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Qi Y, Hu M, Han C, Wang J, Chen F, Guo H, She Y, Zhang M, Zhang J, Zhao Z, Xie H, Wang S, Chen M, Wang J, Zeng D. ARHGAP4 promotes leukemogenesis in acute myeloid leukemia by inhibiting DRAM1 signaling. Oncogene 2023; 42:2547-2557. [PMID: 37443303 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02770-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Rho GTPase-activating protein 4 (ARHGAP4) is an important Rho family GTPase-activating protein that is strongly associated with the onset and progression of some tumors. We found that ARHGAP4 mRNA and protein are overexpressed in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and are associated with a poor prognosis. ARHGAP4 knockdown significantly impairs viability and colony formation capacity and induces apoptosis in AML cells. Further results demonstrate that ARHGAP4 deletion impairs AML progression in vivo. Interestingly, DRAM1 signaling is significantly activated in AML cells with ARHGAP4 knockdown. Our results also indicated that ARHGAP4 might function in AML cells by binding with p53 to inhibit DRAM1. Moreover, knockdown of DRAM1 rescues the defects of ARHGAP4 in AML cells. This newly described role of the ARHGAP4/DRAM1 axis in regulating AML progression may have important therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Qi
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Mengjia Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyan Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Changhao Han
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Fang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyan Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Hui Guo
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of CAS, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yuanting She
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Meijuan Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Zhongyue Zhao
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Huan Xie
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Song Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyan Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Mo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyan Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Junping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyan Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Dongfeng Zeng
- Department of Hematology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China.
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Yashar WM, Curtiss BM, Coleman DJ, VanCampen J, Kong G, Macaraeg J, Estabrook J, Demir E, Long N, Bottomly D, McWeeney SK, Tyner JW, Druker BJ, Maxson JE, Braun TP. Disruption of the MYC Superenhancer Complex by Dual Targeting of FLT3 and LSD1 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Mol Cancer Res 2023; 21:631-647. [PMID: 36976323 PMCID: PMC10330306 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) are common drivers in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) yet FLT3 inhibitors only provide modest clinical benefit. Prior work has shown that inhibitors of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) enhance kinase inhibitor activity in AML. Here we show that combined LSD1 and FLT3 inhibition induces synergistic cell death in FLT3-mutant AML. Multi-omic profiling revealed that the drug combination disrupts STAT5, LSD1, and GFI1 binding at the MYC blood superenhancer, suppressing superenhancer accessibility as well as MYC expression and activity. The drug combination simultaneously results in the accumulation of repressive H3K9me1 methylation, an LSD1 substrate, at MYC target genes. We validated these findings in 72 primary AML samples with the nearly every sample demonstrating synergistic responses to the drug combination. Collectively, these studies reveal how epigenetic therapies augment the activity of kinase inhibitors in FLT3-ITD (internal tandem duplication) AML. IMPLICATIONS This work establishes the synergistic efficacy of combined FLT3 and LSD1 inhibition in FLT3-ITD AML by disrupting STAT5 and GFI1 binding at the MYC blood-specific superenhancer complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M. Yashar
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Brittany M. Curtiss
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Daniel J. Coleman
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Jake VanCampen
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Garth Kong
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Jommel Macaraeg
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Joseph Estabrook
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Emek Demir
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd; Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratories; Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Nicola Long
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Daniel Bottomly
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Shannon K. McWeeney
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Jeffrey W. Tyner
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Brian J. Druker
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Julia E. Maxson
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Theodore P. Braun
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Oncologic Sciences, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR, 97239, USA
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Chambers C, Cermakova K, Chan YS, Kurtz K, Wohlan K, Lewis AH, Wang C, Pham A, Dejmek M, Sala M, Loeza Cabrera M, Aguilar R, Nencka R, Lacorazza HD, Rau RE, Hodges HC. SWI/SNF Blockade Disrupts PU.1-Directed Enhancer Programs in Normal Hematopoietic Cells and Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Res 2023; 83:983-996. [PMID: 36662812 PMCID: PMC10071820 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes sustain leukemic identity by driving high levels of MYC. Previous studies have implicated the hematopoietic transcription factor PU.1 (SPI1) as an important target of SWI/SNF inhibition, but PU.1 is widely regarded to have pioneer-like activity. As a result, many questions have remained regarding the interplay between PU.1 and SWI/SNF in AML as well as normal hematopoiesis. Here we found that PU.1 binds to most of its targets in a SWI/SNF-independent manner and recruits SWI/SNF to promote accessibility for other AML core regulatory factors, including RUNX1, LMO2, and MEIS1. SWI/SNF inhibition in AML cells reduced DNA accessibility and binding of these factors at PU.1 sites and redistributed PU.1 to promoters. Analysis of nontumor hematopoietic cells revealed that similar effects also impair PU.1-dependent B-cell and monocyte populations. Nevertheless, SWI/SNF inhibition induced profound therapeutic response in an immunocompetent AML mouse model as well as in primary human AML samples. In vivo, SWI/SNF inhibition promoted leukemic differentiation and reduced the leukemic stem cell burden in bone marrow but also induced leukopenia. These results reveal a variable therapeutic window for SWI/SNF blockade in AML and highlight important off-tumor effects of such therapies in immunocompetent settings. SIGNIFICANCE Disruption of PU.1-directed enhancer programs upon SWI/SNF inhibition causes differentiation of AML cells and induces leukopenia of PU.1-dependent B cells and monocytes, revealing the on- and off-tumor effects of SWI/SNF blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Chambers
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Katerina Cermakova
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Yuen San Chan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kristen Kurtz
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - Katharina Wohlan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Andrew Henry Lewis
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Christiana Wang
- Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Anh Pham
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
| | - Milan Dejmek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Sala
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Mario Loeza Cabrera
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Rogelio Aguilar
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Radim Nencka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - H. Daniel Lacorazza
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Rachel E. Rau
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - H. Courtney Hodges
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
- Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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Hartung EE, Singh K, Berg T. LSD1 inhibition modulates transcription factor networks in myeloid malignancies. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1149754. [PMID: 36969082 PMCID: PMC10036816 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1149754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer of the blood system that is characterized by an accumulation of immature hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow and blood. Its pathogenesis is characterized by an increase in self-renewal and block in differentiation in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Underlying its pathogenesis is the acquisition of mutations in these cells. As there are many different mutations found in AML that can occur in different combinations the disease is very heterogeneous. There has been some progress in the treatment of AML through the introduction of targeted therapies and a broader application of the stem cell transplantation in its treatment. However, many mutations found in AML are still lacking defined interventions. These are in particular mutations and dysregulation in important myeloid transcription factors and epigenetic regulators that also play a crucial role in normal hematopoietic differentiation. While a direct targeting of the partial loss-of-function or change in function observed in these factors is very difficult to imagine, recent data suggests that the inhibition of LSD1, an important epigenetic regulator, can modulate interactions in the network of myeloid transcription factors and restore differentiation in AML. Interestingly, the impact of LSD1 inhibition in this regard is quite different between normal and malignant hematopoiesis. The effect of LSD1 inhibition involves transcription factors that directly interact with LSD1 such as GFI1 and GFI1B, but also transcription factors that bind to enhancers that are modulated by LSD1 such as PU.1 and C/EBPα as well as transcription factors that are regulated downstream of LSD1 such as IRF8. In this review, we are summarizing the current literature on the impact of LSD1 modulation in normal and malignant hematopoietic cells and the current knowledge how the involved transcription factor networks are altered. We are also exploring how these modulation of transcription factors play into the rational selection of combination partners with LSD1 inhibitors, which is an intense area of clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Hartung
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Kanwaldeep Singh
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Tobias Berg
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Escarpment Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Tobias Berg,
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