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Moaveni AK, Amiri M, Shademan B, Farhadi A, Behroozi J, Nourazarian A. Advances and challenges in gene therapy strategies for pediatric cancer: a comprehensive update. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1382190. [PMID: 38836106 PMCID: PMC11149429 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1382190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Pediatric cancers represent a tragic but also promising area for gene therapy. Although conventional treatments have improved survival rates, there is still a need for targeted and less toxic interventions. This article critically analyzes recent advances in gene therapy for pediatric malignancies and discusses the challenges that remain. We explore the innovative vectors and delivery systems that have emerged, such as adeno-associated viruses and non-viral platforms, which show promise in addressing the unique pathophysiology of pediatric tumors. Specifically, we examine the field of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and their adaptation for solid tumors, which historically have been more challenging to treat than hematologic malignancies. We also discuss the genetic and epigenetic complexities inherent to pediatric cancers, such as tumor heterogeneity and the dynamic tumor microenvironment, which pose significant hurdles for gene therapy. Ethical considerations specific to pediatric populations, including consent and long-term follow-up, are also analyzed. Additionally, we scrutinize the translation of research from preclinical models that often fail to mimic pediatric cancer biology to the regulatory landscapes that can either support or hinder innovation. In summary, this article provides an up-to-date overview of gene therapy in pediatric oncology, highlighting both the rapid scientific progress and the substantial obstacles that need to be addressed. Through this lens, we propose a roadmap for future research that prioritizes the safety, efficacy, and complex ethical considerations involved in treating pediatric patients. Our ultimate goal is to move from incremental advancements to transformative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Kian Moaveni
- Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Amiri
- Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behrouz Shademan
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Arezoo Farhadi
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Javad Behroozi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Nourazarian
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
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Horn D, Gross M, Dyckhoff G, Fuchs J, Grabe N, Weichert W, Herpel E, Herold‐Mende C, Lichter P, Hoffmann J, Hess J, Freier K. Cortactin expression: Association with disease progression and survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck 2018; 40:2685-2694. [DOI: 10.1002/hed.25515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Horn
- Department of Oral and Cranio‐Maxillofacial SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Madeleine Gross
- Department of Oral and Cranio‐Maxillofacial SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
- Division of Molecular GeneticsGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg Germany
| | - Gerhard Dyckhoff
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
- Molecular Cell Biology Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Jennifer Fuchs
- Department of Oral and Cranio‐Maxillofacial SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Niels Grabe
- Hamamatsu Tissue Imaging and Analysis Center (TIGA)BIOQUANT, University of Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of PathologyUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Esther Herpel
- Institute of PathologyUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
- Tissue Bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg Germany
| | - Christel Herold‐Mende
- Molecular Cell Biology Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Peter Lichter
- Division of Molecular GeneticsGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg Germany
| | - Jürgen Hoffmann
- Department of Oral and Cranio‐Maxillofacial SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Jochen Hess
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
- Research Group Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck TumorsGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg Germany
| | - Kolja Freier
- Department of Oral and Cranio‐Maxillofacial SurgeryUniversity Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
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Zhang C, Zhu Q, He H, Jiang L, Qiang Q, Hu L, Hu G, Jiang Y, Ding X, Lu Y. RIZ1: a potential tumor suppressor in glioma. BMC Cancer 2015; 15:990. [PMID: 26690953 PMCID: PMC4685634 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-2023-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retinoblastoma protein-interacting zinc-finger gene 1 (RIZ1) displays strong tumor suppressive activities, and its expression is often silenced in many types of human tumors. However, the relationship between RIZ1 expression and glioma prognosis remains unclear. METHODS The dysregulation of RIZ1 was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and immunohistochemical analysis of gliomas from 51 patients. Correlation analysis was performed to examine relationships between RIZ1 immunoreactivity, clinicopathological features, and patient prognosis. Also, human malignant glioma U87 and U251 cell lines were stably transduced with ectogenic RIZ1 using a lentiviral vector to investigate the effects of induced expression of RIZ1 on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. RESULTS Real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis showed that RIZ1 was downregulated in high-grade gliomas compared with low-grade gliomas and normal brain tissue. Immunohistochemistry showed less RIZ1 labeling in high-grade gliomas than in low-grade gliomas. There was a negative correlation between RIZ1 and Ki-67 immunoreactivity. Clinicopathological evaluation revealed that RIZ1 expression was negatively correlated with tumor grade and patient age. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a positive correlation between RIZ1 immunoreactivity level and progression-free and overall survival times. Multivariate analysis showed that high RIZ1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for patients with gliomas. Induced expression of RIZ1 in U87 and U251 cells reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, and cell cycle analysis revealed that a majority of cells were arrested at G2-M. Moreover, transfection with a RIZ1 expression vector increased p53 and caspase-3 expression and decreased p-IKBα and p-AKT protein levels, suggesting that RIZ1 may stimulate p53-mediated apoptosis and inhibit p-IKBα and p-AKT signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that high RIZ1 labeling is indicative of lower grades of gliomas and is associated with better progression-free and overall survival rates. Therefore, RIZ1 may be a promising therapeutic target for patients with gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenran Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
| | - Qiubei Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
| | - Hua He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
| | - Lei Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
| | - Qiang Qiang
- Department of Neurology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Liuhua Hu
- Department of Cardiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Guohan Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
| | - Ying Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
| | - Xuehua Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
| | - Yicheng Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
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Bayo P, Jou A, Stenzinger A, Shao C, Gross M, Jensen A, Grabe N, Mende CH, Rados PV, Debus J, Weichert W, Plinkert PK, Lichter P, Freier K, Hess J. Loss of SOX2 expression induces cell motility via vimentin up-regulation and is an unfavorable risk factor for survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Oncol 2015; 9:1704-19. [PMID: 26040981 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent gain on chromosome 3q26 encompassing the gene locus for the transcription factor SOX2 is a frequent event in human squamous cell carcinoma, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Numerous studies demonstrated that SOX2 expression and function is related to distinct aspects of tumor cell pathophysiology. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood, and the correlation between SOX2 expression and clinical outcome revealed conflicting data. Transcriptional profiling after silencing of SOX2 expression in a HNSCC cell line identified a set of up-regulated genes related to cell motility (e.g. VIM, FN1, CDH2). The inverse regulation of SOX2 and aforementioned genes was validated in 18 independent HNSCC cell lines from different anatomical sites. The inhibition of cell migration and invasion by SOX2 was confirmed by constant or conditional gene silencing and accelerated motility of HNSCC cells after SOX2 silencing was partially reverted by down-regulation of vimentin. In a retrospective study, SOX2 expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining on tissue microarrays containing primary tumor specimens of two independent HNSCC patient cohorts. Low SOX2 expression was found in 19.3% and 44.9% of primary tumor specimens, respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between low SOX2 protein levels and reduced progression-free survival (Cohort I 51 vs. 16 months; Cohort II 33 vs. 12 months) and overall survival (Cohort I 150 vs. 37 months; Cohort II 33 vs. 16 months). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis confirmed that low SOX2 expression serves as an independent prognostic marker for HNSCC patients. We conclude that SOX2 inhibits tumor cell motility in HNSCC cells and that low SOX2 expression serves as a prognosticator to identify HNSCC patients at high risk for treatment failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Bayo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany; Research Group Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck Tumors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Adriana Jou
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany; Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany; Oral Pathology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, CEP: 90035-003, Brazil.
| | - Albrecht Stenzinger
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Chunxuan Shao
- Division of Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Madeleine Gross
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany; Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Alexandra Jensen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Niels Grabe
- Hamamatsu Tissue Imaging and Analysis Center (TIGA), BIOQUANT, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany; Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Christel Herold Mende
- Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Molecular Cell Biology Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Pantelis Varvaki Rados
- Oral Pathology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, CEP: 90035-003, Brazil.
| | - Juergen Debus
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Peter K Plinkert
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Peter Lichter
- Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Kolja Freier
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Jochen Hess
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany; Research Group Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck Tumors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
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Luo C, Merz PR, Chen Y, Dickes E, Pscherer A, Schadendorf D, Eichmüller SB. MiR-101 inhibits melanoma cell invasion and proliferation by targeting MITF and EZH2. Cancer Lett 2013; 341:240-7. [PMID: 23962556 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 07/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/11/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The microRNA miR-101 has been reported to be a tumor suppressor. Here we show that low expression of miR-101 is associated with poor survival in stage IV melanoma patients. We identified microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) as a direct target of miR-101. In melanoma cells, overexpression of miR-101 downregulated protein levels of MITF and a previously reported target protein, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). Functional assays showed that miR-101 suppressed invasion and proliferation - an outcome that could be phenocopied by siRNA knockdown of MITF and EZH2. Our data suggest that miR-101 might have a beneficial role in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonglin Luo
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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Wang Q, Wang JY, Zhang XP, Lv ZW, Fu D, Lu YC, Hu GH, Luo C, Chen JX. RLIP76 is overexpressed in human glioblastomas and is required for proliferation, tumorigenesis and suppression of apoptosis. Carcinogenesis 2012; 34:916-26. [DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgs401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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7
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Biocompatibility of a genetically encoded calcium indicator in a transgenic mouse model. Nat Commun 2012; 3:1031. [DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Accepted: 07/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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8
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Moskalev EA, Luckert K, Vorobjev IA, Mastitsky SE, Gladkikh AA, Stephan A, Schrenk M, Kaplanov KD, Kalashnikova OB, Pötz O, Joos TO, Hoheisel JD. Concurrent epigenetic silencing of wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor genes in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. BMC Cancer 2012; 12:213. [PMID: 22672427 PMCID: PMC3489542 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-12-213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Wnt/β-catenin signalling is aberrantly activated in primary B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Epigenetic silencing of pathway inhibitor genes may be a mechanism for its activation. In this study, we investigated systematically and quantitatively the methylation status of 12 Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor genes - CDH1, DACT1, DKK1, DKK2, DKK3, DKK4, SFRP1, SFRP2, SFRP3, SFRP4, SFRP5 and WIF1 - in the cell lines EHEB and MEC-1 as well as patient samples. METHODS Quantification of DNA methylation was performed by means of bisulphite pyrosequencing and confirmed by bisulphite Sanger sequencing. Gene expression was analysed by qPCR using GAPDH as internal control. E-cadherin and β-catenin protein quantification was carried out by microsphere-based immunoassays. Methylation differences observed between the patient and control groups were tested using generalised least squares models. RESULTS For 10 genes, a higher methylation level was observed in tumour material. Only DKK4 exhibited similarly high methylation levels in both tumour and normal specimens, while DACT1 was always essentially unmethylated. However, also for these inhibitors, treatment of cells with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2´-deoxycytidine resulted in an induction of their expression, as shown by quantitative PCR, suggesting an indirect epigenetic control of activity. While the degree of demethylation and its transcriptional consequences differed between the genes, there was an overall high correlation of demethylation and increased activity. Protein expression studies revealed that no constitutive Wnt/β-catenin signalling occurred in the cell lines, which is in discrepancy with results from primary CLL. However, treatment with 5-aza-2´-deoxycytidine caused accumulation of β-catenin. Simultaneously, E-cadherin expression was strongly induced, leading to the formation of a complex with β-catenin and thus demonstrating its epigenetically regulated inhibition effect. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest an epigenetic silencing mechanism of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor genes in CLL. Hypermethylation and silencing of functionally related genes may not be completely stochastic but result from the tumour epigenome reprogramming orchestrated by Polycomb-group repressive complexes. The data are of interest in the context of epigenetic-based therapy.
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MESH Headings
- Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/pharmacology
- Azacitidine/pharmacology
- Cadherins/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Chromosome Mapping
- CpG Islands
- DNA Methylation
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
- Gene Silencing
- Humans
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/genetics
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/metabolism
- Protein Binding
- Signal Transduction
- Wnt Proteins/metabolism
- beta Catenin/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny A Moskalev
- Functional Genome Analysis, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Diagnostic Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstr. 8-10, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Katrin Luckert
- Biochemistry Department, NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Markwiesenstr. 55, 72770, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Ivan A Vorobjev
- Functional Morphology of Hemablastoses, National Hematology Research Centre of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Novy Zykovsky passage 4a, 125167, Moscow, Russia
- A.N. Belozersky Institute and Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey E Mastitsky
- Theoretical Bioinformatics, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aleena A Gladkikh
- Functional Morphology of Hemablastoses, National Hematology Research Centre of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Novy Zykovsky passage 4a, 125167, Moscow, Russia
| | - Achim Stephan
- Functional Genome Analysis, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marita Schrenk
- Functional Genome Analysis, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kamil D Kaplanov
- Department of Haematology, Volgograd Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary No.1, Zemlyachki str. 78, 400138, Volgograd, Russia
| | - Olga B Kalashnikova
- Department of Haematology, Volgograd Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary No.1, Zemlyachki str. 78, 400138, Volgograd, Russia
| | - Oliver Pötz
- Biochemistry Department, NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Markwiesenstr. 55, 72770, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Thomas O Joos
- Biochemistry Department, NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Markwiesenstr. 55, 72770, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Jörg D Hoheisel
- Functional Genome Analysis, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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MicroRNA-182 promotes leptomeningeal spread of non-sonic hedgehog-medulloblastoma. Acta Neuropathol 2012; 123:529-38. [PMID: 22134538 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-011-0924-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2011] [Accepted: 11/22/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of microRNAs to the initiation, progression, and metastasis of medulloblastoma (MB) remains poorly understood. Metastatic dissemination at diagnosis is present in about 30% of MB patients, and is associated with a dismal prognosis. Using microRNA expression profiling, we demonstrate that the retinal miR-183-96-182 cluster on chromosome 7q32 is highly overexpressed in non-sonic hedgehog MBs (non-SHH-MBs). Expression of miR-182 and miR-183 is associated with cerebellar midline localization, and miR-182 is significantly overexpressed in metastatic MB as compared to non-metastatic tumors. Overexpression of miR-182 in non-SHH-MB increases and knockdown of miR-182 decreases cell migration in vitro. Xenografts overexpressing miR-182 invaded adjacent normal tissue and spread to the leptomeninges, phenotypically reminiscent of clinically highly aggressive large cell anaplastic MB. Hence, our study provides strong in vitro and in vivo evidence that miR-182 contributes to leptomeningeal metastatic dissemination in non-SHH-MB. We therefore reason that targeted inhibition of miR-182 may prevent leptomeningeal spread in patients with non-SHH-MB.
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Knyazhanskaya ES, Kondrashina OV, Gottikh MB. Approaches to site-directed DNA integration based on transposases and retroviral integrases. Mol Biol 2011. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893311060069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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11
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Wang J, Wang Q, Cui Y, Liu ZY, Zhao W, Wang CL, Dong Y, Hou L, Hu G, Luo C, Chen J, Lu Y. Knockdown of cyclin D1 inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, and attenuates the invasive capacity of human glioblastoma cells. J Neurooncol 2011; 106:473-84. [PMID: 21912938 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-011-0692-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2011] [Accepted: 08/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Elevated cyclin D1 (CCND1) in human glioblastoma correlates with poor clinical prognosis. In this study, the human glioblastoma cell lines SHG-44 and U251 were stably transfected with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting cyclin D1 or with ectogenic cyclin D1 by lentivirus-mediated transfection. Glioblastoma cells overexpressing or underexpressing cyclin D1 were then examined by in vitro growth assays, apoptosis assays, cell cycle analysis, and invasion assays. Cyclin D1 knockdown in SHG-44 cells inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and attenuated migration across Matrigel, a model of invasive capacity. Western blot analysis and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that cells underexpressing CCND1 exhibited decreased multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression, but enhanced apoptosis effector caspase-3 expression. In contrast, cyclin D1 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, attenuated apoptosis, and enhanced invasive capacity. Furthermore, cyclin D1 overexpression was associated with increased expression of MDR1 and Bcl-2, and decreased caspase-3 expression. Results using the U251 cell line confirmed the effects of CCND1-targeted shRNA and lentivirus-mediated overexpression on proliferation and apoptosis of glioblastoma cells. Overexpression of cyclin D1 enhanced the proliferation and invasive potential of human glioblastoma cells, while reducing apoptosis. The ability to suppress the malignant phenotype by downregulating cyclin D1 expression may provide a new gene therapy approach for patients with malignant glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, No. 415 FengYang Road, Shanghai, 200003, People's Republic of China
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12
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Preventing arginine-to-proline conversion in a cell-line-independent manner during cell cultivation under stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) conditions. Anal Biochem 2011; 412:123-5. [PMID: 21241653 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2011.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative proteomics has increasingly gained impact in life science research as a tool to describe changes in protein expression between different cellular states. Stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) is a powerful technique for relative quantification of proteins. However, the accuracy of quantification is impaired by the metabolic conversion of arginine to proline resulting in additional heavy labeled proline peptide satellites. Here we reinvestigated the addition of unlabeled proline during cell cultivation under SILAC conditions considering several thousand peptides and demonstrated that the arginine-to-proline conversion is prevented independent of the cell line used.
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13
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de Souza Rocha Simonini P, Breiling A, Gupta N, Malekpour M, Youns M, Omranipour R, Malekpour F, Volinia S, Croce CM, Najmabadi H, Diederichs S, Sahin O, Mayer D, Lyko F, Hoheisel JD, Riazalhosseini Y. Epigenetically deregulated microRNA-375 is involved in a positive feedback loop with estrogen receptor alpha in breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 2010; 70:9175-84. [PMID: 20978187 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-10-1318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor α (ERα) upregulation causes abnormal cell proliferation in about two thirds of breast cancers, yet understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains incomplete. Here, we show that high expression of the microRNA miR-375 in ERα-positive breast cell lines is a key driver of their proliferation. miR-375 overexpression was caused by loss of epigenetic marks including H3K9me2 and local DNA hypomethylation, dissociation of the transcriptional repressor CTCF from the miR-375 promoter, and interactions of ERα with regulatory regions of miR-375. Inhibiting miR-375 in ERα-positive MCF-7 cells resulted in reduced ERα activation and cell proliferation. A combination of expression profiling from tumor samples and miRNA target prediction identified RASD1 as a potential miR-375 target. Mechanistic investigations revealed that miR-375 regulates RASD1 by targeting the 3' untranslated region in RASD1 mRNA. Additionally, we found that RASD1 negatively regulates ERα expression. Our findings define a forward feedback pathway in control of ERα expression, highlighting new strategies to treat ERα-positive invasive breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro de Souza Rocha Simonini
- Division of Functional Genome Analysis, Helmholtz-University-Young Investigator Group Molecular RNA Biology and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) & Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Shahmoradgoli M, Mannherz O, Engel F, Heck S, Krämer A, Seiffert M, Pscherer A, Lichter P. Antiapoptotic function of charged multivesicular body protein 5: a potentially relevant gene in acute myeloid leukemia. Int J Cancer 2010; 128:2865-71. [PMID: 20734392 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2010] [Accepted: 08/12/2010] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely used to uncover gene function or pathway context of novel genes. In our study, we describe a short-hairpin RNA-based RNAi screening of a set of functionally uncharacterized human genes for their possible capability to inhibit apoptosis. We thereby identified a new antiapoptotic function for CHMP5 (charged multivesicular body protein 5), which was confirmed by overexpression and rescue assays. Furthermore, caspase assays showed that CHMP5 silencing induced caspase cascade activation mainly through extrinsic apoptosis pathway. Based on genome-wide expression array profiling, a possible regulatory role of CHMP5 on apoptosis-associated genes and different signaling pathways including nuclear factor kappa B was revealed. In addition, we found significantly higher CHMP5 mRNA levels in acute myeloid leukemia patients. This observation together with the antiapoptotic feature of CHMP5 suggests a possible oncogenic function for this gene in leukemogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Shahmoradgoli
- Department of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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15
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Chen R, Chubb S, Cheng T, Hawtin RE, Gandhi V, Plunkett W. Responses in mantle cell lymphoma cells to SNS-032 depend on the biological context of each cell line. Cancer Res 2010; 70:6587-97. [PMID: 20663900 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-3578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
SNS-032 is a potent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk) 2, 7, and 9 that regulate the cell cycle and transcription. Our studies in indolent primary chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells showed that SNS-032 inhibited transcription, diminished the antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1, and induced apoptosis. The present study focuses on evaluating this compound in four proliferating mantle cell lymphoma lines (Jeko-1, Granta 519, Mino, and SP-53). Consistent with its action against Cdk9 and Cdk7, SNS-032 inhibited the phosphorylation of RNA pol II in all four lines and blocked RNA synthesis. The transcripts and protein levels of short-lived proteins decreased, including cyclin D1 and Mcl-1. Cell growth was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner in all lines. Apoptosis was induced in JeKo-1, Mino, and SP-53 cells without disrupting cell cycle distribution. However, apoptosis was limited in Granta cells; rather, there was a significant reduction of clonogenic survival. Small interfering RNA was used to specifically knock down Mcl-1 and cyclin D1 in JeKo-1 and Granta cells. Knocking down Mcl-1 induced significant apoptosis in Jeko-1 cells but not Granta cells. Reducing cyclin D1, rather than Mcl-1, was associated with loss of clonogenic survival in Granta cells. Thus, these results indicated that mantle cell lymphoma cell lines have distinct mechanisms sustaining their survival, and the mechanism of action of SNS-032 is dependent on the biological context of an individual line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Chen
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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16
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Farfsing A, Engel F, Seiffert M, Hartmann E, Ott G, Rosenwald A, Stilgenbauer S, Döhner H, Boutros M, Lichter P, Pscherer A. Gene knockdown studies revealed CCDC50 as a candidate gene in mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leukemia 2009; 23:2018-26. [PMID: 19641524 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2009.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The two B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma entities, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), show recurrent chromosomal gains of 3q25-q29, 12q13-q14 and 18q21-q22. The pathomechanisms affected by these aberrations are not understood. The aim of this study was to identify genes, located within these gained regions, which control cell death and cell survival of MCL and CLL cancer cells. Blood samples collected from 18 patients with CLL and 6 patients with MCL, as well as 6 cell lines representing both malignancies were analyzed by gene expression profiling. By a comparison of genomic DNA and gene expression, 72 candidate genes were identified. We performed a limited RNA interference screening with these candidates to identify genes affecting cell survival. CCDC50 (coiled coil domain containing protein 50), SERPINI2 and SMARCC2 mediated a reduction of cell viability in primary CLL cells as well as in cell lines. Gene knockdown and a nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) reporter gene assay revealed that CCDC50 is required for survival in MCL and CLL cells and controls NFkappaB signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Farfsing
- Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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17
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Wang S, Zhao Y, Leiby MA, Zhu J. Studying human telomerase gene transcription by a chromatinized reporter generated by recombinase-mediated targeting of a bacterial artificial chromosome. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 37:e111. [PMID: 19528078 PMCID: PMC2761251 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The endogenous human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene is repressed in somatic cells. To study the mechanisms of its repression, we developed a strategy of retrovirus-directed Cre recombinase-mediated BAC targeting, or RMBT, to generate single-copy integrations of BAC at pre-engineered chromosomal sites. This technique involved retroviral transduction of acceptor loci, containing an HSV thymidine kinase marker, and subsequent integration of BAC constructs into the acceptor sites, utilizing the loxP and lox511 sites present in the vector backbones. The BAC reporter, with a Renilla luciferase cassette inserted downstream of the hTERT promoter, was retrofitted with a puromycin marker. Through puromycin selection and ganciclovir counter-selection, a targeting efficiency of over 50% was achieved. We demonstrated that the activity and chromatin structures of the hTERT promoter in chromosomally integrated BAC reporter recapitulated its endogenous counterpart of the host cells. Therefore, we have established a genetically amendable platform to study chromatin and epigenetic regulation of the hTERT gene. The highly efficient and versatile RMBT technique has general applicability for studying largely unexplored chromatin-dependent mechanisms of promoter regulation of various genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwen Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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18
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Heck S, Rom J, Thewes V, Becker N, Blume B, Sinn HP, Deuschle U, Sohn C, Schneeweiss A, Lichter P. Estrogen-related receptor alpha expression and function is associated with the transcriptional coregulator AIB1 in breast carcinoma. Cancer Res 2009; 69:5186-93. [PMID: 19491275 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-08-3062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The significance of the estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha) as prognostic marker for poor clinical outcome in breast carcinoma has recently been reported. Transcriptional activity of nuclear receptors such as ERRalpha depends on coregulatory proteins. Thus, we compared the expression of different receptors, coregulators, and target genes on RNA and protein level in identical primary breast tumor samples (n = 48). We found a positive correlation between the transcripts of ERRalpha and AIB1 (amplified in breast cancer-1), a coactivator overexpressed in breast cancers and associated with resistance to antihormone treatment. These data were confirmed on protein level, studying an independent patient collection (n = 257). Expression of the estrogen-regulated gene pS2 was associated with ERRalpha only in tumors, where estrogen receptor (ERalpha) expression was low or absent. In ERalpha high expressing tumors, no correlation of ERRalpha and pS2 was observed. AIB1 interacts directly with ERRalpha as shown by fluorescence-resonance energy transfer, mammalian two-hybrid, and coimmunoprecipitation assays with endogenous proteins. It enhances ERRalpha transcriptional activity in ERalpha-negative breast cancer cell lines as shown in functional reporter gene assays. Blocking ERRalpha with an inverse agonist abolished interaction and coactivation by AIB1. Recruitment of both proteins to ERRalpha target gene promoters further supports the significance of their interaction. Our findings identify AIB1 as functionally relevant cofactor for ERRalpha in breast carcinoma. ERRalpha/AIB1 complexes may control estradiol-regulated genes in a hormone-independent manner. Accordingly, ERRalpha might be a rewarding target for treatment of endocrine-resistant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Heck
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Molecular Genetics, Heidelberg, Germany
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19
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Klier M, Anastasov N, Hermann A, Meindl T, Angermeier D, Raffeld M, Fend F, Quintanilla-Martinez L. Specific lentiviral shRNA-mediated knockdown of cyclin D1 in mantle cell lymphoma has minimal effects on cell survival and reveals a regulatory circuit with cyclin D2. Leukemia 2008; 22:2097-105. [PMID: 18685613 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2008.213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin D1 overexpression is the hallmark of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). However, the importance of cyclin D1 in the maintenance and progression of the disease remains to be defined. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of cyclin D1 overexpression using an efficient cyclin D1-shRNA and a lentiviral system in well-characterized MCL cell lines. Surprisingly, the knockdown of cyclin D1 led to a moderate retardation in growth, without induction of apoptosis. The cyclin D1-shRNA-transduced MCL cells showed a 15% shift from S phase to G(1) phase of the cell cycle, a weak induction of p27(Kip1), decreased Rb (Ser807/811) phosphorylation, and a consistent upregulation of cyclin D2 mRNA and protein expression. However, double knockdown of cyclins D1 and D2 did not intensify the effects observed with cyclin D1 knockdown alone. These data suggest that the moderate effects of cyclin D1 downregulation on survival and proliferation are likely the result of compensatory cyclin-independent mechanisms governing proliferation or alternatively, secondary genetic events that make cyclin D1 dispensable. These findings have important implications for MCL therapy, as strategies targeting only cyclin D1 function might be hampered by compensatory regulatory mechanisms, resulting in a low probability of treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Klier
- Institute of Pathology, Helmholtz Center Munich-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
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20
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Functionally associated targets in mantle cell lymphoma as defined by DNA microarrays and RNA interference. Blood 2008; 111:1617-24. [DOI: 10.1182/blood-2007-02-068791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractMantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma with poor prognosis. Its hallmark is the translocation t(11:14)q (13;32), leading to overexpression of cyclin D1, a positive regulator of the cell cycle. As cyclin D1 up-regulation is not sufficient for inducing malignant transformation, we combined DNA microarray and RNA interference (RNAi) approaches to identify novel deregulated genes involved in the progression of MCL. DNA microarray analysis identified 46 genes specifically up-regulated in MCL compared with normal B cells; 20 of these were chosen for further studies based on their cellular functions, such as growth and proliferation. The Granta 519 cell line was selected as an MCL in vitro model, to set up the RNAi protocol. To confirm the functionality of overexpression of the 20 disease-associated genes, they were knocked down using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). In particular, knockdown of 3 genes, encoding the hepatoma-derived growth factor related protein 3 (HDGFRP3), the frizzled homolog 2 (FZD2), and the dual specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5), induced proliferative arrest in Granta 519 MCL cells. These genes emerged as functionally associated in MCL, in relation to growth and survival, and interfering with their function would increase insight into lymphoma growth regulation, potentially leading to novel clinical intervention modalities.
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