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Kast RE. IC Regimen: Delaying Resistance to Lorlatinib in ALK Driven Cancers by Adding Repurposed Itraconazole and Cilostazol. Cells 2024; 13:1175. [PMID: 39056757 PMCID: PMC11274432 DOI: 10.3390/cells13141175] [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: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lorlatinib is a pharmaceutical ALK kinase inhibitor used to treat ALK driven non-small cell lung cancers. This paper analyses the intersection of past published data on the physiological consequences of two unrelated drugs from general medical practice-itraconazole and cilostazol-with the pathophysiology of ALK positive non-small cell lung cancer. A conclusion from that data analysis is that adding itraconazole and cilostazol may make lorlatinib more effective. Itraconazole, although marketed worldwide as a generic antifungal drug, also inhibits Hedgehog signaling, Wnt signaling, hepatic CYP3A4, and the p-gp efflux pump. Cilostazol, marketed worldwide as a generic thrombosis preventative drug, acts by inhibiting phosphodiesterase 3, and, by so doing, lowers platelets' adhesion, thereby partially depriving malignant cells of the many tumor trophic growth factors supplied by platelets. Itraconazole may enhance lorlatinib effectiveness by (i) reducing or stopping a Hedgehog-ALK amplifying feedback loop, by (ii) increasing lorlatinib's brain levels by p-gp inhibition, and by (iii) inhibiting growth drive from Wnt signaling. Cilostazol, surprisingly, carries minimal bleeding risk, lower than that of aspirin. Risk/benefit assessment of the combination of metastatic ALK positive lung cancer being a low-survival disease with the predicted safety of itraconazole-cilostazol augmentation of lorlatinib favors a trial of this drug trio in ALK positive lung cancer.
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Lai WY, Chuang TP, Borenäs M, Lind DE, Hallberg B, Palmer RH. Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase signaling stabilizes SLC3A2 expression via MARCH11 to promote neuroblastoma cell growth. Cell Death Differ 2024; 31:910-923. [PMID: 38858548 PMCID: PMC11239919 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01319-0] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Solute Carrier Family 3, Member 2 (SLC3A2 or 4F2hc) is a multifunctional glycoprotein that mediates integrin-dependent signaling, acts as a trafficking chaperone for amino acid transporters, and is involved in polyamine transportation. We identified SLC3A2 as a potential Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) interacting partner in a BioID-proximity labeling screen in neuroblastoma (NB) cells. In this work we show that endogenous SLC3A2 and ALK interact in NB cells and that this SLC3A2:ALK interaction was abrogated upon treatment with the ALK inhibitor lorlatinib. We show here that loss of ALK activity leads to decreased SLC3A2 expression and reduced SLC3A2 protein stability in a panel of NB cell lines, while stimulation of ALK with ALKAL2 ligand resulted in increased SLC3A2 protein levels. We further identified MARCH11, an E3 ligase, as a regulator of SLC3A2 ubiquitination downstream of ALK. Further, knockdown of SLC3A2 resulted in inhibition of NB cell growth. To investigate the therapeutic potential of SLC3A2 targeting, we performed monotreatment of NB cells with AMXT-1501 (a polyamine transport inhibitor), which showed only moderate effects in NB cells. In contrast, a combination lorlatinib/AMXT-1501 treatment resulted in synergistic inhibition of cell growth in ALK-driven NB cell lines. Taken together, our results identify a novel role for the ALK receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), working in concert with the MARCH11 E3 ligase, in regulating SLC3A2 protein stability and function in NB cells. The synergistic effect of combined ALK and polyamine transport inhibition shows that ALK/MARCH11/SLC3A2 regulation of amino acid transport is important for oncogenic growth and survival in NB cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Yun Lai
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tzu-Po Chuang
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marcus Borenäs
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Dan E Lind
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Goswami N, Singh A, Bharadwaj S, Sahoo AK, Singh IK. Targeting neuroblastoma by small-molecule inhibitors of human ALYREF protein: mechanistic insights using molecular dynamics simulations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:1352-1367. [PMID: 37158061 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2204376] [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: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a tumour of the sympathetic nervous system mainly prevalent in children. Many strategies have been employed to target several drug-targetable proteins for the clinical management of neuroblastoma. However, the heterogeneous nature of neuroblastoma presents serious challenges in drug development for its treatment. Albeit numerous medications have been developed to target various signalling pathways in neuroblastoma, the redundant nature of the tumour pathways makes its suppression unsuccessful. Recently, the quest for neuroblastoma therapy resulted in the identification of human ALYREF, a nuclear protein that plays an essential role in tumour growth and progression. Therefore, this study used the structure-based drug discovery method to identify the putative inhibitors targeting ALYREF for the Neuroblastoma treatment. Herein, a library of 119 blood-brain barrier crossing small molecules from the ChEMBL database was downloaded and docked against the predicted binding pocket of the human ALYREF protein. Based on docking scores, the top four compounds were considered for intermolecular interactions and molecular dynamics simulation analysis, which revealed CHEMBL3752986 and CHEMBL3753744 with substantial affinity and stability with the ALYREF. These results were further supported by binding free energies and essential dynamics analysis of the respective complexes. Hence, this study advocates the sorted compounds targeting ALYREF for further in vitro and in vivo assessment to develop a drug against neuroblastoma.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Goswami
- Molecular Biology Research Lab, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- Neuropharmacology and Drug Delivery Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Archana Singh
- Department of Botany, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Shiv Bharadwaj
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Life and Applied Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Amaresh Kumar Sahoo
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Indrakant K Singh
- Molecular Biology Research Lab, Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- Delhi School of Public Health, Institute of Eminence, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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4
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Phan TDA, Nguyen TQ, To NT, Thanh TL, Ngo DQ. Immunohistochemical expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase in neuroblastoma and its relations with some clinical and histopathological features. J Pathol Transl Med 2024; 58:29-34. [PMID: 38229432 DOI: 10.4132/jptm.2023.12.07] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations have been identified as a prominent cause of some familial and sporadic neuroblastoma (NB). ALK expression in NB and its relationship with clinical and histopathological features remains controversial. This study investigated ALK expression and its potential relations with these features in NB. METHODS Ninety cases of NB at the Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam from 01/01/2018 to 12/31/2021, were immunohistochemically stained with ALK (D5F3) antibody. The ALK expression and its relations with some clinical and histopathological features were investigated. RESULTS The rate of ALK expression in NB was 91.1%. High ALK expression (over 50% of tumor cells were positive with moderate-strong intensity) accounted for 65.6%, and low ALK expression accounted for 34.4%. All the MYCN-amplified NB patients had ALK immunohistochemistry positivity, most cases had high ALK protein expression. The undifferentiated subtype of NB had a lower ALK-positive rate than the poorly differentiated and differentiated subtype. The percentages of ALK positivity were significantly higher in more differentiated histological types of NB (p = .024). There was no relation between ALK expression and: age group, sex, primary tumor location, tumor stage, MYCN status, clinical risk, Mitotic-Karyorrhectic Index, prognostic group, necrosis, and calcification. CONCLUSIONS ALK was highly expressed in NB. ALK expression was not related to several clinical and histopathological features. More studies are needed to elucidate the association between ALK expression and ALK gene status and to investigate disease progression, especially the oncogenesis of ALK-positive NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thu Dang Anh Phan
- Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thao Quyen Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Nhi Thuy To
- Department of Oncology-Hematology, Children Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thien Ly Thanh
- Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Dat Quoc Ngo
- Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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5
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Gao H, Zhang JY, Zhao LJ, Guo YY. Synthesis and clinical application of small-molecule inhibitors and PROTACs of anaplastic lymphoma kinase. Bioorg Chem 2023; 140:106807. [PMID: 37651895 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106807] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological interventions that specifically target protein products of oncogenes in tumors have surfaced as a propitious therapeutic approach. Among infrequent genetic alterations, rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, typically involving a chromosome 2 inversion that culminates in a fusion with the echinoderm microtubule-associated protein like 4 (EML4), lead to anomalous expression and activation of ALK. The inhibition of autophosphorylation and subsequent blockade of signal transduction by ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has been observed to elicit anti-tumor effects. Currently, four generations of ALK-positive targeted drugs have been investigated, providing a promising outlook for patients. The aim of this review is to furnish a comprehensive survey of the synthesis and clinical application of prototypical small-molecule ALK inhibitors in both preclinical and clinical phases, offering guidance for further development of ALK inhibitors for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Gao
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Jing-Yi Zhang
- The Rogel Cancer Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou Normal University 450044, China.
| | - Li-Jie Zhao
- The Rogel Cancer Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States.
| | - Yuan-Yuan Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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Katic L, Priscan A. Multifaceted Roles of ALK Family Receptors and Augmentor Ligands in Health and Disease: A Comprehensive Review. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1490. [PMID: 37892172 PMCID: PMC10605310 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101490] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This review commemorates the 10-year anniversary of the discovery of physiological ligands Augα (Augmentor α; ALKAL2; Fam150b) and Augβ (Augmentor β; ALKAL1; Fam150a) for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and leukocyte tyrosine kinase (LTK), previously considered orphan receptors. This manuscript provides an in-depth review of the biophysical and cellular properties of ALK family receptors and their roles in cancer, metabolism, pain, ophthalmology, pigmentation, central nervous system (CNS) function, and reproduction. ALK and LTK receptors are implicated in the development of numerous cancers, and targeted inhibition of their signaling pathways can offer therapeutic benefits. Additionally, ALK family receptors are involved in regulating body weight and metabolism, modulating pain signaling, and contributing to eye development and pigmentation. In the CNS, these receptors play a role in synapse modulation, neurogenesis, and various psychiatric pathologies. Lastly, ALK expression is linked to reproductive functions, with potential implications for patients undergoing ALK inhibitor therapy. Further research is needed to better understand the complex interactions of ALK family receptors and Aug ligands and to repurpose targeted therapy for a wide range of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luka Katic
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Morningside/West, 1000 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10019, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Anamarija Priscan
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
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7
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Pischedda F, Ghirelli A, Tripathi V, Piccoli G. Negr1-Derived Peptides Trigger ALK Degradation and Halt Neuroblastoma Progression In Vitro and In Vivo. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2307. [PMID: 37765276 PMCID: PMC10536585 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is among the most common childhood cancers. Neuroblastoma in advanced stages is one of the most intractable pediatric cancers, notwithstanding the recent therapeutic advances. ALK mutations are among the leading cause of hereditary neuroblastoma and account for more than 14% of the somatically acquired alterations. ALK kinase activity is currently one of the main targets for pharmacological strategies. However, evidence from ALK fusion-positive lung cancer studies has shown that resistance to ALK inhibition arises during the therapy, causing a relapse within several years. IgLONs are membrane-bound proteins involved in cell-to-cell adhesion. The expression of the IgLON family results altered in different cancers. We found that the IgLON member Negr1 is downregulated in neuroblastoma. The ectopic overexpression of Negr1 impairs neuroblastoma growth in vitro and in vivo. Negr1 exists as a GPI-anchored membrane-bound protein and as a soluble protein released upon metalloprotease cleavage. We generated and characterized a panel of Negr1-derived peptides. The treatment with Negr1 protein and derived peptides induce ALK downregulation and halt neuroblastoma progression in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Giovanni Piccoli
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology—CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
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Smiles WJ, Catalano L, Stefan VE, Weber DD, Kofler B. Metabolic protein kinase signalling in neuroblastoma. Mol Metab 2023; 75:101771. [PMID: 37414143 PMCID: PMC10362370 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma is a paediatric malignancy of incredibly complex aetiology. Oncogenic protein kinase signalling in neuroblastoma has conventionally focussed on transduction through the well-characterised PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, in which the latter has been implicated in treatment resistance. The discovery of the receptor tyrosine kinase ALK as a target of genetic alterations in cases of familial and sporadic neuroblastoma, was a breakthrough in the understanding of the complex genetic heterogeneity of neuroblastoma. However, despite progress in the development of small-molecule inhibitors of ALK, treatment resistance frequently arises and appears to be a feature of the disease. Moreover, since the identification of ALK, several additional protein kinases, including the PIM and Aurora kinases, have emerged not only as drivers of the disease phenotype, but also as promising druggable targets. This is particularly the case for Aurora-A, given its intimate engagement with MYCN, a driver oncogene of aggressive neuroblastoma previously considered 'undruggable.' SCOPE OF REVIEW Aided by significant advances in structural biology and a broader understanding of the mechanisms of protein kinase function and regulation, we comprehensively outline the role of protein kinase signalling, emphasising ALK, PIM and Aurora in neuroblastoma, their respective metabolic outputs, and broader implications for targeted therapies. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Despite massively divergent regulatory mechanisms, ALK, PIM and Aurora kinases all obtain significant roles in cellular glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolism and neuroblastoma progression, and in several instances are implicated in treatment resistance. While metabolism of neuroblastoma tends to display hallmarks of the glycolytic "Warburg effect," aggressive, in particular MYCN-amplified tumours, retain functional mitochondrial metabolism, allowing for survival and proliferation under nutrient stress. Future strategies employing specific kinase inhibitors as part of the treatment regimen should consider combinatorial attempts at interfering with tumour metabolism, either through metabolic pathway inhibitors, or by dietary means, with a view to abolish metabolic flexibility that endows cancerous cells with a survival advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Smiles
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Müllner Hauptstraße 48, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Luca Catalano
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Müllner Hauptstraße 48, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Victoria E Stefan
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Müllner Hauptstraße 48, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Daniela D Weber
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Müllner Hauptstraße 48, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Barbara Kofler
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Müllner Hauptstraße 48, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
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Guan J, Borenäs M, Xiong J, Lai WY, Palmer RH, Hallberg B. IGF1R Contributes to Cell Proliferation in ALK-Mutated Neuroblastoma with Preference for Activating the PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathway. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4252. [PMID: 37686528 PMCID: PMC10563084 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174252] [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: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) by activating point mutation or amplification drives 5-12% of neuroblastoma (NB). Previous work has identified the involvement of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) in a wide range of cancers. We show here that many NB cell lines exhibit IGF1R activity, and that IGF1R inhibition led to decreased cell proliferation to varying degrees in ALK-driven NB cells. Furthermore, combined inhibition of ALK and IGF1R resulted in synergistic anti-proliferation effects, in particular in ALK-mutated NB cells. Mechanistically, both ALK and IGF1R contribute significantly to the activation of downstream PI3K-AKT and RAS-MAPK signaling pathways in ALK-mutated NB cells. However, these two RTKs employ a differential repertoire of adaptor proteins to mediate downstream signaling effects. We show here that ALK signaling led to activation of the RAS-MAPK pathway by preferentially phosphorylating the adaptor proteins GAB1, GAB2, and FRS2, while IGF1R signaling preferentially phosphorylated IRS2, promoting activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway. Together, these findings reveal a potentially important role of the IGF1R RTK in ALK-mutated NB and that co-targeting of ALK and IGF1R may be advantageous in clinical treatment of ALK-mutated NB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikui Guan
- Institute of Pediatric Medicine, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Marcus Borenäs
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Junfeng Xiong
- Institute of Pediatric Medicine, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Wei-Yun Lai
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Ruth H. Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
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Somasundaram DB, Aravindan S, Gupta N, Yu Z, Baker A, Aravindan N. ALK expression, prognostic significance, and its association with MYCN expression in MYCN non-amplified neuroblastoma. World J Pediatr 2022; 18:285-293. [PMID: 35132576 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-022-00517-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Babu Somasundaram
- Department of Radiation Oncology, BMSB 311C, Radiation Biology Laboratory, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | | | | | - Zhongxin Yu
- Department of Pathology, BMSB 311C, Radiation Biology Laboratory, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Ashley Baker
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Natarajan Aravindan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, BMSB 311C, Radiation Biology Laboratory, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
- Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
- Department of Pathology, BMSB 311C, Radiation Biology Laboratory, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
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11
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Li X, Shong K, Kim W, Yuan M, Yang H, Sato Y, Kume H, Ogawa S, Turkez H, Shoaie S, Boren J, Nielsen J, Uhlen M, Zhang C, Mardinoglu A. Prediction of drug candidates for clear cell renal cell carcinoma using a systems biology-based drug repositioning approach. EBioMedicine 2022; 78:103963. [PMID: 35339898 PMCID: PMC8960981 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The response rates of the clinical chemotherapies are still low in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Computational drug repositioning is a promising strategy to discover new uses for existing drugs to treat patients who cannot get benefits from clinical drugs. METHODS We proposed a systematic approach which included the target prediction based on the co-expression network analysis of transcriptomics profiles of ccRCC patients and drug repositioning for cancer treatment based on the analysis of shRNA- and drug-perturbed signature profiles of human kidney cell line. FINDINGS First, based on the gene co-expression network analysis, we identified two types of gene modules in ccRCC, which significantly enriched with unfavorable and favorable signatures indicating poor and good survival outcomes of patients, respectively. Then, we selected four genes, BUB1B, RRM2, ASF1B and CCNB2, as the potential drug targets based on the topology analysis of modules. Further, we repurposed three most effective drugs for each target by applying the proposed drug repositioning approach. Finally, we evaluated the effects of repurposed drugs using an in vitro model and observed that these drugs inhibited the protein levels of their corresponding target genes and cell viability. INTERPRETATION These findings proved the usefulness and efficiency of our approach to improve the drug repositioning researches for cancer treatment and precision medicine. FUNDING This study was funded by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and Bash Biotech Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Li
- Bash Biotech Inc, 600 est Broadway, Suite 700, San Diego, CA 92101, USA; Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Koeun Shong
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Woonghee Kim
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Meng Yuan
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Hong Yang
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Yusuke Sato
- Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Haruki Kume
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Seishi Ogawa
- Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Centre for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-17177, Sweden
| | - Hasan Turkez
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey
| | - Saeed Shoaie
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden; Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Jan Boren
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg SE-41345, Sweden
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg SE-41296, Sweden; BioInnovation Institute, Copenhagen N DK-2200, Denmark
| | - Mathias Uhlen
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Adil Mardinoglu
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-17165, Sweden; Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK.
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12
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Treis D, Umapathy G, Fransson S, Guan J, Mendoza-García P, Siaw JT, Wessman S, Gordon Murkes L, Stenman JJE, Djos A, Elfman LHM, Johnsen JI, Hallberg B, Palmer RH, Martinsson T, Kogner P. Sustained Response to Entrectinib in an Infant With a Germline ALKAL2 Variant and Refractory Metastatic Neuroblastoma With Chromosomal 2p Gain and Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase and Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase Activation. JCO Precis Oncol 2022; 6:e2100271. [PMID: 35085006 PMCID: PMC8830523 DOI: 10.1200/po.21.00271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Personalized molecular workup enabled successful ALK inhibitor treatment in a child with resistant neuroblastoma.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Treis
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ganesh Umapathy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Susanne Fransson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Patricia Mendoza-García
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Joachim T. Siaw
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sandra Wessman
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lena Gordon Murkes
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jakob J. E. Stenman
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Djos
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lotta H. M. Elfman
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John Inge Johnsen
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ruth H. Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tommy Martinsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Per Kogner
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Per Kogner, MD, PhD; Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet , Tomtebodavägen 18A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;
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13
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Nunes-Xavier CE, Zaldumbide L, Mosteiro L, López-Almaraz R, García de Andoin N, Aguirre P, Emaldi M, Torices L, López JI, Pulido R. Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases in Neuroblastoma: Emerging Roles as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:811297. [PMID: 34957126 PMCID: PMC8692838 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.811297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer intimately related with early development and differentiation of neuroendocrine cells, and constitutes one of the pediatric cancers with higher incidence and mortality. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are key regulators of cell growth and differentiation by their direct effect on tyrosine dephosphorylation of specific protein substrates, exerting major functions in the modulation of intracellular signaling during neuron development in response to external cues driving cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. We review here the current knowledge on the role of PTPs in neuroblastoma cell growth, survival, and differentiation. The potential of PTPs as biomarkers and molecular targets for inhibition in neuroblastoma therapies is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E. Nunes-Xavier
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- *Correspondence: Caroline E. Nunes-Xavier, ; Rafael Pulido,
| | - Laura Zaldumbide
- Department of Pathology, Cruces University Hospital, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Lorena Mosteiro
- Department of Pathology, Cruces University Hospital, Barakaldo, Spain
| | | | | | - Pablo Aguirre
- Department of Pathology, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Maite Emaldi
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Leire Torices
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - José I. López
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Cruces University Hospital, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Rafael Pulido
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- *Correspondence: Caroline E. Nunes-Xavier, ; Rafael Pulido,
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14
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Trivedi T, Panchal K, Bhalala N, Trivedi P, Panchal H. Combined Detection of Copy Number Variations of MYCN and ALK using Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction to Identify High-Risk Patients with Neuroblastoma. World Neurosurg 2021; 159:e48-e57. [PMID: 34861448 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.11.108] [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: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The current study sought to explore the significance of copy number variations (CNVs) of MYCN (v-myc myelocytomatosis viral related oncogene, neuroblastoma derived [avian]) and ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) genes individually as well as their combined impact on clinical outcome and overall survival of patients with neuroblastoma (NB). METHODS A total 71 individuals including healthy controls (n = 11), circulating DNA (n = 11), and primary tumors (n = 49) were evaluated to detect CNVs of MYCN and ALK genes using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. Data were correlated with univariate and multivariate survival analysis. RESULTS CNVs of MYCN and ALK were detected in 27% and 18.2% from circulating DNA samples. A statistically significant difference in CNVs was noted between healthy controls and circulating DNA samples for MYCN (P = 0.001) and ALK (P = 0.004) genes. Further, we noted >70% concordance in CNVs of MYCN (P = 0.030) and ALK (P = 0.040) from primary tumors and concordant plasma samples of patients with NB. Multivariate survival analysis for disease-free survival (P = 0.031) and overall survival (P = 0.011) showed that CNVs of both genes emerged at step 1 and thus remained as significant markers for predicting early recurrence and shorter survival, respectively, for patients with NB. CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that the analysis of circulating DNA by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction is a helpful technique to identify high-risk patients for aggressive therapy at an early stage of disease. We also concluded that codetection of MYCN and ALK is a more powerful tool for identifying high-risk patients with NB. Thus, this study showed a novel coordinately significant prognostic role of MYCN and ALK CNVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trupti Trivedi
- Clinical Carcinogenesis Laboratory, The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
| | - Kinjal Panchal
- Clinical Carcinogenesis Laboratory, The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Neha Bhalala
- Clinical Carcinogenesis Laboratory, The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Priti Trivedi
- Department of Oncopathology, The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Harsha Panchal
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
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15
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Chromosome Imbalances in Neuroblastoma-Recent Molecular Insight into Chromosome 1p-deletion, 2p-gain, and 11q-deletion Identifies New Friends and Foes for the Future. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13235897. [PMID: 34885007 PMCID: PMC8657310 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer that arises in the sympathetic nervous system. High-risk neuroblastoma is clinically challenging and identification of novel therapies, particularly those that offer a reduction in morbidity for these patients, is a high priority. Combining genetic analyses with investigation of molecular mechanisms, while considering recent advances in our understanding of key developmental events, provides avenues for future treatment. Here we review and highlight several recently published articles that address novel molecular mechanisms arising from chromosome 1p, 2p, and 11q aberrations, which likely contribute to high-risk neuroblastoma, and discusses their potential impact on treatment options. Abstract Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid pediatric tumor, with around 15% childhood cancer-related mortality. High-risk neuroblastomas exhibit a range of genetic, morphological, and clinical heterogeneities, which add complexity to diagnosis and treatment with existing modalities. Identification of novel therapies is a high priority in high-risk neuroblastoma, and the combination of genetic analysis with increased mechanistic understanding—including identification of key signaling and developmental events—provides optimism for the future. This focused review highlights several recent findings concerning chromosomes 1p, 2p, and 11q, which link genetic aberrations with aberrant molecular signaling output. These novel molecular insights contribute important knowledge towards more effective treatment strategies for neuroblastoma.
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16
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Perri P, Ponzoni M, Corrias MV, Ceccherini I, Candiani S, Bachetti T. A Focus on Regulatory Networks Linking MicroRNAs, Transcription Factors and Target Genes in Neuroblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5528. [PMID: 34771690 PMCID: PMC8582685 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a tumor of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system that substantially contributes to childhood cancer mortality. NB originates from neural crest cells (NCCs) undergoing a defective sympathetic neuronal differentiation and although the starting events leading to the development of NB remain to be fully elucidated, the master role of genetic alterations in key oncogenes has been ascertained: (1) amplification and/or over-expression of MYCN, which is strongly associated with tumor progression and invasion; (2) activating mutations, amplification and/or over-expression of ALK, which is involved in tumor initiation, angiogenesis and invasion; (3) amplification and/or over-expression of LIN28B, promoting proliferation and suppression of neuroblast differentiation; (4) mutations and/or over-expression of PHOX2B, which is involved in the regulation of NB differentiation, stemness maintenance, migration and metastasis. Moreover, altered microRNA (miRNA) expression takes part in generating pathogenetic networks, in which the regulatory loops among transcription factors, miRNAs and target genes lead to complex and aberrant oncogene expression that underlies the development of a tumor. In this review, we have focused on the circuitry linking the oncogenic transcription factors MYCN and PHOX2B with their transcriptional targets ALK and LIN28B and the tumor suppressor microRNAs let-7, miR-34 and miR-204, which should act as down-regulators of their expression. We have also looked at the physiologic role of these genetic and epigenetic determinants in NC development, as well as in terminal differentiation, with their pathogenic dysregulation leading to NB oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Perri
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.P.); (M.V.C.)
| | - Mirco Ponzoni
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.P.); (M.V.C.)
| | - Maria Valeria Corrias
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.P.); (M.V.C.)
| | - Isabella Ceccherini
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics of Rare Diseases, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy;
| | - Simona Candiani
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
| | - Tiziana Bachetti
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics of Rare Diseases, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy;
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
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17
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Shawraba F, Hammoud H, Mrad Y, Saker Z, Fares Y, Harati H, Bahmad HF, Nabha S. Biomarkers in Neuroblastoma: An Insight into Their Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Utilities. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2021; 22:102. [PMID: 34580780 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-021-00898-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Neuroblastoma (NB) is a heterogeneous solid tumor of the pediatric population that originates from neural crest cells and affects the developing sympathetic nervous system. It is the most common neuroblastic tumor accounting for approximately 10% of all childhood cancers and 10-15% of pediatric tumor mortalities. The outcomes range from spontaneous tumor regression in low-risk groups to metastasis and death even after multimodal therapy in high-risk groups. Hence, the detection of NB at an early stage improves outcomes and provides a better prognosis for patients. Early detection and prognosis of NB depend on specific molecules termed biomarkers which can be tissue-specific or circulating. Certain biomarkers are employed in the classification of NB into different groups to improve the treatment and prognosis, and others can be used as therapeutic targets. Therefore, novel biomarker discovery is essential for the early detection of NB, predicting the course of the disease, and developing new targeted treatment strategies. In this review, we aim to summarize the literature pertinent to some important biomarkers of NB and discuss the prognostic role of these biomarkers as well as their potential role in targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Shawraba
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hussein Hammoud
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Yara Mrad
- Université Clermont Auvergne, Inserm, Neuro-Dol, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Zahraa Saker
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Youssef Fares
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hayat Harati
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hisham F Bahmad
- Arkadi M. Rywlin M.D. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, FL, 33140, USA.
| | - Sanaa Nabha
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath, Beirut, Lebanon.
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18
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Brenner AK, Gunnes MW. Therapeutic Targeting of the Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) in Neuroblastoma-A Comprehensive Update. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13091427. [PMID: 34575503 PMCID: PMC8470592 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NBL) is an embryonic malignancy of the sympathetic nervous system and mostly affects children under the age of five. NBL is highly heterogeneous and ranges from spontaneously regressing to highly aggressive disease. One of the risk factors for poor prognosis are aberrations in the receptor tyrosine kinase anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), which is involved in the normal development and function of the nervous system. ALK mutations lead to constitutive activation of ALK and its downstream signalling pathways, thus driving tumorigenesis. A wide range of steric ALK inhibitors has been synthesized, and several of these inhibitors are already in clinical use. Major challenges are acquired drug resistance to steric inhibitors and pathway evasion strategies of cancer cells upon targeted therapy. This review will give a comprehensive overview on ALK inhibitors in clinical use in high-risk NBL and on the potential and limitations of novel inhibitors. Because combinatory treatment regimens are probably less likely to induce drug resistance, a special focus will be on the combination of ALK inhibitors with drugs that either target downstream signalling pathways or that affect the survival and proliferation of cancer cells in general.
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19
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Romiani A, Spetz J, Shubbar E, Lind DE, Hallberg B, Palmer RH, Forssell-Aronsson E. Neuroblastoma xenograft models demonstrate the therapeutic potential of 177Lu-octreotate. BMC Cancer 2021; 21:950. [PMID: 34433438 PMCID: PMC8386073 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08551-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most frequently diagnosed tumors in infants. NB is a neuroendocrine tumor type with various characteristics and features, and with diverse outcome. The most malignant NBs have a 5-year survival rate of only 40-50%, indicating the need for novel and improved treatment options. 177Lu-octreotate is routinely administered for treatment of neuroendocrine tumors overexpressing somatostatin receptors (SSTR). The aim of this study was to examine the biodistribution of 177Lu-octreotate in mice bearing aggressive human NB cell lines, in order to evaluate the potential usefulness of 177Lu-octreotate for treatment of NB. METHODS BALB/c nude mice bearing CLB-BAR, CLB-GE or IMR-32 tumor xenografts (n = 5-7/group) were i.v. injected with 0.15 MBq, 1.5 MBq or 15 MBq 177Lu-octreotate and sacrificed 1 h, 24 h, 48 h and 168 h after administration. The radioactivity concentration was determined for collected tissue samples, tumor-to-normal-tissue activity concentration ratios (T/N) and mean absorbed dose for each tissue were calculated. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for SSTR1-5, and Ki67 were carried out for tumor xenografts from the three cell lines. RESULTS High 177Lu concentration levels and T/N values were observed in all NB tumors, with the highest for CLB-GE tumor xenografts (72%IA/g 24 h p.i.; 1.5 MBq 177Lu-octreotate). The mean absorbed dose to the tumor was 6.8 Gy, 54 Gy and 29 Gy for CLB-BAR, CLB-GE and IMR-32, respectively, p.i. of 15 MBq 177Lu-octreotate. Receptor saturation was clearly observed in CLB-BAR, resulting in higher concentration levels in the tumor when lower activity levels where administered. IHC staining demonstrated highest expression of SSTR2 in CLB-GE, followed by CLB-BAR and IMR-32. CONCLUSION T/N values for all three human NB tumor xenograft types investigated were high relative to previously investigated neuroendocrine tumor types. The results indicate a clear potential of 177Lu-octreotate as a therapeutic alternative for metastatic NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Romiani
- Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Medical Physics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-41345, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Johan Spetz
- Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Emman Shubbar
- Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Dan E Lind
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eva Forssell-Aronsson
- Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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20
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Quinn CH, Beierle AM, Williams AP, Marayati R, Bownes LV, Markert HR, Aye JM, Stewart JE, Mroczek-Musulman E, Crossman DK, Yoon KJ, Beierle EA. Downregulation of PDGFRß Signaling Overcomes Crizotinib Resistance in a TYRO3 and ALK Mutated Neuroendocrine-Like Tumor. Transl Oncol 2021; 14:101099. [PMID: 33887553 PMCID: PMC8086143 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived xenografts provide significant advantages over long-term passage cell lines when investigating efficacy of treatments for solid tumors. Our laboratory encountered a high-grade, metastatic, neuroendocrine-like tumor from a pediatric patient that presented with a unique genetic profile. In particular, mutations in TYRO3 and ALK were identified. We established a human patient-derived xenoline (PDX) of this tumor for use in the current study. We investigated the effect of crizotinib, a chemotherapeutic known to effectively target both TYRO3 and ALK mutations. Crizotinib effectively decreased viability, proliferation, growth, and the metastatic properties of the PDX tumor through downregulation of STAT3 signaling, but expression of PDGFRß was increased. Sunitinib is a small molecule inhibitor of PDGFRß and was studied in this PDX independently and in combination with crizotinib. Sunitinib alone decreased viability, proliferation, and growth in vitro and decreased tumor growth in vivo. In combination, sunitinib was able to overcome potential crizotinib-induced resistance through downregulation of ERK 1/2 activity and PDGFRß receptor expression; consequently, tumor growth was significantly decreased both in vitro and in vivo. Through the use of the PDX, it was possible to identify crizotinib as a less effective therapeutic for this tumor and suggest that targeting PDGFRß would be more effective. These findings may translate to other solid tumors that present with the same genetic mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin H Quinn
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Andee M Beierle
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Adele P Williams
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Raoud Marayati
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Laura V Bownes
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Hooper R Markert
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Jamie M Aye
- Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Jerry E Stewart
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | | | - David K Crossman
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Karina J Yoon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Beierle
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. South, Lowder, Room 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States.
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21
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Huang H, Gont A, Kee L, Dries R, Pfeifer K, Sharma B, Debruyne DN, Harlow M, Sengupta S, Guan J, Yeung CM, Wang W, Hallberg B, Palmer RH, Irwin MS, George RE. Extracellular domain shedding of the ALK receptor mediates neuroblastoma cell migration. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109363. [PMID: 34260934 PMCID: PMC8328392 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although activating mutations of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) membrane receptor occur in ~10% of neuroblastoma (NB) tumors, the role of the wild-type (WT) receptor, which is aberrantly expressed in most non-mutated cases, is unclear. Both WT and mutant proteins undergo extracellular domain (ECD) cleavage. Here, we map the cleavage site to Asn654-Leu655 and demonstrate that cleavage inhibition of WT ALK significantly impedes NB cell migration with subsequent prolongation of survival in mouse models. Cleavage inhibition results in the downregulation of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) gene signature, with decreased nuclear localization and occupancy of β-catenin at EMT gene promoters. We further show that cleavage is mediated by matrix metalloproteinase 9, whose genetic and pharmacologic inactivation inhibits cleavage and decreases NB cell migration. Together, our results indicate a pivotal role for WT ALK ECD cleavage in NB pathogenesis, which may be harnessed for therapeutic benefit. Huang et al. show that extracellular domain (ECD) cleavage of the ALK cell surface tyrosine kinase receptor mediates neuroblastoma cell migration through induction of an EMT phenotype. ECD cleavage is caused by MMP-9 whose inhibition leads to decreased cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Huang
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexander Gont
- Department of Pediatrics and Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lynn Kee
- Department of Pediatrics and Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ruben Dries
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kathrin Pfeifer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bandana Sharma
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David N Debruyne
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Matthew Harlow
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Satyaki Sengupta
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Caleb M Yeung
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wenchao Wang
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Meredith S Irwin
- Department of Pediatrics and Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Rani E George
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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22
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Siaw JT, Gabre JL, Uçkun E, Vigny M, Zhang W, Van den Eynden J, Hallberg B, Palmer RH, Guan J. Loss of RET Promotes Mesenchymal Identity in Neuroblastoma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081909. [PMID: 33921066 PMCID: PMC8071449 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) drives neuroblastoma (NB). Previous work identified the RET receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) as a downstream target of ALK activity in NB models. We show here that ALK activation in response to ALKAL2 ligand results in the rapid phosphorylation of RET in NB cells, providing additional insight into the contribution of RET to the ALK-driven gene signature in NB. To further address the role of RET in NB, RET knockout (KO) SK-N-AS cells were generated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering. Gene expression analysis of RET KO NB cells identified a reprogramming of NB cells to a mesenchymal (MES) phenotype that was characterized by increased migration and upregulation of the AXL and MNNG HOS transforming gene (MET) RTKs, as well as integrins and extracellular matrix components. Strikingly, the upregulation of AXL in the absence of RET reflects the development timeline observed in the neural crest as progenitor cells undergo differentiation during embryonic development. Together, these findings suggest that a MES phenotype is promoted in mesenchymal NB cells in the absence of RET, reflective of a less differentiated developmental status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim T. Siaw
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Jonatan L. Gabre
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
- Anatomy and Embryology Unit, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Ezgi Uçkun
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Marc Vigny
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, UPMC, INSERM UMRS-839, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Wancun Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China;
| | - Jimmy Van den Eynden
- Anatomy and Embryology Unit, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Ruth H. Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
- Department of Pediatric Oncology Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China;
- Correspondence:
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23
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Borenäs M, Umapathy G, Lai W, Lind DE, Witek B, Guan J, Mendoza‐Garcia P, Masudi T, Claeys A, Chuang T, El Wakil A, Arefin B, Fransson S, Koster J, Johansson M, Gaarder J, Van den Eynden J, Hallberg B, Palmer RH. ALK ligand ALKAL2 potentiates MYCN-driven neuroblastoma in the absence of ALK mutation. EMBO J 2021; 40:e105784. [PMID: 33411331 PMCID: PMC7849294 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
High-risk neuroblastoma (NB) is responsible for a disproportionate number of childhood deaths due to cancer. One indicator of high-risk NB is amplification of the neural MYC (MYCN) oncogene, which is currently therapeutically intractable. Identification of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) as an NB oncogene raised the possibility of using ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in treatment of patients with activating ALK mutations. 8-10% of primary NB patients are ALK-positive, a figure that increases in the relapsed population. ALK is activated by the ALKAL2 ligand located on chromosome 2p, along with ALK and MYCN, in the "2p-gain" region associated with NB. Dysregulation of ALK ligand in NB has not been addressed, although one of the first oncogenes described was v-sis that shares > 90% homology with PDGF. Therefore, we tested whether ALKAL2 ligand could potentiate NB progression in the absence of ALK mutation. We show that ALKAL2 overexpression in mice drives ALK TKI-sensitive NB in the absence of ALK mutation, suggesting that additional NB patients, such as those exhibiting 2p-gain, may benefit from ALK TKI-based therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Borenäs
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Ganesh Umapathy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Wei‐Yun Lai
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Dan E Lind
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Barbara Witek
- Department of Molecular BiologyUmeå UniversityUmeåSweden
| | - Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Patricia Mendoza‐Garcia
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Tafheem Masudi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Arne Claeys
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, Anatomy and Embryology UnitGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Tzu‐Po Chuang
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Abeer El Wakil
- Department of Molecular BiologyUmeå UniversityUmeåSweden
- Present address:
Department of Biological SciencesAlexandria UniversityAlexandriaEgypt
| | - Badrul Arefin
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Susanne Fransson
- Laboratory MedicineInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Jan Koster
- Department of OncogenomicsAcademic Medical CenterUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Mathias Johansson
- Clinical GenomicsScience for life laboratoryUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Jennie Gaarder
- Laboratory MedicineInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Jimmy Van den Eynden
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, Anatomy and Embryology UnitGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell BiologyInstitute of BiomedicineSahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
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24
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Redl E, Sheibani-Tezerji R, Cardona CDJ, Hamminger P, Timelthaler G, Hassler MR, Zrimšek M, Lagger S, Dillinger T, Hofbauer L, Draganić K, Tiefenbacher A, Kothmayer M, Dietz CH, Ramsahoye BH, Kenner L, Bock C, Seiser C, Ellmeier W, Schweikert G, Egger G. Requirement of DNMT1 to orchestrate epigenomic reprogramming for NPM-ALK-driven lymphomagenesis. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:e202000794. [PMID: 33310759 PMCID: PMC7768196 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202000794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant transformation depends on genetic and epigenetic events that result in a burst of deregulated gene expression and chromatin changes. To dissect the sequence of events in this process, we used a T-cell-specific lymphoma model based on the human oncogenic nucleophosmin-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (NPM-ALK) translocation. We find that transformation of T cells shifts thymic cell populations to an undifferentiated immunophenotype, which occurs only after a period of latency, accompanied by induction of the MYC-NOTCH1 axis and deregulation of key epigenetic enzymes. We discover aberrant DNA methylation patterns, overlapping with regulatory regions, plus a high degree of epigenetic heterogeneity between individual tumors. In addition, ALK-positive tumors show a loss of associated methylation patterns of neighboring CpG sites. Notably, deletion of the maintenance DNA methyltransferase DNMT1 completely abrogates lymphomagenesis in this model, despite oncogenic signaling through NPM-ALK, suggesting that faithful maintenance of tumor-specific methylation through DNMT1 is essential for sustained proliferation and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Redl
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Patricia Hamminger
- Division of Immunobiology, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerald Timelthaler
- Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Melanie Rosalia Hassler
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Urology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maša Zrimšek
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabine Lagger
- Unit of Laboratory Animal Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Dillinger
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics (LBI AD), Vienna, Austria
| | - Lorena Hofbauer
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristina Draganić
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Tiefenbacher
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics (LBI AD), Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Kothmayer
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Charles H Dietz
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernard H Ramsahoye
- Centre for Genetic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genomic and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lukas Kenner
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Unit of Laboratory Animal Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Applied Metabolomics (CDL-AM), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine (CBmed), CoreLab 2, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Bock
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Seiser
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wilfried Ellmeier
- Division of Immunobiology, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabriele Schweikert
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen, Germany
- Division of Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Gerda Egger
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics (LBI AD), Vienna, Austria
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25
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Zafar A, Wang W, Liu G, Wang X, Xian W, McKeon F, Foster J, Zhou J, Zhang R. Molecular targeting therapies for neuroblastoma: Progress and challenges. Med Res Rev 2020; 41:961-1021. [PMID: 33155698 PMCID: PMC7906923 DOI: 10.1002/med.21750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to identify novel therapies for childhood cancers. Neuroblastoma is the most common pediatric solid tumor, and accounts for ~15% of childhood cancer‐related mortality. Neuroblastomas exhibit genetic, morphological and clinical heterogeneity, which limits the efficacy of existing treatment modalities. Gaining detailed knowledge of the molecular signatures and genetic variations involved in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma is necessary to develop safer and more effective treatments for this devastating disease. Recent studies with advanced high‐throughput “omics” techniques have revealed numerous genetic/genomic alterations and dysfunctional pathways that drive the onset, growth, progression, and resistance of neuroblastoma to therapy. A variety of molecular signatures are being evaluated to better understand the disease, with many of them being used as targets to develop new treatments for neuroblastoma patients. In this review, we have summarized the contemporary understanding of the molecular pathways and genetic aberrations, such as those in MYCN, BIRC5, PHOX2B, and LIN28B, involved in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma, and provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular targeted therapies under preclinical and clinical investigations, particularly those targeting ALK signaling, MDM2, PI3K/Akt/mTOR and RAS‐MAPK pathways, as well as epigenetic regulators. We also give insights on the use of combination therapies involving novel agents that target various pathways. Further, we discuss the future directions that would help identify novel targets and therapeutics and improve the currently available therapies, enhancing the treatment outcomes and survival of patients with neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atif Zafar
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.,Drug Discovery Institute, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemical Biology Program, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Xinjie Wang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wa Xian
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Stem Cell Center, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Frank McKeon
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Stem Cell Center, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer Foster
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital, Section of Hematology-Oncology Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemical Biology Program, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.,Drug Discovery Institute, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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26
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Calvani M, Subbiani A, Bruno G, Favre C. Beta-Blockers and Berberine: A Possible Dual Approach to Contrast Neuroblastoma Growth and Progression. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2020; 2020:7534693. [PMID: 32855766 PMCID: PMC7443044 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7534693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of nutraceuticals during cancer treatment is a long-lasting debate. Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline quaternary alkaloid extracted from a variety of medicinal plants. BBR has been shown to have therapeutic effects in different pathologies, particularly in cancer, where it affects pathways involved in tumor progression. In neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial childhood solid tumor, BBR, reduces tumor growth by regulating both stemness and differentiation features and by inducing apoptosis. At the same time, the inhibition of β-adrenergic signaling leads to a reduction in growth and increase of differentiation of neuroblastoma. In this review, we summarize the possible beneficial effects of BBR in counteracting tumor growth and progression in various types of cancer and, in particular, in neuroblastoma. However, BBR administration, besides its numerous beneficial effects, presents a few side effects due to inhibition of MAO A enzyme in neuroblastoma cells. Therefore, herein, we proposed a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome side effects of BBR administration consisting of concomitant administration of BBR together with β-blockers in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura Calvani
- Department of Paediatric Haematology-Oncology, A. Meyer University Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Angela Subbiani
- Department of Paediatric Haematology-Oncology, A. Meyer University Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gennaro Bruno
- Department of Paediatric Haematology-Oncology, A. Meyer University Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Claudio Favre
- Department of Paediatric Haematology-Oncology, A. Meyer University Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy
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27
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Schengrund CL. Gangliosides and Neuroblastomas. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5313. [PMID: 32726962 PMCID: PMC7432824 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The focus of this review is the ganglio-series of glycosphingolipids found in neuroblastoma (NB) and the myriad of unanswered questions associated with their possible role(s) in this cancer. NB is one of the more common solid malignancies of children. Five-year survival for those diagnosed with low risk NB is 90-95%, while that for children with high-risk NB is around 40-50%. Much of the survival rate reflects age of diagnosis with children under a year having a much better prognosis than those over two. Identification of expression of GD2 on the surface of most NB cells led to studies of the effectiveness and subsequent approval of anti-GD2 antibodies as a treatment modality. Despite much success, a subset of patients, possibly those whose tumors fail to express concentrations of gangliosides such as GD1b and GT1b found in tumors from patients with a good prognosis, have tumors refractory to treatment. These observations support discussion of what is known about control of ganglioside synthesis, and their actual functions in NB, as well as their possible relationship to treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara-Lynne Schengrund
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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28
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Bellamy J, Szemes M, Melegh Z, Dallosso A, Kollareddy M, Catchpoole D, Malik K. Increased Efficacy of Histone Methyltransferase G9a Inhibitors Against MYCN-Amplified Neuroblastoma. Front Oncol 2020; 10:818. [PMID: 32537432 PMCID: PMC7269128 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted inhibition of proteins modulating epigenetic changes is an increasingly important priority in cancer therapeutics, and many small molecule inhibitors are currently being developed. In the case of neuroblastoma (NB), a pediatric solid tumor with a paucity of intragenic mutations, epigenetic deregulation may be especially important. In this study we validate the histone methyltransferase G9a/EHMT2 as being associated with indicators of poor prognosis in NB. Immunological analysis of G9a protein shows it to be more highly expressed in NB cell-lines with MYCN amplification, which is a primary determinant of dismal outcome in NB patients. Furthermore, G9a protein in primary tumors is expressed at higher levels in poorly differentiated/undifferentiated NB, and correlates with high EZH2 expression, a known co-operative oncoprotein in NB. Our functional analyses demonstrate that siRNA-mediated G9a depletion inhibits cell growth in all NB cell lines, but, strikingly, only triggers apoptosis in NB cells with MYCN amplification, suggesting a synthetic lethal relationship between G9a and MYCN. This pattern of sensitivity is also evident when using small molecule inhibitors of G9a, UNC0638, and UNC0642. The increased efficacy of G9a inhibition in the presence of MYCN-overexpression is also demonstrated in the SHEP-21N isogenic model with tet-regulatable MYCN. Finally, using RNA sequencing, we identify several potential tumor suppressor genes that are reactivated by G9a inhibition in NB, including the CLU, FLCN, AMHR2, and AKR1C1-3. Together, our study underlines the under-appreciated role of G9a in NB, especially in MYCN-amplified tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Bellamy
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Marianna Szemes
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Zsombor Melegh
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Dallosso
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Madhu Kollareddy
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Catchpoole
- The Kids Research Institute, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Karim Malik
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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29
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Di Paolo D, Pastorino F, Brignole C, Corrias MV, Emionite L, Cilli M, Tamma R, Priddy L, Amaro A, Ferrari D, Marotta R, Ferretti E, Pfeffer U, Ribatti D, Sementa AR, Brown D, Ikegaki N, Shimada H, Ponzoni M, Perri P. Combined Replenishment of miR-34a and let-7b by Targeted Nanoparticles Inhibits Tumor Growth in Neuroblastoma Preclinical Models. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1906426. [PMID: 32323486 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201906426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) tumor substantially contributes to childhood cancer mortality. The design of novel drugs targeted to specific molecular alterations becomes mandatory, especially for high-risk patients burdened by chemoresistant relapse. The dysregulated expression of MYCN, ALK, and LIN28B and the diminished levels of miR-34a and let-7b are oncogenic in NB. Due to the ability of miRNA-mimics to recover the tumor suppression functions of miRNAs underexpressed into cancer cells, safe and efficient nanocarriers selectively targeted to NB cells and tested in clinically relevant mouse models are developed. The technology exploits the nucleic acids negative charges to build coated-cationic liposomes, then functionalized with antibodies against GD2 receptor. The replenishment of miR-34a and let-7b by NB-targeted nanoparticles, individually and more powerfully in combination, significantly reduces cell division, proliferation, neoangiogenesis, tumor growth and burden, and induces apoptosis in orthotopic xenografts and improves mice survival in pseudometastatic models. These functional effects highlight a cooperative down-modulation of MYCN and its down-stream targets, ALK and LIN28B, exerted by miR-34a and let-7b that reactivate regulatory networks leading to a favorable therapeutic response. These findings demonstrate a promising therapeutic efficacy of miR-34a and let-7b combined replacement and support its clinical application as adjuvant therapy for high-risk NB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Di Paolo
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, 16147, Italy
| | - Fabio Pastorino
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, 16147, Italy
| | - Chiara Brignole
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, 16147, Italy
| | - Maria Valeria Corrias
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, 16147, Italy
| | - Laura Emionite
- Animal Facility, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Michele Cilli
- Animal Facility, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Roberto Tamma
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Leslie Priddy
- Mirna Therapeutics, Inc. 2150 Woodward Street, Suite 100, Austin, TX, 78744, USA
| | - Adriana Amaro
- Tumor Epigenetic Unit, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Davide Ferrari
- TIB MOLBIOL S.r.l., Advanced Biotechnology Center, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Roberto Marotta
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, 16163, Italy
| | - Elisa Ferretti
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, 16147, Italy
| | - Ulrich Pfeffer
- Tumor Epigenetic Unit, IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Domenico Ribatti
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Angela Rita Sementa
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, Genoa, 16147, Italy
| | - David Brown
- Mirna Therapeutics, Inc. 2150 Woodward Street, Suite 100, Austin, TX, 78744, USA
| | - Naohiko Ikegaki
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Shimada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA
| | - Mirco Ponzoni
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, Genoa, 16147, Italy
| | - Patrizia Perri
- Laboratory of Experimental Therapies in Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, Genoa, 16147, Italy
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30
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Zhao Z, Shelton SD, Oviedo A, Baker AL, Bryant CP, Omidvarnia S, Du L. The PLAGL2/MYCN/miR-506-3p interplay regulates neuroblastoma cell fate and associates with neuroblastoma progression. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2020; 39:41. [PMID: 32087738 PMCID: PMC7036248 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-1531-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background The oncogene MYCN is critical for tumorigenesis of several types of cancers including neuroblastoma. We previously reported that miR-506-3p repressed MYCN expression in neuroblastoma cells. However, the mechanism underlying such regulation was undetermined since there is no miR-506-3p target site in MYCN 3’UTR. Methods By a systematic investigation combining microarray, informatics and luciferase reporter assay, we identified that the transcriptional factor pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like 2 (PLAGL2) is a direct target of miR-506-3p that mediates its regulation on MYCN expression. Using CHIP-PCR and luciferase reporter assay, we validated the transcriptional regulation of MYCN by PLAGL2 and we further demonstrated the transcriptional regulation of PLAGL2 by MYCN. We examined the function of PLAGL2 in regulating neuroblastoma cell fate by cell viability assay, colony formation and Western blotting of differentiation markers. We examined the effect of retinoic acid, the differentiation agent used in neuroblastoma therapy, on miR-506-3p, PLAGL2 and MYCN expressions by quantitative PCR and Western blots. We investigated the clinical relevance of PLAGL2 expression by examining the correlation of tumor PLAGL2 mRNA levels with MYCN mRNA expression and patient survival using public neuroblastoma patient datasets. Results We found that miR-506-3p directly down-regulated PLAGL2 expression, and we validated a PLAGL2 binding site in the MYCN promoter region responsible for promoting MYCN transcription, thereby establishing a mechanism through which miR-506-3p regulates MYCN expression. Conversely, we discovered that MYCN regulated PLAGL2 transcription through five N-Myc-binding E-boxes in the PLAGL2 promoter region. We further confirmed the reciprocal regulation between endogenous PLAGL2 and MYCN in multiple neuroblastoma cell lines. Moreover, we found that PLAGL2 knockdown induced neuroblastoma cell differentiation and reduced cell proliferation, and combined knockdown of PLAGL2 and MYCN showed a synergistic effect. More strikingly, we found that high tumor PLAGL2 mRNA levels were significantly correlated with high MYCN mRNA levels and poor patient survival in neuroblastoma patients. Furthermore, we found that retinoic acid increased expression of miR-506-3p and repressed expression of MYCN and PLAGL2. Conclusions Our findings altogether suggest that the interplay network formed by PLAGL2, MYCN and miR-506-3p is an important mechanism in regulating neuroblastoma cell fate, determining neuroblastoma prognosis, and mediating the therapeutic function of retinoic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenze Zhao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Spencer D Shelton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Alejandro Oviedo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Amy L Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Collin P Bryant
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Soroush Omidvarnia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Liqin Du
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
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31
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Javanmardi N, Fransson S, Djos A, Umapathy G, Östensson M, Milosevic J, Borenäs M, Hallberg B, Kogner P, Martinsson T, Palmer RH. Analysis of ALK, MYCN, and the ALK ligand ALKAL2 (FAM150B/AUGα) in neuroblastoma patient samples with chromosome arm 2p rearrangements. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2020; 59:50-57. [PMID: 31340081 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Gain of chromosome arm 2p is a previously described entity in neuroblastoma (NB). This genomic address is home to two important oncogenes in NB-MYCN and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). MYCN amplification is a critical prognostic factor coupled with poor prognosis in NB. Mutation of the ALK receptor tyrosine kinase has been described in both somatic and familial NB. Here, ALK activation occurs in the context of the full-length receptor, exemplified by activating point mutations in NB. ALK overexpression and activation, in the absence of genetic mutation has also been described in NB. In addition, the recently identified ALK ligand ALKAL2 (previously described as FAM150B and AUGα) is also found on the distal portion of 2p, at 2p25. Here we analyze 356 NB tumor samples and discuss observations indicating that gain of 2p has implications for the development of NB. Finally, we put forward the hypothesis that the effect of 2p gain may result from a combination of MYCN, ALK, and the ALK ligand ALKAL2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloufar Javanmardi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Susanne Fransson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anna Djos
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ganesh Umapathy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Malin Östensson
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jelena Milosevic
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Borenäs
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Per Kogner
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tommy Martinsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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32
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Kong X, Pan P, Sun H, Xia H, Wang X, Li Y, Hou T. Drug Discovery Targeting Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK). J Med Chem 2019; 62:10927-10954. [PMID: 31419130 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
As a receptor tyrosine kinase of insulin receptor (IR) subfamily, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) has been validated to play important roles in various cancers, especially anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and neuroblastomas. Currently, five small-molecule inhibitors of ALK, including Crizotinib, Ceritinib, Alectinib, Brigatinib, and Lorlatinib, have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against ALK-positive NSCLCs. Novel type-I1/2 and type-II ALK inhibitors with improved kinase selectivity and enhanced capability to combat drug resistance have also been reported. Moreover, the "proteolysis targeting chimera" (PROTAC) technique has been successfully applied in developing ALK degraders, which opened a new avenue for targeted ALK therapies. This review provides an overview of the physiological and biological functions of ALK, the discovery and development of drugs targeting ALK by focusing on their chemotypes, activity, selectivity, and resistance as well as potential therapeutic strategies to overcome drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Kong
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang 310058 , China.,Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) , Soochow University , Suzhou , Jiangsu 215123 , China
| | - Peichen Pan
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang 310058 , China
| | - Huiyong Sun
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang 310058 , China
| | - Hongguang Xia
- Department of Biochemistry & Research Center of Clinical Pharmacy of the First Affiliated Hospital , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
| | - Xuwen Wang
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang 310058 , China
| | - Youyong Li
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) , Soochow University , Suzhou , Jiangsu 215123 , China
| | - Tingjun Hou
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang 310058 , China
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33
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Alam MW, Borenäs M, Lind DE, Cervantes-Madrid D, Umapathy G, Palmer RH, Hallberg B. Alectinib, an Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Inhibitor, Abolishes ALK Activity and Growth in ALK-Positive Neuroblastoma Cells. Front Oncol 2019; 9:579. [PMID: 31334113 PMCID: PMC6625372 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases including anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) are implicated in numerous solid and hematologic cancers. ALK mutations are reported in an estimated 9% of neuroblastoma and recent reports indicate that the percentage of ALK-positive cases increases in the relapsed patient population. Initial clinical trial results have shown that it is difficult to inhibit growth of ALK positive neuroblastoma with crizotinib, motivating investigation of next generation ALK inhibitors with higher affinity for ALK. Here, alectinib, a potent next generation ALK inhibitor with antitumor activity was investigated in ALK-driven neuroblastoma models. Employing neuroblastoma cell lines and mouse xenografts we show a clear and efficient inhibition of ALK activity by alectinib. Inhibition of ALK activity was observed in vitro employing a set of different constitutively active ALK variants in biochemical assays. The results suggest that alectinib is an effective inhibitor of ALK kinase activity in ALK addicted neuroblastoma and should be considered as a potential future therapeutic option for ALK-positive neuroblastoma patients alone or in combination with other treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Wasi Alam
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marcus Borenäs
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Dan E Lind
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Diana Cervantes-Madrid
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ganesh Umapathy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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34
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Vivancos Stalin L, Gualandi M, Schulte JH, Renella R, Shakhova O, Mühlethaler-Mottet A. Expression of the Neuroblastoma-Associated ALK-F1174L Activating Mutation During Embryogenesis Impairs the Differentiation of Neural Crest Progenitors in Sympathetic Ganglia. Front Oncol 2019; 9:275. [PMID: 31058082 PMCID: PMC6477091 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is an embryonal malignancy derived from the abnormal differentiation of the sympathetic nervous system. The Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) gene is frequently altered in NB, through copy number alterations and activating mutations, and represents a predisposition in NB-genesis when mutated. Our previously published data suggested that ALK activating mutations may impair the differentiation potential of neural crest (NC) progenitor cells. Here, we demonstrated that the expression of the endogenous ALK gene starts at E10.5 in the developing sympathetic ganglia (SG). To decipher the impact of deregulated ALK signaling during embryogenesis on the formation and differentiation of sympathetic neuroblasts, Sox10-Cre;LSL-ALK-F1174L embryos were produced to restrict the expression of the human ALK-F1174L transgene to migrating NC cells (NCCs). First, ALK-F1174L mediated an embryonic lethality at mid-gestation and an enlargement of SG with a disorganized architecture in Sox10-Cre;LSL-ALK-F1174L embryos at E10.5 and E11.5. Second, early sympathetic differentiation was severely impaired in Sox10-Cre;LSL-ALK-F1174L embryos. Indeed, their SG displayed a marked increase in the proportion of NCCs and a decrease of sympathetic neuroblasts at both embryonic stages. Third, neuronal and noradrenergic differentiations were blocked in Sox10-Cre;LSL-ALK-F1174L SG, as a reduced proportion of Phox2b+ sympathoblasts expressed βIII-tubulin and almost none were Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH) positive. Finally, at E10.5, ALK-F1174L mediated an important increase in the proliferation of Phox2b+ progenitors, affecting the transient cell cycle exit observed in normal SG at this embryonic stage. Altogether, we report for the first time that the expression of the human ALK-F1174L mutation in NCCs during embryonic development profoundly disturbs early sympathetic progenitor differentiation, in addition to increasing their proliferation, both mechanisms being potential crucial events in NB oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Vivancos Stalin
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, DFME, University Hospital of Lausanne, CHUV-UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marco Gualandi
- Translational Oncology, Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Hubertus Schulte
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and SCT, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Berlin and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Raffaele Renella
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, DFME, University Hospital of Lausanne, CHUV-UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olga Shakhova
- Translational Oncology, Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Annick Mühlethaler-Mottet
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory, DFME, University Hospital of Lausanne, CHUV-UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland
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35
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Umapathy G, Mendoza-Garcia P, Hallberg B, Palmer RH. Targeting anaplastic lymphoma kinase in neuroblastoma. APMIS 2019; 127:288-302. [PMID: 30803032 PMCID: PMC6850425 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), has been identified as a fusion partner in a diverse variety of translocation events resulting in oncogenic signaling in many different cancer types. In tumors where the full‐length ALK RTK itself is mutated, such as neuroblastoma, the picture regarding the role of ALK as an oncogenic driver is less clear. Neuroblastoma is a complex and heterogeneous tumor that arises from the neural crest derived peripheral nervous system. Although high‐risk neuroblastoma is rare, it often relapses and becomes refractory to treatment. Thus, neuroblastoma accounts for 10–15% of all childhood cancer deaths. Since most cases are in children under the age of 2, understanding the role and regulation of ALK during neural crest development is an important goal in addressing neuroblastoma tumorigenesis. An impressive array of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that act to inhibit ALK have been FDA approved for use in ALK‐driven cancers. ALK TKIs bind differently within the ATP‐binding pocket of the ALK kinase domain and have been associated with different resistance mutations within ALK itself that arise in response to therapeutic use, particularly in ALK‐fusion positive non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This patient population has highlighted the importance of considering the relevant ALK TKI to be used for a given ALK mutant variant. In this review, we discuss ALK in neuroblastoma, as well as the use of ALK TKIs and other strategies to inhibit tumor growth. Current efforts combining novel approaches and increasing our understanding of the oncogenic role of ALK in neuroblastoma are aimed at improving the efficacy of ALK TKIs as precision medicine options in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganesh Umapathy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Patricia Mendoza-Garcia
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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36
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Nunes-Xavier CE, Zaldumbide L, Aurtenetxe O, López-Almaraz R, López JI, Pulido R. Dual-Specificity Phosphatases in Neuroblastoma Cell Growth and Differentiation. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20051170. [PMID: 30866462 PMCID: PMC6429076 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) are important regulators of neuronal cell growth and differentiation by targeting proteins essential to neuronal survival in signaling pathways, among which the MAP kinases (MAPKs) stand out. DUSPs include the MAPK phosphatases (MKPs), a family of enzymes that directly dephosphorylate MAPKs, as well as the small-size atypical DUSPs, a group of low molecular-weight enzymes which display more heterogeneous substrate specificity. Neuroblastoma (NB) is a malignancy intimately associated with the course of neuronal and neuroendocrine cell differentiation, and constitutes the source of more common extracranial solid pediatric tumors. Here, we review the current knowledge on the involvement of MKPs and small-size atypical DUSPs in NB cell growth and differentiation, and discuss the potential of DUSPs as predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets in human NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E Nunes-Xavier
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia 48903, Spain.
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital HF Radiumhospitalet, Oslo 0424, Norway.
| | - Laura Zaldumbide
- Department of Pathology, Cruces University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barakaldo, Bizkaia 48903, Spain.
| | - Olaia Aurtenetxe
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia 48903, Spain.
| | - Ricardo López-Almaraz
- Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Cruces University Hospital, Barakaldo, Bizkaia 48903, Spain.
| | - José I López
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia 48903, Spain.
- Department of Pathology, Cruces University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barakaldo, Bizkaia 48903, Spain.
| | - Rafael Pulido
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia 48903, Spain.
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 48011, Spain.
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37
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ALK positively regulates MYCN activity through repression of HBP1 expression. Oncogene 2018; 38:2690-2705. [PMID: 30538293 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0595-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
ALK mutations occur in 10% of primary neuroblastomas and represent a major target for precision treatment. In combination with MYCN amplification, ALK mutations infer an ultra-high-risk phenotype resulting in very poor patient prognosis. To open up opportunities for future precision drugging, a deeper understanding of the molecular consequences of constitutive ALK signaling and its relationship to MYCN activity in this aggressive pediatric tumor entity will be essential. We show that mutant ALK downregulates the 'HMG-box transcription factor 1' (HBP1) through the PI3K-AKT-FOXO3a signaling axis. HBP1 inhibits both the transcriptional activating and repressing activity of MYCN, the latter being mediated through PRC2 activity. HBP1 itself is under negative control of MYCN through miR-17~92. Combined targeting of HBP1 by PI3K antagonists and MYCN signaling by BET- or HDAC-inhibitors blocks MYCN activity and significantly reduces tumor growth, suggesting a novel targeted therapy option for high-risk neuroblastoma.
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38
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Van den Eynden J, Umapathy G, Ashouri A, Cervantes-Madrid D, Szydzik J, Ruuth K, Koster J, Larsson E, Guan J, Palmer RH, Hallberg B. Phosphoproteome and gene expression profiling of ALK inhibition in neuroblastoma cell lines reveals conserved oncogenic pathways. Sci Signal 2018; 11:11/557/eaar5680. [PMID: 30459281 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aar5680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a tyrosine kinase receptor that is a clinical target of major interest in cancer. Mutations and rearrangements in ALK trigger the activation of the encoded receptor and its downstream signaling pathways. ALK mutations have been identified in both familial and sporadic neuroblastoma cases as well as in 30 to 40% of relapses, which makes ALK a bona fide target in neuroblastoma therapy. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that target ALK are currently in clinical use for the treatment of patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. However, monotherapy with the ALK inhibitor crizotinib has been less encouraging in neuroblastoma patients with ALK alterations, raising the question of whether combinatorial therapy would be more effective. In this study, we established both phosphoproteomic and gene expression profiles of ALK activity in neuroblastoma cells exposed to first- and third-generation ALK TKIs, to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms and identify relevant biomarkers, signaling networks, and new therapeutic targets. This analysis has unveiled various important leads for novel combinatorial treatment strategies for patients with neuroblastoma and an increased understanding of ALK signaling involved in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy Van den Eynden
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.,Department of Human Structure and Repair, Anatomy and Embryology Unit, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ganesh Umapathy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Arghavan Ashouri
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Joanna Szydzik
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Kristina Ruuth
- Institution for Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jan Koster
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Erik Larsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.,Children's Hospital affiliated with Zhengzhou University, 450018 Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
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39
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Huang H. Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Receptor Tyrosine Kinase: A Catalytic Receptor with Many Faces. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3448. [PMID: 30400214 PMCID: PMC6274813 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) receptor is a membrane-bound tyrosine kinase. The pathogenesis of several cancers is closely related to aberrant forms of ALK or aberrant ALK expression, including ALK fusion proteins, ALK-activated point mutations, and ALK amplification. Clinical applications of different ALK inhibitors represent significant progress in targeted therapy. Knowledge of different aspects of ALK biology can provide significant information to further the understanding of this receptor tyrosine kinase. In this mini-review, we briefly summarize different features of ALK. We also summarize some recent research advances on ALK fusion proteins in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Huang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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40
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Pacenta HL, Macy ME. Entrectinib and other ALK/TRK inhibitors for the treatment of neuroblastoma. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2018; 12:3549-3561. [PMID: 30425456 PMCID: PMC6204873 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s147384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RTK plays important roles in many cellular signaling processes involved in cancer growth and development. ALK, TRKA, TRKB, TRKC, and ROS1 are RTKs involved in several canonical pathways related to oncogenesis. These proteins can be genetically altered in malignancies, leading to receptor activation and constitutive signaling through their respective downstream pathways. Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood, and despite intensive therapy, there is a high mortality rate in cases with a high-risk disease. Alterations of ALK and differential expression of TRK proteins are reported in a proportion of NB. Several inhibitors of ALK or TRKA/B/C have been evaluated both preclinically and clinically in the treatment of NB. These agents have had variable success and are not routinely used in the treatment of NB. Entrectinib (RXDX-101) is a pan-ALK, TRKA, TRKB, TRKC, and ROS1 inhibitor with activity against tumors with ALK, NTRK1, NTRK2, NTRK3, and ROS1 alterations in Phase I clinical trials in adults. Entrectinib’s activity against both ALK and TRK proteins suggests a possible role in NB treatment, and it is currently under investigation in both pediatric and adult oncology patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly L Pacenta
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA,
| | - Margaret E Macy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA,
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Guan J, Fransson S, Siaw JT, Treis D, Van den Eynden J, Chand D, Umapathy G, Ruuth K, Svenberg P, Wessman S, Shamikh A, Jacobsson H, Gordon L, Stenman J, Svensson PJ, Hansson M, Larsson E, Martinsson T, Palmer RH, Kogner P, Hallberg B. Clinical response of the novel activating ALK-I1171T mutation in neuroblastoma to the ALK inhibitor ceritinib. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2018; 4:mcs.a002550. [PMID: 29907598 PMCID: PMC6071567 DOI: 10.1101/mcs.a002550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion rearrangements, including non-small-cell lung cancer and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, are highly sensitive to ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), underscoring the notion that such cancers are addicted to ALK activity. Although mutations in ALK are heavily implicated in childhood neuroblastoma, response to the ALK TKI crizotinib has been disappointing. Embryonal tumors in patients with DNA repair defects such as Fanconi anemia (FA) often have a poor prognosis, because of lack of therapeutic options. Here we report a child with underlying FA and ALK mutant high-risk neuroblastoma responding strongly to precision therapy with the ALK TKI ceritinib. Conventional chemotherapy treatment caused severe, life-threatening toxicity. Genomic analysis of the initial biopsy identified germline FANCA mutations as well as a novel ALK-I1171T variant. ALK-I1171T generates a potent gain-of-function mutant, as measured in PC12 cell neurite outgrowth and NIH3T3 transformation. Pharmacological inhibition profiling of ALK-I1171T in response to various ALK TKIs identified an 11-fold improved inhibition of ALK-I1171T with ceritinib when compared with crizotinib. Immunoaffinity-coupled LC-MS/MS phosphoproteomics analysis indicated a decrease in ALK signaling in response to ceritinib. Ceritinib was therefore selected for treatment in this child. Monotherapy with ceritinib was well tolerated and resulted in normalized catecholamine markers and tumor shrinkage. After 7.5 mo treatment, the residual primary tumor shrunk, was surgically removed, and exhibited hallmarks of differentiation together with reduced Ki67 levels. Clinical follow-up after 21 mo treatment revealed complete clinical remission including all metastatic sites. Therefore, ceritinib presents a viable therapeutic option for ALK-positive neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden.,Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, 450018 Zhengzhou, China
| | - Susanne Fransson
- Department of Pathology and Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Joachim Tetteh Siaw
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Diana Treis
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, and Pediatric Oncology Program Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Jimmy Van den Eynden
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Damini Chand
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Ganesh Umapathy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Kristina Ruuth
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden
| | - Petter Svenberg
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, and Pediatric Oncology Program Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Sandra Wessman
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17176, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Alia Shamikh
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17176, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Hans Jacobsson
- Department of Radiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Lena Gordon
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Jakob Stenman
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Pär-Johan Svensson
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Magnus Hansson
- Department of Pediatrics and Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Erik Larsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Tommy Martinsson
- Department of Pathology and Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Per Kogner
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17176, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
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42
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ALK in Neuroblastoma: Biological and Therapeutic Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10040113. [PMID: 29642598 PMCID: PMC5923368 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10040113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common and deadly solid tumour in children. Despite the development of new treatment options for high-risk NB, over half of patients relapse and five-year survival remains at 40-50%. Therefore, novel treatment strategies aimed at providing long-term disease remission are urgently sought. ALK, encoding the anaplastic lymphoma kinase receptor, is altered by gain-of-function point mutations in around 14% of high-risk NB and represents an ideal therapeutic target given its low or absent expression in healthy tissue postnatally. Small-molecule inhibitors of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) approved in ALK fusion-positive lung cancer are currently undergoing clinical assessment in patients with ALK-mutant NB. Parallel pre-clinical studies are demonstrating the efficacy of ALK inhibitors against common ALK variants in NB; however, a complex picture of therapeutic resistance is emerging. It is anticipated that long-term use of these compounds will require combinatorial targeting of pathways downstream of ALK, functionally-related 'bypass' mechanisms and concomitant oncogenic pathways.
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43
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Chen L, Humphreys A, Turnbull L, Bellini A, Schleiermacher G, Salwen H, Cohn SL, Bown N, Tweddle DA. Identification of different ALK mutations in a pair of neuroblastoma cell lines established at diagnosis and relapse. Oncotarget 2018; 7:87301-87311. [PMID: 27888620 PMCID: PMC5349989 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) is a transmembrane receptor kinase that belongs to the insulin receptor superfamily and has previously been shown to play a role in cell proliferation, migration and invasion in neuroblastoma. Activating ALK mutations are reported in both hereditary and sporadic neuroblastoma tumours, and several ALK inhibitors are currently under clinical evaluation as novel treatments for neuroblastoma. Overall, mutations at codons F1174, R1275 and F1245 together account for ~85% of reported ALK mutations in neuroblastoma. NBLW and NBLW-R are paired cell lines originally derived from an infant with metastatic MYCN amplified Stage IVS (Evans Criteria) neuroblastoma, at diagnosis and relapse, respectively. Using both Sanger and targeted deep sequencing, this study describes the identification of distinct ALK mutations in these paired cell lines, including the rare R1275L mutation, which has not previously been reported in a neuroblastoma cell line. Analysis of the sensitivity of NBLW and NBLW-R cells to a panel of ALK inhibitors (TAE-684, Crizotinib, Alectinib and Lorlatinib) revealed differences between the paired cell lines, and overall NBLW-R cells with the F1174L mutation were more resistant to ALK inhibitor induced apoptosis compared with NBLW cells. This pair of cell lines represents a valuable pre-clinical model of clonal evolution of ALK mutations associated with neuroblastoma progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindi Chen
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Angharad Humphreys
- Northern Genetics Service, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Turnbull
- Northern Genetics Service, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Helen Salwen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Susan L Cohn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Nick Bown
- Northern Genetics Service, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah A Tweddle
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
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44
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Janoueix-Lerosey I, Lopez-Delisle L, Delattre O, Rohrer H. The ALK receptor in sympathetic neuron development and neuroblastoma. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 372:325-337. [PMID: 29374774 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2784-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The ALK gene encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor characterized by an expression pattern mainly restricted to the developing central and peripheral nervous systems. In 2008, the discovery of ALK activating mutations in neuroblastoma, a tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, represented a breakthrough in the understanding of the pathogenesis of this pediatric cancer and established mutated ALK as a tractable therapeutic target for precision medicine. Subsequent studies addressed the identity of ALK ligands, as well as its physiological function in the sympathoadrenal lineage, its role in neuroblastoma development and the signaling pathways triggered by mutated ALK. This review focuses on these different aspects of the ALK biology and summarizes the various therapeutic strategies relying on ALK inhibition in neuroblastoma, either as monotherapies or combinatory treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Janoueix-Lerosey
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Inserm U830, Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, F-75005, Paris, France. .,SIREDO: Care, Innovation and Research for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer, Institut Curie, F-75005, Paris, France.
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Inserm U830, Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, F-75005, Paris, France.,Laboratory of Developmental Genomics, EPFL SV ISREC UPDUB, SV 2843, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Delattre
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Inserm U830, Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, F-75005, Paris, France.,SIREDO: Care, Innovation and Research for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer, Institut Curie, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Hermann Rohrer
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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45
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ALK is a critical regulator of the MYC-signaling axis in ALK positive lung cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 9:8823-8835. [PMID: 29507657 PMCID: PMC5823650 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A subset of lung cancers is dependent on the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) oncogene for survival, a mechanism that is exploited by the use of the ALK inhibitor crizotinib. Despite exceptional initial tumor responses to ALK inhibition by crizotinib, durable clinical response is limited and the emergence of drug resistance occurs. Furthermore, intrinsic resistance is frequently observed, where patients fail to respond initially to ALK-inhibitor therapy. These events demonstrate the underlying complexity of a molecularly-defined oncogene-driven cancer and highlights the need to identify compensating survival pathways. Using a loss-of-function whole genome short-hairpin (shRNA) screen, we identified MYCBP as a determinant of response to crizotinib, implicating the MYC signaling axis in resistance to crizotinib-treated ALK+ NSCLC. Further analysis reveals that ALK regulates transcriptional expression of MYC and activates c-MYC transactivation of c-MYC target genes. Inhibition of MYC by RNAi or small molecules sensitizes ALK+ cells to crizotinib. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a dual oncogene mechanism, where ALK positively regulates the MYC signaling axis, providing an additional oncogene target whose inhibition may prevent or overcome resistance.
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46
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Siaw JT, Wan H, Pfeifer K, Rivera VM, Guan J, Palmer RH, Hallberg B. Brigatinib, an anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor, abrogates activity and growth in ALK-positive neuroblastoma cells, Drosophila and mice. Oncotarget 2018; 7:29011-22. [PMID: 27049722 PMCID: PMC5045374 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a tyrosine kinase receptor which has been implicated in numerous solid and hematologic cancers. ALK mutations are reported in about 5-7% of neuroblastoma cases but the ALK-positive percentage increases significantly in the relapsed patient population. Crizotinib, the first clinically approved ALK inhibitor for the treatment of ALK-positive lung cancer has had less dramatic responses in neuroblastoma. Here we investigate the efficacy of a second-generation ALK inhibitor, brigatinib, in a neuroblastoma setting. Employing neuroblastoma cell lines, mouse xenograft and Drosophila melanogaster model systems expressing different constitutively active ALK variants, we show clear and efficient inhibition of ALK activity by brigatinib. Similar abrogation of ALK activity was observed in vitro employing a set of different constitutively active ALK variants in biochemical assays. These results suggest that brigatinib is an effective inhibitor of ALK kinase activity in ALK addicted neuroblastoma that should be considered as a potential future therapeutic option for ALK-positive neuroblastoma patients alone or in combination with other treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim T Siaw
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Haiying Wan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Kathrin Pfeifer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ruth H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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47
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Claeys S, Denecker G, Cannoodt R, Kumps C, Durinck K, Speleman F, De Preter K. Early and late effects of pharmacological ALK inhibition on the neuroblastoma transcriptome. Oncotarget 2017; 8:106820-106832. [PMID: 29290991 PMCID: PMC5739776 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroblastoma is an aggressive childhood malignancy of the sympathetic nervous system. Despite multi-modal therapy, survival of high-risk patients remains disappointingly low, underscoring the need for novel treatment strategies. The discovery of ALK activating mutations opened the way to precision treatment in a subset of these patients. Previously, we investigated the transcriptional effects of pharmacological ALK inhibition on neuroblastoma cell lines, six hours after TAE684 administration, resulting in the 77-gene ALK signature, which was shown to gradually decrease from 120 minutes after TAE684 treatment, to gain deeper insight into the molecular effects of oncogenic ALK signaling. Aim Here, we further dissected the transcriptional dynamic profiles of neuroblastoma cells upon TAE684 treatment in a detailed timeframe of ten minutes up to six hours after inhibition, in order to identify additional early targets for combination treatment. Results We observed an unexpected initial upregulation of positively regulated MYCN target genes following subsequent downregulation of overall MYCN activity. In addition, we identified adrenomedullin (ADM), previously shown to be implicated in sunitinib resistance, as the earliest response gene upon ALK inhibition. Conclusions We describe the early and late effects of ALK inhibitor TAE684 treatment on the neuroblastoma transcriptome. The observed unexpected upregulation of ADM warrants further investigation in relation to putative ALK resistance in neuroblastoma patients currently undergoing ALK inhibitor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana Claeys
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geertrui Denecker
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Robrecht Cannoodt
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Bioinformatics Institute Ghent From Nucleotides to Networks, Ghent, Belgium.,Data Mining and Modelling for Biomedicine group, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Candy Kumps
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Uro-Gynaecology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kaat Durinck
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frank Speleman
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Katleen De Preter
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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48
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Abstract
A vast array of oncogenic variants has been identified for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Therefore, there is a need to better understand the role of ALK in cancer biology in order to optimise treatment strategies. This review summarises the latest research on the receptor tyrosine kinase ALK, and how this information can guide the management of patients with cancer that is ALK-positive. A variety of ALK gene alterations have been described across a range of tumour types, including point mutations, deletions and rearrangements. A wide variety of ALK fusions, in which the kinase domain of ALK and the amino-terminal portion of various protein partners are fused, occur in cancer, with echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK being the most prevalent in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Different ALK fusion proteins can mediate different signalling outputs, depending on properties such as subcellular localisation and protein stability. The ALK fusions found in tumours lack spatial and temporal regulation, which can also affect dimerisation and substrate specificity. Two ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), crizotinib and ceritinib, are currently approved in Europe for use in ALK-positive NSCLC and several others are in development. These ALK TKIs bind slightly differently within the ATP-binding pocket of the ALK kinase domain and are associated with the emergence of different resistance mutation patterns during therapy. This emphasises the need to tailor the sequence of ALK TKIs according to the ALK signature of each patient. Research into the oncogenic functions of ALK, and fast paced development of ALK inhibitors, has substantially improved outcomes for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC. Limited data are available surrounding the physiological ligand-stimulated activation of ALK signalling and further research is needed. Understanding the role of ALK in tumour biology is key to further optimising therapeutic strategies for ALK-positive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - R H Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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49
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Felkai L, Bánusz R, Kovalszky I, Sápi Z, Garami M, Papp G, Karászi K, Varga E, Csóka M. The Presence of ALK Alterations and Clinical Relevance of Crizotinib Treatment in Pediatric Solid Tumors. Pathol Oncol Res 2017; 25:217-224. [PMID: 29081033 DOI: 10.1007/s12253-017-0332-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and neuroblastomas (NBL), are childhood malignancies still associated with poor prognoses despite the overall improvement in childhood tumor survival of the past decades. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibition is promising new strategy to improve the outcome of these pediatric tumors. Eighteen histologic samples of pediatric STS and 19 NBL patients were analyzed for ALK abnormalities using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with break-apart probes and immunohistochemistry (IHC). ALK alterations were presented in 20 of the 37 sections. The presence of ALK alteration in NBL samples were detected using IHC in 84,2% of all cases compared to 21,1% FISH positivity. In STS cases the results were less different (IHC 16,7% vs FISH 22,2%). The difference can be explained by the different type of molecular alterations. FISH method detected translocation and amplification, but not the point mutation of ALK gene. IHC confirmed the diagnosis by detecting the expression of ALK protein.After ALK positivity was proven, the effectiveness and safety of the crizotinib therapy was examined in 4 patients (1 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (RMA), 1 embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RME), 1 inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), 1 NBL). We observed continuous remission of the IMT patient, all other cases the inhibitor treatment was not curative.Our findings underline the importance of screening the ALK status parallel with both IHC and FISH. Crizotinib treatment had a long-term effect in ALK positive IMT patients, however itwas only temporary efficient in relapsed, progressive STS and NBL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Felkai
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 7-9, Budapest, H-1094, Hungary
| | - Rita Bánusz
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 7-9, Budapest, H-1094, Hungary
| | - Ilona Kovalszky
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Sápi
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Miklós Garami
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 7-9, Budapest, H-1094, Hungary
| | - Gergő Papp
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Karászi
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Edit Varga
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 7-9, Budapest, H-1094, Hungary
| | - Monika Csóka
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 7-9, Budapest, H-1094, Hungary.
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50
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Cao Y, Jin Y, Yu J, Wang J, Yan J, Zhao Q. Research progress of neuroblastoma related gene variations. Oncotarget 2017; 8:18444-18455. [PMID: 28055978 PMCID: PMC5392342 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial solid tumor among children, is an embryonal tumor originating from undifferentiated neural crest cell. Neuroblastomas are highly heterogeneous, represented by the wide range of clinical presentations and likelihood of cure, ranging from spontaneous regression to relentless progression despite rigorous multimodal treatments. Approximately, 50% of cases are high-risk with overall survival rates less than 40%. With the efforts to collect large numbers of clinically annotated specimens and the advancements in technologies, researchers have revealed numerous genetic alterations that may drive tumor growth. However, the most lack mutations in genes that are recurrently mutated, which inspires researchers to identify disrupted pathways instead of single mutated genes to unearth biological systems perturbed in neuroblastoma. Stratification of patients and target therapy based on their molecular signatures have been the center of focus. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the recent advances in identification of candidate genes variations, targeted approaches to high-risk neuroblastoma and evaluates the methods utilized for detection, which will provide new avenues to develop therapies and further genetic researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanna Cao
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Yan Jin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Jinpu Yu
- Department of Cancer Molecular Diagnostic Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Jingfu Wang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
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