‐S1 had a marked antitumor effect on MCL cell lines. Furthermore, comprehensive gene expression analysis was performed using OR‐S1–sensitive or insensitive MCL cell lines and showed that OR‐S1 treatment modulated B‐cell activation, differentiation, and cell cycle. In addition, we identified Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 1C (CDKN1C, also known as p57, KIP2), which contributes to cell cycle arrest, as a direct target of EZH1/2 and showed that its expression influenced MCL cell proliferation. These results suggest that EZH1/2 may be a potential novel target for the treatment of aggressive ibrutinib‐resistant MCL via CDKN1C‐mediated cell cycle arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kagiyama
- Division of Haematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuhei Fujita
- Division of Haematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Shima
- Division of Haematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutsune Yamagata
- Division of Haematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuo Katsumoto
- Division of Haematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Nakagawa
- Division of Haematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Honma
- Oncology Research Laboratories, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Adachi
- Oncology Research Laboratories, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazushi Araki
- Oncology Research Laboratories, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayako Kato
- Discovery Science and Technology Department, Daiichi Sankyo RD Novare Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichiro Inaki
- Discovery Science and Technology Department, Daiichi Sankyo RD Novare Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Ono
- Discovery Science and Technology Department, Daiichi Sankyo RD Novare Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Suguru Fukuhara
- Department of Haematology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukio Kobayashi
- Department of Haematology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensei Tobinai
- Department of Haematology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Issay Kitabayashi
- Division of Haematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
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Stomper J, Meier R, Ma T, Pfeifer D, Ihorst G, Blagitko-Dorfs N, Greve G, Zimmer D, Platzbecker U, Hagemeijer A, Schmitt-Graeff I, Lübbert M. Integrative study of EZH2 mutational status, copy number, protein expression and H3K27 trimethylation in AML/MDS patients. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:77. [PMID: 33845873 PMCID: PMC8043064 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01052-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mutations in the EZH2 gene are recurrently found in patients with myeloid neoplasms and are associated with a poor prognosis. We aimed to characterize genetic and epigenetic alterations of EZH2 in 58 patients (51 with acute myeloid leukemia and 7 with myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative neoplasms) by integrating data on EZH2 mutational status, co-occurring mutations, and EZH2 copy number status with EZH2 protein expression, histone H3K27 trimethylation, and EZH2 promoter methylation. Results EZH2 was mutated in 6/51 acute myeloid leukemia patients (12%) and 7/7 patients with other myeloid neoplasms. EZH2 mutations were not overrepresented in patients with chromosome 7q deletions or losses. In acute myeloid leukemia patients, EZH2 mutations frequently co-occurred with CEBPA (67%), ASXL1 (50%), TET2 and RAD21 mutations (33% each). In EZH2-mutated patients with myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative neoplasms, the most common co-mutations were in ASXL1 (100%), NRAS, RUNX1, and STAG2 (29% each). EZH2 mutations were associated with a significant decrease in EZH2 expression (p = 0.0002), which was similar in patients with chromosome 7 aberrations and patients with intact chromosome 7. An association between EZH2 protein expression and H3K27 trimethylation was observed in EZH2-unmutated patients (R2 = 0.2, p = 0.01). The monoallelic state of EZH2 was not associated with EZH2 promoter hypermethylation. In multivariable analyses, EZH2 mutations were associated with a trend towards an increased risk of death (hazard ratio 2.51 [95% confidence interval 0.87–7.25], p = 0.09); similarly, low EZH2 expression was associated with elevated risk (hazard ratio 2.54 [95% confidence interval 1.07–6.04], p = 0.04). Conclusions Perturbations of EZH2 activity in AML/MDS occur on different, genetic and non-genetic levels. Both low EZH2 protein expression and, by trend, EZH2 gene mutations predicted inferior overall survival of AML patients receiving standard chemotherapy. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-021-01052-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Stomper
- Department of Medicine I (Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ruth Meier
- Department of Medicine I (Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Ma
- Department of Medicine I (Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dietmar Pfeifer
- Department of Medicine I (Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gabriele Ihorst
- Clinical Trials Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nadja Blagitko-Dorfs
- Institute for Immunodeficiency, Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gabriele Greve
- Department of Medicine I (Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dennis Zimmer
- Department of Medicine I (Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Platzbecker
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Medical Department-Hematology and Cell Therapy, Medical Oncology, Hemostaseology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Michael Lübbert
- Department of Medicine I (Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner Site Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. .,Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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Jiang X, Jiang L, Cheng J, Chen F, Ni J, Yin C, Wang Q, Wang Z, Fang D, Yi Z, Yu G, Zhong Q, Carter BZ, Meng F. Inhibition of EZH2 by chidamide exerts antileukemia activity and increases chemosensitivity through Smo/Gli-1 pathway in acute myeloid leukemia. J Transl Med 2021; 19:117. [PMID: 33743723 PMCID: PMC7981995 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02789-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epigenetic dysregulation plays important roles in leukemogenesis and the progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) reciprocally regulate the acetylation and deacetylation of nuclear histones. Aberrant activation of HDACs results in uncontrolled proliferation and blockade of differentiation, and HDAC inhibition has been investigated as epigenetic therapeutic strategy against AML. Methods Cell growth was assessed with CCK-8 assay, and apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry in AML cell lines and CD45 + and CD34 + CD38- cells from patient samples after staining with Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI). EZH2 was silenced with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) or overexpressed by lentiviral transfection. Changes in signaling pathways were detected by western blotting. The effect of chidamide or EZH2-specific shRNA (shEZH2) in combination with adriamycin was studied in vivo in leukemia-bearing nude mouse models. Results In this study, we investigated the antileukemia effects of HDAC inhibitor chidamide and its combinatorial activity with cytotoxic agent adriamycin in AML cells. We demonstrated that chidamide suppressed the levels of EZH2, H3K27me3 and DNMT3A, exerted potential antileukemia activity and increased the sensitivity to adriamycin through disruption of Smo/Gli-1 pathway and downstream signaling target p-AKT in AML cells and stem/progenitor cells. In addition to decreasing the levels of H3K27me3 and DNMT3A, inhibition of EZH2 either pharmacologically by chidamide or genetically by shEZH2 suppressed the activity of Smo/Gli-1 pathway and increased the antileukemia activity of adriamycin against AML in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions Inhibition of EZH2 by chidamide has antileukemia activity and increases the chemosensitivity to adriamycin through Smo/Gli-1 pathway in AML cells (Fig. 5). These findings support the rational combination of HDAC inhibitors and chemotherapy for the treatment of AML. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-02789-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejie Jiang
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
| | - Ling Jiang
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiaying Cheng
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Fang Chen
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinle Ni
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Changxin Yin
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhixiang Wang
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Dan Fang
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhengshan Yi
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Guopan Yu
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Qingxiu Zhong
- Department of Hematology, Kanghua Hospital, Dongguan, 523080, Guangdong, China
| | - Bing Z Carter
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fanyi Meng
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China. .,Department of Hematology, Kanghua Hospital, Dongguan, 523080, Guangdong, China.
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Loss-of-function mutations in the histone methyltransferase EZH2 promote chemotherapy resistance in AML. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5838. [PMID: 33712646 PMCID: PMC7955088 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84708-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy resistance is the main impediment in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Despite rapid advances, the various mechanisms inducing resistance development remain to be defined in detail. Here we report that loss-of-function mutations (LOF) in the histone methyltransferase EZH2 have the potential to confer resistance against the chemotherapeutic agent cytarabine. We identify seven distinct EZH2 mutations leading to loss of H3K27 trimethylation via multiple mechanisms. Analysis of matched diagnosis and relapse samples reveal a heterogenous regulation of EZH2 and a loss of EZH2 in 50% of patients. We confirm that loss of EZH2 induces resistance against cytarabine in the cell lines HEK293T and K562 as well as in a patient-derived xenograft model. Proteomics and transcriptomics analysis reveal that resistance is conferred by upregulation of multiple direct and indirect EZH2 target genes that are involved in apoptosis evasion, augmentation of proliferation and alteration of transmembrane transporter function. Our data indicate that loss of EZH2 results in upregulation of its target genes, providing the cell with a selective growth advantage, which mediates chemotherapy resistance.
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Chetverina DA, Lomaev DV, Georgiev PG, Erokhin MM. Genetic Impairments of PRC2 Activity in Oncology: Problems and Prospects. RUSS J GENET+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795421030042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Drosophila Hox genes induce melanized pseudo-tumors when misexpressed in hemocytes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1838. [PMID: 33469139 PMCID: PMC7815749 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81472-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hox genes are early determinants of cell identity along the anterior–posterior body axis across bilaterians. Several late non-homeotic functions of Hox genes have emerged in a variety of processes involved in organogenesis in several organisms, including mammals. Several studies have reported the misexpression of Hox genes in a variety of malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia. The Hox genes Dfd, Ubx, abd-A and Abd-B were overexpressed via the UAS-Gal4 system using Cg-Gal4, Lsp2-Gal4, He-Gal4 and HmlD3-Gal4 as specific drivers. Genetic interaction was tested by bringing overexpression lines in heterozygous mutant backgrounds of Polycomb and trithorax group factors. Larvae were visually scored for melanized bodies. Circulating hemocytes were quantified and tested for differentiation. Pupal lethality was assessed. Expression of Dfd, Ubx and abd-A, but not Abd-B in the hematopoietic compartment of Drosophila led to the appearance of circulating melanized bodies, an increase in cell number, cell-autonomous proliferation, and differentiation of hemocytes. Pupal lethality and melanized pseudo-tumors were suppressed in Psc1 and esc2 backgrounds while polycomb group member mutations Pc1 and Su(z)123 and trithorax group member mutation TrlR85 enhanced the phenotype. Dfd, Ubx and abd-A are leukemogenic. Mutations in Polycomb and trithorax group members modulate the leukemogenic phenotype. Our RNAseq of Cg-Gal4 > UAS-abd-A hemocytes may contain genes important to Hox gene induced leukemias.
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Kaito S, Iwama A. Pathogenic Impacts of Dysregulated Polycomb Repressive Complex Function in Hematological Malignancies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010074. [PMID: 33374737 PMCID: PMC7793497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs) are epigenetic regulators that mediate repressive histone modifications. PRCs play a pivotal role in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells through repression of target genes involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. Next-generation sequencing technologies have revealed that various hematologic malignancies harbor mutations in PRC2 genes, such as EZH2, EED, and SUZ12, and PRC1.1 genes, such as BCOR and BCORL1. Except for the activating EZH2 mutations detected in lymphoma, most of these mutations compromise PRC function and are frequently associated with resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that mutations in PRC genes are druggable targets. Several PRC2 inhibitors, including EZH2-specific inhibitors and EZH1 and EZH2 dual inhibitors have shown therapeutic efficacy for tumors with and without activating EZH2 mutations. Moreover, EZH2 loss-of-function mutations appear to be attractive therapeutic targets for implementing the concept of synthetic lethality. Further understanding of the epigenetic dysregulation associated with PRCs in hematological malignancies should improve treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Atsushi Iwama
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-6409-2181; Fax: +81-3-6409-2182
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36
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Targeting LSD1 for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment. Pharmacol Res 2020; 164:105335. [PMID: 33285227 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Targeted therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an effective strategy, but currently there are very limited therapeutic targets for AML treatment. Histone lysine specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is highly expressed in many cancers, impedes the differentiation of cancer cells, promotes the proliferation, metastasis and invasion of cancer cells, and is associated with poor prognosis. Targeting LSD1 has been recognized as a promising strategy for AML treatment in recent years. Based on these features, in the review, we discussed the main epigenetic drugs targeting LSD1 for AML therapy. Thus, this review focuses on the progress of LSD1 inhibitors in AML treatment, particularly those such as tranylcypromine (TCP), ORY-1001, GSK2879552, and IMG-7289 in clinical trials. These inhibitors provide novel scaffolds for designing new LSD1 inhibitors. Besides, combined therapies of LSD1 inhibitors with other drugs for AML treatment are also highlighted.
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Luo M, Li JF, Yang Q, Zhang K, Wang ZW, Zheng S, Zhou JJ. Stem cell quiescence and its clinical relevance. World J Stem Cells 2020; 12:1307-1326. [PMID: 33312400 PMCID: PMC7705463 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i11.1307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Quiescent state has been observed in stem cells (SCs), including in adult SCs and in cancer SCs (CSCs). Quiescent status of SCs contributes to SC self-renewal and conduces to averting SC death from harsh external stimuli. In this review, we provide an overview of intrinsic mechanisms and extrinsic factors that regulate adult SC quiescence. The intrinsic mechanisms discussed here include the cell cycle, mitogenic signaling, Notch signaling, epigenetic modification, and metabolism and transcriptional regulation, while the extrinsic factors summarized here include microenvironment cells, extracellular factors, and immune response and inflammation in microenvironment. Quiescent state of CSCs has been known to contribute immensely to therapeutic resistance in multiple cancers. The characteristics and the regulation mechanisms of quiescent CSCs are discussed in detail. Importantly, we also outline the recent advances and controversies in therapeutic strategies targeting CSC quiescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Luo
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jin-Fan Li
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhan-Wei Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, Huzhou 313003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shu Zheng
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
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Varlet E, Ovejero S, Martinez AM, Cavalli G, Moreaux J. Role of Polycomb Complexes in Normal and Malignant Plasma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218047. [PMID: 33126754 PMCID: PMC7662980 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasma cells (PC) are the main effectors of adaptive immunity, responsible for producing antibodies to defend the body against pathogens. They are the result of a complex highly regulated cell differentiation process, taking place in several anatomical locations and involving unique genetic events. Pathologically, PC can undergo tumorigenesis and cause a group of diseases known as plasma cell dyscrasias, including multiple myeloma (MM). MM is a severe disease with poor prognosis that is characterized by the accumulation of malignant PC within the bone marrow, as well as high clinical and molecular heterogeneity. MM patients frequently develop resistance to treatment, leading to relapse. Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are epigenetic regulators involved in cell fate and carcinogenesis. The emerging roles of PcG in PC differentiation and myelomagenesis position them as potential therapeutic targets in MM. Here, we focus on the roles of PcG proteins in normal and malignant plasma cells, as well as their therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Varlet
- Institute of Human Genetics, UMR 9002 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, 34396 Montpellier, France; (E.V.); (S.O.); (A.-M.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Sara Ovejero
- Institute of Human Genetics, UMR 9002 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, 34396 Montpellier, France; (E.V.); (S.O.); (A.-M.M.); (G.C.)
- Department of Biological Hematology, CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Anne-Marie Martinez
- Institute of Human Genetics, UMR 9002 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, 34396 Montpellier, France; (E.V.); (S.O.); (A.-M.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Giacomo Cavalli
- Institute of Human Genetics, UMR 9002 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, 34396 Montpellier, France; (E.V.); (S.O.); (A.-M.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Jerome Moreaux
- Institute of Human Genetics, UMR 9002 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, 34396 Montpellier, France; (E.V.); (S.O.); (A.-M.M.); (G.C.)
- Department of Biological Hematology, CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
- UFR Medicine, University of Montpellier, 34003 Montpellier, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-04-6733-7903
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Chetverina DA, Lomaev DV, Erokhin MM. Polycomb and Trithorax Group Proteins: The Long Road from Mutations in Drosophila to Use in Medicine. Acta Naturae 2020; 12:66-85. [PMID: 33456979 PMCID: PMC7800605 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.11090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) proteins are evolutionarily conserved factors responsible for the repression and activation of the transcription of multiple genes in Drosophila and mammals. Disruption of the PcG/TrxG expression is associated with many pathological conditions, including cancer, which makes them suitable targets for diagnosis and therapy in medicine. In this review, we focus on the major PcG and TrxG complexes, the mechanisms of PcG/TrxG action, and their recruitment to chromatin. We discuss the alterations associated with the dysfunction of a number of factors of these groups in oncology and the current strategies used to develop drugs based on small-molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. A. Chetverina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334 Russia
| | - D. V. Lomaev
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334 Russia
| | - M. M. Erokhin
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334 Russia
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Napolitano R, De Matteis S, Carloni S, Bruno S, Abbati G, Capelli L, Ghetti M, Bochicchio MT, Liverani C, Mercatali L, Calistri D, Cuneo A, Menon K, Musuraca G, Martinelli G, Simonetti G. Kevetrin induces apoptosis in TP53 wild‑type and mutant acute myeloid leukemia cells. Oncol Rep 2020; 44:1561-1573. [PMID: 32945487 PMCID: PMC7448420 DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor protein p53 is a key regulator of several cellular pathways, including DNA repair, cell cycle and angiogenesis. Kevetrin exhibits p53-dependent as well as-independent activity in solid tumors, while its effects on leukemic cells remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to analyze the response of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines (TP53 wild-type: OCI-AML3 and MOLM-13; and TP53-mutant: KASUMI-1 and NOMO-1) to kevetrin at a concentration range of 85–340 µM. The cellular and molecular effects of the treatment were analyzed in terms of cell growth, viability [Annexin V-propidium iodide (PI) staining] and cell cycle alterations (PI staining). Gene expression profiling, western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to elucidate the pathways underlying kevetrin activity. Pulsed exposure exerted no effect on the wild-type cells, but was effective on mutant cells. After continuous treatment, significant cell growth arrest and apoptosis were observed in all cell lines, with TP53-mutant models displaying a higher sensitivity and p53 induction. Kevetrin also displayed efficacy against TP53 wild-type and mutant primary AML, with a preferential cytotoxic activity against blast cells. Gene expression profiling revealed a common core transcriptional program altered by drug exposure and the downregulation of glycolysis, DNA repair and unfolded protein response signatures. These findings suggest that kevetrin may be a promising therapeutic option for patients with both wild-type and TP53-mutant AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Napolitano
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Serena De Matteis
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Silvia Carloni
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Samantha Bruno
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna and Institute of Hematology 'L. e A. Seràgnoli', I‑40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Abbati
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Laura Capelli
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Martina Ghetti
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Bochicchio
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Chiara Liverani
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Laura Mercatali
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Daniele Calistri
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Antonio Cuneo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara‑Arcispedale Sant'Anna, I‑44124 Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Gerardo Musuraca
- Hematology Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna and Institute of Hematology 'L. e A. Seràgnoli', I‑40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, I‑47014 Meldola, Italy
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Kirtonia A, Pandya G, Sethi G, Pandey AK, Das BC, Garg M. A comprehensive review of genetic alterations and molecular targeted therapies for the implementation of personalized medicine in acute myeloid leukemia. J Mol Med (Berl) 2020; 98:1069-1091. [PMID: 32620999 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-020-01944-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an extremely heterogeneous disease defined by the clonal growth of myeloblasts/promyelocytes not only in the bone marrow but also in peripheral blood and/or tissues. Gene mutations and chromosomal abnormalities are usually associated with aberrant proliferation and/or block in the normal differentiation of hematopoietic cells. So far, the combination of cytogenetic profiling and molecular and gene mutation analyses remains an essential tool for the classification, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment for AML. This review gives an overview on how the development of novel innovative technologies has allowed us not only to detect the genetic alterations as early as possible but also to understand the molecular pathogenesis of AML to develop novel targeted therapies. We also discuss the remarkable advances made during the last decade to understand the AML genome both at primary and relapse diseases and how genetic alterations might influence the distinct biological groups as well as the clonal evolution of disease during the diagnosis and relapse. Also, the review focuses on how the persistence of epigenetic gene mutations during morphological remission is associated with relapse. It is suggested that along with the prognostic and therapeutic mutations, the novel molecular targeted therapies either approved by FDA or those under clinical trials including CART-cell therapy would be of immense importance in the effective management of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Kirtonia
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201313, India
| | - Gouri Pandya
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201313, India
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore
| | - Amit Kumar Pandey
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology (AIB), Amity University, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122413, India
| | - Bhudev C Das
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201313, India
| | - Manoj Garg
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201313, India.
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42
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Yamashita M, Dellorusso PV, Olson OC, Passegué E. Dysregulated haematopoietic stem cell behaviour in myeloid leukaemogenesis. Nat Rev Cancer 2020; 20:365-382. [PMID: 32415283 PMCID: PMC7658795 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-020-0260-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Haematopoiesis is governed by haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that produce all lineages of blood and immune cells. The maintenance of blood homeostasis requires a dynamic response of HSCs to stress, and dysregulation of these adaptive-response mechanisms underlies the development of myeloid leukaemia. Leukaemogenesis often occurs in a stepwise manner, with genetic and epigenetic changes accumulating in pre-leukaemic HSCs prior to the emergence of leukaemic stem cells (LSCs) and the development of acute myeloid leukaemia. Clinical data have revealed the existence of age-related clonal haematopoiesis, or the asymptomatic clonal expansion of mutated blood cells in the elderly, and this phenomenon is connected to susceptibility to leukaemic transformation. Here we describe how selection for specific mutations that increase HSC competitive fitness, in conjunction with additional endogenous and environmental changes, drives leukaemic transformation. We review the ways in which LSCs take advantage of normal HSC properties to promote survival and expansion, thus underlying disease recurrence and resistance to conventional therapies, and we detail our current understanding of leukaemic 'stemness' regulation. Overall, we link the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating HSC behaviour with the functional dysregulation of these mechanisms in myeloid leukaemia and discuss opportunities for targeting LSC-specific mechanisms for the prevention or cure of malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Yamashita
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Paul V Dellorusso
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Oakley C Olson
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Emmanuelle Passegué
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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43
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Richart L, Margueron R. Drugging histone methyltransferases in cancer. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2020; 56:51-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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44
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Clinical presentation and differential splicing of SRSF2, U2AF1 and SF3B1 mutations in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 2020; 34:2621-2634. [PMID: 32358566 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-020-0839-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies demonstrated that splicing factor mutations are recurrent events in hematopoietic malignancies with both clinical and functional implications. However, their aberrant splicing patterns in acute myeloid leukemia remain largely unexplored. In this study, we characterized mutations in SRSF2, U2AF1, and SF3B1, the most commonly mutated splicing factors. In our clinical analysis of 2678 patients, splicing factor mutations showed inferior relapse-free and overall survival, however, these mutations did not represent independent prognostic markers. RNA-sequencing of 246 and independent validation in 177 patients revealed an isoform expression profile which is highly characteristic for each individual mutation, with several isoforms showing a strong dysregulation. By establishing a custom differential splice junction usage pipeline, we accurately detected aberrant splicing in splicing factor mutated samples. A large proportion of differentially used junctions were novel, including several junctions in leukemia-associated genes. In SRSF2(P95H) mutants, we further explored the possibility of a cascading effect through the dysregulation of the splicing pathway. Furthermore, we observed a validated impact on overall survival for two junctions overused in SRSF2(P95H) mutants. We conclude that splicing factor mutations do not represent independent prognostic markers. However, they do have genome-wide consequences on gene splicing leading to dysregulated isoform expression of several genes.
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45
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Du F, Zhou Q, Sun W, Yang C, Wu C, Wang L, Chen G. 5-Hydroxyindole-Based EZH2 Inhibitors Assembled via TCCA-Catalyzed Condensation and Nenitzescu Reactions. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25092059. [PMID: 32354194 PMCID: PMC7248849 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25092059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
5-Hydroxyindole derivatives have various demonstrated biological activities. Herein, we used 5-hydroxyindole as a synthetic starting point for structural alterations in a combinatorial process to synthesize 22 different compounds with EZH2 inhibitor pharmacophores. A series of 5-hydroxyindole-derived compounds were screened inhibitory activities against K562 cells. According to molecular modeling and in vitro biological activity assays, the preliminary structure-activity relationship was summarized. Compound L–04 improved both the H3K27Me3 reduction and antiproliferation parameters (IC50 = 52.6 μM). These findings revealed that compound L–04 is worthy of consideration as a lead compound to design more potent EZH2 inhibitors. During the preparation of compounds, we discovered that trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) is a novel catalyst which demonstrates condensation-promoting effects. To gain insight into the reaction, in situ React IR technology was used to confirm the reactivity. Different amines were condensed in high yields with β-diketones or β-ketoesters in the presence of TCCA to afford the corresponding products in a short time (10~20 min), which displayed some advantages and provided an alternative condensation strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyu Du
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Qifan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Wenjiao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Cheng Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Chunfu Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lihui Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China
- Correspondence: , (L.W.); , (G.C.)
| | - Guoliang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China
- Correspondence: , (L.W.); , (G.C.)
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Sachs K, Sarver AL, Noble-Orcutt KE, LaRue RS, Antony ML, Chang D, Lee Y, Navis CM, Hillesheim AL, Nykaza IR, Ha NA, Hansen CJ, Karadag FK, Bergerson RJ, Verneris MR, Meredith MM, Schomaker ML, Linden MA, Myers CL, Largaespada DA, Sachs Z. Single-Cell Gene Expression Analyses Reveal Distinct Self-Renewing and Proliferating Subsets in the Leukemia Stem Cell Compartment in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Res 2019; 80:458-470. [PMID: 31784425 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-2932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Standard chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) targets proliferative cells and efficiently induces complete remission; however, many patients relapse and die of their disease. Relapse is caused by leukemia stem cells (LSC), the cells with self-renewal capacity. Self-renewal and proliferation are separate functions in normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in steady-state conditions. If these functions are also separate functions in LSCs, then antiproliferative therapies may fail to target self-renewal, allowing for relapse. We investigated whether proliferation and self-renewal are separate functions in LSCs as they often are in HSCs. Distinct transcriptional profiles within LSCs of Mll-AF9/NRASG12V murine AML were identified using single-cell RNA sequencing. Single-cell qPCR revealed that these genes were also differentially expressed in primary human LSCs and normal human HSPCs. A smaller subset of these genes was upregulated in LSCs relative to HSPCs; this subset of genes constitutes "LSC-specific" genes in human AML. To assess the differences between these profiles, we identified cell surface markers, CD69 and CD36, whose genes were differentially expressed between these profiles. In vivo mouse reconstitution assays resealed that only CD69High LSCs were capable of self-renewal and were poorly proliferative. In contrast, CD36High LSCs were unable to transplant leukemia but were highly proliferative. These data demonstrate that the transcriptional foundations of self-renewal and proliferation are distinct in LSCs as they often are in normal stem cells and suggest that therapeutic strategies that target self-renewal, in addition to proliferation, are critical to prevent relapse and improve survival in AML. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings define and functionally validate a self-renewal gene profile of leukemia stem cells at the single-cell level and demonstrate that self-renewal and proliferation are distinct in AML. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/80/3/458/F1.large.jpg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Sachs
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Next Generation Analytics, Palo Alto, California
| | - Aaron L Sarver
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Klara E Noble-Orcutt
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Rebecca S LaRue
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Marie Lue Antony
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Daniel Chang
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Yoonkyu Lee
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Connor M Navis
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Alexandria L Hillesheim
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Ian R Nykaza
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Ngoc A Ha
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Conner J Hansen
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Fatma K Karadag
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Rachel J Bergerson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Michael R Verneris
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Matthew M Meredith
- Molecular Lab, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Matthew L Schomaker
- Molecular Lab, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Michael A Linden
- Division of Hematopathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Chad L Myers
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - David A Largaespada
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Zohar Sachs
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. .,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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He Z, Zhang S, Ma D, Fang Q, Yang L, Shen S, Chen Y, Ren L, Wang J. HO-1 promotes resistance to an EZH2 inhibitor through the pRB-E2F pathway: correlation with the progression of myelodysplastic syndrome into acute myeloid leukemia. J Transl Med 2019; 17:366. [PMID: 31711520 PMCID: PMC6849246 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-2115-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) can progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and conventional chemotherapy (decitabine) does not effectively inhibit tumor cells. Enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) and Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) are two key factors in patients resistance and deterioration. Methods In total, 58 MDS patients were divided into four groups. We analyzed the difference in HO-1 and EZH2 expression among the groups by real-time PCR. After treatment with Hemin or Znpp IX, flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis and assess the cell cycle distribution of tumor cells. Following injection of mice with very high-risk MDS cells, spleen and bone marrow samples were studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. MDS cells overexpressing EZH2 and HO-1 were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing. The effect of HO-1 on the pRB-E2F pathway was analyzed by Western blotting. The effects of decitabine on P15INK4B and TP53 in MDS cells after inhibiting HO-1 were detected by Western blotting. Results Real-time PCR results showed that EZH2 and HO-1 expression levels were higher in MDS patients than in normal donors. The levels of HO-1 and EZH2 were simultaneously increased in the high-risk and very high-risk groups. Linear correlation analysis and laser scanning confocal microscopy results indicated that EZH2 was related to HO-1. MDS cells that highly expressed EZH2 and HO-1 infiltrated the tissues of experimental mice. IHC results indicated that these phenomena were related to the pRB-E2F pathway. High-throughput sequencing indicated that the progression of MDS to AML was related to EZH2. Using the E2F inhibitor HLM006474 and the EZH2 inhibitor JQEZ5, we showed that HO-1 could regulate EZH2 expression. HO-1 could stimulate the transcription and activation of EZH2 through the pRB-E2F pathway in MDS patients during chemotherapy, which reduced TP53 and P15INK4B expression. Conclusions EZH2 was associated with HO-1 in high-risk and very high-risk MDS patients. HO-1 could influence MDS resistance and progression to AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengchang He
- Department of Hematology, Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Provincial Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Centre, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Siyu Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Provincial Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Centre, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Ma
- Department of Hematology, Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Provincial Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Centre, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin Fang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Yang
- Clinical Medicine Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoxian Shen
- Intensive Care Unit, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Hematology, Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Provincial Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Centre, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingli Ren
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jishi Wang
- Department of Hematology, Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Provincial Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Centre, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
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48
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Dou L, Yan F, Pang J, Zheng D, Li D, Gao L, Wang L, Xu Y, Shi J, Wang Q, Zhou L, Shen N, Singh P, Wang L, Li Y, Gao Y, Liu T, Chen C, Al-Kali A, Litzow MR, Chi YI, Bode AM, Liu C, Huang H, Liu D, Marcucci G, Liu S, Yu L. Protein lysine 43 methylation by EZH1 promotes AML1-ETO transcriptional repression in leukemia. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5051. [PMID: 31699991 PMCID: PMC6838331 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12960-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The oncogenic fusion protein AML1-ETO retains the ability of AML1 to interact with the enhancer core DNA sequences, but blocks AML1-dependent transcription. Previous studies have shown that post-translational modification of AML1-ETO may play a role in its regulation. Here we report that AML1-ETO-positive patients, with high histone lysine methyltransferase Enhancer of zeste homolog 1 (EZH1) expression, show a worse overall survival than those with lower EZH1 expression. EZH1 knockdown impairs survival and proliferation of AML1-ETO-expressing cells in vitro and in vivo. We find that EZH1 WD domain binds to the AML1-ETO NHR1 domain and methylates AML1-ETO at lysine 43 (Lys43). This requires the EZH1 SET domain, which augments AML1-ETO-dependent repression of tumor suppressor genes. Loss of Lys43 methylation by point mutation or domain deletion impairs AML1-ETO-repressive activity. These findings highlight the role of EZH1 in non-histone lysine methylation, indicating that cooperation between AML1-ETO and EZH1 and AML1-ETO site-specific lysine methylation promote AML1-ETO transcriptional repression in leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Dou
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Fei Yan
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry (NMAC), International Research Center for Chemistry-Medicine Joint Innovation, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, 130012, Changchun, China
| | - Jiuxia Pang
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Dehua Zheng
- Department of Hepatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Li
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Li Gao
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Wang
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Yihan Xu
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Jinlong Shi
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Na Shen
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Puja Singh
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Lili Wang
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghui Li
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Yvchi Gao
- Annoroad Gene Technical Laboratory, 6 Kechuang road, 100176, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Annoroad Gene Technical Laboratory, 6 Kechuang road, 100176, Beijing, China
| | - Chongjian Chen
- Annoroad Gene Technical Laboratory, 6 Kechuang road, 100176, Beijing, China
| | - Aref Al-Kali
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Mark R Litzow
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Young-In Chi
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Ann M Bode
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA
| | - Chunhui Liu
- Haoshi Biotechnical Laboratory, 1 Pingshan First Road, 518055, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haojie Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Daihong Liu
- Department of Hematology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China
| | - Guido Marcucci
- Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Shujun Liu
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801 16th Avenue NE, Austin, MN, 55912, USA.
| | - Li Yu
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, 1098 Xueyuan Ave, 518060, Shenzhen, China.
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49
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Rizk M, Rizq O, Oshima M, Nakajima-Takagi Y, Koide S, Saraya A, Isshiki Y, Chiba T, Yamazaki S, Ma A, Jin J, Iwama A, Mimura N. Akt inhibition synergizes with polycomb repressive complex 2 inhibition in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Cancer Sci 2019; 110:3695-3707. [PMID: 31571328 PMCID: PMC6890440 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) components, EZH2 and its homolog EZH1, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway are focal points as therapeutic targets for multiple myeloma. However, the exact crosstalk between their downstream targets remains unclear. We herein elucidated some epigenetic interactions following Akt inhibition and demonstrated the efficacy of the combined inhibition of Akt and PRC2. We found that TAS-117, a potent and selective Akt inhibitor, downregulated EZH2 expression at the mRNA and protein levels via interference with the Rb-E2F pathway, while EZH1 was compensatively upregulated to maintain H3K27me3 modifications. Consistent with these results, the dual EZH2/EZH1 inhibitor, UNC1999, but not the selective EZH2 inhibitor, GSK126, synergistically enhanced TAS-117-induced cytotoxicity and provoked myeloma cell apoptosis. RNA-seq analysis revealed the activation of the FOXO signaling pathway after TAS-117 treatment. FOXO3/4 mRNA and their downstream targets were upregulated with the enhanced nuclear localization of FOXO3 protein after TAS-117 treatment. ChIP assays confirmed the direct binding of FOXO3 to EZH1 promoter, which was enhanced by TAS-117 treatment. Moreover, FOXO3 knockdown repressed EZH1 expression. Collectively, the present results reveal some molecular interactions between Akt signaling and epigenetic modulators, which emphasize the benefits of targeting PRC2 full activity and the Akt pathway as a therapeutic option for multiple myeloma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Rizk
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ola Rizq
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Medical Oncology, LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Motohiko Oshima
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yaeko Nakajima-Takagi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuhei Koide
- Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsunori Saraya
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yusuke Isshiki
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Hematology, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tetsuhiro Chiba
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yamazaki
- Division of Stem Cell Biology, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Anqi Ma
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jian Jin
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Atsushi Iwama
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoya Mimura
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan
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50
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Gambacorta V, Gnani D, Vago L, Di Micco R. Epigenetic Therapies for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Their Immune-Related Effects. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:207. [PMID: 31681756 PMCID: PMC6797914 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, our molecular understanding of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) pathogenesis dramatically increased, thanks also to the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. Many of these findings, however, have not yet translated into new prognostic markers or rationales for treatments. We now know that AML is a highly heterogeneous disease characterized by a very low mutational burden. Interestingly, the few mutations identified mainly reside in epigenetic regulators, which shape and define leukemic cell identity. In the light of these discoveries and given the increasing number of drugs targeting epigenetic regulators in clinical development and testing, great interest is emerging for the use of small molecules targeting leukemia epigenome. Together with their effects on leukemia cell-intrinsic properties, such as proliferation and survival, epigenetic drugs may affect the way leukemic cells communicate with the surrounding components of the tumor and immune microenvironment. Here, we review current knowledge on alterations in the AML epigenetic landscape and discuss the promises of epigenetic therapies for AML treatment. Finally, we summarize emerging molecular studies elucidating how epigenetic rewiring in cancer cells may as well exert immune-modulatory functions, boost the immune system, and potentially contribute to better patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Gambacorta
- Unit of Senescence in Stem Cell Aging, Differentiation and Cancer, San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Unit of Immunogenetics, Leukemia Genomics and Immunobiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Milano-Bicocca University, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Gnani
- Unit of Senescence in Stem Cell Aging, Differentiation and Cancer, San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Vago
- Unit of Immunogenetics, Leukemia Genomics and Immunobiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Unit of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Di Micco
- Unit of Senescence in Stem Cell Aging, Differentiation and Cancer, San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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