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Aref-Eshghi E, Lin F, Li MM, Zhong Y. The oncogenic roles of NTRK fusions and methods of molecular diagnosis. Cancer Genet 2021; 258-259:110-119. [PMID: 34710798 DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The NTRK gene family is composed of NTRK1, NTRK2, and NTRK3, which encode three tropomyosin-receptor kinases, belonging to a class of tyrosine kinase receptors. These proteins are known to play roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and survival. Fusions involving the NTRK genes are long known as drivers in many tumors. Although they occur in less than 5% of all malignancies, their occurrence in a great diversity of tumors has been documented. Several rare tumors including infantile fibrosarcoma, secretory breast carcinoma, and mammary analogue secretory carcinoma are accompanied by NTRK fusions in more than 90% of cases, demonstrating a diagnostic value for the NTRK fusion testing in these tumors. More recently, the development of effective targeted therapies has created a demand for their detection in all malignancies. A variety of approaches are available for testing including immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and DNA- and RNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS). This article reviews the molecular biology and tumorigenesis of NTRK fusions, their prevalence and clinical significance with a focus on available methods for fusion detection. The advantages and limitations of different technologies, the best practice algorithms for NTRK fusion detection, and the future direction of NTRK testing are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erfan Aref-Eshghi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Genomic Diagnostics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Fumin Lin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Genomic Diagnostics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Marilyn M Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Genomic Diagnostics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yiming Zhong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Genomic Diagnostics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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2
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New Insights into the Pathogenesis of Systemic Mastocytosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094900. [PMID: 34063170 PMCID: PMC8125314 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mastocytosis is a type of myeloid neoplasm characterized by the clonal, neoplastic proliferation of morphologically and immunophenotypically abnormal mast cells that infiltrate one or more organ systems. Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a more aggressive variant of mastocytosis with extracutaneous involvement, which might be associated with multi-organ dysfunction or failure and shortened survival. Over 80% of patients with SM carry the KIT D816V mutation. However, the KIT D816V mutation serves as a weak oncogene and appears to be a late event in the pathogenesis of mastocytosis. The management of SM is highly individualized and was largely palliative for patients without a targeted form of therapy in past decades. Targeted therapy with midostaurin, a multiple kinase inhibitor that inhibits KIT, has demonstrated efficacy in patients with advanced SM. This led to the recent approval of midostaurin by the United States Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. However, the overall survival of patients treated with midostaurin remains unsatisfactory. The identification of genetic and epigenetic alterations and understanding their interactions and the molecular mechanisms involved in mastocytosis is necessary to develop rationally targeted therapeutic strategies. This review briefly summarizes recent developments in the understanding of SM pathogenesis and potential treatment strategies for patients with SM.
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Joshi SK, Qian K, Bisson WH, Watanabe-Smith K, Huang A, Bottomly D, Traer E, Tyner JW, McWeeney SK, Davare MA, Druker BJ, Tognon CE. Discovery and characterization of targetable NTRK point mutations in hematologic neoplasms. Blood 2020; 135:2159-2170. [PMID: 32315394 PMCID: PMC7290093 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019003691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Much of what is known about the neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) genes in cancer was revealed through identification and characterization of activating Trk fusions across many tumor types. A resurgence of interest in these receptors has emerged owing to the realization that they are promising therapeutic targets. The remarkable efficacy of pan-Trk inhibitors larotrectinib and entrectinib in clinical trials led to their accelerated, tissue-agnostic US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for adult and pediatric patients with Trk-driven solid tumors. Despite our enhanced understanding of Trk biology in solid tumors, the importance of Trk signaling in hematological malignancies is underexplored and warrants further investigation. Herein, we describe mutations in NTRK2 and NTRK3 identified via deep sequencing of 185 patients with hematological malignancies. Ten patients contained a point mutation in NTRK2 or NTRK3; among these, we identified 9 unique point mutations. Of these 9 mutations, 4 were oncogenic (NTRK2A203T, NTRK2R458G, NTRK3E176D, and NTRK3L449F), determined via cytokine-independent cellular assays. Our data demonstrate that these mutations have transformative potential to promote downstream survival signaling and leukemogenesis. Specifically, the 3 mutations located within extracellular (ie, NTRK2A203T and NTRK3E176D) and transmembrane (ie, NTRK3L449F) domains increased receptor dimerization and cell-surface abundance. The fourth mutation, NTRK2R458G, residing in the juxtamembrane domain, activates TrkB via noncanonical mechanisms that may involve altered interactions between the mutant receptor and lipids in the surrounding environment. Importantly, these 4 activating mutations can be clinically targeted using entrectinib. Our findings contribute to ongoing efforts to define the mutational landscape driving hematological malignancies and underscore the utility of FDA-approved Trk inhibitors for patients with aggressive Trk-driven leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil K Joshi
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, and
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | | | - William H Bisson
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; and
| | | | | | | | - Elie Traer
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- Department of Cell, Development, and Cancer Biology
| | - Jeffrey W Tyner
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- Department of Cell, Development, and Cancer Biology
| | - Shannon K McWeeney
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology
| | - Monika A Davare
- Department of Cell, Development, and Cancer Biology
- Papé Pediatric Research Institute
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, and
| | - Brian J Druker
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- Department of Cell, Development, and Cancer Biology
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Cristina E Tognon
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
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4
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Joshi SK, Davare MA, Druker BJ, Tognon CE. Revisiting NTRKs as an emerging oncogene in hematological malignancies. Leukemia 2019; 33:2563-2574. [PMID: 31551508 PMCID: PMC7410820 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-019-0576-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
NTRK fusions are dominant oncogenic drivers found in rare solid tumors. These fusions have also been identified in more common cancers, such as lung and colorectal carcinomas, albeit at low frequencies. Patients harboring these fusions demonstrate significant clinical response to inhibitors such as entrectinib and larotrectinib. Although current trials have focused entirely on solid tumors, there is evidence supporting the use of these drugs for patients with leukemia. To assess the broader applicability for Trk inhibitors in hematological malignancies, this review describes the current state of knowledge about alterations in the NTRK family in these disorders. We present these findings in relation to the discovery and therapeutic targeting of BCR–ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia. The advent of deep sequencing technologies has shown that NTRK fusions and somatic mutations are present in a variety of hematologic malignancies. Efficacy of Trk inhibitors has been demonstrated in NTRK-fusion positive human leukemia cell lines and patient-derived xenograft studies, highlighting the potential clinical utility of these inhibitors for a subset of leukemia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil K Joshi
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Monika A Davare
- Papé Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Brian J Druker
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States. .,Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States.
| | - Cristina E Tognon
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States. .,Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States.
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5
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Manley PW, Caravatti G, Furet P, Roesel J, Tran P, Wagner T, Wartmann M. Comparison of the Kinase Profile of Midostaurin (Rydapt) with That of Its Predominant Metabolites and the Potential Relevance of Some Newly Identified Targets to Leukemia Therapy. Biochemistry 2018; 57:5576-5590. [PMID: 30148617 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The multitargeted protein kinase inhibitor midostaurin is approved for the treatment of both newly diagnosed FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and KIT-driven advanced systemic mastocytosis. AML is a heterogeneous malignancy, and investigational drugs targeting FLT3 have shown disparate effects in patients with FLT3-mutated AML, probably as a result of their inhibiting different targets and pathways at the administered doses. However, the efficacy and side effects of drugs do not just reflect the biochemical and pharmacodynamic properties of the parent compound but are often comprised of complex cooperative effects between the properties of the parent and active metabolites. Following chronic dosing, two midostaurin metabolites attain steady-state plasma trough levels greater than that of the parent drug. In this study, we characterized these metabolites and determined their profiles as kinase inhibitors using radiometric transphosphorylation assays. Like midostaurin, the metabolites potently inhibit mutant forms of FLT3 and KIT and several additional kinases that either are directly involved in the deregulated signaling pathways or have been implicated as playing a role in AML via stromal support, such as IGF1R, LYN, PDPK1, RET, SYK, TRKA, and VEGFR2. Consequently, a complex interplay between the kinase activities of midostaurin and its metabolites is likely to contribute to the efficacy of midostaurin in AML and helps to engender the distinctive effects of the drug compared to those of other FLT3 inhibitors in this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul W Manley
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , Novartis International AG , CH-4002 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Caravatti
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , Novartis International AG , CH-4002 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Pascal Furet
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , Novartis International AG , CH-4002 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Johannes Roesel
- Oncology Disease Area, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , Novartis International AG , CH-4002 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Phi Tran
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics , Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , East Hanover , New Jersey 07936 , United States
| | - Trixie Wagner
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , Novartis International AG , CH-4002 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Markus Wartmann
- Oncology Disease Area, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , Novartis International AG , CH-4002 Basel , Switzerland
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6
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Characterization of TRKA signaling in acute myeloid leukemia. Oncotarget 2018; 9:30092-30105. [PMID: 30046390 PMCID: PMC6059018 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropomyosin-related kinase A (TRKA) translocations have oncogenic potential and have been found in rare cases of solid tumors. Accumulating evidence indicates that TRKA and its ligand, nerve growth factor (NGF), may play a role in normal hematopoiesis and may be deregulated in leukemogenesis. Here, we report a comprehensive evaluation of TRKA signaling in normal and leukemic cells. TRKA expression is highest in common myeloid progenitors and is overexpressed in core binding factor and megakaryocytic leukemias, especially Down syndrome-related AML. Importantly, NGF can rescue GM-CSF dependent TF-1 AML cells, but does not drive proliferation in other TRKA-expressing lines. Although TRKA expression is heterogeneous between and within AML samples, NGF stimulation broadly induces ERK signaling, demonstrating the functional ability of AML cells to respond to NGF/TRKA signaling. However, neither shRNA knockdown nor pharmacologic inhibition have significant anti-proliferative effects on human AML cells in vitro and in vivo. Thus, despite functional NGF/TRKA signaling, the importance of TRKA in AML remains unclear.
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7
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Therapeutic Targeting of mTOR in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: An Update. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19071878. [PMID: 29949919 PMCID: PMC6073309 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19071878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive blood malignancy that arises from the clonal expansion of transformed T-cell precursors. Although T-ALL prognosis has significantly improved due to the development of intensive chemotherapeutic protocols, primary drug-resistant and relapsed patients still display a dismal outcome. In addition, lifelong irreversible late effects from conventional therapy are a growing problem for leukemia survivors. Therefore, novel targeted therapies are required to improve the prognosis of high-risk patients. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is the kinase subunit of two structurally and functionally distinct multiprotein complexes, which are referred to as mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2. These two complexes regulate a variety of physiological cellular processes including protein, lipid, and nucleotide synthesis, as well as autophagy in response to external cues. However, mTOR activity is frequently deregulated in cancer, where it plays a key oncogenetic role driving tumor cell proliferation, survival, metabolic transformation, and metastatic potential. Promising preclinical studies using mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in many human cancer types, including T-ALL. Here, we highlight our current knowledge of mTOR signaling and inhibitors in T-ALL, with an emphasis on emerging evidence of the superior efficacy of combinations consisting of mTOR inhibitors and either traditional or targeted therapeutics.
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8
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Pan Z, Yang M, Huang K, Büsche G, Glage S, Ganser A, Li Z. Flow cytometric characterization of acute leukemia reveals a distinctive "blast gate" of murine T-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma. Oncotarget 2018; 9:2320-2328. [PMID: 29416774 PMCID: PMC5788642 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunophenotypic analysis using multiparameter flow cytometry is an indispensable tool for diagnosis and management of acute leukemia. Mouse models have been widely used for medical research for more than 100 years and are indispensable for leukemia research. However, immunophenotypic analysis of murine leukemia was not always performed in published studies, and blast gating for isolation of blasts was shown only in very few studies. No systemic characterization of all types of murine acute leukemia in large cohorts by flow cytometry has been reported. In this study, we used flow cytometry to comprehensively characterize murine acute leukemia in a large cohort of mice. We found that murine T-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL) exhibits a distinctive “blast gate” (CD45bright) with CD45/side scatter gating that differs from the “blast gate” (CD45dim) of human T-ALL. By contrast, murine B-lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia show the same blast region (CD45dim) as human leukemia. Using blast cell gating, we for first time detected T-ALL development in FLT3-ITD knock-in mice (incidence: 23%). These leukemic cells were selectively killed by the FLT3 inhibitors crenolanib and midostaurin in vitro. These data suggest that FLT3-ITD plays a potential role in the pathogenesis of T-ALL and that FLT3-ITD inhibition is a therapeutic option in the management of patients with T-ALL. Our gating strategy for immunophenotypic analysis can be used for leukemogenesis and preclinical gene therapy studies in mice and may improve the quality of such analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengkai Pan
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Min Yang
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kezhi Huang
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Hematology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guntram Büsche
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Silke Glage
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Arnold Ganser
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Zhixiong Li
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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9
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Yang M, Pan Z, Huang K, Büsche G, Feuerhake F, Chaturvedi A, Nie D, Heuser M, Thol F, von Neuhoff N, Ganser A, Li Z. Activation of TRKA receptor elicits mastocytosis in mice and is involved in the development of resistance to KIT-targeted therapy. Oncotarget 2017; 8:73871-73883. [PMID: 29088753 PMCID: PMC5650308 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.18027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurotrophins (NTs) play a key role in neuronal survival and maintenance. The TRK (tropomyosin-related kinase) tyrosine kinase receptors (TRKA, TRKB, TRKC) are high affinity receptors for NTs. There is increasing data demonstrating an important role of the TRK family in cancer initiation and progression. NTs have been known for many years to promote chemotaxis, maturation, and survival of mast cells. However, the role of NT signaling in the pathogenesis of mastocytosis is not well understood. In this study, we demonstrate that activation of TRKA by its ligand nerve growth factor (NGF) is potent to trigger a disease in mice with striking similarities to human systemic mastocytosis (SM). Moreover, activation of TRKA by NGF strongly rescues KIT inhibition-induced cell death of mast cell lines and primary mast cells from patients with SM, and this rescue effect can be efficiently blocked by entrectinib (a new pan TRK specific inhibitor). HMC-1 mast cell leukemia cells that are resistant to KIT inhibition induced by TRKA activation show reactivation of MAPK/ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and strong upregulation of early growth response 3 (EGR3), suggesting an important role of MAPK-EGR3 axis in the development of resistance to KIT inhibition. Targeting both TRK and KIT significantly prolongs survival of mice xenotransplanted with HMC-1 cells compared with targeting KIT alone. Thus, these data strongly suggest that TRKA signaling can improve neoplastic mast cell fitness. This might explain at least in part why treatment with KIT inhibitors alone so far has been disappointing in most published clinical trials for mastocytosis. Our data suggest that targeting both KIT and TRKs might improve efficacy of molecular therapy in SM with KIT mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Yang
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Zengkai Pan
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kezhi Huang
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Hematology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guntram Büsche
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Anuhar Chaturvedi
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Danian Nie
- Department of Hematology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Michael Heuser
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Felicitas Thol
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nils von Neuhoff
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Arnold Ganser
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Zhixiong Li
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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The new and recurrent FLT3 juxtamembrane deletion mutation shows a dominant negative effect on the wild-type FLT3 receptor. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28032. [PMID: 27346558 PMCID: PMC4921855 DOI: 10.1038/srep28032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is one of the most frequently mutated genes. Recently, a new and recurrent juxtamembrane deletion mutation (p.Q569Vfs*2) resulting in a truncated receptor was identified. The mutated receptor is expressed on the cell surface and still binds its ligand but loses the ability to activate ERK signaling. FLT3 p.Q569fs-expressing Ba/F3 cells show no proliferation after ligand stimulation. Furthermore, coexpressed with the FLT3 wild-type (WT) receptor, the truncated receptor suppresses stimulation and activation of the WT receptor. Thus, FLT3 p.Q569Vfs*2, to our knowledge, is the first FLT3 mutation with a dominant negative effect on the WT receptor.
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11
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Leukemogenic potency of the novel FLT3-N676K mutant. Ann Hematol 2016; 95:783-91. [DOI: 10.1007/s00277-016-2616-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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12
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Niavarani A, Herold T, Reyal Y, Sauerland MC, Buchner T, Hiddemann W, Bohlander SK, Valk PJM, Bonnet D. A 4-gene expression score associated with high levels of Wilms Tumor-1 (WT1) expression is an adverse prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukaemia. Br J Haematol 2016; 172:401-11. [PMID: 26597595 PMCID: PMC4833185 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.13836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Wilms Tumor-1 (WT1) expression level is implicated in the prognosis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We hypothesized that a gene expression profile associated with WT1 expression levels might be a good surrogate marker. We identified high WT1 gene sets by comparing the gene expression profiles in the highest and lowest quartiles of WT1 expression in two large AML studies. Two high WT1 gene sets were found to be highly correlated in terms of the altered genes and expression profiles. We identified a 17-probe set signature of the high WT1 set as the optimal prognostic predictor in the first AML set, and showed that it was able to predict prognosis in the second AML series after adjustment for European LeukaemiaNet genetic groups. The gene signature also proved to be of prognostic value in a third AML series of 163 samples assessed by RNA sequencing, demonstrating its cross-platform consistency. This led us to derive a 4-gene expression score, which faithfully predicted adverse outcome. In conclusion, a short gene signature associated with high WT1 expression levels and the resultant 4-gene expression score were found to be predictive of adverse prognosis in AML. This study provides new clues to the molecular pathways underlying high WT1 states in leukaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmadreza Niavarani
- Digestive Oncology Research CenterDigestive Disease Research Institute (DDRI)Shariati HospitalTehran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell LaboratoryLondon Research InstituteCancer Research UKLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Tobias Herold
- Department of Internal Medicine 3University Hospital GrosshadernLudwig‐Maximilians‐UniversitätMunichGermany
| | - Yasmin Reyal
- Department of HaematologyUniversity College London Hospitals NHS TrustLondonUK
| | - Maria C. Sauerland
- Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical ResearchUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
- Department of Medicine A ‐ Haematology, Oncology and PneumologyUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Thomas Buchner
- Department of Molecular Medicine and PathologyThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Wolfgang Hiddemann
- Department of Internal Medicine 3University Hospital GrosshadernLudwig‐Maximilians‐UniversitätMunichGermany
| | - Stefan K. Bohlander
- Department of Molecular Medicine and PathologyThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Peter J. M. Valk
- Department of HaematologyErasmus University Medical Centre Cancer InstituteRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Dominique Bonnet
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell LaboratoryLondon Research InstituteCancer Research UKLondonUnited Kingdom
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13
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Jeong Y, Lim SM, Hong S. Discovery of wrightiadione as a novel template for the TrkA kinase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2015; 25:5186-9. [PMID: 26442778 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.09.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Enzymatic kinase assays and docking simulation studies have shown that the natural product wrightiadione displays inhibitory activity toward TrkA and PLK3. In this study, the template of wrightiadione served as a starting point for Trk inhibitor development campaigns. Molecular simulation provided structural insights for the design of derivatives that were efficiently generated by our recently developed 3-step tandem synthetic approach, resulting in the discovery of compound 2h with biochemical potency at the single-digit micromolar level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujeong Jeong
- Center for Catalytic Hydrocarbon Functionalization, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Min Lim
- Center for Catalytic Hydrocarbon Functionalization, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungwoo Hong
- Center for Catalytic Hydrocarbon Functionalization, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
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14
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Schwarzer A, Holtmann H, Brugman M, Meyer J, Schauerte C, Zuber J, Steinemann D, Schlegelberger B, Li Z, Baum C. Hyperactivation of mTORC1 and mTORC2 by multiple oncogenic events causes addiction to eIF4E-dependent mRNA translation in T-cell leukemia. Oncogene 2014; 34:3593-604. [PMID: 25241901 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2014.290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2014] [Revised: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
High activation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway is characteristic for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). The activity of the master regulator of this pathway, PTEN, is often impaired in T-ALL. However, experimental evidence suggests that input from receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) is required for sustained mTOR activation, even in the absence of PTEN. We previously reported the expression of Neurotrophin receptor tyrosine kinases (TRKs) and their respective ligands in primary human leukemia samples. In the present study we aimed to dissect the downstream signaling cascades of TRK-induced T-ALL in a murine model and show that T-ALLs induced by deregulated receptor tyrosine kinase signaling acquire activating mutations in Notch1 and lose PTEN during clonal evolution. Some clones additionally lost one allele of the homeodomain transcription factor Cux1. All events independently led to a gradual hyperactivation of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling. We dissected the role of the individual mTOR complexes by shRNA knockdown and found that the separate depletion of mTORC1 or mTORC2 reduced the growth of T-ALL blasts, but was not sufficient to induce apoptosis. In contrast, knockdown of the mTOR downstream effector eIF4E caused a striking cytotoxic effect, demonstrating a critical addiction to cap-dependent mRNA-translation. Although high mTORC2-AKT activation is commonly associated with drug-resistance, we demonstrate that T-ALL displaying a strong mTORC2-AKT activation were specifically susceptible to 4EGI-1, an inhibitor of the eIF4E-eIF4G interaction. To decipher the mechanism of 4EGI-1, we performed a genome-wide analysis of mRNAs that are translationally regulated by 4EGI-1 in T-ALL. 4EGI-1 effectively reduced the ribosomal occupancy of mRNAs that were strongly upregulated in T-ALL blasts compared with normal thymocytes including transcripts important for translation, mitochondria and cell cycle progression, such as cyclins and ribosomal proteins. These data suggest that disrupting the eIF4E-eIF4G interaction constitutes a promising therapy strategy in mTOR-deregulated T-cell leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Schwarzer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - H Holtmann
- Institute of Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - M Brugman
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - J Meyer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - C Schauerte
- Institute of Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - J Zuber
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 7, Vienna, Austria
| | - D Steinemann
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - B Schlegelberger
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Z Li
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - C Baum
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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15
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Activation of TRKB receptor in murine hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells induced mastocytosis. Blood 2014; 124:1196-7. [DOI: 10.1182/blood-2014-03-560466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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16
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Cornils K, Thielecke L, Hüser S, Forgber M, Thomaschewski M, Kleist N, Hussein K, Riecken K, Volz T, Gerdes S, Glauche I, Dahl A, Dandri M, Roeder I, Fehse B. Multiplexing clonality: combining RGB marking and genetic barcoding. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:e56. [PMID: 24476916 PMCID: PMC3985654 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
RGB marking and DNA barcoding are two cutting-edge technologies in the field of clonal cell marking. To combine the virtues of both approaches, we equipped LeGO vectors encoding red, green or blue fluorescent proteins with complex DNA barcodes carrying color-specific signatures. For these vectors, we generated highly complex plasmid libraries that were used for the production of barcoded lentiviral vector particles. In proof-of-principle experiments, we used barcoded vectors for RGB marking of cell lines and primary murine hepatocytes. We applied single-cell polymerase chain reaction to decipher barcode signatures of individual RGB-marked cells expressing defined color hues. This enabled us to prove clonal identity of cells with one and the same RGB color. Also, we made use of barcoded vectors to investigate clonal development of leukemia induced by ectopic oncogene expression in murine hematopoietic cells. In conclusion, by combining RGB marking and DNA barcoding, we have established a novel technique for the unambiguous genetic marking of individual cells in the context of normal regeneration as well as malignant outgrowth. Moreover, the introduction of color-specific signatures in barcodes will facilitate studies on the impact of different variables (e.g. vector type, transgenes, culture conditions) in the context of competitive repopulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Cornils
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany, Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany, ALS Automated Lab Solutions GmbH, Jena 07747, Germany, Department of Neuropathology, Hannover Medical School, Institute of Pathology, Hannover 30625, Germany, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany, Deep Sequencing Group SFB 655, Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
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17
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Kim MS, Kim GM, Choi YJ, Kim HJ, Kim YJ, Jin W. c-Src activation through a TrkA and c-Src interaction is essential for cell proliferation and hematological malignancies. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2013; 441:431-7. [PMID: 24369899 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.10.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Although the kinase receptor TrkA may play an important role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), its involvement in other types of leukemia has not been reported. Furthermore, how it contributes to leukemogenesis is unknown. Here, we describe a molecular network that is important for TrkA function in leukemogenesis. We found that TrkA is frequently overexpressed in other types of leukemia such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) including AML. In addition, TrkA was overexpressed in patients with MDS or secondary AML evolving from MDS. TrkA induced significant hematological malignancies by inducing PLK-1 and Twist-1, and enhanced survival and proliferation of leukemia, which was correlated with activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mTOR pathway. Moreover, endogenous TrkA associated with c-Src complexes was detected in leukemia. Suppression of c-Src activation by TrkA resulted in markedly decreased expression of PLK-1 and Twist-1 via suppressed activation of Akt/mTOR cascades. These data suggest that TrkA plays a key role in leukemogenesis and reveal an unexpected physiological role for TrkA in the pathogenesis of leukemia. These data have important implications for understanding various hematological malignancies.
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MESH Headings
- CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase
- Cell Cycle Proteins/biosynthesis
- Cell Proliferation
- Enzyme Activation
- Humans
- Leukemia/enzymology
- Leukemia/pathology
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/enzymology
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/pathology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/enzymology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Metabolic Networks and Pathways
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes/enzymology
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes/pathology
- Nuclear Proteins/biosynthesis
- Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/enzymology
- Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/pathology
- Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/biosynthesis
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/biosynthesis
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
- Receptor, trkA/metabolism
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- Twist-Related Protein 1/biosynthesis
- src-Family Kinases/metabolism
- Polo-Like Kinase 1
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Soo Kim
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyoung Mi Kim
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Jeong Choi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Joung Kim
- Department of Hematology, Catholic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Center, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo-Jin Kim
- Department of Hematology, Catholic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Center, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Republic of Korea.
| | - Wook Jin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea; Gachon Medical Research Institute, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 405-760, Republic of Korea.
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18
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Heinrich T, Rengstl B, Muik A, Petkova M, Schmid F, Wistinghausen R, Warner K, Crispatzu G, Hansmann ML, Herling M, von Laer D, Newrzela S. Mature T-cell lymphomagenesis induced by retroviral insertional activation of Janus kinase 1. Mol Ther 2013; 21:1160-8. [PMID: 23609016 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2013.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Retroviral vectors (RVs) are powerful tools in clinical gene therapy. However, stable genomic integration of RVs can be oncogenic, as reported in several animal models and in clinical trials. Previously, we observed that T-cell receptor (TCR) polyclonal mature T cells are resistant to transformation after gammaretroviral transfer of (proto-)oncogenes, whereas TCR-oligoclonal T cells were transformable in the same setting. Here, we describe the induction of a mature T-cell lymphoma (MTCL) in TCR-oligoclonal OT-I transgenic T cells, transduced with an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-encoding gammaretroviral vector. The tumor cells were of a mature T-cell phenotype and serially transplantable. Integration site analysis revealed a proviral hit in Janus kinase 1 (Jak1), which resulted in Jak1 overexpression and Jak/STAT-pathway activation, particularly via signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Specific inhibition of Jak1 markedly delayed tumor growth. A systematic meta-analysis of available gene expression data on human mature T-cell lymphomas/leukemias confirmed the relevance of Jak/STAT overexpression in sporadic human T-cell tumorigenesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe RV-associated insertional mutagenesis in mature T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Heinrich
- Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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19
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Cytological characterization of murine bone marrow and spleen hematopoietic compartments for improved assessment of toxicity in preclinical gene marking models. Ann Hematol 2013; 92:595-604. [PMID: 23307598 DOI: 10.1007/s00277-012-1655-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 12/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy has proven its potential to cure diseases of the hematopoietic system, but potential adverse reactions related to insertional mutagenesis by integrating gene vectors and chromosomal instability in long-lived repopulating cells have emerged as a major limitation. Preclinical gene therapy in murine models is a powerful model for assessment of gene marking efficiency and adverse reactions. However, changes in the hematologic composition after transplantation with retrovirally modified hematopoietic stem cells have not been well investigated in large cohorts of animals by systematic cytological analyses. In the present study, cytological analyses of bone marrow and spleen were performed in a large cohort (n = 58) of C57BL/6J mice over an extended observation period after gene marking. Interestingly, we observed hematological malignancies in four out of 30 animals transplanted with dLNGFR (truncated form of the human p75 low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor) and tCD34 modified stem/progenitor cells. Our data demonstrate that cytological analysis provides important information for diagnosis of hematological disorders and thus should be included in preclinical studies and performed in each investigated animal. Together with histological analysis, flow cytometric analysis, and other analyses, the quality and predictive value of preclinical gene therapy studies will be improved.
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20
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Newrzela S, Al-Ghaili N, Heinrich T, Petkova M, Hartmann S, Rengstl B, Kumar A, Jäck HM, Gerdes S, Roeder I, Hansmann ML, von Laer D. T-cell receptor diversity prevents T-cell lymphoma development. Leukemia 2012; 26:2499-507. [PMID: 22643706 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2012.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mature T-cell lymphomas (MTCLs) have an extremely poor prognosis and are much less frequent than immature T-cell leukemias. This suggests that malignant outgrowth of mature T lymphocytes is well controlled. Indeed, in a previous study we found that mature T cells are resistant to transformation with known T-cell oncogenes. Here, however, we observed that T-cell receptor (TCR) mono-/oligoclonal mature T cells from TCR transgenic (tg) mice (OT-I, P14) expressing the oncogenes NPM/ALK or ΔTrkA readily developed MTCLs in T-cell-deficient recipients. Analysis of cell surface markers largely ruled out that TCR tg lymphomas were derived from T-cell precursors. Furthermore, cotransplanted non-modified TCR polyclonal T cells suppressed malignant outgrowth of oncogene expressing TCR tg T lymphocytes. A dominant role of an anti-leukemic immune response or Tregs in the control of MTCLs seems unlikely as naïve T cells derived from oncogene expressing stem cells, which should be tolerant to leukemic antigens, as well as purified CD4 and CD8 were resistant to transformation. However, our results are in line with a model in which homeostatic mechanisms that stabilize the diversity of the normal T-cell repertoire, for example, clonal competition, also control the outgrowth of potentially malignant T-cell clones. This study introduces a new innate mechanism of lymphoma control.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Newrzela
- Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Goethe-University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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21
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Mutations in the transmembrane and juxtamembrane domains enhance IL27R transforming activity. Biochem J 2011; 438:155-64. [PMID: 21631431 DOI: 10.1042/bj20110351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cytokines and their receptors regulate haemopoiesis by controlling cellular growth, survival and differentiation. Thus it is not surprising that mutations of cytokine receptors contribute to the formation of haemopoietic disorders, including cancer. We recently identified transforming properties of IL27R, the ligand-binding component of the receptor for interleukin-27. Although wild-type IL27R exhibits transforming properties in haemopoietic cells, in the present study we set out to determine if the transforming activity of IL27R could be enhanced by mutation. We identified three mutations of IL27R that enhance its transforming activity. One of these mutations is a phenylalanine to cysteine mutation at residue 523 (F523C) in the transmembrane domain of the receptor. The two other mutations identified involve deletions of amino acids in the cytoplasmic juxtamembrane region of the receptor. Expression of each of these mutant IL27R proteins led to rapid cytokine-independent transformation in haemopoietic cells. Moreover, the rate of transformation induced by these mutants was significantly greater than that induced by wild-type IL27R. Expression of these IL27R mutants also induced enhanced activation of JAK (Janus kinase)/STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) signalling compared with wild-type. An activating deletion mutation of IL27R enhanced homodimerization of the receptor by a mechanism that may involve disulfide bonding. These transforming IL27R mutants displayed equal or greater transforming activity than bona fide haemopoietic oncogenes such as BCR-ABL (breakpoint cluster region-Abelson murine leukaemia viral oncogene homologue) and JAK2-V617F. Since IL27R is expressed on haemopoietic stem cells, lymphoid cells and myeloid cells, including acute myeloid leukaemia blast cells, mutation of this receptor has the potential to contribute to a variety of haemopoietic neoplasms.
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22
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Dutta P, Koch A, Breyer B, Schneider H, Dittrich-Breiholz O, Kracht M, Tamura T. Identification of novel target genes of nerve growth factor (NGF) in human mastocytoma cell line (HMC-1 (V560G c-Kit)) by transcriptome analysis. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:196. [PMID: 21501463 PMCID: PMC3088908 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2010] [Accepted: 04/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a potent growth factor that plays a key role in neuronal cell differentiation and may also play a role in hematopoietic differentiation. It has been shown that NGF induced synergistic action for the colony formation of CD34 positive hematopoietic progenitor cells treated with macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF or CSF-1), or stem cell factor (SCF). However, the exact role of NGF in hematopoietic system is unclear. It is also not clear whether NGF mediated signals in hematopoietic cells are identical to those in neuronal cells. Results To study the signal transduction pathways induced by NGF treatment in hematopoietic cells, we utilized the mastocytoma cell line HMC-1(V560G c-Kit) which expresses the NGF receptor, tropomyosin-receptor-kinase (Trk)A, as well as the constitutively activated SCF receptor, V560G c-Kit, which can be inhibited completely by treatment with the potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (imatinib). NGF rescues HMC-1(V560G c-Kit) cells from imatinib mediated cell death and promotes proliferation. To examine the NGF mediated proliferation and survival in these cells, we compared the NGF mediated upregulated genes (30 and 120 min after stimulation) to the downregulated genes by imatinib treatment (downregulation of c-Kit activity for 4 h) by transcriptome analysis. The following conclusions can be drawn from the microarray data: Firstly, gene expression profiling reveals 50% overlap of genes induced by NGF-TrkA with genes expressed downstream of V560G c-Kit. Secondly, NGF treatment does not enhance expression of genes involved in immune related functions that were down regulated by imatinib treatment. Thirdly, more than 55% of common upregulated genes are involved in cell proliferation and survival. Fourthly, we found Kruppel-like factor (KLF) 2 and Smad family member 7 (SMAD7) as the NGF mediated novel downstream genes in hematopoietic cells. Finally, the downregulation of KLF2 gene enhanced imatinib induced apoptosis. Conclusion NGF does not induce genes which are involved in immune related functions, but induces proliferation and survival signals in HMC-1(V560G c-Kit) cells. Furthermore, the current data provide novel candidate genes, KLF2 and SMAD7 which are induced by NGF/TrkA activation in hematopoietic cells. Since the depletion of KLF2 causes enhanced apoptosis of HMC-1(V560G c-Kit), KLF2 may play a role in the NGF mediated survival signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Dutta
- Institut fuer Biochemie, OE4310, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str, 1, D-30623 Hannover, Germany
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23
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Rhein M, Schwarzer A, Yang M, Kaever V, Brugman M, Meyer J, Ganser A, Baum C, Li Z. Leukemias induced by altered TRK-signaling are sensitive to mTOR inhibitors in preclinical models. Ann Hematol 2010; 90:283-92. [PMID: 20821325 DOI: 10.1007/s00277-010-1065-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2010] [Accepted: 08/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Rapamycin is a potent allosteric mTORC1 inhibitor with clinical applications as an anticancer agent. However, only a fraction of cancer patients responds to the drug, and no biomarkers are available to predict tumor sensitivity. Recently, we and others have obtained evidence for potential involvement of tropomyosin-related kinase (TRK) receptor protein tyrosine kinases (TRKA, TRKB, TRKC) in leukemia. In the present study, we tested the therapeutic effect of Rapamycin and its analog RAD001 on altered TRK-induced leukemia in a murine model. Daily treatment with Rapamycin (2 mg/kg) or RAD001 (1 mg/kg) significantly prolonged the survival of treated animals (n = 40) compared with the placebo group. Consistently, both mTOR and S6 proteins were strongly dephosphorylated in vitro and in vivo after treatment with Rapamycin or RAD001. However, Rapamycin did not completely inhibit mTORC1-dependent phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. With exception of one mouse showing slight reactivation of Akt after treatment, no reactivation of MAPK or Akt pathways was observed in other resistant tumors. Interestingly, leukemic cells isolated from a Rapamycin-resistant mouse were still highly sensitive to Rapamycin in vitro. Our findings suggest that altered TRK signaling may be a good predictor of tumor sensitivity to mTOR inhibition and that pathways other than MAPK and Akt exist that may trigger resistance of leukemic cells to Rapamycin in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Rhein
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover, Germany
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24
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Rao R, Nalluri S, Fiskus W, Balusu R, Joshi A, Mudunuru U, Buckley KM, Robbins K, Ustun C, Reuther GW, Bhalla KN. Heat shock protein 90 inhibition depletes TrkA levels and signaling in human acute leukemia cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2010; 9:2232-42. [PMID: 20663926 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-10-0336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) induces autophosphorylation and downstream progrowth and prosurvival signaling from the receptor tyrosine kinase TrkA. Overexpression or activating mutation of TrkA has been described in human acute myeloid leukemia cells. In the present study, we show the chaperone association of TrkA with heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) and the inhibitory effect of the hsp90 inhibitor, 17-DMAG, on TrkA levels and signaling in cultured and primary myeloid leukemia cells. Treatment with 17-DMAG disrupted the binding of TrkA with hsp90 and the cochaperone cdc37, resulting in polyubiquitylation, proteasomal degradation, and depletion of TrkA. Exposure to 17-DMAG inhibited NGF-induced p-TrkA, p-AKT, and p-ERK1/2 levels, as well as induced apoptosis of K562, 32D cells with ectopic expression of wild-type TrkA or the constitutively active mutant Delta TrkA, and of primary myeloid leukemia cells. Additionally, 17-DMAG treatment inhibited NGF-induced neurite formation in the rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells. Cotreatment with 17-DMAG and K-252a, an inhibitor of TrkA-mediated signaling, induced synergistic loss of viability of cultured and primary myeloid leukemia cells. These findings show that TrkA is an hsp90 client protein, and inhibition of hsp90 depletes TrkA and its progrowth and prosurvival signaling in myeloid leukemia cells. These findings also support further evaluation of the combined activity of an hsp90 inhibitor and TrkA antagonist against myeloid leukemia cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rekha Rao
- Medical College of Georgia Cancer Center, 1120 15th Street CN 2133, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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25
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Abstract
Pim kinases are involved in B-cell development and are overexpressed in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We hypothesized that Pim kinase inhibition would affect B-cell survival. Identified from a screen of imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine compounds, SGI-1776 inhibits Pim-1, Pim-2, and Pim-3. Treatment of CLL cells with SGI-1776 results in a concentration-dependent induction of apoptosis. To elucidate its mechanism of action, we evaluated the effect of SGI-1776 on Pim kinase function. Unlike in replicating cells, phosphorylation of traditional Pim-1 kinase targets, phospho-Bad (Ser112) and histone H3 (Ser10), and cell-cycle proteins were unaffected by SGI-1776, suggesting an alternative mechanism in CLL. Protein levels of total c-Myc as well as phospho-c-Myc(Ser62), a Pim-1 target site, were decreased after SGI-1776 treatment. Levels of antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), XIAP, and proapoptotic Bak and Bax were unchanged; however, a significant reduction in Mcl-1 was observed that was not caused by caspase-mediated cleavage of Mcl-1 protein. The mechanism of decline in Mcl-1 was at the RNA level and was correlated with inhibition of global RNA synthesis. Consistent with a decline in new RNA synthesis, MCL-1 transcript levels were decreased after treatment with SGI-1776. These data suggest that SGI-1776 induces apoptosis in CLL and that the mechanism involves Mcl-1 reduction.
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26
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NGF inhibits human leukemia proliferation by downregulating cyclin A1 expression through promoting acinus/CtBP2 association. Oncogene 2009; 28:3825-36. [PMID: 19668232 PMCID: PMC3481846 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2009.236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin A1 is essential for leukemia progression, and its expression is tightly regulated by acinus, a nuclear speckle protein. However, the molecular mechanism of how acinus mediates cyclin A1 expression remains elusive. Here we show that transcription corepressor CtBP2 directly binds acinus, which is regulated by nerve growth factor (NGF), inhibiting its stimulatory effect on cyclin A1, but not cyclin A2, expression in leukemia. NGF, a cognate ligand for the neurotrophic receptor TrkA, promotes the interaction between CtBP2 and acinus through triggering acinus phosphorylation by Akt. Overexpression of CtBP2 diminishes cyclin A1 transcription, whereas depletion of CtBP2 abolishes NGF's suppressive effect on cyclin A1 expression. Strikingly, gambogic amide, a newly identified TrkA agonist, potently represses cyclin A1 expression, thus blocking K562 cell proliferation. Moreover, gambogic amide ameliorates the leukemia progression in K562 cells inoculated nude mice. Hence, NGF downregulates cyclin A1 expression through escalating CtBP2/acinus complex formation, and gambogic amide might be useful for human leukemia treatment.
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27
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Translational research in complex etiopathogenesis and therapy of hematological malignancies: the specific role of tyrosine kinases signaling and inhibition. Med Oncol 2008; 26:437-44. [PMID: 19051068 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-008-9143-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2008] [Accepted: 11/20/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
During the recent genomics and proteomics era, high-resolution, genome-wide approaches have revealed numerous promising new drug targets and disease biomarkers, accelerating and emphasizing the need for targeted molecular therapy compounds. Significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies there by, revealing new drug targets. Introduction of multiple new technologies in cancer research have significantly improved the drug discovery process, leading to key success in targeted cancer therapeutics, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The studies of receptor tyrosine kinases and their role in malignant transformation are already translated from the preclinical level (cell-based and animal models) to clinical studies, enabling the more complete understanding of tumor cell biology and improvement of tumor therapy.
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Abstract
Neurotrophins (NTs) and their receptors play a key role in neurogenesis and survival. The TRK (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptor protein tyrosine kinases (TRKA, TRKB, TRKC) are high-affinity NT receptors that are expressed in a variety of human tissues. Their role in normal and malignant hematopoiesis is poorly understood. In a prospective study involving 94 adult patients we demonstrate for the first time cell-surface expression of the 3 TRKs and constitutive activation in blasts from patients with de novo or secondary acute leukemia. At least one TRK was expressed in 55% of the analyzed cases. We establish a clear correlation between the TRK expression pattern and FAB classification. Although only few point mutations were found in TRK sequences by reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we observed coexpression of BDNF (ligand for TRKB) in more than 50% of TRKB(+) cases (16/30). Activation of TRKA or TRKB by NGF and BDNF, respectively, efficiently rescued murine myeloid cells from irradiation-induced apoptosis. Coexpression of TRKB/BDNF or TRKA/NGF in murine hematopoietic cells induced leukemia. Moreover, activation of TRKs was important for survival of both human and murine leukemic cells. Our findings suggest that TRKs play an important role in leukemogenesis and may serve as a new drug target.
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Leukemia takes center (late) stage. Blood 2008; 112:2175-6. [DOI: 10.1182/blood-2008-07-167726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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30
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Abstract
Leukemia caused by retroviral insertional mutagenesis after stem cell gene transfer has been reported in several experimental animals and in patients treated for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency. Here, we analyzed whether gene transfer into mature T cells bears the same genotoxic risk. To address this issue in an experimental "worst case scenario," we transduced mature T cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells from C57BL/6 (Ly5.1) donor mice with high copy numbers of gamma retroviral vectors encoding the potent T-cell oncogenes LMO2, TCL1, or DeltaTrkA, a constitutively active mutant of TrkA. After transplantation into RAG-1-deficient recipients (Ly5.2), animals that received stem cell transplants developed T-cell lymphoma/leukemia for all investigated oncogenes with a characteristic phenotype and after characteristic latency periods. Ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed monoclonality or oligoclonality of the malignancies. In striking contrast, none of the mice that received T-cell transplants transduced with the same vectors developed leukemia/lymphoma despite persistence of gene-modified cells. Thus, our data provide direct evidence that mature T cells are less prone to transformation than hematopoietic progenitor cells.
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Transformation of hematopoietic cells and activation of JAK2-V617F by IL-27R, a component of a heterodimeric type I cytokine receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:18502-7. [PMID: 18003935 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0702388104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
From a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we have identified IL-27Ra (also known as TCCR and WSX1) as a gene whose expression can induce the transformation of hematopoietic cells. IL-27Ra (IL-27R) is a type I cytokine receptor that functions as the ligand binding component of the receptor for IL-27 and functions with the glycoprotein 130 (gp130) coreceptor to induce signal transduction in response to IL-27. We show that IL-27R is expressed on the cell surface of the leukemic cells of AML patients. 32D myeloid cells transformed by IL-27R contain elevated levels of activated forms of various signaling proteins, including JAK1, JAK2, STAT1, STAT3, STAT5, and ERK1/2. Inhibition of JAK family proteins induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in these cells, suggesting the transforming properties of IL-27R depend on the activity of JAK family members. IL-27R also transforms BaF3 cells to cytokine independence. Because BaF3 cells lack expression of gp130, this finding suggests that IL-27R-mediated transformation of hematopoietic cells is gp130-independent. Finally, we show that IL-27R can functionally replace a homodimeric type I cytokine receptor in the activation of JAK2-V617F, a critical JAK2 mutation in various myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs). Our data demonstrate that IL-27R possesses hematopoietic cell-transforming properties and suggest that, analogous to homodimeric type I cytokine receptors, single-chain components of heterodimeric receptors can also enhance the activation of JAK2-V617F. Therefore, such receptors may play unappreciated roles in MPDs.
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