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Luan W, Lu X, Peng H, Shen X, Rao M, Ruan H. Exosomal miR-19a derived from melanoma cell promotes the vemurafenib resistance of malignant melanoma through directly targeting LRIG1 to reactivate AKT and MAPK pathway. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 260:155410. [PMID: 38955119 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Exosomes derived from neighboring v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 inhibitor (BRAFi)-resistant melanoma cells mediate the formation of resistance in melanoma cells sensitive to BRAFi. The function and molecular mechanisms of exosomal miRNA in BRAFi resistance of melanoma have not been studied. We found that the expression of miR-19a in BRAFi resistant melanoma cells was significantly higher than that in sensitive cells, and miR-19a contributes to the resistance of melanoma cells to BRAFi by targeting immunoglobulin-like domains protein 1 (LRIG1). miR-19a was highly enriched in exosomes secreted from BRAFi resistant melanoma cells, and these exosomal miR-19a promote the spread of BRAFi resistant. The reactivation of Protein kinase B (AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways is the main reason for the BRAFi resistant of melanoma cells. We demonstrated that exosomal miR-19a derived from melanoma cell promotes the formation and spread of BRAFi resistant in melanoma through targeting LRIG1 to reactivate AKT and MAPK pathway. Therefore, miR-19a may serve as a potential therapeutic target in melanoma patients with acquired drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenkang Luan
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xu Lu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huiyong Peng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang Medical School of Nanjing Medical University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China; Department of Genetic Toxicology, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuanlin Shen
- Department of Rehabilitation, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital (Changshu Hospital affiliated the NanTong University), Changshu, Jiangsu 215500, China
| | - Min Rao
- Hepatobiliary surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongru Ruan
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.
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Lasser S, Ozbay Kurt FG, Fritz L, Gutzeit N, De La Torre C, Altevogt P, Utikal J, Umansky V. Generation of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Mediated by MicroRNA-125a-5p in Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6693. [PMID: 38928399 PMCID: PMC11203613 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) to modulate the function of myeloid cells is widely recognized. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the distinct components associated with EVs and the signals that they deliver to myeloid cells could provide potential approaches to impede the immunosuppression by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). We investigated melanoma EV-associated microRNAs (miRs) using the RET transgenic melanoma mouse model and simulated their transfer to normal myeloid cells by transfecting immature mouse myeloid cells and human monocytes. We observed elevated levels of miR-125a-5p, -125b-5p, and let-7e-5p in mouse melanoma-infiltrating MDSCs. In addition, miR-125a-5p levels in the tumor microenvironment correlated with mouse melanoma progression. The delivery of miR-125a-5p, alone or in combination with let-7e-5p and miR-99b-5p from the same genomic cluster, to normal myeloid cells resulted in their conversion to MDSC-like cells. Our findings indicate that miR-125a-5p could modulate myeloid cell activation in the melanoma microenvironment via a NF-κB-dependent mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Lasser
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (S.L.); (F.G.O.K.); (L.F.); (N.G.); (P.A.); (J.U.)
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Feyza Gul Ozbay Kurt
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (S.L.); (F.G.O.K.); (L.F.); (N.G.); (P.A.); (J.U.)
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lennart Fritz
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (S.L.); (F.G.O.K.); (L.F.); (N.G.); (P.A.); (J.U.)
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nina Gutzeit
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (S.L.); (F.G.O.K.); (L.F.); (N.G.); (P.A.); (J.U.)
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carolina De La Torre
- NGS Core Facility, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany;
| | - Peter Altevogt
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (S.L.); (F.G.O.K.); (L.F.); (N.G.); (P.A.); (J.U.)
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (S.L.); (F.G.O.K.); (L.F.); (N.G.); (P.A.); (J.U.)
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Viktor Umansky
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (S.L.); (F.G.O.K.); (L.F.); (N.G.); (P.A.); (J.U.)
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
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3
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DuBose E, Bevill SM, Mitchell DK, Sciaky N, Golitz BT, Dixon SAH, Rhodes SD, Bear JE, Johnson GL, Angus SP. Neratinib, a pan ERBB/HER inhibitor, restores sensitivity of PTEN-null, BRAFV600E melanoma to BRAF/MEK inhibition. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1191217. [PMID: 38854737 PMCID: PMC11159048 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1191217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Approximately 50% of melanomas harbor an activating BRAFV600E mutation. Standard of care involves a combination of inhibitors targeting mutant BRAF and MEK1/2, the substrate for BRAF in the MAPK pathway. PTEN loss-of-function mutations occur in ~40% of BRAFV600E melanomas, resulting in increased PI3K/AKT activity that enhances resistance to BRAF/MEK combination inhibitor therapy. Methods To compare the response of PTEN null to PTEN wild-type cells in an isogenic background, CRISPR/Cas9 was used to knock out PTEN in a melanoma cell line that harbors a BRAFV600E mutation. RNA sequencing, functional kinome analysis, and drug synergy screening were employed in the context of BRAF/MEK inhibition. Results RNA sequencing and functional kinome analysis revealed that the loss of PTEN led to an induction of FOXD3 and an increase in expression of the FOXD3 target gene, ERBB3/HER3. Inhibition of BRAF and MEK1/2 in PTEN null, BRAFV600E cells dramatically induced the expression of ERBB3/HER3 relative to wild-type cells. A synergy screen of epigenetic modifiers and kinase inhibitors in combination with BRAFi/MEKi revealed that the pan ERBB/HER inhibitor, neratinib, could reverse the resistance observed in PTEN null, BRAFV600E cells. Conclusions The findings indicate that PTEN null BRAFV600E melanoma exhibits increased reliance on ERBB/HER signaling when treated with clinically approved BRAFi/MEKi combinations. Future studies are warranted to test neratinib reversal of BRAFi/MEKi resistance in patient melanomas expressing ERBB3/HER3 in combination with its dimerization partner ERBB2/HER2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan DuBose
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Samantha M. Bevill
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Dana K. Mitchell
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Noah Sciaky
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Brian T. Golitz
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Shelley A. H. Dixon
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Steven D. Rhodes
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - James E. Bear
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Gary L. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Steven P. Angus
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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4
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Ponzone L, Audrito V, Landi C, Moiso E, Levra Levron C, Ferrua S, Savino A, Vitale N, Gasparrini M, Avalle L, Vantaggiato L, Shaba E, Tassone B, Saoncella S, Orso F, Viavattene D, Marina E, Fiorilla I, Burrone G, Abili Y, Altruda F, Bini L, Deaglio S, Defilippi P, Menga A, Poli V, Porporato PE, Provero P, Raffaelli N, Riganti C, Taverna D, Cavallo F, Calautti E. RICTOR/mTORC2 downregulation in BRAF V600E melanoma cells promotes resistance to BRAF/MEK inhibition. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:105. [PMID: 38755661 PMCID: PMC11097536 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02010-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The main drawback of BRAF/MEK inhibitors (BRAF/MEKi)-based targeted therapy in the management of BRAF-mutated cutaneous metastatic melanoma (MM) is the development of therapeutic resistance. We aimed to assess in this context the role of mTORC2, a signaling complex defined by the presence of the essential RICTOR subunit, regarded as an oncogenic driver in several tumor types, including MM. METHODS After analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas MM patients' database to explore both overall survival and molecular signatures as a function of intra-tumor RICTOR levels, we investigated the effects of RICTOR downregulation in BRAFV600E MM cell lines on their response to BRAF/MEKi. We performed proteomic screening to identify proteins modulated by changes in RICTOR expression, and Seahorse analysis to evaluate the effects of RICTOR depletion on mitochondrial respiration. The combination of BRAFi with drugs targeting proteins and processes emerged in the proteomic screening was carried out on RICTOR-deficient cells in vitro and in a xenograft setting in vivo. RESULTS Low RICTOR levels in BRAF-mutated MM correlate with a worse clinical outcome. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis of low-RICTOR tumors display gene signatures suggestive of activation of the mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain (ETC) energy production. RICTOR-deficient BRAFV600E cells are intrinsically tolerant to BRAF/MEKi and anticipate the onset of resistance to BRAFi upon prolonged drug exposure. Moreover, in drug-naïve cells we observed a decline in RICTOR expression shortly after BRAFi exposure. In RICTOR-depleted cells, both mitochondrial respiration and expression of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) are enhanced, and their pharmacological inhibition restores sensitivity to BRAFi. CONCLUSIONS Our work unveils an unforeseen tumor-suppressing role for mTORC2 in the early adaptation phase of BRAFV600E melanoma cells to targeted therapy and identifies the NAMPT-ETC axis as a potential therapeutic vulnerability of low RICTOR tumors. Importantly, our findings indicate that the evaluation of intra-tumor RICTOR levels has a prognostic value in metastatic melanoma and may help to guide therapeutic strategies in a personalized manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ponzone
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Valentina Audrito
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria, 15121, Italy
| | - Claudia Landi
- Functional Proteomic Section, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Enrico Moiso
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
| | - Chiara Levra Levron
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Sara Ferrua
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Aurora Savino
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Vitale
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Gasparrini
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, 60131, Italy
| | - Lidia Avalle
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria, 15121, Italy
| | - Lorenza Vantaggiato
- Functional Proteomic Section, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Enxhi Shaba
- Functional Proteomic Section, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Beatrice Tassone
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Personal Care, dsm-firmenich, Kaiseraugst, 4303, Switzerland
| | - Stefania Saoncella
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Francesca Orso
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Daniele Viavattene
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Eleonora Marina
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Irene Fiorilla
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria, 15121, Italy
| | - Giulia Burrone
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10124, Italy
| | - Youssef Abili
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- GenomeUp, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Fiorella Altruda
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Luca Bini
- Functional Proteomic Section, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Silvia Deaglio
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10124, Italy
| | - Paola Defilippi
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Alessio Menga
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Valeria Poli
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Paolo Ettore Porporato
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Paolo Provero
- Neuroscience Department "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Nadia Raffaelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, 60131, Italy
| | - Chiara Riganti
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, 10124, Italy
| | - Daniela Taverna
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Federica Cavallo
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy
| | - Enzo Calautti
- Molecular Biotechnology Center "Guido Tarone", University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy.
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, 10126, Italy.
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5
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Yin H, Tang Q, Xia H, Bi F. Targeting RAF dimers in RAS mutant tumors: From biology to clinic. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:1895-1923. [PMID: 38799634 PMCID: PMC11120325 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
RAS mutations occur in approximately 30% of tumors worldwide and have a poor prognosis due to limited therapies. Covalent targeting of KRAS G12C has achieved significant success in recent years, but there is still a lack of efficient therapeutic approaches for tumors with non-G12C KRAS mutations. A highly promising approach is to target the MAPK pathway downstream of RAS, with a particular focus on RAF kinases. First-generation RAF inhibitors have been authorized to treat BRAF mutant tumors for over a decade. However, their use in RAS-mutated tumors is not recommended due to the paradoxical ERK activation mainly caused by RAF dimerization. To address the issue of RAF dimerization, type II RAF inhibitors have emerged as leading candidates. Recent clinical studies have shown the initial effectiveness of these agents against RAS mutant tumors. Promisingly, type II RAF inhibitors in combination with MEK or ERK inhibitors have demonstrated impressive efficacy in RAS mutant tumors. This review aims to clarify the importance of RAF dimerization in cellular signaling and resistance to treatment in tumors with RAS mutations, as well as recent progress in therapeutic approaches to address the problem of RAF dimerization in RAS mutant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Yin
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hongwei Xia
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Feng Bi
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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6
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Van Not OJ, van den Eertwegh AJM, Haanen JB, van Rijn RS, Aarts MJB, van den Berkmortel FWPJ, Blank CU, Boers-Sonderen MJ, de Groot JWWB, Hospers GAP, Kapiteijn E, Bloem M, Piersma D, Stevense-den Boer M, Verheijden RJ, van der Veldt AAM, Wouters MWJM, Blokx WAM, Suijkerbuijk KPM. BRAF/MEK inhibitor rechallenge in advanced melanoma patients. Cancer 2024; 130:1673-1683. [PMID: 38198485 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35178] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effectivity of BRAF(/MEK) inhibitor rechallenge has been described in prior studies. However, structured data are largely lacking. METHODS Data from all advanced melanoma patients treated with BRAFi(/MEKi) rechallenge were retrieved from the Dutch Melanoma Treatment Registry. The authors analyzed objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) for both first treatment and rechallenge. They performed a multivariable logistic regression and a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model to assess factors associated with response and survival. RESULTS The authors included 468 patients in the largest cohort to date who underwent at least two treatment episodes of BRAFi(/MEKi). Following rechallenge, ORR was 43%, median PFS was 4.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1-5.2), and median OS was 8.2 months (95% CI, 7.2-9.4). Median PFS after rechallenge for patients who discontinued first BRAFi(/MEKi) treatment due to progression was 3.1 months (95% CI, 2.7-4.0) versus 5.2 months (95% CI, 4.5-5.9) for patients who discontinued treatment for other reasons. Discontinuing first treatment due to progression and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels greater than two times the upper limit of normal were associated with lower odds of response and worse PFS and OS. Symptomatic brain metastases were associated with worse survival, whereas a longer treatment interval between first treatment and rechallenge was associated with better survival. Responding to the first BRAFi(/MEKi) treatment was not associated with response or survival. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that patients benefit from rechallenge. Elevated LDH levels, symptomatic brain metastases, and discontinuing first BRAFi(/MEKi) treatment due to progression are associated with less benefit from rechallenge. A prolonged treatment interval is associated with more benefit from rechallenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier J Van Not
- Scientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alfons J M van den Eertwegh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - John B Haanen
- Department of Molecular Oncology & Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rozemarijn S van Rijn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Maureen J B Aarts
- Department of Medical Oncology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Christian U Blank
- Department of Molecular Oncology & Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology & Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marye J Boers-Sonderen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Geke A P Hospers
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Kapiteijn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Manja Bloem
- Scientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Djura Piersma
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | | | - Rik J Verheijden
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Astrid A M van der Veldt
- Department of Medical Oncology and Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michel W J M Wouters
- Scientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willeke A M Blokx
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Karijn P M Suijkerbuijk
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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7
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Cavallo MR, Yo JC, Gallant KC, Cunanan CJ, Amirfallah A, Daniali M, Sanders AB, Aplin AE, Pribitkin EA, Hartsough EJ. Mcl-1 mediates intrinsic resistance to RAF inhibitors in mutant BRAF papillary thyroid carcinoma. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:175. [PMID: 38622136 PMCID: PMC11018618 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01945-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent form of thyroid cancer. PTC commonly presents with mutations of the serine/threonine kinase BRAF (BRAFV600E), which drive ERK1/2 pathway activation to support growth and suppress apoptosis. PTC patients often undergo surgical resection; however, since the average age of PTC patients is under 50, adverse effects associated with prolonged maintenance therapy following total thyroidectomy are a concern. The development of mutant-selective BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi), like vemurafenib, has been efficacious in patients with metastatic melanoma, but the response rate is low for mutant BRAF PTC patients. Here, we assay the therapeutic response of BRAFi in a panel of human PTC cell lines and freshly biopsied patient samples. We observed heterogeneous responses to BRAFi, and multi-omic comparisons between susceptible and resistant mutant BRAF PTC revealed overrepresented stress response pathways and the absence of compensatory RTK activation - features that may underpin innate resistance. Importantly, resistant cell lines and patient samples had increased hallmarks of failed apoptosis; a cellular state defined by sublethal caspase activation and DNA damage. Further analysis suggests that the failed apoptotic phenotypes may have features of "minority mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP)" - a stress-related response characterized by fragmented and porous mitochondria known to contribute to cancer aggressiveness. We found that cells presenting with minority MOMP-like phenotypes are dependent on the apoptotic regulator, Mcl-1, as treatment with the Mcl-1 inhibitor, AZD5991, potently induced cell death in resistant cells. Furthermore, PI3K/AKT inhibitors sensitized resistant cells to BRAFi; an effect that was at least in part associated with reduced Mcl-1 levels. Together, these data implicate minority MOMP as a mechanism associated with intrinsic drug resistance and underscore the benefits of targeting Mcl-1 in mutant BRAF PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria R Cavallo
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Jacob C Yo
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Kayla C Gallant
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Camille J Cunanan
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Amirali Amirfallah
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Marzieh Daniali
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Alyssa B Sanders
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Edmund A Pribitkin
- Departments of Otolargynology-Head & Neck Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Edward J Hartsough
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
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8
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Zhang R, Yao Y, Gao H, Hu X. Mechanisms of angiogenesis in tumour. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1359069. [PMID: 38590656 PMCID: PMC10999665 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1359069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is essential for tumour growth and metastasis. Antiangiogenic factor-targeting drugs have been approved as first line agents in a variety of oncology treatments. Clinical drugs frequently target the VEGF signalling pathway during sprouting angiogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests that tumours can evade antiangiogenic therapy through other angiogenesis mechanisms in addition to the vascular sprouting mechanism involving endothelial cells. These mechanisms include (1) sprouting angiogenesis, (2) vasculogenic mimicry, (3) vessel intussusception, (4) vascular co-option, (5) cancer stem cell-derived angiogenesis, and (6) bone marrow-derived angiogenesis. Other non-sprouting angiogenic mechanisms are not entirely dependent on the VEGF signalling pathway. In clinical practice, the conversion of vascular mechanisms is closely related to the enhancement of tumour drug resistance, which often leads to clinical treatment failure. This article summarizes recent studies on six processes of tumour angiogenesis and provides suggestions for developing more effective techniques to improve the efficacy of antiangiogenic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xin Hu
- China–Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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9
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Schaff DL, Fasse AJ, White PE, Vander Velde RJ, Shaffer SM. Clonal differences underlie variable responses to sequential and prolonged treatment. Cell Syst 2024; 15:213-226.e9. [PMID: 38401539 PMCID: PMC11003565 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells exhibit dramatic differences in gene expression at the single-cell level, which can predict whether they become resistant to treatment. Treatment perpetuates this heterogeneity, resulting in a diversity of cell states among resistant clones. However, it remains unclear whether these differences lead to distinct responses when another treatment is applied or the same treatment is continued. In this study, we combined single-cell RNA sequencing with barcoding to track resistant clones through prolonged and sequential treatments. We found that cells within the same clone have similar gene expression states after multiple rounds of treatment. Moreover, we demonstrated that individual clones have distinct and differing fates, including growth, survival, or death, when subjected to a second treatment or when the first treatment is continued. By identifying gene expression states that predict clone survival, this work provides a foundation for selecting optimal therapies that target the most aggressive resistant clones within a tumor. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan L Schaff
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA
| | - Aria J Fasse
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Phoebe E White
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA
| | - Robert J Vander Velde
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA; Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA
| | - Sydney M Shaffer
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA; Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA.
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10
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Timofeev O, Giron P, Lawo S, Pichler M, Noeparast M. ERK pathway agonism for cancer therapy: evidence, insights, and a target discovery framework. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:70. [PMID: 38485987 PMCID: PMC10940698 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00554-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
At least 40% of human cancers are associated with aberrant ERK pathway activity (ERKp). Inhibitors targeting various effectors within the ERKp have been developed and explored for over two decades. Conversely, a substantial body of evidence suggests that both normal human cells and, notably to a greater extent, cancer cells exhibit susceptibility to hyperactivation of ERKp. However, this vulnerability of cancer cells remains relatively unexplored. In this review, we reexamine the evidence on the selective lethality of highly elevated ERKp activity in human cancer cells of varying backgrounds. We synthesize the insights proposed for harnessing this vulnerability of ERK-associated cancers for therapeutical approaches and contextualize these insights within established pharmacological cancer-targeting models. Moreover, we compile the intriguing preclinical findings of ERK pathway agonism in diverse cancer models. Lastly, we present a conceptual framework for target discovery regarding ERKp agonism, emphasizing the utilization of mutual exclusivity among oncogenes to develop novel targeted therapies for precision oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Timofeev
- Institute of Molecular Oncology, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps University, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Philippe Giron
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Clinical Sciences, Research group Genetics, Reproduction and Development, Centre for Medical Genetics, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Steffen Lawo
- CRISPR Screening Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Pichler
- Translational Oncology, II. Med Clinics Hematology and Oncology, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Maxim Noeparast
- Translational Oncology, II. Med Clinics Hematology and Oncology, 86156, Augsburg, Germany.
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11
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Muraro E, Montico B, Lum B, Colizzi F, Giurato G, Salvati A, Guerrieri R, Rizzo A, Comaro E, Canzonieri V, Anichini A, Del Vecchio M, Mortarini R, Milione M, Weisz A, Pizzichetta MA, Simpson F, Dolcetti R, Fratta E, Sigalotti L. Antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity-inducing anti-EGFR antibodies as effective therapeutic option for cutaneous melanoma resistant to BRAF inhibitors. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1336566. [PMID: 38510242 PMCID: PMC10950948 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1336566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction About 50% of cutaneous melanoma (CM) patients present activating BRAF mutations that can be effectively targeted by BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi). However, 20% of CM patients exhibit intrinsic drug resistance to BRAFi, while most of the others develop adaptive resistance over time. The mechanisms involved in BRAFi resistance are disparate and globally seem to rewire the cellular signaling profile by up-regulating different receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). RTKs inhibitors have not clearly demonstrated anti-tumor activity in BRAFi resistant models. To overcome this issue, we wondered whether the shared up-regulated RTK phenotype associated with BRAFi resistance could be exploited by using immune weapons as the antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC)-mediated effect of anti-RTKs antibodies, and kill tumor cells independently from the mechanistic roots. Methods and results By using an in vitro model of BRAFi resistance, we detected increased membrane expression of EGFR, both at mRNA and protein level in 4 out of 9 BRAFi-resistant (VR) CM cultures as compared to their parental sensitive cells. Increased EGFR phosphorylation and AKT activation were observed in the VR CM cultures. EGFR signaling appeared dispensable for maintaining resistance, since small molecule-, antibody- and CRISPR-targeting of EGFR did not restore sensitivity of VR cells to BRAFi. Importantly, immune-targeting of EGFR by the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab efficiently and specifically killed EGFR-expressing VR CM cells, both in vitro and in humanized mouse models in vivo, triggering ADCC by healthy donors' and patients' peripheral blood cells. Conclusion Our data demonstrate the efficacy of immune targeting of RTKs expressed by CM relapsing on BRAFi, providing the proof-of-concept supporting the assessment of anti-RTK antibodies in combination therapies in this setting. This strategy might be expected to concomitantly trigger the crosstalk of adaptive immune response leading to a complementing T cell immune rejection of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Muraro
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Barbara Montico
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Benedict Lum
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Francesca Colizzi
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giurato
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health - CRGS, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Annamaria Salvati
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health - CRGS, Baronissi, Italy
- Molecular Pathology and Medical Genomics Program, AOU 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' University of Salerno and Rete Oncologica Campana, Salerno, Italy
| | - Roberto Guerrieri
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Aurora Rizzo
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Elisa Comaro
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Canzonieri
- Division of Pathology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Andrea Anichini
- Human Tumors Immunobiology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Del Vecchio
- Melanoma Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Mortarini
- Human Tumors Immunobiology Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Milione
- Pathology Unit 1, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Weisz
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health - CRGS, Baronissi, Italy
- Molecular Pathology and Medical Genomics Program, AOU 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' University of Salerno and Rete Oncologica Campana, Salerno, Italy
| | - Maria Antonietta Pizzichetta
- Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
- Department of Dermatology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fiona Simpson
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Riccardo Dolcetti
- Translational and Clinical Immunotherapy, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Elisabetta Fratta
- Immunopathology and Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Luca Sigalotti
- Oncogenetics and Functional Oncogenomics Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
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12
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Yan C, Zhao L, Zhang X, Chu Z, Zhou T, Zhang Y, Geng S, Guo K. Cold atmospheric plasma sensitizes melanoma cells to targeted therapy agents in vitro. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2024; 17:e202300356. [PMID: 38041219 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202300356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been reported to kill melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo. BRAF and MEK inhibitors are targeted therapy agents for advanced melanoma patients with BRAF mutations. However, low overall survival and relapse-free survival are still tough challenges due to drug resistance. In this study, we confirmed that CAP alleviated innate drug resistance and promoted the anti-tumor effect of targeted therapy in A875 and WM115 melanoma cells in vitro. Further, we revealed that CAP altered the expression of various molecules concerning MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways in A875 cells. This study demonstrates that CAP promises to work as adjuvant treatment with targeted therapy to overcome drug resistance for malignant tumors in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Yan
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lihong Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhaowei Chu
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tong Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanbin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Songmei Geng
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Center for Dermatology Disease, Precision Medical Institute, Xi'an, China
| | - Kun Guo
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Center for Dermatology Disease, Precision Medical Institute, Xi'an, China
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13
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Waddell A, Grbic N, Leibowitz K, Wyant WA, Choudhury S, Park K, Collard M, Cole PA, Alani RM. p300 KAT regulates SOX10 stability and function in human melanoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.20.581224. [PMID: 38469149 PMCID: PMC10926666 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.20.581224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
SOX10 is a lineage-specific transcription factor critical for melanoma tumor growth, while SOX10 loss-of-function drives the emergence of therapy-resistant, invasive melanoma phenotypes. A major challenge has been developing therapeutic strategies targeting SOX10's role in melanoma proliferation, while preventing a concomitant increase in tumor cell invasion. Here, we report that the lysine acetyltransferase (KAT) EP300 and SOX10 gene loci on Chromosome 22 are frequently co-amplified in melanomas, including UV-associated and acral tumors. We further show that p300 KAT activity mediates SOX10 protein stability and that the p300 inhibitor, A-485, downregulates SOX10 protein levels in melanoma cells via proteasome-mediated degradation. Additionally, A-485 potently inhibits proliferation of SOX10+ melanoma cells while decreasing invasion in AXLhigh/MITFlow melanoma cells through downregulation of metastasis-related genes. We conclude that the SOX10/p300 axis is critical to melanoma growth and invasion, and that inhibition of p300 KAT activity through A-485 may be a worthwhile therapeutic approach for SOX10-reliant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Waddell
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
| | - Nicole Grbic
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
| | - Kassidy Leibowitz
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
| | - W. Austin Wyant
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
| | - Sabah Choudhury
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
| | - Kihyun Park
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
| | - Marianne Collard
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
| | - Philip A. Cole
- Division of Genetics, Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rhoda M. Alani
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA 02118
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14
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Fischer MM, Blüthgen N. On minimising tumoural growth under treatment resistance. J Theor Biol 2024; 579:111716. [PMID: 38135033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2023.111716] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is a major challenge for curative cancer treatment, representing the main reason of death in patients. Evolutionary biology suggests pauses between treatment rounds as a way to delay or even avoid resistance emergence. Indeed, this approach has already shown promising preclinical and early clinical results, and stimulated the development of mathematical models for finding optimal treatment protocols. Due to their complexity, however, these models do not lend themself to a rigorous mathematical analysis, hence so far clinical recommendations generally relied on numerical simulations and ad-hoc heuristics. Here, we derive two mathematical models describing tumour growth under genetic and epigenetic treatment resistance, respectively, which are simple enough for a complete analytical investigation. First, we find key differences in response to treatment protocols between the two modes of resistance. Second, we identify the optimal treatment protocol which leads to the largest possible tumour shrinkage rate. Third, we fit the "epigenetic model" to previously published xenograft experiment data, finding excellent agreement, underscoring the biological validity of our approach. Finally, we use the fitted model to calculate the optimal treatment protocol for this specific experiment, which we demonstrate to cause curative treatment, making it superior to previous approaches which generally aimed at stabilising tumour burden. Overall, our approach underscores the usefulness of simple mathematical models and their analytical examination, and we anticipate our findings to guide future preclinical and, ultimately, clinical research in optimising treatment regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias M Fischer
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Charité and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils Blüthgen
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Charité and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
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15
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Yang H, Xiao X, Zeng L, Zeng H, Zheng Y, Wang J, Li G, Dai W, He Y, Wang S, Peng J, Chen W. Integrating cfDNA liquid biopsy and organoid-based drug screening reveals PI3K signaling as a promising therapeutic target in colorectal cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:132. [PMID: 38310289 PMCID: PMC10837874 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04675-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current precision medicine relies on biomarkers, which are mainly obtained through next-generation sequencing (NGS). However, this model failed to find effective drugs for most cancer patients. This study tried to combine liquid biopsy with functional drug tests using organoid models to find potential drugs for cancer patients. METHODS Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients were prospectively enrolled and blood samples were collected from patients before the start of treatment. Targeted deep sequencing of cfDNA samples was performed using a 14-gene panel. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer organoids were established and PI3K and mTOR inhibitors were evaluated on organoid models. RESULTS A total of 195 mutations were detected across 58 cfDNA samples. The most frequently mutated genes were KRAS, TP53, PIK3CA, and BRAF, all of which exhibited higher mutation rates than tissue biopsy. Although 81% of variants had an allele frequency of less than 1%, certain mutations in KRAS, TP53, and SMAD4 had high allele frequencies exceeding 10%. Notably, among the seven patients with high allele frequency mutations, six had metastatic tumors, indicating that a high allele frequency of ctDNA could potentially serve as a biomarker of later-stage cancer. A high rate of PIK3CA mutation (31 out of 67, or 46.3%) was discovered in CRC patients, suggesting possible tumor progression mechanisms and targeted therapy opportunities. To evaluate the value of anti PI3K strategy in GI cancer, different lines of GI cancer organoids were established. The organoids recapitulated the morphologies of the original tumors. Organoids were generally insensitive to PI3K inhibitors. However, CRC-3 and GC-4 showed response to mTOR inhibitor Everolimus, and GC-3 was sensitive to PI3Kδ inhibitor Idelalisib. The CRC organoid with a PIK3CA mutation showed greater sensitivity to the PI3K inhibitor Alpelisib than wildtype organoids, suggesting potential treatment options for the corresponding patients. CONCLUSION Liquid biopsy holds significant promise for improving precision treatment and tumor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. The combination of biomarker-based drug prediction with organoid-based functional drug sensitivity assay may lead to more effective cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xing Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Leli Zeng
- Department of Biobank, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Haiteng Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yueyuan Zheng
- Clinical Big Data Research Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jingshu Wang
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guanghua Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weigang Dai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yulong He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Suihai Wang
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jianjun Peng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Wei Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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16
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Yue C, Lian W, Fan Z, Li H, Duan M, Qin L, Cao X, Peng J. The role of PKP1 in tumor progression in melanoma: Analysis of a cell adhesion-related model. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2024; 39:915-926. [PMID: 37966033 DOI: 10.1002/tox.24017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
The incidence rate of melanoma varies across regions, with Europe, the United States, and Australia having 10-25, 20-30, and 50-60 cases per 1 00 000 people. In China, patients with melanoma exhibit different clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, and outcomes. Current treatments include surgery, adjuvant therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Nonetheless, complications may arise during treatment. Melanoma development is heavily reliant on cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), and studying these molecules could provide new research directions for metastasis and progression. CAMs include the integrin, immunoglobulin, selectin, and cadherin families, and they affect multiple processes, such as maintenance, morphogenesis, and migration of adherens junction. In this study, a cell adhesion-related risk prognostic signature was constructed using bioinformatics methods, and survival analysis was performed. Plakophilin 1 (PKP1) was observed to be crucial to the immune microenvironment and has significant effects on melanoma cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and the cell cycle. This signature demonstrates high reliability and has potential for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yue
- Department of Dermatologic Surgery, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenqin Lian
- Department of Burns and Plastic & Wound Repair Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhongru Fan
- The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | | | - Mengying Duan
- Department of Dermatologic Surgery, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Xianbin Cao
- Department of Dermatologic Surgery, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianzhong Peng
- Department of Dermatologic Surgery, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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17
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Rosenbaum SR, Caksa S, Stefanski CD, Trachtenberg IV, Wilson HP, Wilski NA, Ott CA, Purwin TJ, Haj JI, Pomante D, Kotas D, Chervoneva I, Capparelli C, Aplin AE. SOX10 Loss Sensitizes Melanoma Cells to Cytokine-Mediated Inflammatory Cell Death. Mol Cancer Res 2024; 22:209-220. [PMID: 37847239 PMCID: PMC10842433 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-23-0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor, SOX10, plays an important role in the differentiation of neural crest precursors to the melanocytic lineage. Malignant transformation of melanocytes leads to the development of melanoma, and SOX10 promotes melanoma cell proliferation and tumor formation. SOX10 expression in melanomas is heterogeneous, and loss of SOX10 causes a phenotypic switch toward an invasive, mesenchymal-like cell state and therapy resistance; hence, strategies to target SOX10-deficient cells are an active area of investigation. The impact of cell state and SOX10 expression on antitumor immunity is not well understood but will likely have important implications for immunotherapeutic interventions. To this end, we tested whether SOX10 status affects the response to CD8+ T cell-mediated killing and T cell-secreted cytokines, TNFα and IFNγ, which are critical effectors in the cytotoxic killing of cancer cells. We observed that genetic ablation of SOX10 rendered melanoma cells more sensitive to CD8+ T cell-mediated killing and cell death induction by either TNFα or IFNγ. Cytokine-mediated cell death in SOX10-deficient cells was associated with features of caspase-dependent pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of cell death that has the potential to increase immune responses. IMPLICATIONS These data support a role for SOX10 expression altering the response to T cell-mediated cell death and contribute to a broader understanding of the interaction between immune cells and melanoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheera R. Rosenbaum
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Signe Caksa
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Casey D. Stefanski
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Isabella V. Trachtenberg
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Haley P. Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Nicole A. Wilski
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Connor A. Ott
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Timothy J. Purwin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Jelan I. Haj
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Danielle Pomante
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Daniel Kotas
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Inna Chervoneva
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Division of Biostatistics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Claudia Capparelli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Andrew E. Aplin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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18
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Ahuja S, Zaheer S. Multifaceted TGF-β signaling, a master regulator: From bench-to-bedside, intricacies, and complexities. Cell Biol Int 2024; 48:87-127. [PMID: 37859532 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.12097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Physiological embryogenesis and adult tissue homeostasis are regulated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), an evolutionarily conserved family of secreted polypeptide factors, acting in an autocrine and paracrine manner. The role of TGF-β in inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer is complex and sometimes even contradictory, exhibiting either inhibitory or promoting effects depending on the stage of the disease. Under pathological conditions, especially fibrosis and cancer, overexpressed TGF-β causes extracellular matrix deposition, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer-associated fibroblast formation, and/or angiogenesis. In this review article, we have tried to dive deep into the mechanism of action of TGF-β in inflammation, fibrosis, and carcinogenesis. As TGF-β and its downstream signaling mechanism are implicated in fibrosis and carcinogenesis blocking this signaling mechanism appears to be a promising avenue. However, targeting TGF-β carries substantial risk as this pathway is implicated in multiple homeostatic processes and is also known to have tumor-suppressor functions. There is a need for careful dosing of TGF-β drugs for therapeutic use and patient selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Ahuja
- Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Sufian Zaheer
- Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
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19
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Han S, Zhang M, Qu X, Wu Z, Huang Z, Hu Y, Li Y, Cui L, Si L, Liu J, Shao Y. SOX10 deficiency-mediated LAMB3 upregulation determines the invasiveness of MAPKi-resistant melanoma. Oncogene 2024; 43:434-446. [PMID: 38102338 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02917-x] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma that develops adaptive resistance to MAPK inhibitors (MAPKi) through transcriptional reprograming-mediated phenotype switching is associated with enhanced metastatic potential, yet the underlying mechanism of this improved invasiveness has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we show that MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells are more motile and invasive than the parental cells. We further show that LAMB3, a β subunit of the extracellular matrix protein laminin-332 is upregulated in MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells and that the LAMB3-Integrin α3/α6 signaling mediates the motile and invasive phenotype of resistant cells. In addition, we demonstrate that SOX10 deficiency in MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells drives LAMB3 upregulation through TGF-β signaling. Transcriptome profiling and functional studies further reveal a FAK/MMPs axis mediates the pro-invasiveness effect of LAMB3. Using a mouse lung metastasis model, we demonstrate LAMB3 depletion inhibits the metastatic potential of MAPKi-resistant cells in vivo. In summary, this study identifies a SOX10low/TGF-β/LAMB3/FAK/MMPs signaling pathway that determines the migration and invasion properties of MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells and provide rationales for co-targeting LAMB3 to curb the metastasis of melanoma cells in targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujun Han
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Mo Zhang
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Xiaoyan Qu
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Zihao Wu
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Zongguan Huang
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Yiming Hu
- Department of Dermatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Dermatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Lanlan Cui
- Department of Dermatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Lu Si
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Melanoma and Sarcoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Jiankang Liu
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Yongping Shao
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
- Department of Dermatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
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20
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Al Hmada Y, Brodell RT, Kharouf N, Flanagan TW, Alamodi AA, Hassan SY, Shalaby H, Hassan SL, Haikel Y, Megahed M, Santourlidis S, Hassan M. Mechanisms of Melanoma Progression and Treatment Resistance: Role of Cancer Stem-like Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:470. [PMID: 38275910 PMCID: PMC10814963 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020470] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the third most common type of skin cancer, characterized by its heterogeneity and propensity to metastasize to distant organs. Melanoma is a heterogeneous tumor, composed of genetically divergent subpopulations, including a small fraction of melanoma-initiating cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and many non-cancer stem cells (non-CSCs). CSCs are characterized by their unique surface proteins associated with aberrant signaling pathways with a causal or consequential relationship with tumor progression, drug resistance, and recurrence. Melanomas also harbor significant alterations in functional genes (BRAF, CDKN2A, NRAS, TP53, and NF1). Of these, the most common are the BRAF and NRAS oncogenes, with 50% of melanomas demonstrating the BRAF mutation (BRAFV600E). While the successful targeting of BRAFV600E does improve overall survival, the long-term efficacy of available therapeutic options is limited due to adverse side effects and reduced clinical efficacy. Additionally, drug resistance develops rapidly via mechanisms involving fast feedback re-activation of MAPK signaling pathways. This article updates information relevant to the mechanisms of melanoma progression and resistance and particularly the mechanistic role of CSCs in melanoma progression, drug resistance, and recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssef Al Hmada
- Department of Pathology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (Y.A.H.); (R.T.B.)
| | - Robert T. Brodell
- Department of Pathology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (Y.A.H.); (R.T.B.)
| | - Naji Kharouf
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (N.K.); (Y.H.)
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Dental Faculty, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas W. Flanagan
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA;
| | - Abdulhadi A. Alamodi
- College of Health Sciences, Jackson State University, 310 W Woodrow Wilson Ave Ste 300, Jackson, MS 39213, USA;
| | - Sofie-Yasmin Hassan
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany;
| | - Hosam Shalaby
- Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA;
| | - Sarah-Lilly Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany;
| | - Youssef Haikel
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (N.K.); (Y.H.)
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Dental Faculty, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Pôle de Médecine et Chirurgie Bucco-Dentaire, Hôpital Civil, Hôpitaux Universitaire de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Mosaad Megahed
- Clinic of Dermatology, University Hospital of Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
| | - Simeon Santourlidis
- Epigenetics Core Laboratory, Medical Faculty, Institute of Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany;
| | - Mohamed Hassan
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (N.K.); (Y.H.)
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Dental Faculty, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Research Laboratory of Surgery-Oncology, Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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21
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Maltas J, Killarney ST, Singleton KR, Strobl MAR, Washart R, Wood KC, Wood KB. Drug dependence in cancer is exploitable by optimally constructed treatment holidays. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:147-162. [PMID: 38012363 PMCID: PMC10918730 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02255-x] [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: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Cancers with acquired resistance to targeted therapy can become simultaneously dependent on the presence of the targeted therapy drug for survival, suggesting that intermittent therapy may slow resistance. However, relatively little is known about which tumours are likely to become dependent and how to schedule intermittent therapy optimally. Here we characterized drug dependence across a panel of over 75 MAPK-inhibitor-resistant BRAFV600E mutant melanoma models at the population and single-clone levels. Melanocytic differentiated models exhibited a much greater tendency to give rise to drug-dependent progeny than their dedifferentiated counterparts. Mechanistically, acquired loss of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor in differentiated melanoma models drives ERK-JunB-p21 signalling to enforce drug dependence. We identified the optimal scheduling of 'drug holidays' using simple mathematical models that we validated across short and long timescales. Without detailed knowledge of tumour characteristics, we found that a simple adaptive therapy protocol can produce near-optimal outcomes using only measurements of total population size. Finally, a spatial agent-based model showed that optimal schedules derived from exponentially growing cells in culture remain nearly optimal in the context of tumour cell turnover and limited environmental carrying capacity. These findings may guide the implementation of improved evolution-inspired treatment strategies for drug-dependent cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Maltas
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shane T Killarney
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Maximilian A R Strobl
- Department of Translational Hematology and Oncology Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rachel Washart
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kris C Wood
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Kevin B Wood
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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22
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Addala V, Newell F, Pearson JV, Redwood A, Robinson BW, Creaney J, Waddell N. Computational immunogenomic approaches to predict response to cancer immunotherapies. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:28-46. [PMID: 37907723 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00830-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunogenomics is an emerging field that bridges genomics and immunology. The establishment of large-scale genomic collaborative efforts along with the development of new single-cell transcriptomic techniques and multi-omics approaches have enabled characterization of the mutational and transcriptional profiles of many cancer types and helped to identify clinically actionable alterations as well as predictive and prognostic biomarkers. Researchers have developed computational approaches and machine learning algorithms to accurately obtain clinically useful information from genomic and transcriptomic sequencing data from bulk tissue or single cells and explore tumours and their microenvironment. The rapid growth in sequencing and computational approaches has resulted in the unmet need to understand their true potential and limitations in enabling improvements in the management of patients with cancer who are receiving immunotherapies. In this Review, we describe the computational approaches currently available to analyse bulk tissue and single-cell sequencing data from cancer, stromal and immune cells, as well as how best to select the most appropriate tool to address various clinical questions and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkateswar Addala
- Cancer Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Felicity Newell
- Cancer Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - John V Pearson
- Cancer Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alec Redwood
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Institute of Respiratory Health, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Bruce W Robinson
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Institute of Respiratory Health, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jenette Creaney
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Institute of Respiratory Health, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Nicola Waddell
- Cancer Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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23
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Zhang P, Kuil LE, Buil LCM, Freriks S, Beijnen JH, van Tellingen O, de Gooijer MC. Acquired and intrinsic resistance to vemurafenib in BRAF V600E -driven melanoma brain metastases. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:96-111. [PMID: 37953496 PMCID: PMC10761933 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BRAFV600 -mutated melanoma brain metastases (MBMs) are responsive to BRAF inhibitors, but responses are generally less durable than those of extracranial metastases. We tested the hypothesis that the drug efflux transporters P-glycoprotein (P-gp; ABCB1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP; ABCG2) expressed at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) offer MBMs protection from therapy. We intracranially implanted A375 melanoma cells in wild-type (WT) and Abcb1a/b;Abcg2-/- mice, characterized the tumor BBB, analyzed drug levels in plasma and brain lesions after oral vemurafenib administration, and determined the efficacy against brain metastases and subcutaneous lesions. Although contrast-enhanced MRI demonstrated that the integrity of the BBB is disrupted in A375 MBMs, vemurafenib achieved greater antitumor efficacy against MBMs in Abcb1a/b;Abcg2-/- mice compared with WT mice. Concordantly, P-gp and BCRP are expressed in MBM-associated brain endothelium both in patients and in A375 xenografts and expression of these transporters limited vemurafenib penetration into A375 MBMs. Although initially responsive, A375 MBMs rapidly developed therapy resistance, even in Abcb1a/b;Abcg2-/- mice, and this was unrelated to pharmacokinetic or target inhibition issues. Taken together, we demonstrate that both intrinsic and acquired resistance can play a role in MBMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- Division of PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine and Institute of Brain and Brain‐Inspired ScienceShandong UniversityChina
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function Remodeling, Qilu HospitalShandong UniversityChina
| | - Laura Esmee Kuil
- Division of PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Division of Psychosocial Sciences and EpidemiologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Levi Conrad Maria Buil
- Division of PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Mouse Cancer ClinicThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Stephan Freriks
- Division of PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Mouse Cancer ClinicThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jos Hendrik Beijnen
- Department of Pharmacy and PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer Institute/MC Slotervaart HospitalAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of ScienceUtrecht UniversityThe Netherlands
| | - Olaf van Tellingen
- Division of PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Mouse Cancer ClinicThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Mark Cornelis de Gooijer
- Division of PharmacologyThe Netherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthUniversity of ManchesterUK
- The Christie NHS Foundation TrustManchesterUK
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24
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Eroglu Z, Chen YA, Smalley I, Li J, Markowitz JK, Brohl AS, Tetteh L, Taylor H, Sondak VK, Khushalani NI, Smalley KSM. Combined BRAF, MEK, and heat-shock protein 90 inhibition in advanced BRAF V600-mutant melanoma. Cancer 2024; 130:232-243. [PMID: 37776537 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibitors in BRAF V600-mutant melanoma is common. Multiple resistance mechanisms involve heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) clients, and a phase 1 study of vemurafenib with the HSP90 inhibitor XL888 in patients with advanced melanoma showed activity equivalent to that of BRAF and MEK inhibitors. METHODS Vemurafenib (960 mg orally twice daily) and cobimetinib (60 mg orally once daily for 21 of 28 days) with escalating dose cohorts of XL888 (30, 45, 60, or 90 mg orally twice weekly) was investigated in a phase 1 trial of advanced melanoma, with a modified Ji dose-escalation design. RESULTS Twenty-five patients were enrolled. After two dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) (rash and acute kidney injury) in the first cohort, lower doses of vemurafenib (720 mg) and cobimetinib (40 mg) were investigated with the same XL888 doses. Three DLTs (rash) were observed in 12 patients in the XL888 60-mg cohort, and this was determined as the maximum tolerated dose. Objective responses were observed in 19 patients (76%), and the median progression-free survival was 7.6 months, with a 5-year progression-free survival rate of 20%. The median overall survival was 41.7 months, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 37%. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on baseline and on-treatment biopsies; treatment was associated with increased immune cell influx (CD4-positive and CD8-positive T cells) and decreased melanoma cells. CONCLUSIONS Combined vemurafenib and cobimetinib plus XL888 had significant toxicity, requiring frequent dose reductions, which may have contributed to the relatively low progression-free survival despite a high tumor response rate. Given overlapping toxicities, caution must be used when combining HSP90 inhibitors with BRAF and MEK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Eroglu
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Y Ann Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Inna Smalley
- Department of Cancer Physiology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jiannong Li
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Joseph K Markowitz
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Andrew S Brohl
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Leticia Tetteh
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Hayley Taylor
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Vernon K Sondak
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Nikhil I Khushalani
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Keiran S M Smalley
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
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25
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Abou-Hamad J, Hodgins JJ, Yakubovich E, Vanderhyden BC, Ardolino M, Sabourin LA. Sox10-Deficient Drug-Resistant Melanoma Cells Are Refractory to Oncolytic RNA Viruses. Cells 2023; 13:73. [PMID: 38201278 PMCID: PMC10777920 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapy resistance frequently develops in melanoma due to intratumor heterogeneity and epigenetic reprogramming. This also typically induces cross-resistance to immunotherapies. Whether this includes additional modes of therapy has not been fully assessed. We show that co-treatments of MAPKi with VSV-based oncolytics do not function in a synergistic fashion; rather, the MAPKis block infection. Melanoma resistance to vemurafenib further perturbs the cells' ability to be infected by oncolytic viruses. Resistance to vemurafenib can be induced by the loss of SOX10, a common proliferative marker in melanoma. The loss of SOX10 promotes a cross-resistant state by further inhibiting viral infection and replication. Analysis of RNA-seq datasets revealed an upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in SOX10 knockout populations and targeted therapy-resistant cells. Interestingly, the induction of ISGs appears to be independent of type I IFN production. Overall, our data suggest that the pathway mediating oncolytic resistance is due to the loss of SOX10 during acquired drug resistance in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Abou-Hamad
- Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.A.-H.); (E.Y.); (B.C.V.); (M.A.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Jonathan J. Hodgins
- Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.A.-H.); (E.Y.); (B.C.V.); (M.A.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Edward Yakubovich
- Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.A.-H.); (E.Y.); (B.C.V.); (M.A.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Barbara C. Vanderhyden
- Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.A.-H.); (E.Y.); (B.C.V.); (M.A.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Michele Ardolino
- Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.A.-H.); (E.Y.); (B.C.V.); (M.A.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Luc A. Sabourin
- Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.A.-H.); (E.Y.); (B.C.V.); (M.A.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
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26
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Gambaro K, Marques M, McNamara S, Couetoux du Tertre M, Hoffert C, Srivastava A, Schab A, Alcindor T, Langleben A, Sideris L, Abdelsalam M, Tehfe M, Couture F, Batist G, Kavan P. A Phase II Exploratory Study to Identify Biomarkers Predictive of Clinical Response to Regorafenib in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Who Have Failed First-Line Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:43. [PMID: 38203214 PMCID: PMC10778949 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-agent regorafenib is approved in Canada for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients who have failed previous lines of therapy. Identifying prognostic biomarkers is key to optimizing therapeutic strategies for these patients. In this clinical study (NCT01949194), we evaluated the safety and efficacy of single-agent regorafenib as a second-line therapy for mCRC patients who received it after failing first-line therapy with an oxaliplatin or irinotecan regimen with or without bevacizumab. Using various omics approaches, we also investigated putative biomarkers of response and resistance to regorafenib in metastatic lesions and blood samples in the same cohort. Overall, the safety profile of regorafenib seemed similar to the CORRECT trial, where regorafenib was administered as ≥ 2 lines of therapy. While the mutational landscape showed typical mutation rates for the top five driver genes (APC, KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, and TP53), KRAS mutations were enriched in intrinsically resistant lesions. Additional exploration of genomic-phenotype associations revealed several biomarker candidates linked to unfavorable prognoses in patients with mCRC using various approaches, including pathway analysis, cfDNA profiling, and copy number analysis. However, further research endeavors are necessary to validate the potential utility of these promising genes in understanding patients' responses to regorafenib treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Gambaro
- Canadian National Centres of Excellence-Exactis Innovations, Montreal, QC H3T 1Y6, Canada; (K.G.); (M.M.); (S.M.)
- Consortium de Recherche en Oncologie Clinique du Québec (Q-CROC), Quebec, QC G1V 3X8, Canada
- Segal Cancer Centre-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Maud Marques
- Canadian National Centres of Excellence-Exactis Innovations, Montreal, QC H3T 1Y6, Canada; (K.G.); (M.M.); (S.M.)
- Segal Cancer Centre-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Suzan McNamara
- Canadian National Centres of Excellence-Exactis Innovations, Montreal, QC H3T 1Y6, Canada; (K.G.); (M.M.); (S.M.)
- Consortium de Recherche en Oncologie Clinique du Québec (Q-CROC), Quebec, QC G1V 3X8, Canada
| | - Mathilde Couetoux du Tertre
- Canadian National Centres of Excellence-Exactis Innovations, Montreal, QC H3T 1Y6, Canada; (K.G.); (M.M.); (S.M.)
- Consortium de Recherche en Oncologie Clinique du Québec (Q-CROC), Quebec, QC G1V 3X8, Canada
| | - Cyrla Hoffert
- Canadian National Centres of Excellence-Exactis Innovations, Montreal, QC H3T 1Y6, Canada; (K.G.); (M.M.); (S.M.)
- Consortium de Recherche en Oncologie Clinique du Québec (Q-CROC), Quebec, QC G1V 3X8, Canada
- Segal Cancer Centre-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Archana Srivastava
- Canadian National Centres of Excellence-Exactis Innovations, Montreal, QC H3T 1Y6, Canada; (K.G.); (M.M.); (S.M.)
- Consortium de Recherche en Oncologie Clinique du Québec (Q-CROC), Quebec, QC G1V 3X8, Canada
- Segal Cancer Centre-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Anna Schab
- Canadian National Centres of Excellence-Exactis Innovations, Montreal, QC H3T 1Y6, Canada; (K.G.); (M.M.); (S.M.)
- Consortium de Recherche en Oncologie Clinique du Québec (Q-CROC), Quebec, QC G1V 3X8, Canada
| | | | | | - Lucas Sideris
- Hôpital Maisonneuve Rosemont, Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
| | | | - Mustapha Tehfe
- Hematology-Oncology, Oncology Center-Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montreal, Montreal, QC H2X 0C1, Canada
| | | | - Gerald Batist
- Segal Cancer Centre-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Petr Kavan
- Segal Cancer Centre-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
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27
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Li Y, Tan M, Sun S, Stea E, Pang B. Targeted CRISPR activation and knockout screenings identify novel doxorubicin transporters. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023; 46:1807-1820. [PMID: 37523060 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00847-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Tissue-specific drug uptake has not been well studied, compared to the deeper understanding of drug resistance mediated by the cellular efflux system such as MDR1 proteins. It has been suggested that many drugs need active or defined transporters to pass the cell membrane. In contrast to efflux components induced after anti-cancer drugs reach the intracellular compartment, drug importers are required for initial drug responses. Furthermore, tissue-specific uptake of anti-cancer drugs may directly impact the side effects of many drugs when they accumulate in healthy tissues. Therefore, linking anti-cancer drugs to their respective drug import transporters would directly help to predict drug responses, whilst minimizing side effects. METHODS To identify drug transporters of the commonly used anti-cancer drug doxorubicin, we performed focused CRISPR activation and knockout genetic screens targeting all potential membrane-associated transporters and proteins. We monitored the direct uptake of doxorubicin by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) as the screening readout for identifying transporters/proteins directly involved in doxorubicin uptake. RESULTS Integrating the data from these comprehensive CRISPR screenings, we confirmed previously indicated doxorubicin exporters such as ABCB1 and ABCG2 genes, and identified novel doxorubicin importer gene SLC2A3 (GLUT3). Upregulation of SLC2A3 led to higher doxorubicin uptake and better cell killing, indicating SLC2A3 could be a new marker to predict doxorubicin drug response and minimize side effects for the personalized application of this conventional chemotherapeutic drug. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a comprehensive way for identifying drug transporters, as exemplified by the commonly used anti-cancer drug doxorubicin. The newly identified importers may have direct clinical implications for the personalized application of doxorubicin in treating distinct tumors. Our results also highlight the necessity of combining both CRISPR knockout and CRISPR activation genetic screens to identify drug transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Li
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Minkang Tan
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shengnan Sun
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Elena Stea
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Baoxu Pang
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
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28
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Harmange G, Hueros RAR, Schaff DL, Emert B, Saint-Antoine M, Kim LC, Niu Z, Nellore S, Fane ME, Alicea GM, Weeraratna AT, Simon MC, Singh A, Shaffer SM. Disrupting cellular memory to overcome drug resistance. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7130. [PMID: 37932277 PMCID: PMC10628298 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41811-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression states persist for varying lengths of time at the single-cell level, a phenomenon known as gene expression memory. When cells switch states, losing memory of their prior state, this transition can occur in the absence of genetic changes. However, we lack robust methods to find regulators of memory or track state switching. Here, we develop a lineage tracing-based technique to quantify memory and identify cells that switch states. Applied to melanoma cells without therapy, we quantify long-lived fluctuations in gene expression that are predictive of later resistance to targeted therapy. We also identify the PI3K and TGF-β pathways as state switching modulators. We propose a pretreatment model, first applying a PI3K inhibitor to modulate gene expression states, then applying targeted therapy, which leads to less resistance than targeted therapy alone. Together, we present a method for finding modulators of gene expression memory and their associated cell fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Harmange
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Raúl A Reyes Hueros
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dylan L Schaff
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin Emert
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Michael Saint-Antoine
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Laura C Kim
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zijian Niu
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Physics, College of the Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shivani Nellore
- Department of Biology, College of the Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mitchell E Fane
- Cancer Signaling and Microenvironment Research Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gretchen M Alicea
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ashani T Weeraratna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - M Celeste Simon
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Abhyudai Singh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Sydney M Shaffer
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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29
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Du Z, Zhang T, Lin Y, Dong G, Li A, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Giamas G, Stebbing J, Zhu L, Peng L. A prognostic model of drug tolerant persister-related genes in lung adenocarcinoma based on single cell and bulk RNA sequencing data. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20708. [PMID: 37920509 PMCID: PMC10618427 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Acquired resistance to targeted drugs is a major challenge in cancer. The drug-tolerant state has been proposed to be an initial step towards acquisition of real drug-resistance. Drug tolerant persister (DTP) cells are purported to survive during treatment and stay dormant for several years. Single cell sequencing can provide a comprehensive landscape of gene expression in DTP cells, which can facilitate investigation of heterogeneity of a drug tolerant state and identification of new anticancer targets. Methods The genetic profiling of DTPs was explored by integrating Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, and a prognostic signature of DTP-related genes (DTPRGs) in lung adenocarcinoma of TCGA LUAD cohort was constructed. The scores of infiltrating immune cells were calculated and activity of immune-related pathways was evaluated by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Functional enrichment analysis of the DTPRGs between low- and high-risk groups was performed. Immune cell subtypes and immune-related pathways were analyzed. Results An 11-gene panel (MT2A, UBE2S, CLTB, KRT7, IGFBP3, CTSH, NPC2, HMGA1, HNRNPAB, DTYMK, and IHNA) was established. DTPRGs were mainly correlated with nuclear division, chromosome segregation, and cell cycle pathways. Infiltration of immune cells was lower in the high-risk group while the inflammation-promoting and MCH-class I response pathway had higher activity in the high-risk group. A nomogram was generated with prognostic accuracy, further validated using clinical outcomes following therapy with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Discussion A prognostic model of lung adenocarcinoma based on DTPRGs was constructed. Targeting DTP cells is a potential therapeutic approach to prevent a drug tolerant state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghai Du
- Department of Medical Oncology, Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tongtong Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yanke Lin
- Guangdong TCRCure Biopharma Technology Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Guifen Dong
- Hospital Infection-Control Department, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong Province, China
| | - Aixiang Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- Department of Urology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yongjie Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong Province, China
| | - Georgios Giamas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Justin Stebbing
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Liping Zhu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ling Peng
- Cancer Center, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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30
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Amaral T, Pop OT, Chatziioannou E, Sinnberg T, Niessner H, Zhao J, Ring SS, Joerger M, Schroeder C, Armeanu-Ebinger S, Cozzio A, Leiter U, Thomas I, Jochum W, Garbe C, Forchhammer S, Levesque M, Mangana J, Hölzel M, Dummer R, Schürch CM, Forschner A, Flatz L. EGFR expression is associated with relapse in a melanoma cohort receiving adjuvant PD-1-based immunotherapy. J Am Acad Dermatol 2023; 89:1072-1074. [PMID: 37487833 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2023.06.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Amaral
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Oltin Tiberiu Pop
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Eftychia Chatziioannou
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Sinnberg
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180), Tübingen, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heike Niessner
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sandra Stephanie Ring
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Joerger
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Christopher Schroeder
- Institute for Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sorin Armeanu-Ebinger
- Institute for Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Antonio Cozzio
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Leiter
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ioannis Thomas
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Wolfram Jochum
- Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Claus Garbe
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Forchhammer
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mitchell Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zürich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Joanna Mangana
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zürich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Hölzel
- Institute of Experimental Oncology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Reinhard Dummer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zürich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian M Schürch
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Forschner
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Flatz
- Center for Dermatooncology, Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland; Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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31
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Samarkina A, Youssef MK, Ostano P, Ghosh S, Ma M, Tassone B, Proust T, Chiorino G, Levesque MP, Goruppi S, Dotto GP. Androgen receptor is a determinant of melanoma targeted drug resistance. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6498. [PMID: 37838724 PMCID: PMC10576812 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42239-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma provides a primary benchmark for targeted drug therapy. Most melanomas with BRAFV600 mutations regress in response to BRAF/MEK inhibitors (BRAFi/MEKi). However, nearly all relapse within the first two years, and there is a connection between BRAFi/MEKi-resistance and poor response to immune checkpoint therapy. We reported that androgen receptor (AR) activity is required for melanoma cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. We show here that AR expression is markedly increased in BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells, and in sensitive cells soon after BRAFi exposure. Increased AR expression is sufficient to render melanoma cells BRAFi-resistant, eliciting transcriptional changes of BRAFi-resistant subpopulations, including elevated EGFR and SERPINE1 expression, of likely clinical significance. Inhibition of AR expression or activity blunts changes in gene expression and suppresses proliferation and tumorigenesis of BRAFi-resistant melanoma cells, promoting clusters of CD8+ T cells infiltration and cancer cells killing. Our findings point to targeting AR as possible co-therapeutical approach in melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paola Ostano
- Cancer Genomics Laboratory, Edo and Elvo Tempia Valenta Foundation, Biella, Italy
| | - Soumitra Ghosh
- ORL service and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Min Ma
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Épalinges, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Tassone
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Épalinges, Switzerland
| | - Tatiana Proust
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Épalinges, Switzerland
| | - Giovanna Chiorino
- Cancer Genomics Laboratory, Edo and Elvo Tempia Valenta Foundation, Biella, Italy
| | - Mitchell P Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zürich, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sandro Goruppi
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Gian Paolo Dotto
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Épalinges, Switzerland.
- ORL service and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- International Cancer Prevention Institute, Épalinges, Switzerland.
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32
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Chang L, Jung NY, Atari A, Rodriguez DJ, Kesar D, Song TY, Rees MG, Ronan M, Li R, Ruiz P, Chaturantabut S, Ito T, van Tienen LM, Tseng YY, Roth JA, Sellers WR. Systematic profiling of conditional pathway activation identifies context-dependent synthetic lethalities. Nat Genet 2023; 55:1709-1720. [PMID: 37749246 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01515-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The paradigm of cancer-targeted therapies has focused largely on inhibition of critical pathways in cancer. Conversely, conditional activation of signaling pathways as a new source of selective cancer vulnerabilities has not been deeply characterized. In this study, we sought to systematically identify context-specific gene-activation-induced lethalities in cancer. To this end, we developed a method for gain-of-function genetic perturbations simultaneously across ~500 barcoded cancer cell lines. Using this approach, we queried the pan-cancer vulnerability landscape upon activating ten key pathway nodes, revealing selective activation dependencies of MAPK and PI3K pathways associated with specific biomarkers. Notably, we discovered new pathway hyperactivation dependencies in subsets of APC-mutant colorectal cancers where further activation of the WNT pathway by APC knockdown or direct β-catenin overexpression led to robust antitumor effects in xenograft and patient-derived organoid models. Together, this study reveals a new class of conditional gene-activation dependencies in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nancy Y Jung
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Adel Atari
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Devishi Kesar
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tian-Yu Song
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Melissa Ronan
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ruitong Li
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Paloma Ruiz
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Saireudee Chaturantabut
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Takahiro Ito
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Laurens M van Tienen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuen-Yi Tseng
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - William R Sellers
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Hartman ML, Koziej P, Kluszczyńska K, Czyz M. Pro-Apoptotic Activity of MCL-1 Inhibitor in Trametinib-Resistant Melanoma Cells Depends on Their Phenotypes and Is Modulated by Reversible Alterations Induced by Trametinib Withdrawal. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4799. [PMID: 37835493 PMCID: PMC10571954 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although BRAFV600/MEK inhibitors improved the treatment of melanoma patients, resistance is acquired almost inevitably. METHODS Trametinib withdrawal/rechallenge and MCL-1 inhibition in trametinib-resistance models displaying distinct p-ERK1/2 levels were investigated. RESULTS Trametinib withdrawal/rechallenge caused reversible changes in ERK1/2 activity impacting the balance between pro-survival and pro-apoptotic proteins. Reversible alterations were found in MCL-1 levels and MCL-1 inhibitors, BIM and NOXA. Taking advantage of melanoma cell dependency on MCL-1 for survival, we used S63845. While it was designed to inhibit MCL-1 activity, we showed that it also significantly reduced NOXA levels. S63845-induced apoptosis was detected as the enhancement of Annexin V-positivity, caspase-3/7 activation and histone H2AX phosphorylation. Percentages of Annexin V-positive cells were increased most efficiently in trametinib-resistant melanoma cells displaying the p-ERK1/2low/MCL-1low/BIMhigh/NOXAlow phenotype with EC50 values at concentrations as low as 0.1 μM. Higher ERK1/2 activity associated with increased MCL-1 level and reduced BIM level limited pro-apoptotic activity of S63845 further influenced by a NOXA level. CONCLUSIONS Our study supports the notion that the efficiency of an agent designed to target a single protein can largely depend on the phenotype of cancer cells. Thus, it is important to define appropriate phenotype determinants to stratify the patients for the novel therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Małgorzata Czyz
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (M.L.H.); (P.K.); (K.K.)
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Purwin TJ, Caksa S, Sacan A, Capparelli C, Aplin AE. Gene signature reveals decreased SOX10-dependent transcripts in malignant cells from immune checkpoint inhibitor-resistant cutaneous melanomas. iScience 2023; 26:107472. [PMID: 37636077 PMCID: PMC10450419 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence is mounting for cross-resistance between immune checkpoint and targeted kinase inhibitor therapies in cutaneous melanoma patients. Since the loss of the transcription factor, SOX10, causes tolerance to MAPK pathway inhibitors, we used bioinformatic techniques to determine if reduced SOX10 expression/activity is associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance. We integrated SOX10 ChIP-seq, knockout RNA-seq, and knockdown ATAC-seq data from melanoma cell models to develop a robust SOX10 gene signature. We used computational methods to validate this signature as a measure of SOX10-dependent activity in independent single-cell and bulk RNA-seq SOX10 knockdown, cell line panel, and MAPK inhibitor drug-resistant datasets. Evaluation of patient single-cell RNA-seq data revealed lower levels of SOX10-dependent transcripts in immune checkpoint inhibitor-resistant tumors. Our results suggest that SOX10-deficient melanoma cells are associated with cross-resistance between targeted and immune checkpoint inhibitors and highlight the need to identify therapeutic strategies that target this subpopulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Purwin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Signe Caksa
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Ahmet Sacan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Claudia Capparelli
- Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Andrew E. Aplin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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35
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Glasheen MQ, Caksa S, Young AG, Wilski NA, Ott CA, Chervoneva I, Flaherty KT, Herlyn M, Xu X, Aplin AE, Capparelli C. Targeting Upregulated cIAP2 in SOX10-Deficient Drug Tolerant Melanoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:1087-1099. [PMID: 37343247 PMCID: PMC10527992 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Drug tolerance and minimal residual disease (MRD) are likely to prelude acquired resistance to targeted therapy. Mechanisms that allow persister cells to survive in the presence of targeted therapy are being characterized but selective vulnerabilities for these subpopulations remain uncertain. We identified cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 2 (cIAP2) as being highly expressed in SOX10-deficient drug tolerant persister (DTP) melanoma cells. Here, we show that cIAP2 is sufficient to induce tolerance to MEK inhibitors, likely by decreasing the levels of cell death. Mechanistically, cIAP2 is upregulated at the transcript level in SOX10-deficient cells and the AP-1 complex protein, JUND, is required for its expression. Using a patient-derived xenograft model, we demonstrate that treatment with the cIAP1/2 inhibitor, birinapant, during the MRD phase delays the onset of resistance to BRAF inhibitor and MEK inhibitor combination therapy. Together, our data suggest that cIAP2 upregulation in SOX10-deficient subpopulations of melanoma cells induces drug tolerance to MAPK targeting agents and provides a rationale to test a novel therapeutical approach to target MRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKenna Q Glasheen
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Signe Caksa
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Amelia G Young
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Nicole A Wilski
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Connor A Ott
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Inna Chervoneva
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Keith T Flaherty
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Meenhard Herlyn
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Xiaowei Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Claudia Capparelli
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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36
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Wang X, Yang L, Yu C, Ling X, Guo C, Chen R, Li D, Liu Z. An integrated computational strategy to predict personalized cancer drug combinations by reversing drug resistance signatures. Comput Biol Med 2023; 163:107230. [PMID: 37418899 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance currently poses the greatest barrier to cancer treatments. To overcome drug resistance, drug combination therapy has been proposed as a promising treatment strategy. Herein, we present Re-Sensitizing Drug Prediction (RSDP), a novel computational strategy, for predicting the personalized cancer drug combination A + B by reversing the resistance signature of drug A. The process integrates multiple biological features using a robust rank aggregation algorithm, including Connectivity Map, synthetic lethality, synthetic rescue, pathway, and drug target. Bioinformatics assessments revealed that RSDP achieved a relatively accurate prediction performance for identifying personalized combinational re-sensitizing drug B against cell line-specific intrinsic resistance, cell line-specific acquired resistance, and patient-specific intrinsic resistance to drug A. In addition, we developed the largest resource of cell line-specific cancer drug resistance signatures, including intrinsic and acquired resistance, as a byproduct of the proposed strategy. The findings indicate that personalized drug resistance signature reversal is a promising strategy for identifying personalized drug combinations, which may guide future clinical decisions regarding personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Lele Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Chuang Yu
- China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Xinping Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Congcong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Ruzhen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Dong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China.
| | - Zhongyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China.
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37
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Ma ZR, Xiong QW, Cai SZ, Ding LT, Yin CH, Xia HL, Liu W, Dai S, Zhang Y, Zhu ZH, Huang ZJ, Wang Q, Yan XM. USP18 enhances the resistance of BRAF-mutated melanoma cells to vemurafenib by stabilizing cGAS expression to induce cell autophagy. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 122:110617. [PMID: 37478666 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110617] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to discern the possible molecular mechanism of the effect of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 18 (USP18) on the resistance to BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib in BRAF V600E mutant melanoma by regulating cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS). The cancer tissues of BRAF V600E mutant melanoma patients before and after vemurafenib treatment were collected, in which the protein expression of USP18 and cGAS was determined. A BRAF V600E mutant human melanoma cell line (A2058R) resistant to vemurafenib was constructed with its viability, apoptosis, and autophagy detected following overexpression and depletion assays of USP18 and cGAS. Xenografted tumors were transplanted into nude mice for in vivo validation. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the expression of cGAS was positively correlated with USP18 in melanoma, and USP18 was highly expressed in melanoma. The expression of cGAS and USP18 was up-regulated in cancer tissues of vemurafenib-resistant patients with BRAF V600E mutant melanoma. Knockdown of cGAS inhibited the resistance to vemurafenib in A2058R cells and the protective autophagy induced by vemurafenib in vitro. USP18 could deubiquitinate cGAS to promote its protein stability. In vivo experimentations confirmed that USP18 promoted vemurafenib-induced protective autophagy by stabilizing cGAS protein, which promoted resistance to vemurafenib in BRAF V600E mutant melanoma cells. Collectively, USP18 stabilizes cGAS protein expression through deubiquitination and induces autophagy of melanoma cells, thereby promoting the resistance to vemurafenib in BRAF V600E mutant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou-Rui Ma
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China; Suzhou Key Laboratory of Congenital Structural Deformities, Suzhou 215025, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Qian-Wei Xiong
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Congenital Structural Deformities, Suzhou 215025, Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China
| | - Shi-Zhong Cai
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Congenital Structural Deformities, Suzhou 215025, Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China
| | - Ling-Tao Ding
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, PR China
| | - Chao-Hong Yin
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, PR China
| | - Hong-Liang Xia
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Congenital Structural Deformities, Suzhou 215025, Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China
| | - Shu Dai
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Congenital Structural Deformities, Suzhou 215025, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, PR China
| | - Zhen-Hong Zhu
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China
| | - Zhi-Jian Huang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China.
| | - Xiang-Ming Yan
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Congenital Structural Deformities, Suzhou 215025, Jiangsu, PR China; Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215025, PR China.
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38
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Castellani G, Buccarelli M, Arasi MB, Rossi S, Pisanu ME, Bellenghi M, Lintas C, Tabolacci C. BRAF Mutations in Melanoma: Biological Aspects, Therapeutic Implications, and Circulating Biomarkers. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4026. [PMID: 37627054 PMCID: PMC10452867 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer resulting from the malignant transformation of melanocytes. Recent therapeutic approaches, including targeted therapy and immunotherapy, have improved the prognosis and outcome of melanoma patients. BRAF is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes recognised in melanoma. The most frequent oncogenic BRAF mutations consist of a single point mutation at codon 600 (mostly V600E) that leads to constitutive activation of the BRAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signalling pathway. Therefore, mutated BRAF has become a useful target for molecular therapy and the use of BRAF kinase inhibitors has shown promising results. However, several resistance mechanisms invariably develop leading to therapeutic failure. The aim of this manuscript is to review the role of BRAF mutational status in the pathogenesis of melanoma and its impact on differentiation and inflammation. Moreover, this review focuses on the mechanisms responsible for resistance to targeted therapies in BRAF-mutated melanoma and provides an overview of circulating biomarkers including circulating tumour cells, circulating tumour DNA, and non-coding RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Castellani
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (M.B.); (M.B.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Mariachiara Buccarelli
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (M.B.); (M.B.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Maria Beatrice Arasi
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (M.B.); (M.B.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Stefania Rossi
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (M.B.); (M.B.A.); (S.R.)
| | - Maria Elena Pisanu
- High Resolution NMR Unit, Core Facilities, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Maria Bellenghi
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Carla Lintas
- Research Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy;
- Operative Research Unit of Medical Genetics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Tabolacci
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (M.B.); (M.B.A.); (S.R.)
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39
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Priantti JN, Vilbert M, Madeira T, Moraes FCA, Hein ECK, Saeed A, Cavalcante L. Efficacy and Safety of Rechallenge with BRAF/MEK Inhibitors in Advanced Melanoma Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3754. [PMID: 37568570 PMCID: PMC10417341 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153754] [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: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rechallenging advanced melanoma patients with BRAFi/MEKi. Seven studies, accounting for 400 patients, were included. Most patients received immunotherapy before the rechallenge, and 79% underwent rechallenge with the combination of BRAFi/MEKi. We found a median progression-free survival of 5 months and overall survival of 9.8 months. The one-year survival rate was 42.63%. Regarding response, ORR was 34% and DCR 65%. There were no new or unexpected safety concerns. Rechallenge with BRAFi/MEKi can improve outcomes in advanced melanoma patients with refractory disease. These findings have significant implications for clinical practice, particularly in the setting of progressive disease in later lines and limited treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan N Priantti
- School of Medicine, Federal University of Amazonas-UFAM, Manaus 69020-160, AM, Brazil
| | - Maysa Vilbert
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Thiago Madeira
- School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais-UFMG, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Erica C Koch Hein
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Anwaar Saeed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Ludimila Cavalcante
- Department of Medical Oncology, Novant Health Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC 28204, USA
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40
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Pérez CN, Falcón CR, Mons JD, Orlandi FC, Sangiacomo M, Fernandez-Muñoz JM, Guerrero M, Benito PG, Colombo MI, Zoppino FCM, Alvarez SE. Melanoma cells with acquired resistance to vemurafenib have decreased autophagic flux and display enhanced ability to transfer resistance. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023:166801. [PMID: 37419396 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166801] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the last years, the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has risen significantly. Nearly half of the melanoma patients exhibit the BRAFV600E mutation. Although the use of BRAF and MEK inhibitors (BRAFi and MEKi) showed an impressive success rate in melanoma patients, durability of response remains an issue because tumor quickly becomes resistant. Here, we generated and characterized Lu1205 and A375 melanoma cells resistant to vemurafenib (BRAFi). Resistant cells (Lu1205R and A375R) exhibit higher IC50 (5-6 fold increase) and phospho-ERK levels and 2-3 times reduced apoptosis than their sensitive parents (Lu1205S and A375S). Moreover, resistant cells are 2-3 times bigger, display a more elongated morphology and have a modulation the migration capacity. Interestingly, pharmacological inhibition of sphingosine kinases, that prevents sphingosine-1-phosphate production, reduces migration of Lu1205R cells by 50 %. In addition, although Lu1205R cells showed increased basal levels of the autophagy markers LC3II and p62, they have decreased autophagosome degradation and autophagy flux. Remarkably, expression of Rab27A and Rab27B, which are involved in the release of extracellular vesicles are dramatically augmented in resistant cells (i.e. 5-7 fold increase). Indeed, conditioned media obtained from Lu1205R cells increased the resistance to vemurafenib of sensitive cells. Hence, these results support that resistance to vemurafenib modulates migration and the autophagic flux and may be transferred to nearby sensitive melanoma cells by factors that are released to the extracellular milieu by resistant cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia N Pérez
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, Argentina; Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas (IMIBIO-SL), CONICET, Argentina
| | - Cristian R Falcón
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, Argentina; Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas (IMIBIO-SL), CONICET, Argentina
| | - Johinna Delgado Mons
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, Argentina; Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas (IMIBIO-SL), CONICET, Argentina
| | - Federico Cuello Orlandi
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, Argentina; Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas (IMIBIO-SL), CONICET, Argentina
| | - Mercedes Sangiacomo
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, Argentina; Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas (IMIBIO-SL), CONICET, Argentina
| | | | - Martín Guerrero
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU), CONICET, Argentina
| | - Paula G Benito
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Argentina
| | - María I Colombo
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Argentina
| | - Felipe C M Zoppino
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU), CONICET, Argentina
| | - Sergio E Alvarez
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL), Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, Argentina; Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas (IMIBIO-SL), CONICET, Argentina.
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41
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Li Z, Jiang Y, Liu J, Fu H, Yang Q, Song W, Li Y. Exosomes from PYCR1 knockdown bone marrow mesenchymal stem inhibits aerobic glycolysis and the growth of bladder cancer cells via regulation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway. Int J Oncol 2023; 63:84. [PMID: 37293856 PMCID: PMC10552724 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease, and pyrroline‑5‑carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1) can promote the proliferation and invasion of BC cells and accelerate BC progression. In the present study, si‑PYCR1 was loaded into bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC)‑derived exosomes (Exos) in BC. First, PYCR1 levels in BC tissues/cells were assessed, and cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were evaluated. Aerobic glycolysis levels (glucose uptake, lactate production, ATP production, and the expression of relevant enzymes) and the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway phosphorylation levels were determined. PYCR1‑EGFR interactions were examined by co‑immunoprecipitation experiments. RT4 cells transfected with oe‑PYCR1 were treated with EGFR inhibitor CL‑387785. Exos were loaded with si‑PYCR1 and identified, followed by an assessment of their effects on aerobic glycolysis and malignant cell behaviors. Nude mouse models of xenograft tumors were established by injecting mice with Exo‑si‑PYCR1 and Exo‑si‑PYCR1. PYCR1 was upregulated in BC cells, with the highest expression observed in T24 cells and the lowest expression in RT4 cells. Following PYCR1 knockdown, the malignant behaviors of T24 cells and aerobic glycolysis were decreased, while PYCR1 overexpression in RT4 cells averted these trends. PYCR1 interacted with EGFR, and CL‑387785 inhibited the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway and attenuated the effects of PYCR1 overexpression on RT4 cells but had no effect on PYCR1 expression. Exo‑si‑PYCR1 showed stronger inhibitory effects on aerobic glycolysis and on the malignant behaviors of T24 cells than si‑PYCR1. Exo‑si‑PYCR1 blocked xenograft tumor growth and had good biocompatibility. Briefly, PYCR1 knocking loaded by BMSC‑derived Exos suppressed aerobic glycolysis and BC growth via the PI3K/AKT pathway by binding to EGFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Li
- Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410002, P.R. China
| | - Ying Jiang
- Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410002, P.R. China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410002, P.R. China
| | - Huifeng Fu
- Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410002, P.R. China
| | - Quan Yang
- Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410002, P.R. China
| | - Wei Song
- Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410002, P.R. China
| | - Yuanwei Li
- Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410002, P.R. China
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42
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Merat R. The human antigen R as an actionable super-hub within the network of cancer cell persistency and plasticity. Transl Oncol 2023; 35:101722. [PMID: 37352624 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101722] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In this perspective article, a clinically inspired phenotype-driven experimental approach is put forward to address the challenge of the adaptive response of solid cancers to small-molecule targeted therapies. A list of conditions is derived, including an experimental quantitative assessment of cell plasticity and an information theory-based detection of in vivo dependencies, for the discovery of post-transcriptional druggable mechanisms capable of preventing at multiple levels the emergence of plastic dedifferentiated slow-proliferating cells. The approach is illustrated by the author's own work in the example case of the adaptive response of BRAFV600-melanoma to BRAF inhibition. A bench-to-bedside and back to bench effort leads to a therapeutic strategy in which the inhibition of the baseline activity of the interferon-γ-activated inhibitor of translation (GAIT) complex, incriminated in the expression insufficiency of the RNA-binding protein HuR in a minority of cells, results in the suppression of the plastic, intermittently slow-proliferating cells involved in the adaptive response. A similar approach is recommended for the validation of other classes of mechanisms that we seek to modulate to overcome this complex challenge of modern cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rastine Merat
- Dermato-Oncology Unit, Division of Dermatology, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
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43
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Cucci MA, Grattarola M, Monge C, Roetto A, Barrera G, Caputo E, Dianzani C, Pizzimenti S. Nrf2 as a Therapeutic Target in the Resistance to Targeted Therapies in Melanoma. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1313. [PMID: 37372043 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of specific inhibitors towards mutant BRAF (BRAFi) and MEK (MEKi) in BRAF-mutated patients has significantly improved progression-free and overall survival of metastatic melanoma patients. Nevertheless, half of the patients still develop resistance within the first year of therapy. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of BRAFi/MEKi-acquired resistance has become a priority for researchers. Among others, oxidative stress-related mechanisms have emerged as a major force. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of Nrf2, the master regulator of the cytoprotective and antioxidant response, in the BRAFi/MEKi acquired resistance of melanoma. Moreover, we investigated the mechanisms of its activity regulation and the possible cooperation with the oncogene YAP, which is also involved in chemoresistance. Taking advantage of established in vitro melanoma models resistant to BRAFi, MEKi, or dual resistance to BRAFi/MEKi, we demonstrated that Nrf2 was upregulated in melanoma cells resistant to targeted therapy at the post-translational level and that the deubiquitinase DUB3 participated in the control of the Nrf2 protein stability. Furthermore, we found that Nrf2 controlled the expression of YAP. Importantly, the inhibition of Nrf2, directly or through inhibition of DUB3, reverted the resistance to targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Angèle Cucci
- Department of Clinical and Biological Science, University of Turin, Corso Raffaello 30, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Margherita Grattarola
- Department of Clinical and Biological Science, University of Turin, Corso Raffaello 30, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Monge
- Department of Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Antonella Roetto
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences-San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Barrera
- Department of Clinical and Biological Science, University of Turin, Corso Raffaello 30, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Emilia Caputo
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics-IGB-CNR, "A. Buzzati-Traverso", Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Dianzani
- Department of Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Stefania Pizzimenti
- Department of Clinical and Biological Science, University of Turin, Corso Raffaello 30, 10125 Turin, Italy
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44
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Kharouf N, Flanagan TW, Hassan SY, Shalaby H, Khabaz M, Hassan SL, Megahed M, Haikel Y, Santourlidis S, Hassan M. Tumor Microenvironment as a Therapeutic Target in Melanoma Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3147. [PMID: 37370757 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123147] [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: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of the tumor microenvironment in tumor growth and therapy has recently attracted more attention in research and drug development. The ability of the microenvironment to trigger tumor maintenance, progression, and resistance is the main cause for treatment failure and tumor relapse. Accumulated evidence indicates that the maintenance and progression of tumor cells is determined by components of the microenvironment, which include stromal cells (endothelial cells, fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, and immune cells), extracellular matrix (ECM), and soluble molecules (chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular vesicles). As a solid tumor, melanoma is not only a tumor mass of monolithic tumor cells, but it also contains supporting stroma, ECM, and soluble molecules. Melanoma cells are continuously in interaction with the components of the microenvironment. In the present review, we focus on the role of the tumor microenvironment components in the modulation of tumor progression and treatment resistance as well as the impact of the tumor microenvironment as a therapeutic target in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naji Kharouf
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Strasbourg, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1121, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Department of Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas W Flanagan
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Sofie-Yasmin Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Hosam Shalaby
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Marla Khabaz
- Department of Production, Beta Factory for Veterinary Pharmaceutical Industries, Damascus 0100, Syria
| | - Sarah-Lilly Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Mosaad Megahed
- Clinic of Dermatology, University Hospital of Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Youssef Haikel
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Strasbourg, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1121, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Department of Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Pôle de Médecine et Chirurgie Bucco-Dentaire, Hôpital Civil, Hôpitaux Universitaire de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Simeon Santourlidis
- Epigenetics Core Laboratory, Institute of Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Mohamed Hassan
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Strasbourg, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1121, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Department of Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Research Laboratory of Surgery-Oncology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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45
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Sabbah M, Najem A, Vanderkerkhove C, Kert F, Jourani Y, Journe F, Awada A, Van Gestel D, Ghanem GE, Krayem M. The benefit of co-targeting PARP-1 and c-Met on the efficacy of radiotherapy in wild type BRAF melanoma. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1149918. [PMID: 37215708 PMCID: PMC10192576 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1149918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is known to be a radioresistant cancer. Melanoma radioresistance can be due to several factors such as pigmentation, antioxidant defenses and high Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair efficacy. However, irradiation induces intracellular translocation of RTKs, including cMet, which regulates response to DNA damage activating proteins and promotes DNA repair. Accordingly, we hypothesized that co-targeting DNA repair (PARP-1) and relevant activated RTKs, c-Met in particular, may radiosensitize wild-type B-Raf Proto-Oncogene, Serine/Threonine Kinase (WTBRAF) melanomas where RTKs are often upregulated. Firstly, we found that PARP-1 is highly expressed in melanoma cell lines. PARP-1 inhibition by Olaparib or its KO mediates melanoma cell sensitivity to radiotherapy (RT). Similarly, specific inhibition of c-Met by Crizotinib or its KO radiosensitizes the melanoma cell lines. Mechanistically, we show that RT causes c-Met nuclear translocation to interact with PARP-1 promoting its activity. This can be reversed by c-Met inhibition. Accordingly, RT associated with the inhibition of both c-Met and PARP-1 resulted in a synergistic effect not only on tumor growth inhibition but also on tumor regrowth control in all animals following the stop of the treatment. We thus show that combining PARP and c-Met inhibition with RT appears a promising therapeutic approach in WTBRAF melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malak Sabbah
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Ahmad Najem
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Christophe Vanderkerkhove
- Medical Physics Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fabien Kert
- Medical Physics Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Younes Jourani
- Medical Physics Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fabrice Journe
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Ahmad Awada
- Oncology Medicine Department, Jules Bordet Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dirk Van Gestel
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ghanem E. Ghanem
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Mohammad Krayem
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology (LOCE), Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Bruxelles, Belgium
- Radiation Oncology Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Brussels, Belgium
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46
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Pinho JO, Matias M, Godinho-Santos A, Amaral JD, Mendes E, Jesus Perry M, Paula Francisco A, Rodrigues CMP, Manuela Gaspar M. A step forward on the in vitro and in vivo assessment of a novel nanomedicine against melanoma. Int J Pharm 2023; 640:123011. [PMID: 37146952 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123011] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, with increasing incidence and mortality rates. To overcome current treatment limitations, a hybrid molecule (HM) combining a triazene and a ʟ-tyrosine analogue, was recently synthesized, incorporated in long blood circulating liposomes (LIP HM) and validated in an immunocompetent melanoma model. The present work constitutes a step forward in the therapeutic assessment of HM formulations. Here, human melanoma cells, A375 and MNT-1, were used and dacarbazine (DTIC), a triazene drug clinically available as first-line treatment for melanoma, constituted the positive control. In cell cycle analysis, A375 cells, after 24-h incubation with HM (60 μM) and DTIC (70 μM), resulted in a 1.2 fold increase (related to control) in the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase. The therapeutic activity was evaluated in a human murine melanoma model (subcutaneously injected with A375 cells) to most closely resemble the human pathology. Animals treated with LIP HM exhibited the highest antimelanoma effect resulting in a 6-, 5- and 4-fold reduction on tumor volume compared to negative control, Free HM and DTIC groups, respectively. No toxic side effects were detected. Overall, these results constitute another step forward in the validation of the antimelanoma activity of LIP HM, using a murine model that more accurately simulates the pathology that occurs in human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta O Pinho
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Mariana Matias
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
| | - Ana Godinho-Santos
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Joana D Amaral
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Eduarda Mendes
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Maria Jesus Perry
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Ana Paula Francisco
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Cecília M P Rodrigues
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
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47
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Wei W, Geer MJ, Guo X, Dolgalev I, Sanjana NE, Neel BG. Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screens reveal shared and cell-specific mechanisms of resistance to SHP2 inhibition. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20221563. [PMID: 36820830 PMCID: PMC9998968 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20221563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
SHP2 (PTPN11) acts upstream of SOS1/2 to enable RAS activation. Allosteric SHP2 inhibitors (SHP2i) in the clinic prevent SHP2 activation, block proliferation of RTK- or cycling RAS mutant-driven cancers, and overcome "adaptive resistance." To identify SHP2i resistance mechanisms, we performed genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screens on two SHP2i-sensitive cell lines, recovering genes expected to cause resistance (NF1, PTEN, CDKN1B, LZTR1, and RASA2) and novel targets (INPPL1, MAP4K5, epigenetic modifiers). We screened 14 additional lines with a focused CRISPR library targeting common "hits" from the genome-wide screens. LZTR1 deletion conferred resistance in 12/14 lines, followed by MAP4K5 (8/14), SPRED2/STK40 (6/14), and INPPL1 (5/14). INPPL1, MAP4K5, or LZTR1 deletion reactivated ERK signaling. INPPL1-mediated sensitization to SHP2i required its NPXY motif but not lipid phosphatase activity. MAP4K5 acted upstream of MEK through a kinase-dependent target(s); LZTR1 had cell-dependent effects on RIT and RAS stability. INPPL1, MAP4K5, or LZTR1 deletion also conferred SHP2i resistance in vivo. Defining the SHP2i resistance landscape could suggest effective combination approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mitchell J. Geer
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xinyi Guo
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Igor Dolgalev
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neville E. Sanjana
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin G. Neel
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
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48
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Neuendorf HM, Simmons JL, Boyle GM. Therapeutic targeting of anoikis resistance in cutaneous melanoma metastasis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1183328. [PMID: 37181747 PMCID: PMC10169659 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1183328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of resistance to anoikis, the cell death induced by loss of adhesion to the extracellular matrix, is an absolute requirement for the survival of disseminating and circulating tumour cells (CTCs), and for the seeding of metastatic lesions. In melanoma, a range of intracellular signalling cascades have been identified as potential drivers of anoikis resistance, however a full understanding of the process is yet to be attained. Mechanisms of anoikis resistance pose an attractive target for the therapeutic treatment of disseminating and circulating melanoma cells. This review explores the range of small molecule, peptide and antibody inhibitors targeting molecules involved in anoikis resistance in melanoma, and may be repurposed to prevent metastatic melanoma prior to its initiation, potentially improving the prognosis for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M. Neuendorf
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jacinta L. Simmons
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Glen M. Boyle
- Cancer Drug Mechanisms Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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49
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Harwood SJ, Smith CR, Lawson JD, Ketcham JM. Selected Approaches to Disrupting Protein-Protein Interactions within the MAPK/RAS Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087373. [PMID: 37108538 PMCID: PMC10139024 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the MAPK/RAS pathway, there exists a plethora of protein-protein interactions (PPIs). For many years, scientists have focused efforts on drugging KRAS and its effectors in hopes to provide much needed therapies for patients with KRAS-mutant driven cancers. In this review, we focus on recent strategies to inhibit RAS-signaling via disrupting PPIs associated with SOS1, RAF, PDEδ, Grb2, and RAS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J David Lawson
- Mirati Therapeutics, 3545 Cray Court, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - John M Ketcham
- Mirati Therapeutics, 3545 Cray Court, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
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50
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Howell R, Davies J, Clarke MA, Appios A, Mesquita I, Jayal Y, Ringham-Terry B, Boned Del Rio I, Fisher J, Bennett CL. Localized immune surveillance of primary melanoma in the skin deciphered through executable modeling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd1992. [PMID: 37043573 PMCID: PMC10096595 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add1992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
While skin is a site of active immune surveillance, primary melanomas often escape detection. Here, we have developed an in silico model to determine the local cross-talk between melanomas and Langerhans cells (LCs), the primary antigen-presenting cells at the site of melanoma development. The model predicts that melanomas fail to activate LC migration to lymph nodes until tumors reach a critical size, which is determined by a positive TNF-α feedback loop within melanomas, in line with our observations of murine tumors. In silico drug screening, supported by subsequent experimental testing, shows that treatment of primary tumors with MAPK pathway inhibitors may further prevent LC migration. In addition, our in silico model predicts treatment combinations that bypass LC dysfunction. In conclusion, our combined approach of in silico and in vivo studies suggests a molecular mechanism that explains how early melanomas develop under the radar of immune surveillance by LC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew A. Clarke
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Anna Appios
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Inês Mesquita
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Yashoda Jayal
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Ben Ringham-Terry
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Isabel Boned Del Rio
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
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