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Liao H, Chen X, Wang H, Lin Y, Chen L, Yuan K, Liao M, Jiang H, Peng J, Wu Z, Huang J, Li J, Zeng Y. Whole-Genome DNA Methylation Profiling of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Reveals Prognostic Subtypes with Distinct Biological Drivers. Cancer Res 2024; 84:1747-1763. [PMID: 38471085 PMCID: PMC11148548 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-3298] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is the second most prevalent primary liver cancer. Although the genetic characterization of iCCA has led to targeted therapies for treating tumors with FGFR2 alterations and IDH1/2 mutations, only a limited number of patients can benefit from these strategies. Epigenomic profiles have emerged as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for improving the treatment of cancers. In this study, we conducted whole-genome bisulfite sequencing on 331 iCCAs integrated with genetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses, demonstrating the existence of four DNA methylation subtypes of iCCAs (S1-S4) that exhibited unique postoperative clinical outcomes. The S1 group was an IDH1/2 mutation-specific subtype with moderate survival. The S2 subtype was characterized by the lowest methylation level and the highest mutational burden among the four subtypes and displayed upregulation of a gene-expression pattern associated with cell cycle/DNA replication. The S3 group was distinguished by high interpatient heterogeneity of tumor immunity, a gene-expression pattern associated with carbohydrate metabolism, and an enrichment of KRAS alterations. Patients with the S2 and S3 subtypes had the shortest survival among the four subtypes. Tumors in the S4 subtype, which had the best prognosis, showed global methylation levels comparable to normal controls, increased FGFR2 fusions/BAP1 mutations, and the highest copy-number variant burdens. Further integrative and functional analyses identified GBP4 demethylation, which is highly prevalent in the S2 and S3 groups, as an epigenetic oncogenic factor that regulates iCCA proliferation, migration, and invasion. Together, this study identifies prognostic methylome alterations and epigenetic drivers in iCCA. SIGNIFICANCE Characterization of the DNA methylome of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma integrated with genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses uncovers molecular mechanisms affected by genome-wide DNA methylation alterations, providing a resource for identifying potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Liao
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xing Chen
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haichuan Wang
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Youpei Lin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Kefei Yuan
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingheng Liao
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hanyu Jiang
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiajie Peng
- School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China
| | - Zhenru Wu
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiwei Huang
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxin Li
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yong Zeng
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Prokakis E, Jansari S, Boshnakovska A, Wiese M, Kusch K, Kramm C, Dullin C, Rehling P, Glatzel M, Pantel K, Wikman H, Johnsen SA, Gallwas J, Wegwitz F. RNF40 epigenetically modulates glycolysis to support the aggressiveness of basal-like breast cancer. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:641. [PMID: 37770435 PMCID: PMC10539310 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06157-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most difficult breast cancer subtype to treat due to the lack of targeted therapies. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are strongly enriched in TNBC lesions and are responsible for the rapid development of chemotherapy resistance and metastasis. Ubiquitin-based epigenetic circuits are heavily exploited by CSCs to regulate gene transcription and ultimately sustain their aggressive behavior. Therefore, therapeutic targeting of these ubiquitin-driven dependencies may reprogram the transcription of CSC and render them more sensitive to standard therapies. In this work, we identified the Ring Finger Protein 40 (RNF40) monoubiquitinating histone 2B at lysine 120 (H2Bub1) as an indispensable E3 ligase for sustaining the stem-cell-like features of the growing mammary gland. In addition, we found that the RNF40/H2Bub1-axis promotes the CSC properties and drug-tolerant state by supporting the glycolytic program and promoting pro-tumorigenic YAP1-signaling in TNBC. Collectively, this study unveils a novel tumor-supportive role of RNF40 and underpins its high therapeutic value to combat the malignant behavior of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Prokakis
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department of General, Visceral & Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Shaishavi Jansari
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Angela Boshnakovska
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maria Wiese
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Kusch
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, Functional Auditory Genomics Group, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christof Kramm
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Dullin
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter Rehling
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Pantel
- Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Harriet Wikman
- Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Steven A Johnsen
- Department of General, Visceral & Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- The Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Julia Gallwas
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Florian Wegwitz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department of General, Visceral & Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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Han A, Mukha D, Chua V, Purwin TJ, Tiago M, Modasia B, Baqai U, Aumiller JL, Bechtel N, Hunter E, Danielson M, Terai M, Wedegaertner PB, Sato T, Landreville S, Davies MA, Kurtenbach S, Harbour JW, Schug ZT, Aplin AE. Co-Targeting FASN and mTOR Suppresses Uveal Melanoma Growth. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3451. [PMID: 37444561 PMCID: PMC10341317 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133451] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) displays a high frequency of metastasis; however, effective therapies for metastatic UM are limited. Identifying unique metabolic features of UM may provide a potential targeting strategy. A lipid metabolism protein expression signature was induced in a normal choroidal melanocyte (NCM) line transduced with GNAQ (Q209L), a driver in UM growth and development. Consistently, UM cells expressed elevated levels of fatty acid synthase (FASN) compared to NCMs. FASN upregulation was associated with increased mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) levels. FASN and mTOR inhibitors alone significantly reduced UM cell growth. Concurrent inhibition of FASN and mTOR further reduced UM cell growth by promoting cell cycle arrest and inhibiting glucose utilization, TCA cycle metabolism, and de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. Our findings indicate that FASN is important for UM cell growth and co-inhibition of FASN and mTOR signaling may be considered for treatment of UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Han
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Dzmitry Mukha
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (D.M.); (Z.T.S.)
| | - Vivian Chua
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Timothy J. Purwin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Manoela Tiago
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Bhavik Modasia
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Usman Baqai
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Jenna L. Aumiller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (J.L.A.); (P.B.W.)
| | - Nelisa Bechtel
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Emily Hunter
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Meggie Danielson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (M.D.); (M.T.); (T.S.)
| | - Mizue Terai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (M.D.); (M.T.); (T.S.)
| | - Philip B. Wedegaertner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (J.L.A.); (P.B.W.)
| | - Takami Sato
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (M.D.); (M.T.); (T.S.)
| | - Solange Landreville
- Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology-Cervical-Facial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada;
| | - Michael A. Davies
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Stefan Kurtenbach
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA; (S.K.); (J.W.H.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA
| | - J. William Harbour
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA; (S.K.); (J.W.H.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zachary T. Schug
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (D.M.); (Z.T.S.)
| | - Andrew E. Aplin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (A.H.); (V.C.); (T.J.P.); (M.T.); (U.B.); (E.H.)
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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de Bruyn DP, Bongaerts M, Bonte R, Vaarwater J, Meester-Smoor MA, Verdijk RM, Paridaens D, Naus NC, de Klein A, Ruijter GJG, Kiliç E, Brosens E. Uveal Melanoma Patients Have a Distinct Metabolic Phenotype in Peripheral Blood. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065077. [PMID: 36982149 PMCID: PMC10049075 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanomas (UM) are detected earlier. Consequently, tumors are smaller, allowing for novel eye-preserving treatments. This reduces tumor tissue available for genomic profiling. Additionally, these small tumors can be hard to differentiate from nevi, creating the need for minimally invasive detection and prognostication. Metabolites show promise as minimally invasive detection by resembling the biological phenotype. In this pilot study, we determined metabolite patterns in the peripheral blood of UM patients (n = 113) and controls (n = 46) using untargeted metabolomics. Using a random forest classifier (RFC) and leave-one-out cross-validation, we confirmed discriminatory metabolite patterns in UM patients compared to controls with an area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic of 0.99 in both positive and negative ion modes. The RFC and leave-one-out cross-validation did not reveal discriminatory metabolite patterns in high-risk versus low-risk of metastasizing in UM patients. Ten-time repeated analyses of the RFC and LOOCV using 50% randomly distributed samples showed similar results for UM patients versus controls and prognostic groups. Pathway analysis using annotated metabolites indicated dysregulation of several processes associated with malignancies. Consequently, minimally invasive metabolomics could potentially allow for screening as it distinguishes metabolite patterns that are putatively associated with oncogenic processes in the peripheral blood plasma of UM patients from controls at the time of diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniël P. de Bruyn
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel Bongaerts
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ramon Bonte
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jolanda Vaarwater
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert M. Verdijk
- The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, 3011 BH Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Section Ophthalmic Pathology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dion Paridaens
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, 3011 BH Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole C. Naus
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annelies de Klein
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Emine Kiliç
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erwin Brosens
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
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Caksa S, Baqai U, Aplin AE. The future of targeted kinase inhibitors in melanoma. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 239:108200. [PMID: 35513054 PMCID: PMC10187889 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment-producing cells of the body and its incidence is rising. Targeted inhibitors that act against kinases in the MAPK pathway are approved for BRAF-mutant metastatic cutaneous melanoma and increase patients' survival. Response to these therapies is limited by drug resistance and is less durable than with immune checkpoint inhibition. Conversely, rare melanoma subtypes have few therapeutic options for advanced disease and MAPK pathway targeting agents show minimal anti-tumor effects. Nevertheless, there is a future for targeted kinase inhibitors in melanoma: in new applications such as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy and in novel combinations with immunotherapies or other targeted therapies. Pre-clinical studies continue to identify tumor dependencies and their corresponding actionable drug targets, paving the way for rational targeted kinase inhibitor combinations as a personalized medicine approach for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Signe Caksa
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Usman Baqai
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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