1
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Zhou L, van Bree N, Boutin L, Ryu J, Moussaud S, Liu M, Otrocka M, Olsson M, Falk A, Wilhelm M. High-throughput neural stem cell-based drug screening identifies S6K1 inhibition as a selective vulnerability in sonic hedgehog-medulloblastoma. Neuro Oncol 2024; 26:1685-1699. [PMID: 38860311 PMCID: PMC11376459 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noae104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most common malignant brain tumors in children. Current treatments have increased overall survival but can lead to devastating side effects and late complications in survivors, emphasizing the need for new, improved targeted therapies that specifically eliminate tumor cells while sparing the normally developing brain. METHODS Here, we used a sonic hedgehog (SHH)-MB model based on a patient-derived neuroepithelial stem cell system for an unbiased high-throughput screen with a library of 172 compounds with known targets. Compounds were evaluated in both healthy neural stem cells (NSCs) and tumor cells derived from the same patient. Based on the difference of cell viability and drug sensitivity score between normal cells and tumor cells, hit compounds were selected and further validated in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS We identified PF4708671 (S6K1 inhibitor) as a potential agent that selectively targets SHH-driven MB tumor cells while sparing NSCs and differentiated neurons. Subsequent validation studies confirmed that PF4708671 inhibited the growth of SHH-MB tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo, and that knockdown of S6K1 resulted in reduced tumor formation. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results suggest that inhibition of S6K1 specifically affects tumor growth, whereas it has less effect on non-tumor cells. Our data also show that the NES cell platform can be used to identify potentially effective new therapies and targets for SHH-MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leilei Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niek van Bree
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lola Boutin
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jinhye Ryu
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Simon Moussaud
- Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden (CBCS), Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mingzhi Liu
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magdalena Otrocka
- Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden (CBCS), Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magnus Olsson
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention, and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Falk
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margareta Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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Schmidt C, Cohen S, Gudenas BL, Husain S, Carlson A, Westelman S, Wang L, Phillips JJ, Northcott PA, Weiss WA, Schwer B. PRDM6 promotes medulloblastoma by repressing chromatin accessibility and altering gene expression. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16074. [PMID: 38992221 PMCID: PMC11239875 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66811-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
SNCAIP duplication may promote Group 4 medulloblastoma via induction of PRDM6, a poorly characterized member of the PRDF1 and RIZ1 homology domain-containing (PRDM) family of transcription factors. Here, we investigated the function of PRDM6 in human hindbrain neuroepithelial stem cells and tested PRDM6 as a driver of Group 4 medulloblastoma. We report that human PRDM6 localizes predominantly to the nucleus, where it causes widespread repression of chromatin accessibility and complex alterations of gene expression patterns. Genome-wide mapping of PRDM6 binding reveals that PRDM6 binds to chromatin regions marked by histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation that are located within, or proximal to, genes. Moreover, we show that PRDM6 expression in neuroepithelial stem cells promotes medulloblastoma. Surprisingly, medulloblastomas derived from PRDM6-expressing neuroepithelial stem cells match human Group 3, but not Group 4, medulloblastoma. We conclude that PRDM6 expression has oncogenic potential but is insufficient to drive Group 4 medulloblastoma from neuroepithelial stem cells. We propose that both PRDM6 and additional factors, such as specific cell-of-origin features, are required for Group 4 medulloblastoma. Given the lack of PRDM6 expression in normal tissues and its oncogenic potential shown here, we suggest that PRDM6 inhibition may have therapeutic value in PRDM6-expressing medulloblastomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Schmidt
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Cohen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Aging Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brian L Gudenas
- Division of Brain Tumor Research, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Sarah Husain
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Annika Carlson
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Westelman
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Linyu Wang
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joanna J Phillips
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Tumor SPORE Biorepository, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paul A Northcott
- Division of Brain Tumor Research, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - William A Weiss
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Bjoern Schwer
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Bakar Aging Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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3
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van Essen MJ, Apsley EJ, Riepsaame J, Xu R, Northcott PA, Cowley SA, Jacob J, Becker EBE. PTCH1-mutant human cerebellar organoids exhibit altered neural development and recapitulate early medulloblastoma tumorigenesis. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050323. [PMID: 38411252 PMCID: PMC10924233 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Patched 1 (PTCH1) is the primary receptor for the sonic hedgehog (SHH) ligand and negatively regulates SHH signalling, an essential pathway in human embryogenesis. Loss-of-function mutations in PTCH1 are associated with altered neuronal development and the malignant brain tumour medulloblastoma. As a result of differences between murine and human development, molecular and cellular perturbations that arise from human PTCH1 mutations remain poorly understood. Here, we used cerebellar organoids differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells combined with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to investigate the earliest molecular and cellular consequences of PTCH1 mutations on human cerebellar development. Our findings demonstrate that developmental mechanisms in cerebellar organoids reflect in vivo processes of regionalisation and SHH signalling, and offer new insights into early pathophysiological events of medulloblastoma tumorigenesis without the use of animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max J. van Essen
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Elizabeth J. Apsley
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Joey Riepsaame
- Genome Engineering Oxford, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3RE Oxford, UK
| | - Ruijie Xu
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, USA
| | - Paul A. Northcott
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, USA
| | - Sally A. Cowley
- James and Lillian Martin Centre for Stem Cell Research, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - John Jacob
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Esther B. E. Becker
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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4
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Clairmont CD, Gell JJ, Lau CC. Pediatric Tumors as Disorders of Development: The Case for In Vitro Modeling Based on Human Stem Cells. Cancer Control 2024; 31:10732748241270564. [PMID: 39118322 PMCID: PMC11311176 DOI: 10.1177/10732748241270564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite improvements in patient outcomes, pediatric cancer remains a leading cause of non-accidental death in children. Recent genetic analysis of patients with pediatric cancers indicates an important role for both germline genetic predisposition and cancer-specific somatic driver mutations. Increasingly, evidence demonstrates that the developmental timepoint at which the cancer cell-of-origin transforms is critical to tumor identity and therapeutic response. Therefore, future therapeutic development would be bolstered by the use of disease models that faithfully recapitulate the genetic context, cell-of-origin, and developmental window of vulnerability in pediatric cancers. Human stem cells have the potential to incorporate all of these characteristics into a pediatric cancer model, while serving as a platform for rapid genetic and pharmacological testing. In this review, we describe how human stem cells have been used to model pediatric cancers and how these models compare to other pediatric cancer model modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cullen D. Clairmont
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Joanna J. Gell
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Hartford, CT, USA
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ching C. Lau
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Hartford, CT, USA
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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5
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Schmidt C, Cohen S, Gudenas BL, Husain S, Carlson A, Westelman S, Wang L, Phillips JJ, Northcott PA, Weiss WA, Schwer B. PRDM6 promotes medulloblastoma by repressing chromatin accessibility and altering gene expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.29.555389. [PMID: 37693484 PMCID: PMC10491178 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.29.555389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
SNCAIP duplication may promote Group 4 medulloblastoma via induction of PRDM6, a poorly characterized member of the PRDF1 and RIZ1 homology domain-containing (PRDM) family of transcription factors. Here, we investigated the function of PRDM6 in human hindbrain neuroepithelial stem cells and tested PRDM6 as a driver of Group 4 medulloblastoma. We report that human PRDM6 localizes predominantly to the nucleus, where it causes widespread repression of chromatin accessibility and complex alterations of gene expression patterns. Genome-wide mapping of PRDM6 binding reveals that PRDM6 binds to chromatin regions marked by histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation that are located within, or proximal to, genes. Moreover, we show that PRDM6 expression in neuroepithelial stem cells promotes medulloblastoma. Surprisingly, medulloblastomas derived from PRDM6-expressing neuroepithelial stem cells match human Group 3, but not Group 4, medulloblastoma. We conclude that PRDM6 expression has oncogenic potential but is insufficient to drive Group 4 medulloblastoma from neuroepithelial stem cells. We propose that both PRDM6 and additional factors, such as specific cell-of-origin features, are required for Group 4 medulloblastoma. Given the lack of PRDM6 expression in normal tissues and its oncogenic potential shown here, we suggest that PRDM6 inhibition may have therapeutic value in PRDM6-expressing medulloblastomas.
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6
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Onodera S, Azuma T. Hedgehog-Related Mutation Causes Bone Malformations with or without Hereditary Gene Mutations. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12903. [PMID: 37629084 PMCID: PMC10454035 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The hedgehog (Hh) family consists of numerous signaling mediators that play important roles at various stages of development. Thus, the Hh pathway is essential for bone tissue development and tumorigenesis. Gorlin syndrome is a skeletal and tumorigenic disorder caused by gain-of-function mutations in Hh signaling. In this review, we first present the phenotype of Gorlin syndrome and the relationship between genotype and phenotype in bone and craniofacial tissues, including the causative gene as well as other Hh-related genes. Next, the importance of new diagnostic methods using next-generation sequencing and multiple gene panels will be discussed. We summarize Hh-related genetic disorders, including cilia disease, and the genetics of Hh-related bone diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoko Onodera
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Kanda Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan;
| | - Toshifumi Azuma
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Kanda Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan;
- Oral Health Science Center, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Kanda Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan
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7
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Schloo C, Kutscher LM. Modeling brain and neural crest neoplasms with human pluripotent stem cells. Neuro Oncol 2023; 25:1225-1235. [PMID: 36757217 PMCID: PMC10326493 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells offer unique avenues to study human-specific aspects of disease and are a highly versatile tool in cancer research. Oncogenic processes and developmental programs often share overlapping transcriptomic and epigenetic signatures, which can be reactivated in induced pluripotent stem cells. With the emergence of brain organoids, the ability to recapitulate brain development and structure has vastly improved, making in vitro models more realistic and hence more suitable for biomedical modeling. This review highlights recent research and current challenges in human pluripotent stem cell modeling of brain and neural crest neoplasms, and concludes with a call for more rigorous quality control and for the development of models for rare tumor subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedar Schloo
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lena M Kutscher
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Developmental Origins of Pediatric Cancer Junior Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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8
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Duan J, Wang Y. Modeling nervous system tumors with human stem cells and organoids. CELL REGENERATION (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 12:4. [PMID: 36854987 PMCID: PMC9975125 DOI: 10.1186/s13619-022-00150-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Nervous system cancers are the 10th leading cause of death worldwide, many of which are difficult to diagnose and exhibit varying degrees of treatment resistance. The limitations of existing cancer models, such as patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models, call for the development of novel preclinical cancer models to more faithfully mimic the patient's cancer and offer additional insights. Recent advances in human stem cell biology, organoid, and genome-editing techniques allow us to model nervous system tumors in three types of next-generation tumor models: cell-of-origin models, tumor organoids, and 3D multicellular coculture models. In this review, we introduced and compared different human stem cell/organoid-derived models, and comprehensively summarized and discussed the recently developed models for various primary tumors in the central and peripheral nervous systems, including glioblastoma (GBM), H3K27M-mutant Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) and H3G34R-mutant High-grade Glioma (HGG), Low-grade Glioma (LGG), Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), Medulloblastoma (MB), Atypical Teratoid/rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT), and meningioma. We further compared these models with PDX and GEM models, and discussed the opportunities and challenges of precision nervous cancer modeling with human stem cells and organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Duan
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and National Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and National Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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9
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Khamis ZI, Sarker DB, Xue Y, Al-Akkary N, James VD, Zeng C, Li Y, Sang QXA. Modeling Human Brain Tumors and the Microenvironment Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041253. [PMID: 36831595 PMCID: PMC9954701 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain cancer is a group of diverse and rapidly growing malignancies that originate in the central nervous system (CNS) and have a poor prognosis. The complexity of brain structure and function makes brain cancer modeling extremely difficult, limiting pathological studies and therapeutic developments. Advancements in human pluripotent stem cell technology have opened a window of opportunity for brain cancer modeling, providing a wealth of customizable methods to simulate the disease in vitro. This is achieved with the advent of genome editing and genetic engineering technologies that can simulate germline and somatic mutations found in human brain tumors. This review investigates induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based approaches to model human brain cancer. The applications of iPSCs as renewable sources of individual brain cell types, brain organoids, blood-brain barrier (BBB), and brain tumor models are discussed. The brain tumor models reviewed are glioblastoma and medulloblastoma. The iPSC-derived isogenic cells and three-dimensional (3D) brain cancer organoids combined with patient-derived xenografts will enhance future compound screening and drug development for these deadly human brain cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahraa I. Khamis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
- High-Performance Materials Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences-I, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Drishty B. Sarker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Yu Xue
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Nancy Al-Akkary
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences-I, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Viviana D. James
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Changchun Zeng
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
- High-Performance Materials Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Qing-Xiang Amy Sang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-850-644-8683; Fax: +1-850-644-8281
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10
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Drug Resistance in Medulloblastoma Is Driven by YB-1, ABCB1 and a Seven-Gene Drug Signature. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041086. [PMID: 36831428 PMCID: PMC9954169 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapy resistance represents an unmet challenge in the treatment of medulloblastoma. Accordingly, the identification of targets that mark drug-resistant cell populations, or drive the proliferation of resistant cells, may improve treatment strategies. To address this, we undertook a targeted approach focused on the multi-functional transcription factor YB-1. Genetic knockdown of YB-1 in Group 3 medulloblastoma cell lines diminished cell invasion in 3D in vitro assays and increased sensitivity to standard-of-care chemotherapeutic vincristine and anti-cancer agents panobinostat and JQ1. For vincristine, this occurred in part by YB-1-mediated transcriptional regulation of multi-drug resistance gene ABCB1, as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Whole transcriptome sequencing of YB-1 knockdown cells identified a role for YB-1 in the regulation of tumourigenic processes, including lipid metabolism, cell death and survival and MYC and mTOR pathways. Stable cisplatin- and vincristine-tolerant Group 3 and SHH cell lines were generated to identify additional mechanisms driving resistance to standard-of-care medulloblastoma therapy. Next-generation sequencing revealed a vastly different transcriptomic landscape following chronic drug exposure, including a drug-tolerant seven-gene expression signature, common to all sequenced drug-tolerant cell lines, representing therapeutically targetable genes implicated in the acquisition of drug tolerance. Our findings provide significant insight into mechanisms and genes underlying therapy resistance in medulloblastoma.
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11
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Anastasaki C, Chatterjee J, Cobb O, Sanapala S, Scheaffer SM, De Andrade Costa A, Wilson AF, Kernan CM, Zafar AH, Ge X, Garbow JR, Rodriguez FJ, Gutmann DH. Human induced pluripotent stem cell engineering establishes a humanized mouse platform for pediatric low-grade glioma modeling. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:120. [PMID: 35986378 PMCID: PMC9392324 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01428-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A major obstacle to identifying improved treatments for pediatric low-grade brain tumors (gliomas) is the inability to reproducibly generate human xenografts. To surmount this barrier, we leveraged human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) engineering to generate low-grade gliomas (LGGs) harboring the two most common pediatric pilocytic astrocytoma-associated molecular alterations, NF1 loss and KIAA1549:BRAF fusion. Herein, we identified that hiPSC-derived neuroglial progenitor populations (neural progenitors, glial restricted progenitors and oligodendrocyte progenitors), but not terminally differentiated astrocytes, give rise to tumors retaining LGG histologic features for at least 6 months in vivo. Additionally, we demonstrated that hiPSC-LGG xenograft formation requires the absence of CD4 T cell-mediated induction of astrocytic Cxcl10 expression. Genetic Cxcl10 ablation is both necessary and sufficient for human LGG xenograft development, which additionally enables the successful long-term growth of patient-derived pediatric LGGs in vivo. Lastly, MEK inhibitor (PD0325901) treatment increased hiPSC-LGG cell apoptosis and reduced proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, this study establishes a tractable experimental humanized platform to elucidate the pathogenesis of and potential therapeutic opportunities for childhood brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Anastasaki
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jit Chatterjee
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Olivia Cobb
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Shilpa Sanapala
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Suzanne M Scheaffer
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Amanda De Andrade Costa
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Anna F Wilson
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Chloe M Kernan
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Ameera H Zafar
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xia Ge
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Joel R Garbow
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Fausto J Rodriguez
- Department of Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - David H Gutmann
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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12
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Becklin KL, Draper GM, Madden RA, Kluesner MG, Koga T, Huang M, Weiss WA, Spector LG, Largaespada DA, Moriarity BS, Webber BR. Developing Bottom-Up Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Solid Tumor Models Using Precision Genome Editing Technologies. CRISPR J 2022; 5:517-535. [PMID: 35972367 PMCID: PMC9529369 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in genome and tissue engineering have spurred significant progress and opportunity for innovation in cancer modeling. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are an established and powerful tool to study cellular processes in the context of disease-specific genetic backgrounds; however, their application to cancer has been limited by the resistance of many transformed cells to undergo successful reprogramming. Here, we review the status of human iPSC modeling of solid tumors in the context of genetic engineering, including how base and prime editing can be incorporated into "bottom-up" cancer modeling, a term we coined for iPSC-based cancer models using genetic engineering to induce transformation. This approach circumvents the need to reprogram cancer cells while allowing for dissection of the genetic mechanisms underlying transformation, progression, and metastasis with a high degree of precision and control. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of respective engineering approaches and outline experimental considerations for establishing future models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsie L. Becklin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Garrett M. Draper
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Madden
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mitchell G. Kluesner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tomoyuki Koga
- Ludwig Cancer Research San Diego Branch, La Jolla, California, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Miller Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - William A. Weiss
- Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics, Neurosurgery, Brain Tumor Research Center, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; and Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics, Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Logan G. Spector
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David A. Largaespada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Branden S. Moriarity
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Beau R. Webber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Neurosurgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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13
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Antonica F, Aiello G, Soldano A, Abballe L, Miele E, Tiberi L. Modeling Brain Tumors: A Perspective Overview of in vivo and Organoid Models. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:818696. [PMID: 35706426 PMCID: PMC9190727 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.818696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain tumors are a large and heterogeneous group of neoplasms that affect the central nervous system and include some of the deadliest cancers. Almost all the conventional and new treatments fail to hinder tumoral growth of the most malignant brain tumors. This is due to multiple factors, such as intra-tumor heterogeneity, the microenvironmental properties of the human brain, and the lack of reliable models to test new therapies. Therefore, creating faithful models for each tumor and discovering tailored treatments pose great challenges in the fight against brain cancer. Over the years, different types of models have been generated, and, in this review, we investigated the advantages and disadvantages of the models currently used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Antonica
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Disorders and Cancer, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aiello
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Disorders and Cancer, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Alessia Soldano
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Luana Abballe
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Cellular and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Evelina Miele
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Cellular and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Tiberi
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Disorders and Cancer, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- *Correspondence: Luca Tiberi,
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14
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Nagao K, Kato C, Ikemoto Y, Motojima T, Fujii K, Umezawa A, Miyashita T. PTCH1-null induced pluripotent stem cells exclusively differentiate into immature ectodermal cells with large areas of medulloblastoma-like tissue. Discov Oncol 2022; 13:36. [PMID: 35618979 PMCID: PMC9135936 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-022-00498-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is an autosomal dominant disorder with an increased incidence of tumors, such as basal cell carcinomas and medulloblastomas. The PTCH1 gene, responsible for NBCCS, suppresses the hedgehog signaling pathway, which is recognized as one of the important pathways in tumorigenesis and, thus, is a therapeutic target in cancer. In the present study, we generated PTCH1-/- induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from NBCCS patient-derived iPSCs (PTCH1+/-) by gene editing. The proliferation of PTCH1-/- iPSCs was accelerated due to the activation of the hedgehog signaling pathway. When PTCH1-/- iPSCs were subcutaneously injected into immunodeficient mice, the resulting teratomas almost exclusively contained immature ectodermal lineage cells expressing medulloblastoma markers, and the percentages of the area occupied by medulloblastoma-like tissue were larger in PTCH1-/- teratomas than in PTCH1+/- teratomas. In contrast, in PTCH1+/+ teratomas, medulloblastoma-like tissue positive for all of these medulloblastoma markers was not observed. The present results indicate the importance of PTCH1 in medulloblastoma formation and the suitability of these gene-edited iPSCs and PTCH1-/- teratomas as models for the formation of tumors, such as medulloblastomas and Hh-related tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuaki Nagao
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0374, Japan.
| | - Chise Kato
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Yu Ikemoto
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Reproductive Biology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Toshino Motojima
- Department of Pediatrics, Motojima General Hospital, Gunnma, 373-0033, Japan
| | - Katsunori Fujii
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Chiba, 286-8686, Japan
| | - Akihiro Umezawa
- Department of Reproductive Biology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Miyashita
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0374, Japan
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15
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Knock E, Julian LM. Building on a Solid Foundation: Adding Relevance and Reproducibility to Neurological Modeling Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:767457. [PMID: 34867204 PMCID: PMC8637745 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.767457] [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: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is our most complex and least understood organ. Animal models have long been the most versatile tools available to dissect brain form and function; however, the human brain is highly distinct from that of standard model organisms. In addition to existing models, access to human brain cells and tissues is essential to reach new frontiers in our understanding of the human brain and how to intervene therapeutically in the face of disease or injury. In this review, we discuss current and developing culture models of human neural tissue, outlining advantages over animal models and key challenges that remain to be overcome. Our principal focus is on advances in engineering neural cells and tissue constructs from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), though primary human cell and slice culture are also discussed. By highlighting studies that combine animal models and human neural cell culture techniques, we endeavor to demonstrate that clever use of these orthogonal model systems produces more reproducible, physiological, and clinically relevant data than either approach alone. We provide examples across a range of topics in neuroscience research including brain development, injury, and cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric conditions. Finally, as testing of PSC-derived neurons for cell replacement therapy progresses, we touch on the advancements that are needed to make this a clinical mainstay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Knock
- Research and Development, STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa M Julian
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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16
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Ozgencil M, Barwell J, Tischkowitz M, Izatt L, Kesterton I, Simpson M, Sharpe P, de Sepulveda P, Voisset E, Solomon E. Assessing BRCA1 activity in DNA damage repair using human induced pluripotent stem cells as an approach to assist classification of BRCA1 variants of uncertain significance. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260852. [PMID: 34855882 PMCID: PMC8638976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing a universally applicable protocol to assess the impact of BRCA1 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) expression is a problem which has yet to be resolved despite major progresses have been made. The numerous difficulties which must be overcome include the choices of cellular models and functional assays. We hypothesised that the use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells might facilitate the standardisation of protocols for classification, and could better model the disease process. We generated eight iPS cell lines from patient samples expressing either BRCA1 pathogenic variants, non-pathogenic variants, or BRCA1 VUSs. The impact of these variants on DNA damage repair was examined using a ɣH2AX foci formation assay, a Homologous Repair (HR) reporter assay, and a chromosome abnormality assay. Finally, all lines were tested for their ability to differentiate into mammary lineages in vitro. While the results obtained from the two BRCA1 pathogenic variants were consistent with published data, some other variants exhibited differences. The most striking of these was the BRCA1 variant Y856H (classified as benign), which was unexpectedly found to present a faulty HR repair pathway, a finding linked to the presence of an additional variant in the ATM gene. Finally, all lines were able to differentiate first into mammospheres, and then into more advanced mammary lineages expressing luminal- or basal-specific markers. This study stresses that BRCA1 genetic analysis alone is insufficient to establish a reliable and functional classification for assessment of clinical risk, and that it cannot be performed without considering the other genetic aberrations which may be present in patients. The study also provides promising opportunities for elucidating the physiopathology and clinical evolution of breast cancer, by using iPS cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meryem Ozgencil
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Barwell
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology at the University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Tischkowitz
- Department of Medical Genetics, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Izatt
- Clinical Genetics, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Kesterton
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Viapath Analytics, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Guy’s Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Simpson
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Sharpe
- Department of Craniofacial Development & Stem Cell Biology, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paulo de Sepulveda
- Signaling Hematopoiesis and Mechanism of Oncogenesis Lab, INSERM, CNRS, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Edwige Voisset
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (EV); (ES)
| | - Ellen Solomon
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (EV); (ES)
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17
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He Z, Ding Y, Mu Y, Xu X, Kong W, Chai R, Chen X. Stem Cell-Based Therapies in Hearing Loss. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:730042. [PMID: 34746126 PMCID: PMC8567027 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.730042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, neural stem cell transplantation has received widespread attention as a new treatment method for supplementing specific cells damaged by disease, such as neurodegenerative diseases. A number of studies have proved that the transplantation of neural stem cells in multiple organs has an important therapeutic effect on activation and regeneration of cells, and restore damaged neurons. This article describes the methods for inducing the differentiation of endogenous and exogenous stem cells, the implantation operation and regulation of exogenous stem cells after implanted into the inner ear, and it elaborates the relevant signal pathways of stem cells in the inner ear, as well as the clinical application of various new materials. At present, stem cell therapy still has limitations, but the role of this technology in the treatment of hearing diseases has been widely recognized. With the development of related research, stem cell therapy will play a greater role in the treatment of diseases related to the inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuhong He
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanyan Ding
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yurong Mu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Xu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Weijia Kong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Renjie Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiong Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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18
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Shrestha S, Morcavallo A, Gorrini C, Chesler L. Biological Role of MYCN in Medulloblastoma: Novel Therapeutic Opportunities and Challenges Ahead. Front Oncol 2021; 11:694320. [PMID: 34195095 PMCID: PMC8236857 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.694320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The constitutive and dysregulated expression of the transcription factor MYCN has a central role in the pathogenesis of the paediatric brain tumour medulloblastoma, with an increased expression of this oncogene correlating with a worse prognosis. Consequently, the genomic and functional alterations of MYCN represent a major therapeutic target to attenuate tumour growth in medulloblastoma. This review will provide a comprehensive synopsis of the biological role of MYCN and its family components, their interaction with distinct signalling pathways, and the implications of this network in medulloblastoma development. We will then summarise the current toolbox for targeting MYCN and highlight novel therapeutic avenues that have the potential to results in better-tailored clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumana Shrestha
- Division of Clinical Studies, Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London and Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom
| | - Alaide Morcavallo
- Division of Clinical Studies, Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London and Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom
| | - Chiara Gorrini
- Division of Clinical Studies, Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London and Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom
| | - Louis Chesler
- Division of Clinical Studies, Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London and Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom.,Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom
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19
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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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20
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Li Z, Langhans SA. In Vivo and Ex Vivo Pediatric Brain Tumor Models: An Overview. Front Oncol 2021; 11:620831. [PMID: 33869004 PMCID: PMC8047472 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.620831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
After leukemia, tumors of the brain and spine are the second most common form of cancer in children. Despite advances in treatment, brain tumors remain a leading cause of death in pediatric cancer patients and survivors often suffer from life-long consequences of side effects of therapy. The 5-year survival rates, however, vary widely by tumor type, ranging from over 90% in more benign tumors to as low as 20% in the most aggressive forms such as glioblastoma. Even within historically defined tumor types such as medulloblastoma, molecular analysis identified biologically heterogeneous subgroups each with different genetic alterations, age of onset and prognosis. Besides molecularly driven patient stratification to tailor disease risk to therapy intensity, such a diversity demonstrates the need for more precise and disease-relevant pediatric brain cancer models for research and drug development. Here we give an overview of currently available in vitro and in vivo pediatric brain tumor models and discuss the opportunities that new technologies such as 3D cultures and organoids that can bridge limitations posed by the simplicity of monolayer cultures and the complexity of in vivo models, bring to accommodate better precision in drug development for pediatric brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sigrid A. Langhans
- Nemours Biomedical Research, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, United States
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21
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Onodera S, Nakamura Y, Azuma T. Gorlin Syndrome: Recent Advances in Genetic Testing and Molecular and Cellular Biological Research. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7559. [PMID: 33066274 PMCID: PMC7590212 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gorlin syndrome is a skeletal disorder caused by a gain of function mutation in Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. The Hh family comprises of many signaling mediators, which, through complex mechanisms, play several important roles in various stages of development. The Hh information pathway is essential for bone tissue development. It is also the major driver gene in the development of basal cell carcinoma and medulloblastoma. In this review, we first present the recent advances in Gorlin syndrome research, in particular, the signaling mediators of the Hh pathway and their functions at the genetic level. Then, we discuss the phenotypes of mutant mice and Hh signaling-related molecules in humans revealed by studies using induced pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoko Onodera
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Kandamisaki-cho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan;
| | - Yuriko Nakamura
- Department of Oral Oncology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, 5-11-13 Sugano, Ichikawa, Chiba 272-8513, Japan;
| | - Toshifumi Azuma
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Kandamisaki-cho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan;
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