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Besser E, Gelfand A, Procaccia S, Berman P, Meiri D. Cannabinoid combination targets NOTCH1-mutated T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia through the integrated stress response pathway. eLife 2024; 12:RP90854. [PMID: 39258755 PMCID: PMC11390110 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90854] [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] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), more than 50% of cases display autoactivation of Notch1 signaling, leading to oncogenic transformation. We have previously identified a specific chemovar of Cannabis that induces apoptosis by preventing Notch1 maturation in leukemia cells. Here, we isolated three cannabinoids from this chemovar that synergistically mimic the effects of the whole extract. Two were previously known, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidivarin (CBDV), whereas the third cannabinoid, which we termed 331-18A, was identified and fully characterized in this study. We demonstrated that these cannabinoids act through cannabinoid receptor type 2 and TRPV1 to activate the integrated stress response pathway by depleting intracellular Ca2+. This is followed by increased mRNA and protein expression of ATF4, CHOP, and CHAC1, which is hindered by inhibiting the upstream initiation factor eIF2α. The increased abundance of CHAC1 prevents Notch1 maturation, thereby reducing the levels of the active Notch1 intracellular domain, and consequently decreasing cell viability and increasing apoptosis. Treatment with the three isolated molecules resulted in reduced tumor size and weight in vivo and slowed leukemia progression in mice models. Altogether, this study elucidated the mechanism of action of three distinct cannabinoids in modulating the Notch1 pathway, and constitutes an important step in the establishment of a new therapy for treating NOTCH1-mutated diseases and cancers such as T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elazar Besser
- The Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Anat Gelfand
- The Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shiri Procaccia
- The Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Paula Berman
- The Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - David Meiri
- The Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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2
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Holmberg KO, Borgenvik A, Zhao M, Giraud G, Swartling FJ. Drivers Underlying Metastasis and Relapse in Medulloblastoma and Targeting Strategies. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1752. [PMID: 38730706 PMCID: PMC11083189 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091752] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastomas comprise a molecularly diverse set of malignant pediatric brain tumors in which patients are stratified according to different prognostic risk groups that span from very good to very poor. Metastasis at diagnosis is most often a marker of poor prognosis and the relapse incidence is higher in these children. Medulloblastoma relapse is almost always fatal and recurring cells have, apart from resistance to standard of care, acquired genetic and epigenetic changes that correlate with an increased dormancy state, cell state reprogramming and immune escape. Here, we review means to carefully study metastasis and relapse in preclinical models, in light of recently described molecular subgroups. We will exemplify how therapy resistance develops at the cellular level, in a specific niche or from therapy-induced secondary mutations. We further describe underlying molecular mechanisms on how tumors acquire the ability to promote leptomeningeal dissemination and discuss how they can establish therapy-resistant cell clones. Finally, we describe some of the ongoing clinical trials of high-risk medulloblastoma and suggest or discuss more individualized treatments that could be of benefit to specific subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl O. Holmberg
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden; (K.O.H.); (M.Z.); (G.G.)
| | - Anna Borgenvik
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA;
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Miao Zhao
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden; (K.O.H.); (M.Z.); (G.G.)
| | - Géraldine Giraud
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden; (K.O.H.); (M.Z.); (G.G.)
- Department of Women and Child Health, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Uppsala University Children’s Hospital, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik J. Swartling
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden; (K.O.H.); (M.Z.); (G.G.)
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3
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Ampudia-Mesias E, Cameron CS, Yoo E, Kelly M, Anderson SM, Manning R, Abrahante Lloréns JE, Moertel CL, Yim H, Odde DJ, Saydam N, Saydam O. The OTX2 Gene Induces Tumor Growth and Triggers Leptomeningeal Metastasis by Regulating the mTORC2 Signaling Pathway in Group 3 Medulloblastomas. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4416. [PMID: 38674001 PMCID: PMC11050316 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) encompasses diverse subgroups, and leptomeningeal disease/metastasis (LMD) plays a substantial role in associated fatalities. Despite extensive exploration of canonical genes in MB, the molecular mechanisms underlying LMD and the involvement of the orthodenticle homeobox 2 (OTX2) gene, a key driver in aggressive MB Group 3, remain insufficiently understood. Recognizing OTX2's pivotal role, we investigated its potential as a catalyst for aggressive cellular behaviors, including migration, invasion, and metastasis. OTX2 overexpression heightened cell growth, motility, and polarization in Group 3 MB cells. Orthotopic implantation of OTX2-overexpressing cells in mice led to reduced median survival, accompanied by the development of spinal cord and brain metastases. Mechanistically, OTX2 acted as a transcriptional activator of the Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) gene's promoter and the mTORC2 signaling pathway, correlating with upregulated downstream genes that orchestrate cell motility and migration. Knockdown of mTOR mRNA mitigated OTX2-mediated enhancements in cell motility and polarization. Analysis of human MB tumor samples (N = 952) revealed a positive correlation between OTX2 and mTOR mRNA expression, emphasizing the clinical significance of OTX2's role in the mTORC2 pathway. Our results reveal that OTX2 governs the mTORC2 signaling pathway, instigating LMD in Group 3 MBs and offering insights into potential therapeutic avenues through mTORC2 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Ampudia-Mesias
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA; (E.A.-M.); (C.S.C.); or (E.Y.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Charles S. Cameron
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA; (E.A.-M.); (C.S.C.); or (E.Y.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Eunjae Yoo
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA; (E.A.-M.); (C.S.C.); or (E.Y.); (C.L.M.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;
| | - Marcus Kelly
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.K.); (S.M.A.); (R.M.); (D.J.O.)
| | - Sarah M. Anderson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.K.); (S.M.A.); (R.M.); (D.J.O.)
| | - Riley Manning
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.K.); (S.M.A.); (R.M.); (D.J.O.)
| | | | - Christopher L. Moertel
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA; (E.A.-M.); (C.S.C.); or (E.Y.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Hyungshin Yim
- Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;
| | - David J. Odde
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.K.); (S.M.A.); (R.M.); (D.J.O.)
| | | | - Okay Saydam
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA; (E.A.-M.); (C.S.C.); or (E.Y.); (C.L.M.)
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4
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Pu Q, Yu L, Liu X, Yan H, Xie Y, Cai X, Wu Y, Du J, Yang Z. Prognostic value of CD8 +T cells related genes and exhaustion regulation of Notch signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1375864. [PMID: 38650927 PMCID: PMC11033358 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1375864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as the primary treatment modality for patients with advanced Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its clinical efficacy remains limited, benefiting only a subset of patients, while most exhibit immune tolerance and face a grim prognosis. The infiltration of immune cells plays a pivotal role in tumor initiation and progression. In this study, we conducted an analysis of immune cell infiltration patterns in HCC patients and observed a substantial proportion of CD8+T cells. Leveraging the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we identified 235 genes associated with CD8+T cell and constructed a risk prediction model. In this model, HCC patients were stratified into a high-risk and low-risk group. Patients in the high-risk group exhibited a lower survival rate, predominantly presented with intermediate to advanced stages of cancer, displayed compromised immune function, showed limited responsiveness to immunotherapy, and demonstrated elevated expression levels of the Notch signaling pathway. Further examination of clinical samples demonstrated an upregulation of the Notch1+CD8+T cell exhaustion phenotype accompanied by impaired cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion functions that worsened with increasing Notch activation levels. Our study not only presents a prognostic model but also highlights the crucial involvement of the Notch pathway in CD8+T cell exhaustion-a potential target for future immunotherapeutic interventions.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/mortality
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality
- Signal Transduction
- Prognosis
- Receptors, Notch/genetics
- Receptors, Notch/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Male
- Female
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Receptor, Notch1/genetics
- Middle Aged
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Pu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lihua Yu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiwen Yan
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Xie
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Cai
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- The First Clinical Medical College of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Wu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
- National Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Sanghrajka RM, Koche R, Medrano H, El Nagar S, Stephen DN, Lao Z, Bayin NS, Ge K, Joyner AL. KMT2D suppresses Sonic hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma progression and metastasis. iScience 2023; 26:107831. [PMID: 37822508 PMCID: PMC10562805 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The major cause of treatment failure and mortality among medulloblastoma patients is metastasis intracranially or along the spinal cord. The molecular mechanisms driving tumor metastasis in Sonic hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma (SHH-MB) patients, however, remain largely unknown. In this study we define a tumor suppressive role of KMT2D (MLL2), a gene frequently mutated in the most metastatic β-subtype. Strikingly, genetic mouse models of SHH-MB demonstrate that heterozygous loss of Kmt2d in conjunction with activation of the SHH pathway causes highly penetrant disease with decreased survival, increased hindbrain invasion and spinal cord metastasis. Loss of Kmt2d attenuates neural differentiation and shifts the transcriptional/chromatin landscape of primary and metastatic tumors toward a decrease in differentiation genes and tumor suppressors and an increase in genes/pathways implicated in advanced stage cancer and metastasis (TGFβ, Notch, Atoh1, Sox2, and Myc). Thus, secondary heterozygous KMT2D mutations likely have prognostic value for identifying SHH-MB patients prone to develop metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reeti Mayur Sanghrajka
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard Koche
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hector Medrano
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Salsabiel El Nagar
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel N. Stephen
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhimin Lao
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - N. Sumru Bayin
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kai Ge
- Adipocyte Biology and Gene Regulation Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexandra L. Joyner
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
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6
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Slika H, Alimonti P, Raj D, Caraway C, Alomari S, Jackson EM, Tyler B. The Neurodevelopmental and Molecular Landscape of Medulloblastoma Subgroups: Current Targets and the Potential for Combined Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3889. [PMID: 37568705 PMCID: PMC10417410 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153889] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Despite the use of multiple therapeutic approaches consisting of surgical resection, craniospinal irradiation, and multiagent chemotherapy, the prognosis of many patients with medulloblastoma remains dismal. Additionally, the high doses of radiation and the chemotherapeutic agents used are associated with significant short- and long-term complications and adverse effects, most notably neurocognitive delay. Hence, there is an urgent need for the development and clinical integration of targeted treatment regimens with greater efficacy and superior safety profiles. Since the adoption of the molecular-based classification of medulloblastoma into wingless (WNT) activated, sonic hedgehog (SHH) activated, group 3, and group 4, research efforts have been directed towards unraveling the genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiles of each subtype. This review aims to delineate the progress that has been made in characterizing the neurodevelopmental and molecular features of each medulloblastoma subtype. It further delves into the implications that these characteristics have on the development of subgroup-specific targeted therapeutic agents. Furthermore, it highlights potential future avenues for combining multiple agents or strategies in order to obtain augmented effects and evade the development of treatment resistance in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Slika
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, Lebanon;
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Paolo Alimonti
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy;
| | - Divyaansh Raj
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Chad Caraway
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Safwan Alomari
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Eric M. Jackson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Betty Tyler
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
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7
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Monteiro JM, Reis Ramos JI, Teixeira e Sousa I, Bighetti-Trevisan RL, Ribas Filho JM, Isolan GR. Identification of CD114 Membrane Receptors as a Molecular Target in Medulloblastomas. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065331. [PMID: 36982406 PMCID: PMC10048885 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065331] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastomas are the most common solid tumors in children, accounting for 8–30% of pediatric brain cancers. It is a high-grade tumor with aggressive behavior and a typically b poor prognosis. Its treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, and presents high morbidity. Significant clinical, genetic, and prognostic differences exist between its four molecular subgroups: WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. Many studies seek to develop new chemotherapeutic agents for medulloblastomas through the identification of genes whose expressions are new molecular targets for drugs, such as membrane receptors associated with cell replication. This study aimed to assess the association of CD114 expression with mortality in patients with medulloblastoma. Databases from the Medulloblastoma Advanced Genomics International Consortium (MAGIC) were analyzed, focusing on the expression of the CD114 membrane receptor in different molecular types and its possible association with mortality. Our findings showed different CD114 expressions between Group 3 and other molecular groups, as well as between the molecular subtypes SHH γ and Group 3 α and Group 3 β. There was no statistically significant difference between the other groups and subtypes. Regarding mortality, this study did not find statistical significance in the association between low and high CD114 expressions and mortality. Medulloblastoma is a heterogeneous disease with many subtype variations of its genetic and intracellular signaling pathways. Similarly to this study, which could not demonstrate different CD114 membrane receptor expression patterns between groups, others who sought to associate CD114 expression with mortality in other types of cancer failed to establish a direct association. Since many indications point to the relation of this gene with cancer stem cells (CSCs), it may be part of a more extensive cellular signaling pathway with an eventual association with tumor recurrence. This study found no direct relationship between CD114 expression and mortality in patients with medulloblastoma. Further studies are needed on the intracellular signaling pathways associated with this receptor and its gene (the CSF3R).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jander Moreira Monteiro
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Advanced Neurology and Neurosurgery (CEANNE), Porto Alegre 90560-010, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program, Mackenzie Evangelical College of Parana, Curitiba 81531-980, Brazil
| | | | - Ian Teixeira e Sousa
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Conceição Children’s Hospital, Porto Alegre 90560-010, Brazil
| | | | | | - Gustavo Rassier Isolan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Advanced Neurology and Neurosurgery (CEANNE), Porto Alegre 90560-010, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program, Mackenzie Evangelical College of Parana, Curitiba 81531-980, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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8
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Zhang Z, Lu YX, Liu F, Sang L, Shi C, Xie S, Bian W, Yang JC, Yang Z, Qu L, Chen SY, Li J, Yang L, Yan Q, Wang W, Fu P, Shao J, Li X, Lin A. lncRNA BREA2 promotes metastasis by disrupting the WWP2-mediated ubiquitination of Notch1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2206694120. [PMID: 36795754 PMCID: PMC9974429 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206694120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Notch has been implicated in human cancers and is a putative therapeutic target. However, the regulation of Notch activation in the nucleus remains largely uncharacterized. Therefore, characterizing the detailed mechanisms governing Notch degradation will identify attractive strategies for treating Notch-activated cancers. Here, we report that the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) BREA2 drives breast cancer metastasis by stabilizing the Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD1). Moreover, we reveal WW domain containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 2 (WWP2) as an E3 ligase for NICD1 at K1821 and a suppressor of breast cancer metastasis. Mechanistically, BREA2 impairs WWP2-NICD1 complex formation and in turn stabilizes NICD1, leading to Notch signaling activation and lung metastasis. BREA2 loss sensitizes breast cancer cells to inhibition of Notch signaling and suppresses the growth of breast cancer patient-derived xenograft tumors, highlighting its therapeutic potential in breast cancer. Taken together, these results reveal the lncRNA BREA2 as a putative regulator of Notch signaling and an oncogenic player driving breast cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Key Laboratory for Cell and Gene Engineering of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Yun-xin Lu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Fangzhou Liu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Key Laboratory for Cell and Gene Engineering of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Lingjie Sang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Chengyu Shi
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Shaofang Xie
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310024, China
| | - Weixiang Bian
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310024, China
| | - Jie-cheng Yang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Zuozhen Yang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Lei Qu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Shi-yi Chen
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Pathology School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine South China University of Technology, Guangzhou510080, China
| | - Qingfeng Yan
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Wenqi Wang
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA92697
| | - Peifen Fu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, China
| | - Jianzhong Shao
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Xu Li
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310024, China
| | - Aifu Lin
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Key Laboratory for Cell and Gene Engineering of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang310058, China
- Breast Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310003, China
- International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang322000, China
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9
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Identification of Therapeutic Targets for Medulloblastoma by Tissue-Specific Genome-Scale Metabolic Model. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28020779. [PMID: 36677837 PMCID: PMC9864031 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB), occurring in the cerebellum, is the most common childhood brain tumor. Because conventional methods decline life quality and endanger children with detrimental side effects, computer models are needed to imitate the characteristics of cancer cells and uncover effective therapeutic targets with minimum toxic effects on healthy cells. In this study, metabolic changes specific to MB were captured by the genome-scale metabolic brain model integrated with transcriptome data. To determine the roles of sphingolipid metabolism in proliferation and metastasis in the cancer cell, 79 reactions were incorporated into the MB model. The pathways employed by MB without a carbon source and the link between metastasis and the Warburg effect were examined in detail. To reveal therapeutic targets for MB, biomass-coupled reactions, the essential genes/gene products, and the antimetabolites, which might deplete the use of metabolites in cells by triggering competitive inhibition, were determined. As a result, interfering with the enzymes associated with fatty acid synthesis (FAs) and the mevalonate pathway in cholesterol synthesis, suppressing cardiolipin production, and tumor-supporting sphingolipid metabolites might be effective therapeutic approaches for MB. Moreover, decreasing the activity of succinate synthesis and GABA-catalyzing enzymes concurrently might be a promising strategy for metastatic MB.
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10
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Borgenvik A, Holmberg KO, Bolin S, Zhao M, Savov V, Rosén G, Hutter S, Garancher A, Rahmanto AS, Bergström T, Olsen TK, Mainwaring OJ, Sattanino D, Verbaan AD, Rusert JM, Sundström A, Bravo MB, Dang Y, Wenz AS, Richardson S, Fotaki G, Hill RM, Dubuc AM, Kalushkova A, Remke M, Čančer M, Jernberg-Wiklund H, Giraud G, Chen X, Taylor MD, Sangfelt O, Clifford SC, Schüller U, Wechsler-Reya RJ, Weishaupt H, Swartling FJ. Dormant SOX9-Positive Cells Facilitate MYC-Driven Recurrence of Medulloblastoma. Cancer Res 2022; 82:4586-4603. [PMID: 36219398 PMCID: PMC9755969 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Relapse is the leading cause of death in patients with medulloblastoma, the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying recurrence could lead to more effective therapies for targeting tumor relapses. Here, we observed that SOX9, a transcription factor and stem cell/glial fate marker, is limited to rare, quiescent cells in high-risk medulloblastoma with MYC amplification. In paired primary-recurrent patient samples, SOX9-positive cells accumulated in medulloblastoma relapses. SOX9 expression anti-correlated with MYC expression in murine and human medulloblastoma cells. However, SOX9-positive cells were plastic and could give rise to a MYC high state. To follow relapse at the single-cell level, an inducible dual Tet model of medulloblastoma was developed, in which MYC expression was redirected in vivo from treatment-sensitive bulk cells to dormant SOX9-positive cells using doxycycline treatment. SOX9 was essential for relapse initiation and depended on suppression of MYC activity to promote therapy resistance, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and immune escape. p53 and DNA repair pathways were downregulated in recurrent tumors, whereas MGMT was upregulated. Recurrent tumor cells were found to be sensitive to treatment with an MGMT inhibitor and doxorubicin. These findings suggest that recurrence-specific targeting coupled with DNA repair inhibition comprises a potential therapeutic strategy in patients affected by medulloblastoma relapse. SIGNIFICANCE SOX9 facilitates therapy escape and recurrence in medulloblastoma via temporal inhibition of MYC/MYCN genes, revealing a strategy to specifically target SOX9-positive cells to prevent tumor relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Borgenvik
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karl O. Holmberg
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sara Bolin
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Miao Zhao
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vasil Savov
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gabriela Rosén
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sonja Hutter
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexandra Garancher
- Tumor Initiation & Maintenance Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, California
| | | | - Tobias Bergström
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Thale Kristin Olsen
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Oliver J. Mainwaring
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Damiana Sattanino
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Annemieke D. Verbaan
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jessica M. Rusert
- Tumor Initiation & Maintenance Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, California
| | - Anders Sundström
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mar Ballester Bravo
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yonglong Dang
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Amelie S. Wenz
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stacey Richardson
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Grammatiki Fotaki
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rebecca M. Hill
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian M. Dubuc
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Antonia Kalushkova
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marc Remke
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matko Čančer
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helena Jernberg-Wiklund
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Géraldine Giraud
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Xingqi Chen
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Michael D. Taylor
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olle Sangfelt
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Steven C. Clifford
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Paediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robert J. Wechsler-Reya
- Tumor Initiation & Maintenance Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, California
| | - Holger Weishaupt
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik J. Swartling
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Corresponding Author: Fredrik J. Swartling, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala 751 85, Sweden. E-mail:
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11
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Marabitti V, Giansanti M, De Mitri F, Gatto F, Mastronuzzi A, Nazio F. Pathological implications of metabolic reprogramming and its therapeutic potential in medulloblastoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1007641. [PMID: 36340043 PMCID: PMC9627342 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1007641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-specific alterations in metabolism have been recognized to sustain the production of ATP and macromolecules needed for cell growth, division and survival in many cancer types. However, metabolic heterogeneity poses a challenge for the establishment of effective anticancer therapies that exploit metabolic vulnerabilities. Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most heterogeneous malignant pediatric brain tumors, divided into four molecular subgroups (Wingless, Sonic Hedgehog, Group 3 and Group 4). Recent progresses in genomics, single-cell sequencing, and novel tumor models have updated the classification and stratification of MB, highlighting the complex intratumoral cellular diversity of this cancer. In this review, we emphasize the mechanisms through which MB cells rewire their metabolism and energy production networks to support and empower rapid growth, survival under stressful conditions, invasion, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Additionally, we discuss the potential clinical benefits of currently available drugs that could target energy metabolism to suppress MB progression and increase the efficacy of the current MB therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Marabitti
- Department of Hematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Giansanti
- Department of Hematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca De Mitri
- Department of Hematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Gatto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Angela Mastronuzzi
- Department of Hematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Nazio
- Department of Hematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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12
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Wang YX, Wu H, Ren Y, Lv S, Ji C, Xiang D, Zhang M, Lu H, Fu W, Liu Q, Yan Z, Ma Q, Miao J, Cai R, Lan X, Wu B, Wang W, Liu Y, Wang DZ, Cao M, He Z, Shi Y, Ping Y, Yao X, Zhang X, Zhang P, Wang JM, Wang Y, Cui Y, Bian XW. Elevated Kir2.1/nuclear N2ICD defines a highly malignant subtype of non-WNT/SHH medulloblastomas. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:72. [PMID: 35273141 PMCID: PMC8913686 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00890-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most common childhood malignant brain tumors (WHO grade IV), traditionally divided into WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4 subgroups based on the transcription profiles, somatic DNA alterations, and clinical outcomes. Unlike WNT and SHH subgroup MBs, Group 3 and Group 4 MBs have similar transcriptomes and lack clearly specific drivers and targeted therapeutic options. The recently revised WHO Classification of CNS Tumors has assigned Group 3 and 4 to a provisional non-WNT/SHH entity. In the present study, we demonstrate that Kir2.1, an inwardly-rectifying potassium channel, is highly expressed in non-WNT/SHH MBs, which promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis by recruiting Adam10 to enhance S2 cleavage of Notch2 thereby activating the Notch2 signaling pathway. Disruption of the Notch2 pathway markedly inhibited the growth and metastasis of Kir2.1-overexpressing MB cell-derived xenograft tumors in mice. Moreover, Kir2.1high/nuclear N2ICDhigh MBs are associated with the significantly shorter lifespan of the patients. Thus, Kir2.1high/nuclear N2ICDhigh can be used as a biomarker to define a novel subtype of non-WNT/SHH MBs. Our findings are important for the modification of treatment regimens and the development of novel-targeted therapies for non-WNT/SHH MBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Xia Wang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Haibo Wu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, 230036, Hefei, Anhui, China.,Intelligent Pathology Institute, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230036, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yong Ren
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of PLA, 627 Wuluo Road, Hongshan District, 430070, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shengqing Lv
- Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Chengdong Ji
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Dongfang Xiang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Mengsi Zhang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Huimin Lu
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenjuan Fu
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Zexuan Yan
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Qinghua Ma
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingya Miao
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruili Cai
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Xi Lan
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenying Wang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Yinhua Liu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, 241001, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Dai-Zhong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, 442000, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Mianfu Cao
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhicheng He
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Shi
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Yifang Ping
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaohong Yao
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Xia Zhang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China
| | - Ji Ming Wang
- Laboratory of Cancer and Immunometabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, 21703, US
| | - Yan Wang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China.
| | - Youhong Cui
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xiu-Wu Bian
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (former Third Military Medical University), 400038, Chongqing, China.
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13
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Burns I, Gwynne WD, Suk Y, Custers S, Chaudhry I, Venugopal C, Singh SK. The Road to CAR T-Cell Therapies for Pediatric CNS Tumors: Obstacles and New Avenues. Front Oncol 2022; 12:815726. [PMID: 35155252 PMCID: PMC8829546 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.815726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the most common solid tumors diagnosed in children and are the leading cause of pediatric cancer-related death. Those who do survive are faced with the long-term adverse effects of the current standard of care treatments of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. There is a pressing need for novel therapeutic strategies to treat pediatric CNS tumors more effectively while reducing toxicity - one of these novel modalities is chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. Currently approved for use in several hematological malignancies, there are promising pre-clinical and early clinical data that suggest CAR-T cells could transform the treatment of pediatric CNS tumors. There are, however, several challenges that must be overcome to develop safe and effective CAR T-cell therapies for CNS tumors. Herein, we detail these challenges, focusing on those unique to pediatric patients including antigen selection, tumor immunogenicity and toxicity. We also discuss our perspective on future avenues for CAR T-cell therapies and potential combinatorial treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Burns
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - William D Gwynne
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Yujin Suk
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Stefan Custers
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Iqra Chaudhry
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Chitra Venugopal
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Sheila K Singh
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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14
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Liang KH, Chang CC, Wu KS, Yu AL, Sung SY, Lee YY, Liang ML, Chen HH, Fen JJ, Chao ME, Liao YT, Wong TT. Notch signaling and natural killer cell infiltration in tumor tissues underlie medulloblastoma prognosis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23282. [PMID: 34857809 PMCID: PMC8639846 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02651-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common embryonic brain tumor in children. We investigated a cohort of 52 Asian medulloblastoma patients aged between 0 and 19 years old, who received surgical resections and post-resection treatments in the Taipei Medical University Hospital and the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Genome-wide RNA sequencing was performed on fresh-frozen surgical tissues. These data were analyzed using the CIBERSORTx immune deconvolution software. Two external clinical and molecular datasets from United States (n = 62) and Canada (n = 763) were used to evaluate the transferability of the gene-signature scores across ethnic populations. The abundance of 13 genes, including DLL1, are significantly associated with overall survival (All Cox regression P < 0.001). A gene-signature score was derived from the deep transcriptome, capable of indicating patients’ subsequent tumor recurrence (Hazard Ratio [HR] 1.645, confidence interval [CI] 1.337–2.025, P < 0.001) and mortality (HR 2.720, CI 1.798–4.112, P < 0.001). After the adjustment of baseline clinical factors, the score remains indicative of recurrence-free survival (HR 1.604, CI 1.292–1.992, P < 0.001) and overall survival (HR 2.781, CI 1.762–4.390, P < 0.001). Patients stratified by this score manifest not only distinct prognosis but also different molecular characteristics: Notch signaling ligands and receptors are comparatively overexpressed in patients with poorer prognosis, while tumor infiltrating natural killer cells are more abundant in patients with better prognosis. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining showed the DLL1 protein, a major ligand in the Notch signaling pathway, and the NCAM1 protein, a representative biomarker of natural killer cells, are present in the surgical tissues of patients of four molecular subgroups, WNT, SHH, Group 3 and Group 4. NCAM1 RNA level is also positively associated with the mutation burden in tumor (P = 0.023). The gene-signature score is validated successfully in the Canadian cohort (P = 0.009) as well as its three molecular subgroups (SHH, Group 3 and Group 4; P = 0.047, 0.018 and 0.040 respectively). In conclusion, pediatric medullablastoma patients can be stratified by gene-signature scores with distinct prognosis and molecular characteristics. Ligands and receptors of the Notch signaling pathway are overexpressed in the patient stratum with poorer prognosis. Tumor infiltrating natural killer cells are more abundant in the patient stratum with better prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kung-Hao Liang
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Institute of Food Safety and Health Risk Assessment, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Che-Chang Chang
- The PhD Program for Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Sheng Wu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
| | - Alice L Yu
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.,Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Shian-Ying Sung
- The PhD Program for Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Yen Lee
- Division of Paediatric Neurosurgery, the Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan
| | - Muh-Lii Liang
- Division of Paediatric Neurosurgery, the Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hung Chen
- Division of Paediatric Neurosurgery, the Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan
| | - Jun-Jeng Fen
- Department of Informatics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Meng-En Chao
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Liao
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Tong Wong
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan. .,Pediatric Brain Tumor Program, Taipei Cancer Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan. .,Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan. .,Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, 110, Taiwan.
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15
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Li P, Chen Y, Peng Y, Zhang Y, Zhou H, Chen X, Li T, Li S, Yang H, Wu C, Zheng C, Zhu J, You F, Li L, Qin X, Liu Y. Notch-1 signaling promotes reattachment of suspended cancer cells by cdc42-dependent microtentacles formation. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:4894-4908. [PMID: 34582616 PMCID: PMC8645759 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with a higher risk of metastasis in tumor patients. The adhesion and arrest of CTCs at a secondary site is an essential prerequisite for the occurrence of tumor metastasis. CTC reattachment has shown to be dependent on microtentacle (McTN) formation in vivo. However, the specific molecular mechanism of McTN formation in suspended cancer cells remains largely unclear. Here, we demonstrated that the activation of Notch-1 signaling triggers McTN formation to facilitate cell reattachment in suspended cell culture conditions. Moreover, molecular mechanistic studies revealed that McTN formation is governed by the balance between microtubule-driven outgrowth and actomyosin-driven cell contractility. The activation of Notch-1 downregulates the acetylation level of microtubules via the Cdc42/HDAC6 pathway, which contributes to microtubule polymerization. Simultaneously, Notch-1 signaling-induced Cdc42 activation also reduced phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain, leading to cell contractility attenuation. Altogether, these results defined a novel mechanism by which Notch-1 signaling disturbs the balance between the expansion of microtubules and contraction of the cortical actin, which promotes McTN formation and cell reattachment. Our findings provide a new perspective on the effective therapeutic target to prevent CTC reattachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yueting Peng
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yixi Zhang
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Hanying Zhou
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiangyan Chen
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shun Li
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunhui Wu
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Zheng
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Fengming You
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Qin
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiyao Liu
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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16
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Targeting cancer stem cells in medulloblastoma by inhibiting AMBRA1 dual function in autophagy and STAT3 signalling. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142:537-564. [PMID: 34302498 PMCID: PMC8357694 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02347-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a childhood malignant brain tumour comprising four main subgroups characterized by different genetic alterations and rate of mortality. Among MB subgroups, patients with enhanced levels of the c-MYC oncogene (MBGroup3) have the poorest prognosis. Here we identify a previously unrecognized role of the pro-autophagy factor AMBRA1 in regulating MB. We demonstrate that AMBRA1 expression depends on c-MYC levels and correlates with Group 3 patient poor prognosis; also, knockdown of AMBRA1 reduces MB stem potential, growth and migration of MBGroup3 stem cells. At a molecular level, AMBRA1 mediates these effects by suppressing SOCS3, an inhibitor of STAT3 activation. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of autophagy profoundly affects both stem and invasion potential of MBGroup3 stem cells, and a combined anti-autophagy and anti-STAT3 approach impacts the MBGroup3 outcome. Taken together, our data support the c-MYC/AMBRA1/STAT3 axis as a strong oncogenic signalling pathway with significance for both patient stratification strategies and targeted treatments of MBGroup3.
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17
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Martirosian V, Deshpande K, Zhou H, Shen K, Smith K, Northcott P, Lin M, Stepanosyan V, Das D, Remsik J, Isakov D, Boire A, De Feyter H, Hurth K, Li S, Wiemels J, Nakamura B, Shao L, Danilov C, Chen T, Neman J. Medulloblastoma uses GABA transaminase to survive in the cerebrospinal fluid microenvironment and promote leptomeningeal dissemination. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109302. [PMID: 34192534 PMCID: PMC8848833 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant pediatric brain tumor arising in the cerebellum. Although abnormal GABAergic receptor activation has been described in MB, studies have not yet elucidated the contribution of receptor-independent GABA metabolism to MB pathogenesis. We find primary MB tumors globally display decreased expression of GABA transaminase (ABAT), the protein responsible for GABA metabolism, compared with normal cerebellum. However, less aggressive WNT and SHH subtypes express higher ABAT levels compared with metastatic G3 and G4 tumors. We show that elevated ABAT expression results in increased GABA catabolism, decreased tumor cell proliferation, and induction of metabolic and histone characteristics mirroring GABAergic neurons. Our studies suggest ABAT expression fluctuates depending on metabolite changes in the tumor microenvironment, with nutrient-poor conditions upregulating ABAT expression. We find metastatic MB cells require ABAT to maintain viability in the metabolite-scarce cerebrospinal fluid by using GABA as an energy source substitute, thereby facilitating leptomeningeal metastasis formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahan Martirosian
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Krutika Deshpande
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Hao Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Keyue Shen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Kyle Smith
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Paul Northcott
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Michelle Lin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Vazgen Stepanosyan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Diganta Das
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jan Remsik
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Neuro-Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Danielle Isakov
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Neuro-Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Adrienne Boire
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Neuro-Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Henk De Feyter
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Kyle Hurth
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Shaobo Li
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Preventative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Joseph Wiemels
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Preventative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Brooke Nakamura
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Ling Shao
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Camelia Danilov
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Thomas Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Josh Neman
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; USC Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
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18
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Paul MR, Zage PE. Overview and recent advances in the targeting of medulloblastoma cancer stem cells. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2021; 21:957-974. [PMID: 34047251 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2021.1932472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Medulloblastoma, an embryonal small round blue cell tumor primarily arising in the posterior fossa, is the most common malignancy of the central nervous system in children and requires intensive multi-modality therapy for cure. Overall 5-year survival is approximately 75% in children with primary disease, but outcomes for relapsed disease are very poor. Recent advances have identified molecular subgroups with excellent prognosis, with 5-year overall survival rates >90%, and subgroups with very poor prognosis with overall survival rates <50%. Molecular subtyping has allowed for more sophisticated risk stratification of patients, but new treatments for the highest risk patients have not yet improved outcomes. Targeting cancer stem cells may improve outcomes, and several candidate targets and novel drugs are under investigation.Areas covered: We discuss medulloblastoma epidemiology, biology, treatment modalities, risk stratification, and molecular subgroup analysis, links between subgroup and developmental biology, cancer stem cell biology in medulloblastoma including previously described cancer stem cell markers and proposed targeted treatments in the current literature.Expert opinion: The understanding of cancer stem cells in medulloblastoma will advance therapies targeting the most treatment-resistant cells within the tumor and therefore reduce the incidence of treatment refractory and relapsed disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Rose Paul
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA (M.R.P., P.E.Z.); Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Peter E Zage
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA (M.R.P., P.E.Z.); Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
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19
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Ballabio C, Gianesello M, Lago C, Okonechnikov K, Anderle M, Aiello G, Antonica F, Zhang T, Gianno F, Giangaspero F, Hassan BA, Pfister SM, Tiberi L. Notch1 switches progenitor competence in inducing medulloblastoma. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/26/eabd2781. [PMID: 34162555 PMCID: PMC8221631 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd2781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The identity of the cell of origin is a key determinant of cancer subtype, progression, and prognosis. Group 3 medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant childhood brain cancer with poor prognosis and few candidates as putative cell of origin. We overexpressed the group 3 MB genetic drivers MYC and Gfi1 in different candidate cells of origin in the postnatal mouse cerebellum. We found that S100b+ cells are competent to initiate group 3 MB, and we observed that S100b+ cells have higher levels of Notch1 pathway activity compared to Math1+ cells. We found that additional activation of Notch1 in Math1+ and Sox2+ cells was sufficient to induce group 3 MB upon MYC/Gfi1 expression. Together, our data suggest that the Notch1 pathway plays a critical role in group 3 MB initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Ballabio
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Matteo Gianesello
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Chiara Lago
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Konstantin Okonechnikov
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marica Anderle
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aiello
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Francesco Antonica
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Paris Brain Institute-Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 8, Paris, France
| | - Francesca Gianno
- Dept. of Radiologic, Oncologic and Anatomo Pathological Sciences, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy
| | - Felice Giangaspero
- Dept. of Radiologic, Oncologic and Anatomo Pathological Sciences, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy
| | - Bassem A Hassan
- Paris Brain Institute-Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 8, Paris, France
| | - Stefan M Pfister
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luca Tiberi
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer, Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy.
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20
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Liu H, Sun Y, O'Brien JA, Franco-Barraza J, Qi X, Yuan H, Jin W, Zhang J, Gu C, Zhao Z, Yu C, Feng S, Yu X. Necroptotic astrocytes contribute to maintaining stemness of disseminated medulloblastoma through CCL2 secretion. Neuro Oncol 2021; 22:625-638. [PMID: 31729527 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noz214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medulloblastoma (MB) with metastases at diagnosis and recurrence correlates with poor prognosis. Unfortunately, the molecular mechanism underlying metastases growth has received less attention than primary therapy-naïve MB. Though astrocytes have been frequently detected in brain tumors, their roles in regulating the stemness properties of MB stem-like cells (MBSCs) in disseminated lesions remain elusive. METHODS Effects of tumor-associated astrocyte (TAA)-secreted chemokine C-C ligand 2 (CCL2) on MBSC self-renewal was determined by immunostaining analysis. Necroptosis of TAA was examined by measuring necrosome activity. Alterations in Notch signaling were examined after inhibition of CCL2. Progression of MBSC-derived tumors was evaluated after pharmaceutical blockage of necroptosis. RESULTS TAA, as the essential components of disseminated tumor, produced high levels of CCL2 to shape the inflammation microenvironment, which stimulated the enrichment of MBSCs in disseminated MB. In particular, CCL2 played a pivotal role in maintaining stem-like properties via Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3)-mediated activation of Notch signaling. Loss of CCL2/C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) function repressed the JAK2/STAT3-Notch pathway and impaired MBSC proliferation, leading to a dramatic reduction of stemness, tumorigenicity, and metastasizing capability. Furthermore, necroptosis-induced CCL2 release depended on activation of receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1)/RIP3/mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL) in TAA, which promoted the oncogenic phenotype. Blockade of necroptosis resulted in CCL2 deprivation and compromised MBSC self-proliferation, indicating MBSCs outsourced CCL2 from necroptotic TAA. Finally, CCL2 was upregulated in high-risk stages of MB, further supporting its value as a prognostic indicator. CONCLUSION These findings highlighted the critical role of CCL2/CCR2 in Notch signaling activation in MBSCs and revealed a necroptosis-associated glial cytokine microenvironment driving stemness maintenance in disseminations.Key Points1. TAA-derived CCL2 promoted stemness in disseminated MBSCs through Notch signaling activation via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.2. TAA released CCL2 in a RIP1/RIP3/MLKL-dependent manner leading to necroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Youliang Sun
- School of Basic Medical Science, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jenny A O'Brien
- Department of Internal Medicine, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Xueling Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongyu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science Cancer Hospital/National Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Jin
- Department of Pathology, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junping Zhang
- Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunyu Gu
- Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyu Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chunjiang Yu
- Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shiyu Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xinguang Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
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21
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Li M, Deng Y, Zhang W. Molecular Determinants of Medulloblastoma Metastasis and Leptomeningeal Dissemination. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:743-752. [PMID: 33608450 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-1026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain cancer in pediatrics consisting of four molecular subgroups, namely wingless (WNT), sonic hedgehog (SHH), Group 3, and Group 4. One of the biggest challenges in the clinical management of this disease is the leptomeningeal dissemination (LMD) of tumor cells with high morbidity and mortality. Many molecular regulators to date have been identified to participate in medulloblastoma metastasis. In the SHH subgroup, the co-upregulation of CXCR4 and PDGFR, as well as the activation of c-MET, show significant promigratory effects on medulloblastoma cells. Amplification or overexpression of genes on the long arm of chromosome 17, such as LASP1 and WIP1, facilitates tumor invasion in both Group 3 and Group 4 medulloblastomas. PRUNE1, NOTCH1, and MYC interactor JPO2 are more specific genetic drivers of metastatic Group 3 tumors. The RAS/MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways are two crucial signal transduction pathways that may work as the convergent downstream mechanism of various metastatic drivers. Extracellular signals and cellular components in the tumor microenvironment also play a vital role in promoting the spread and colonization of medulloblastoma cells. For instance, the stromal granule cells and astrocytes support tumor growth and dissemination by secreting PlGF and CCL2, respectively. Importantly, the genetic divergence has been determined between the matched primary and metastatic medulloblastoma samples. However, the difficulty of obtaining metastatic medulloblastoma tissue hinders more profound studies of LMD. Therefore, identifying and analyzing the subclone with the metastatic propensity in the primary tumor is essential for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Pediatrics Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhao Deng
- Department of Pediatrics Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wangming Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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22
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Roper SJ, Linke F, Scotting PJ, Coyle B. 3D spheroid models of paediatric SHH medulloblastoma mimic tumour biology, drug response and metastatic dissemination. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4259. [PMID: 33608621 PMCID: PMC7895940 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83809-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying medulloblastoma, the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour, requires simple yet realistic in vitro models. In this study, we optimised a robust, reliable, three-dimensional (3D) culture method for medulloblastoma able to recapitulate the spatial conformation, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions that exist in vivo and in patient tumours. We show that, when grown under the same stem cell enriching conditions, SHH subgroup medulloblastoma cell lines established tight, highly reproducible 3D spheroids that could be maintained for weeks in culture and formed pathophysiological oxygen gradients. 3D spheroid culture also increased resistance to standard-of-care chemotherapeutic drugs compared to 2D monolayer culture. We exemplify how this model can enhance in vitro therapeutic screening approaches through dual-inhibitor studies and continual monitoring of drug response. Next, we investigated the initial stages of metastatic dissemination using brain-specific hyaluronan hydrogel matrices. RNA sequencing revealed downregulation of cell cycle genes and upregulation of cell movement genes and key fibronectin interactions in migrating cells. Analyses of these upregulated genes in patients showed that their expression correlated with early relapse and overall poor prognosis. Our 3D spheroid model is a significant improvement over current in vitro techniques, providing the medulloblastoma research community with a well-characterised and functionally relevant culture method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie J Roper
- Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Franziska Linke
- Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Paul J Scotting
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Beth Coyle
- Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
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23
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Wu D, Jin J, Qiu Z, Liu D, Luo H. Functional Analysis of O-GlcNAcylation in Cancer Metastasis. Front Oncol 2020; 10:585288. [PMID: 33194731 PMCID: PMC7653022 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.585288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
One common and reversible type of post-translational modification (PTM) is the addition of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification (O-GlcNAcylation), and its dynamic balance is controlled by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and glycoside hydrolase O-GlcNAcase (OGA) through the addition or removal of O-GlcNAc groups. A large amount of research data confirms that proteins regulated by O-GlcNAcylation play a pivotal role in cells. In particularly, imbalanced levels of OGT and O-GlcNAcylation have been found in various types of cancers. Recently, increasing evidence shows that imbalanced O-GlcNAcylation directly or indirectly impacts the process of cancer metastasis. This review summarizes the current understanding of the influence of O-GlcNAc-proteins on the regulation of cancer metastasis. It will provide a theoretical basis to further elucidate of the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer emergence and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donglu Wu
- School of Clinical Medical, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Effective Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
| | - Jingji Jin
- School of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
| | - Zhidong Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Effective Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China.,School of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
| | - Da Liu
- Key Laboratory of Effective Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China.,School of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
| | - Haoming Luo
- Key Laboratory of Effective Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China.,School of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
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24
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Wong GCH, Li KKW, Wang WW, Liu APY, Huang QJ, Chan AKY, Poon MFM, Chung NYF, Wong QHW, Chen H, Chan DTM, Liu XZ, Mao Y, Zhang ZY, Shi ZF, Ng HK. Clinical and mutational profiles of adult medulloblastoma groups. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:191. [PMID: 33172502 PMCID: PMC7656770 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01066-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult medulloblastomas are clinically and molecularly understudied due to their rarity. We performed molecular grouping, targeted sequencing, and TERT promoter Sanger sequencing on a cohort of 99 adult medulloblastomas. SHH made up 50% of the cohort, whereas Group 3 (13%) was present in comparable proportion to WNT (19%) and Group 4 (18%). In contrast to paediatric medulloblastomas, molecular groups had no prognostic impact in our adult cohort (p = 0.877). Most frequently mutated genes were TERT (including promoter mutations, mutated in 36% cases), chromatin modifiers KMT2D (31%) and KMT2C (30%), TCF4 (31%), PTCH1 (27%) and DDX3X (24%). Adult WNT patients showed enrichment of TP53 mutations (6/15 WNT cases), and 3/6 TP53-mutant WNT tumours were of large cell/anaplastic histology. Adult SHH medulloblastomas had frequent upstream pathway alterations (PTCH1 and SMO mutations) and few downstream alterations (SUFU mutations, MYCN amplifications). TERT promoter mutations were found in 72% of adult SHH patients, and were restricted to this group. Adult Group 3 tumours lacked hallmark MYC amplifications, but had recurrent mutations in KBTBD4 and NOTCH1. Adult Group 4 tumours harboured recurrent mutations in TCF4 and chromatin modifier genes. Overall, amplifications of MYC and MYCN were rare (3%). Since molecular groups were not prognostic, alternative prognostic markers are needed for adult medulloblastoma. KMT2C mutations were frequently found across molecular groups and were associated with poor survival (p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis identified histological type (p = 0.026), metastasis (p = 0.031) and KMT2C mutational status (p = 0.046) as independent prognosticators in our cohort. In summary, we identified distinct clinical and mutational characteristics of adult medulloblastomas that will inform their risk stratification and treatment.
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25
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Li X, Tao Z, Wang H, Deng Z, Zhou Y, Du Z. Dual inhibition of Src and PLK1 regulate stemness and induce apoptosis through Notch1-SOX2 signaling in EGFRvIII positive glioma stem cells (GSCs). Exp Cell Res 2020; 396:112261. [PMID: 32896567 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Glioma stem cells (GSCs) have been implicated in the promotion of malignant progression. Epidermal growth factor receptor variant (EGFRv) has been associated with glioma "stemness". However, the molecular mechanism is not clear. In this study, we were committed to investigate the role of EGFRv in GSCs and presented a new therapeutic target in EGFRvIII positive GSCs. The results showed that EGFRvIII could induce the expression of p-Src and PLK1, and both could induce the Notch1-SOX2 signaling pathway to promote self-renewal and tumor progression of GSCs. Mechanistically, both p-Src and PLK1 can induce Notch1, and the intracellular domain of Notch1 (NICD) can directly bind to SOX2, thereby promoting the maintenance of glioma stem cells. Furthermore, Saracatinib (Src inhibition) and BI2536 (PLK1 inhibition) diminished GSC self-renewal in vitro, and combining the two inhibitors increased survival of orthotopic tumor-bearing mice. Taken together, these data indicate that p-Src and PLK1 contribute to cancer stemness in EGFRvIII-positive GSCs by driving Notch1-SOX2 signaling, a finding that has important clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuetao Li
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhennan Tao
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhitong Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youxin Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Ziwei Du
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Luzzi S, Giotta Lucifero A, Brambilla I, Semeria Mantelli S, Mosconi M, Foiadelli T, Savasta S. Targeting the medulloblastoma: a molecular-based approach. ACTA BIO-MEDICA : ATENEI PARMENSIS 2020; 91:79-100. [PMID: 32608377 PMCID: PMC7975825 DOI: 10.23750/abm.v91i7-s.9958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lack of success of standard therapies for medulloblastoma has highlighted the need to plan a new therapeutic approach. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the novel treatment strategies based on the molecular characterization and risk categories of the medulloblastoma, also focusing on up-to-date relevant clinical trials and the challenges in translating tailored approaches into clinical practice. METHODS An online search of the literature was carried out on the PubMed/MEDLINE and ClinicalTrials.gov websites about molecular classification of medulloblastomas, ongoing clinical trials and new treatment strategies. Only articles in the English language and published in the last five years were selected. The research was refined based on the best match and relevance. RESULTS A total 58 articles and 51 clinical trials were analyzed. Trials were of phase I, II, and I/II in 55%, 33% and 12% of the cases, respectively. Target and adoptive immunotherapies were the treatment strategies for newly diagnosed and recurrent medulloblastoma in 71% and 29% of the cases, respectively. CONCLUSION Efforts are focused on the fine-tuning of target therapies and immunotherapies, including agents directed to specific pathways, engineered T-cells and oncoviruses. The blood-brain barrier, chemoresistance, the tumor microenvironment and cancer stem cells are the main translational challenges to be overcome in order to optimize medulloblastoma treatment, reduce the long-term morbidity and increase the overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabino Luzzi
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Alice Giotta Lucifero
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Brambilla
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Uni-versity of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Simona Semeria Mantelli
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Uni-versity of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Mario Mosconi
- Orthopaedic and Traumatology Unit, Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Thomas Foiadelli
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Uni-versity of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Savasta
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Uni-versity of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
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27
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Paul MR, Huo Y, Liu A, Lesperance J, Garancher A, Wechsler-Reya RJ, Zage PE. Characterization of G-CSF receptor expression in medulloblastoma. Neurooncol Adv 2020; 2:vdaa062. [PMID: 32642714 PMCID: PMC7316203 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdaa062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Identifying mechanisms of medulloblastoma recurrence is a key to improving patient survival, and targeting treatment-resistant subpopulations within tumors could reduce disease recurrence. Expression of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSF-R, CD114) is a potential marker of cancer stem cells, and therefore we hypothesized that a subpopulation of medulloblastoma cells would also express CD114 and would demonstrate chemoresistance and responsiveness to G-CSF. Methods Prevalence of CD114-positive (CD114+) cells in medulloblastoma cell lines, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumors, and primary patient tumor samples were assessed by flow cytometry. Growth rates, chemoresistance, and responses to G-CSF of CD114+ and CD114-negative (CD114−) cells were characterized in vitro using continuous live cell imaging and flow cytometry. Gene expression profiles were compared between CD114+ and CD114− medulloblastoma cells using quantitative RT-PCR. Results CD114+ cells were identifiable in medulloblastoma cell lines, PDX tumors, and primary patient tumors and have slower growth rates than CD114− or mixed populations. G-CSF accelerates the growth of CD114+ cells, and CD114+ cells are more chemoresistant. The CD114+ population is enriched when G-CSF treatment follows chemotherapy. The CD114+ population also has higher expression of the CSF3R, NRP-1, TWIST1, and MYCN genes. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that a subpopulation of CD114+ medulloblastoma cells exists in cell lines and tumors, which may evade traditional chemotherapy and respond to exogenous G-CSF. These properties invite further investigation into the role of G-CSF in medulloblastoma therapy and methods to specifically target these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Rose Paul
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.,Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Yuchen Huo
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Andrea Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Jacqueline Lesperance
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Alexandra Garancher
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Robert J Wechsler-Reya
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Peter E Zage
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.,Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
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28
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An immunohistochemical study of HER2 expression in primary brain tumors. Biomedicine (Taipei) 2020; 10:21-27. [PMID: 33854909 PMCID: PMC7608844 DOI: 10.37796/2211-8039.1001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Primary brain tumors (PBTs) include any tumor in the brain whose prognosis is weak because of their histological characteristics. Aim Herein, this study aimed to assess the HER2 tumor marker frequency in PBTs. Materials and methods This study was done on the samples of primary brain tumor diagnosis from 2008 to 2015. Results Out of 107 patients of brain tumor that had a mean age of 40.4 years (61.7% men), the most common location of the tumor was in the supratentorial region (63.85% cases). The prevalence of high-grade astrocytoma (HGA) and low-grade astrocytoma (LGA) at diagnosis was 43.9% and 37.4%, respectively. With regard to HER2 score, HER2-positive (scores 2 & 3) was in 42.1% of patients. On the other hand, HER2-negative (−) was in 57.9%, 2+ in 33.6%, and 3+ in 8.4% of patients. The patients of LGA had significantly younger ages, lower HER2 positivity, and lower HER2 percent compared with the HGA patients. Conclusions The type of brain tumors can impact on HER2 expression that high HER2 expression in HGA may be helpful for therapeutic aims. Further studies are required to support these results with a higher volume of patients in the world.
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Van Ommeren R, Garzia L, Holgado BL, Ramaswamy V, Taylor MD. The molecular biology of medulloblastoma metastasis. Brain Pathol 2020; 30:691-702. [PMID: 31883407 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor of childhood and a significant contributor to pediatric morbidity and death. While metastatic dissemination is the predominant cause of morbidity and mortality for patients with this disease, most research efforts and clinical trials to date have focused on the primary tumor; this is due mostly to the paucity of metastatic tumor samples and lack of robust mouse models of MB dissemination. Most current insights into the molecular drivers of metastasis have been derived from comparative molecular studies of metastatic and non-metastatic primary tumors. However, small studies on matched primary and metastatic tissues and recently developed mouse models of dissemination have begun to uncover the molecular biology of MB metastasis more directly. With respect to anatomical routes of dissemination, a hematogenous route for MB metastasis has recently been demonstrated, opening new avenues of investigation. The tumor micro-environment of the primary and metastatic niches has also been increasingly scrutinized in recent years, and further investigation of these tumor compartments is likely to result in a better understanding of the molecular mediators of MB colonization and growth in metastatic compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy Van Ommeren
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Livia Garzia
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Borja L Holgado
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vijay Ramaswamy
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael D Taylor
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Senior Author
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30
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Inhibition of Rho-Associated Kinase Suppresses Medulloblastoma Growth. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 12:cancers12010073. [PMID: 31888022 PMCID: PMC7016943 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12010073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is one of the most common malignant brain tumor types in children, with an overall survival of 70%. Mortality is associated with metastatic relapsed tumors. Rho-associated kinases (ROCKs), important for epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and proper nervous system development, have previously been identified as a promising drug target to inhibit cancer growth and metastatic spread. Here, we show that ROCKs are expressed in medulloblastoma, with higher ROCK2 mRNA expression in metastatic compared to non-metastatic tumors. By evaluating three ROCK inhibitors in a panel of medulloblastoma cell lines we demonstrated that medulloblastoma cells were sensitive for pharmacological ROCK inhibition. The specific ROCK inhibitor RKI-1447 inhibited the tumorigenicity in medulloblastoma cells as well as impeded cell migration and invasion. Differential gene expression analysis suggested that ROCK inhibition was associated with the downregulation of signaling pathways important in proliferation and metastasis e.g., TNFα via NFκβ, TGFβ, and EMT. Expression of key proteins in these pathways such as RHOA, RHOB, JUN, and vimentin was downregulated in ROCK inhibited cells. Finally, we showed that ROCK inhibition by RKI-1447 suppressed medulloblastoma growth and proliferation in vivo. Collectively, our results suggest that ROCK inhibition presents a potential new therapeutic option in medulloblastoma, especially for children with metastatic disease.
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Maier J, Elmenofi S, Taschauer A, Anton M, Sami H, Ogris M. Luminescent and fluorescent triple reporter plasmid constructs for Wnt, Hedgehog and Notch pathway. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226570. [PMID: 31860685 PMCID: PMC6924688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tracking the activity of signalling pathways is a fundamental method for basic science, as well as in cancer- and pharmaceutical research. The developmental pathways Wnt, Hedgehog and Notch are frequently deregulated in cancers and represent a valuable target for the discovery of novel anticancer compounds. Here we present reporter systems for tracking activity of these pathways by using specific promoter elements driving the expression of either sensitive luciferases or fluorescent proteins. A high level of sensitivity was obtained using the luciferase reporter genes for firefly (FLuc), secreted Gaussia (GLuc) and synthetic NanoLuc (NLuc). As fluorescent reporter proteins, mTurqouise2, tdTomato and iRFP720 were chosen. Specificity of pathway activity was validated by co-transfection with pathway activating genes, showing significant response to induction. In addition, multi-gene plasmids were cloned, allowing the detection of all three pathways by one vector. By using the multi-gene vector 3P-Luc (wnt-NLuc, hedgehog-FLuc, Notch-GLuc), we could unambiguously demonstrate the crosstalk between pathways, while excluding cross reactivity of luciferase substrates. First studies with synthetic compounds confirmed the applicability of the system for future drug screening approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Maier
- Laboratory of MacroMolecular Cancer Therapeutics (MMCT), Center of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Salma Elmenofi
- Laboratory of MacroMolecular Cancer Therapeutics (MMCT), Center of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Taschauer
- Laboratory of MacroMolecular Cancer Therapeutics (MMCT), Center of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martina Anton
- Institutes of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Haider Sami
- Laboratory of MacroMolecular Cancer Therapeutics (MMCT), Center of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail: (MO); (HS)
| | - Manfred Ogris
- Laboratory of MacroMolecular Cancer Therapeutics (MMCT), Center of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail: (MO); (HS)
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Pan Y, Long W, Liu Q. Current Advances and Future Perspectives of Cerebrospinal Fluid Biopsy in Midline Brain Malignancies. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2019; 20:88. [PMID: 31784837 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-019-0689-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Malignancies arising in midline brain structures, including lymphomas, teratomas, germinomas, diffuse midline gliomas, and medulloblastomas typically respond to systemic therapies, and excessive surgical excision can result in serious complications, so that total surgical removal is not routinely performed. Identifying tumor specific biomarkers that can facilitate diagnosis at early stage and allow for dynamic surveillance of the tumor is of great clinical importance. However, existing standard methods for biopsy of these brain neoplasms are high risk, time consuming, and costly. Thus, less invasive and more rapid diagnosis tests are urgently needed to detect midline brain malignancies. Currently, tools for cerebrospinal biopsy of midline brain malignancies mainly include circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cells, and extracellular vesicles. Circulating tumor DNA achieved minimally invasive biopsy in several brain malignancies and has advantages in detecting tumor-specific mutations. In the field of tumor heterogeneity, circulating tumor cells better reflect the genome of tumors than surgical biopsy specimens. They can be applied for the diagnosis of leptomeningeal metastasis. Extracellular vesicles contain lots of genetic information about cancer cells, so they have potential in finding therapeutic targets and studying tumor invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimin Pan
- Department of Neurosurgery in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Wenyong Long
- Department of Neurosurgery in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
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Menyhárt O, Giangaspero F, Győrffy B. Molecular markers and potential therapeutic targets in non-WNT/non-SHH (group 3 and group 4) medulloblastomas. J Hematol Oncol 2019; 12:29. [PMID: 30876441 PMCID: PMC6420757 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-019-0712-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood medulloblastomas (MB) are heterogeneous and are divided into four molecular subgroups. The provisional non-wingless-activated (WNT)/non-sonic hedgehog-activated (SHH) category combining group 3 and group 4 represents over two thirds of all MBs, coupled with the highest rates of metastases and least understood pathology. The molecular era expanded our knowledge about molecular aberrations involved in MB tumorigenesis, and here, we review processes leading to non-WNT/non-SHH MB formations. The heterogeneous group 3 and group 4 MBs frequently harbor rare individual genetic alterations, yet the emerging profiles suggest that infrequent events converge on common, potentially targetable signaling pathways. A mutual theme is the altered epigenetic regulation, and in vitro approaches targeting epigenetic machinery are promising. Growing evidence indicates the presence of an intermediate, mixed signature group along group 3 and group 4, and future clarifications are imperative for concordant classification, as misidentifying patient samples has serious implications for therapy and clinical trials. To subdue the high MB mortality, we need to discern mechanisms of disease spread and recurrence. Current preclinical models do not represent the full scale of group 3 and group 4 heterogeneity: all of existing group 3 cell lines are MYC-amplified and most mouse models resemble MYC-activated MBs. Clinical samples provide a wealth of information about the genetic divergence between primary tumors and metastatic clones, but recurrent MBs are rarely resected. Molecularly stratified treatment options are limited, and targeted therapies are still in preclinical development. Attacking these aggressive tumors at multiple frontiers will be needed to improve stagnant survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otília Menyhárt
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 7-9, Budapest, H-1094, Hungary.,MTA TTK Lendület Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary
| | - Felice Giangaspero
- Department of Radiological, Oncological, and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (Is), Italy
| | - Balázs Győrffy
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 7-9, Budapest, H-1094, Hungary. .,MTA TTK Lendület Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary.
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