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Grynberg S, Vered M, Shapira-Frommer R, Asher N, Ben-Betzalel G, Stoff R, Steinberg Y, Amariglio N, Greenberg G, Barshack I, Toren A, Yahalom R, Schachter J, Rechavi G, Hirschhorn A, Abebe Campino G. Neoadjuvant BRAF-targeted therapy for ameloblastoma of the mandible: an organ preservation approach. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:539-546. [PMID: 37966914 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ameloblastoma is a rare odontogenic neoplasm frequently located in the mandible. Standard treatment involves radical bone resection and immediate reconstruction, causing functional, aesthetic, and psychological impairments. The BRAF V600E mutation is present in approximately 80% of mandible ameloblastomas, and BRAF inhibitors have demonstrated sustained responses in unresectable cases. METHODS We identified ameloblastoma patients planned for ablative surgery and screened them for BRAF V600E mutation. Neoadjuvant BRAF inhibitors were offered to facilitate jaw preservation surgery. Retrospective data collection encompassed treatment regimens, tolerability, tumor response, and conversion to mandible preservation surgery. RESULTS Between 2017 and 2022, a total of 11 patients received dabrafenib (n = 6) or dabrafenib with trametinib (n = 5). The median age was 19 (range = 10-83) years. Median treatment duration was 10 (range = 3-20) months. All (100%) patients achieved a radiological response. Ten (91%) patients successfully converted to mandible preservation surgery with residual tumor enucleation. One patient attained complete radiological response, and surgery was not performed. Among the 10 surgically treated patients, all exhibited a pathological response, with 4 achieving near complete response and 6 partial response. At a median follow-up of 14 (range = 7-37) months after surgery, 1 case of recurrence was observed. Grade 1-2 adverse effects were reported in 8 (73%) patients, with a single case of grade 3 (hepatitis). Dose modification was necessary for 3 patients, and 4 experienced treatment interruptions, while 1 patient permanently discontinued therapy. CONCLUSIONS Neoadjuvant BRAF inhibition may offer a safe and effective strategy for organ preservation in mandible ameloblastoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirly Grynberg
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute of Immuno-Oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Marilena Vered
- Institue of Pathology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ronnie Shapira-Frommer
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute of Immuno-Oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Nethanel Asher
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute of Immuno-Oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Guy Ben-Betzalel
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute of Immuno-Oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ronen Stoff
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute of Immuno-Oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Yael Steinberg
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute of Immuno-Oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ninette Amariglio
- Sheba Cancer Research Center, Wohl Institute of Translational Medicine, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Gahl Greenberg
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Iris Barshack
- Institue of Pathology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Amos Toren
- Division of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ran Yahalom
- Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Jacob Schachter
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute of Immuno-Oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Gideon Rechavi
- Sheba Cancer Research Center, Wohl Institute of Translational Medicine, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ariel Hirschhorn
- Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Gadi Abebe Campino
- Division of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
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de Oliveira Filho RS, de Oliveira DA, Nisimoto MM, Marti LC. A Review of Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma Therapies and Their Mechanisms, from Immunotherapies to Lysine Histone Methyl Transferase Inhibitors. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5751. [PMID: 38136297 PMCID: PMC10741407 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced cutaneous melanoma is considered to be the most aggressive type of skin cancer and has variable rates of treatment response. Currently, there are some classes of immunotherapy and target therapies for its treatment. Immunotherapy can inhibit tumor growth and its recurrence by triggering the host's immune system, whereas targeted therapy inhibits specific molecules or signaling pathways. However, melanoma responses to these treatments are highly heterogeneous, and patients can develop resistance. Epigenomics (DNA/histone modifications) contribute to cancer initiation and progression. Epigenetic alterations are divided into four levels of gene expression regulation: DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNA regulation. Deregulation of lysine methyltransferase enzymes is associated with tumor initiation, invasion, development of metastases, changes in the immune microenvironment, and drug resistance. The study of lysine histone methyltransferase (KMT) and nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) inhibitors is important for understanding cancer epigenetic mechanisms and biological processes. In addition to immunotherapy and target therapy, the research and development of KMT and NNMT inhibitors is ongoing. Many studies are exploring the therapeutic implications and possible side effects of these compounds, in addition to their adjuvant potential to the approved current therapies. Importantly, as with any drug development, safety, efficacy, and specificity are crucial considerations when developing methyltransferase inhibitors for clinical applications. Thus, this review article presents the recently available therapies and those in development for advanced cutaneous melanoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Santos de Oliveira Filho
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Escola Paulista de Medicina–Universidade Federal de São Paulo–EPM-UNIFESP, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Arcuschin de Oliveira
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo–UNIFESP-Skin Cancer and Melanoma Fellow, São Paulo 04023-900, SP, Brazil;
| | | | - Luciana Cavalheiro Marti
- Experimental Research Department, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05652-900, SP, Brazil
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Wagstaff W, Mwamba RN, Grullon K, Armstrong M, Zhao P, Hendren-Santiago B, Qin KH, Li AJ, Hu DA, Youssef A, Reid RR, Luu HH, Shen L, He TC, Haydon RC. Melanoma: Molecular genetics, metastasis, targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and therapeutic resistance. Genes Dis 2022; 9:1608-1623. [PMID: 36157497 PMCID: PMC9485270 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is a common cancer and cases have steadily increased since the mid 70s. For some patients, early diagnosis and surgical removal of melanomas is lifesaving, while other patients typically turn to molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapies as treatment options. Easy sampling of melanomas allows the scientific community to identify the most prevalent mutations that initiate melanoma such as the BRAF, NRAS, and TERT genes, some of which can be therapeutically targeted. Though initially effective, many tumors acquire resistance to the targeted therapies demonstrating the need to investigate compensatory pathways. Immunotherapies represent an alternative to molecular targeted therapies. However, inter-tumoral immune cell populations dictate initial therapeutic response and even tumors that responded to treatment develop resistance in the long term. As the protocol for combination therapies develop, so will our scientific understanding of the many pathways at play in the progression of melanoma. The future direction of the field may be to find a molecule that connects all of the pathways. Meanwhile, noncoding RNAs have been shown to play important roles in melanoma development and progression. Studying noncoding RNAs may help us to understand how resistance - both primary and acquired - develops; ultimately allow us to harness the true potential of current therapies. This review will cover the basic structure of the skin, the mutations and pathways responsible for transforming melanocytes into melanomas, the process by which melanomas metastasize, targeted therapeutics, and the potential that noncoding RNAs have as a prognostic and treatment tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Wagstaff
- The Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Medical Scientist Training Program, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Rimel N. Mwamba
- The Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Medical Scientist Training Program, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Karina Grullon
- The Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Medical Scientist Training Program, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Mikhayla Armstrong
- The Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Medical Scientist Training Program, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Piao Zhao
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Bryce Hendren-Santiago
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kevin H. Qin
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alexander J. Li
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Daniel A. Hu
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Andrew Youssef
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Russell R. Reid
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Laboratory of Craniofacial Suture Biology and Development, Department of Surgery Section of Plastic Surgery, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Hue H. Luu
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Le Shen
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tong-Chuan He
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Rex C. Haydon
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Wilson MA, Fecher LA. The Role of Systemic Therapy in Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma of the Head and Neck. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2021; 54:329-342. [PMID: 33602512 DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2020.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The treatment of advanced melanoma has changed dramatically over the last decade. With the discovery of activating BRAF mutations and the development of targeted therapies and checkpoint inhibitors, the overall survival of patients with advanced melanoma has improved. This article provides an overview of systemic therapies, including the pivotal agents that have led to these advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Wilson
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, 1025 Walnut Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Leslie A Fecher
- University of Michigan, Rogel Cancer Center, C343 MIB, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, SPC 5848, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5848, USA.
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Binder H, Schmidt M, Loeffler-Wirth H, Mortensen LS, Kunz M. Melanoma Single-Cell Biology in Experimental and Clinical Settings. J Clin Med 2021; 10:506. [PMID: 33535416 PMCID: PMC7867095 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10030506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity is regarded as a major factor for treatment response and resistance in a variety of malignant tumors, including malignant melanoma. More recent developments of single-cell sequencing technology provided deeper insights into this phenomenon. Single-cell data were used to identify prognostic subtypes of melanoma tumors, with a special emphasis on immune cells and fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, treatment resistance to checkpoint inhibitor therapy has been shown to be associated with a set of differentially expressed immune cell signatures unraveling new targetable intracellular signaling pathways. Characterization of T cell states under checkpoint inhibitor treatment showed that exhausted CD8+ T cell types in melanoma lesions still have a high proliferative index. Other studies identified treatment resistance mechanisms to targeted treatment against the mutated BRAF serine/threonine protein kinase including repression of the melanoma differentiation gene microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and induction of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase. Interestingly, treatment resistance mechanisms not only included selection processes of pre-existing subclones but also transition between different states of gene expression. Taken together, single-cell technology has provided deeper insights into melanoma biology and has put forward our understanding of the role of tumor heterogeneity and transcriptional plasticity, which may impact on innovative clinical trial designs and experimental approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (H.B.); (M.S.); (H.L.-W.); (L.S.M.)
| | - Maria Schmidt
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (H.B.); (M.S.); (H.L.-W.); (L.S.M.)
| | - Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (H.B.); (M.S.); (H.L.-W.); (L.S.M.)
| | - Lena Suenke Mortensen
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (H.B.); (M.S.); (H.L.-W.); (L.S.M.)
| | - Manfred Kunz
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 23-25, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Pan F, Wang Q, Li S, Huang R, Wang X, Liao X, Mo H, Zhang L, Zhou X. Prognostic value of key genes of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Oncol Lett 2020; 19:1928-1946. [PMID: 32194688 PMCID: PMC7039088 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway is involved in cell immunity, division and death, as well as in tumor formation. The expression of key genes in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in different types of cancer serves different roles. However, few reports are available on the prognostic value of the genes of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). The potential prognostic value of gene expression in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in patients with SKCM was analyzed in the present study using data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. To predict the potential functions and mechanisms of these genes in SKCM, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and bioinformatics analysis were performed. A nomogram model including gene expression level and high risk factors was used to predict the risk level of prognostic. High expression levels of STAT1, STAT3, STAT4 and STAT5B, and low expression levels of STAT6 were associated with favorable prognosis [adjusted P<0.001; hazard ratio (HR), 0.595; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.455–0.778; adjusted P=0.018; HR, 0.725; 95% CI, 0.555–0.947; adjusted P<0.001; HR, 0.590; 95% CI, 0.450–0.773; adjusted P=0.007; HR, 0.690; 95% CI, 0.526–0.940; and adjusted P=0.026; HR, 0.737, 95% CI, 0.563–0.964, respectively]. GSEA results demonstrated that these genes were involved in cell differentiation, invasion, adhesion, migration, cycle, colony formation and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. The combination of genes with favorable prognosis had a better effect on the overall survival (univariate survival analysis, P<0.05). The results of the present study suggest that STAT1, STAT3, STAT4, STAT5B and STAT6 gene expression may be used as a potential prognostic biomarker of SKCM, and the combined outcomes may exhibit a stronger interaction and higher survival time for SKCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuqiang Pan
- Department of Medical Cosmetology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Qiaoqi Wang
- Department of Medical Cosmetology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Sizhu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Rui Huang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Xiangkun Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Xiwen Liao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Haiyan Mo
- Department of Medical Cosmetology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Liming Zhang
- Department of Medical Cosmetology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Medical Cosmetology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530000, P.R. China
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de Assis LVM, Moraes MN, Castrucci AMDL. The molecular clock in the skin, its functionality, and how it is disrupted in cutaneous melanoma: a new pharmacological target? Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:3801-3826. [PMID: 31222374 PMCID: PMC11105295 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03183-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The skin is the interface between the organism and the external environment, acting as its first barrier. Thus, this organ is constantly challenged by physical stimuli such as UV and infrared radiation, visible light, and temperature as well as chemicals and pathogens. To counteract the deleterious effects of the above-mentioned stimuli, the skin has complex defense mechanisms such as: immune and neuroendocrine systems; shedding of epidermal squamous layers and apoptosis of damaged cells; DNA repair; and pigmentary system. Here we have reviewed the current knowledge regarding which stimuli affect the molecular clock of the skin, the consequences to skin-related biological processes and, based on such knowledge, we suggest some therapeutic targets. We also explored the recent advances regarding the molecular clock disruption in melanoma, its impact on the carcinogenic process, and its therapeutic value in melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Vinícius Monteiro de Assis
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, R. do Matão, Trav. 14, No. 101, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Maria Nathalia Moraes
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, R. do Matão, Trav. 14, No. 101, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
- School of Health Science, University Anhembi Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria de Lauro Castrucci
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, R. do Matão, Trav. 14, No. 101, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil.
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Ghiringhelli F, Fumet JD. Is There a Place for Immunotherapy for Metastatic Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer? Front Immunol 2019; 10:1816. [PMID: 31447840 PMCID: PMC6691024 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 revolutionized the treatment of microsatellite instable metastatic colon cancer. Such treatment is now a standard of care for these patients. However, when used as monotherapy checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 are not effective in metastatic colorectal cancer patients with microsatellite stable tumors. Recent advances in biology provide a rationale for this intrinsic resistance and support the evaluation of combination therapy to reverse resistance. This article will highlight recent findings on the mechanism of intrinsic resistance and recent advances in clinical trials for combination therapy.
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9
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Zhang X, Tang JZ, Vergara IA, Zhang Y, Szeto P, Yang L, Mintoff C, Colebatch A, McIntosh L, Mitchell KA, Shaw E, Rizos H, Long GV, Hayward N, McArthur GA, Papenfuss AT, Harvey KF, Shackleton M. Somatic Hypermutation of the YAP Oncogene in a Human Cutaneous Melanoma. Mol Cancer Res 2019; 17:1435-1449. [PMID: 30833299 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-18-0407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is usually driven by mutations in BRAF or NRAS, which trigger hyperactivation of MAPK signaling. However, MAPK-targeted therapies are not sustainably effective in most patients. Accordingly, characterizing mechanisms that co-operatively drive melanoma progression is key to improving patient outcomes. One possible mechanism is the Hippo signaling pathway, which regulates cancer progression via its central oncoproteins YAP and TAZ, although is thought to be only rarely affected by direct mutation. As YAP hyperactivation occurs in uveal melanoma, we investigated this oncogene in cutaneous melanoma. YAP protein expression was elevated in most benign nevi and primary cutaneous melanomas but present at only very low levels in normal melanocytes. In patient-derived xenografts and melanoma cell lines, we observed variable reliance of cell viability on Hippo pathway signaling that was independent of TAZ activity and also of classical melanoma driver mutations such as BRAF and NRAS. Finally, in genotyping studies of melanoma, we observed the first ever hyperactivating YAP mutations in a human cancer, manifest as seven distinct missense point mutations that caused serine to alanine transpositions. Strikingly, these mutate four serine residues known to be targeted by the Hippo pathway and we show that they lead to hyperactivation of YAP. IMPLICATIONS: Our studies highlight the YAP oncoprotein as a potential therapeutic target in select subgroups of melanoma patients, although successful treatment with anti-YAP therapies will depend on identification of biomarkers additional to YAP protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Zhang
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jian Zhong Tang
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute & School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Youfang Zhang
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pacman Szeto
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lie Yang
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Lachlan McIntosh
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Evangeline Shaw
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Helen Rizos
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Melanoma Institute of Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Nicholas Hayward
- Melanoma Institute of Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Grant A McArthur
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony T Papenfuss
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kieran F Harvey
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Shackleton
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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de Assis LVM, Kinker GS, Moraes MN, Markus RP, Fernandes PA, Castrucci AMDL. Expression of the Circadian Clock Gene BMAL1 Positively Correlates With Antitumor Immunity and Patient Survival in Metastatic Melanoma. Front Oncol 2018; 8:185. [PMID: 29946530 PMCID: PMC6005821 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Melanoma is the most lethal type of skin cancer, with increasing incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Multiple studies have demonstrated a link between cancer development/progression and circadian disruption; however, the complex role of tumor-autonomous molecular clocks remains poorly understood. With that in mind, we investigated the pathophysiological relevance of clock genes expression in metastatic melanoma. Methods We analyzed gene expression, somatic mutation, and clinical data from 340 metastatic melanomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas, as well as gene expression data from 234 normal skin samples from genotype-tissue expression. Findings were confirmed in independent datasets. Results In melanomas, the expression of most clock genes was remarkably reduced and displayed a disrupted pattern of co-expression compared to the normal skins, indicating a dysfunctional circadian clock. Importantly, we demonstrate that the expression of the clock gene aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 (BMAL1) positively correlates with patient overall survival and with the expression of T-cell activity and exhaustion markers in the tumor bulk. Accordingly, high BMAL1 expression in pretreatment samples was significantly associated with clinical benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors. The robust intratumoral T-cell infiltration/activation observed in patients with high BMAL1 expression was associated with a decreased expression of key DNA-repair enzymes, and with an increased mutational/neoantigen load. Conclusion Overall, our data corroborate previous reports regarding the impact of BMAL1 expression on the cellular DNA-repair capacity and indicate that alterations in the tumor-autonomous molecular clock could influence the cellular composition of the surrounding microenvironment. Moreover, we revealed the potential of BMAL1 as a clinically relevant prognostic factor and biomarker for T-cell-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Vinícius Monteiro de Assis
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Sarti Kinker
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunemodulation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Nathália Moraes
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Regina P Markus
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunemodulation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Augusto Fernandes
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunemodulation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria de Lauro Castrucci
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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11
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The Cellular p53 Inhibitor MDM2 and the Growth Factor Receptor FLT3 as Biomarkers for Treatment Responses to the MDM2-Inhibitor Idasanutlin and the MEK1 Inhibitor Cobimetinib in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10060170. [PMID: 29857559 PMCID: PMC6025168 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10060170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor suppressor protein p53 is inactivated in a large variety of cancer cells. Cellular p53 inhibitors like the mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) commonly suppress the p53 function in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Moreover, fms like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) growth factor signaling pathways including the mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK) cascade (RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK) are highly active in AML cells. Consequently, the combined administration of MDM2 and MEK inhibitors may present a promising anti-leukemic treatment strategy. Here we assessed the MDM2 antagonist idasanutlin and the MEK1 inhibitor cobimetinib as single agents and in combination in a variety of AML cell lines and primary AML blast cells for their ability to induce apoptosis and cell death. AML cell lines and blast cells comprised all major AML subtypes based on the mutational status of TP53, FLT3 and NPM1 genes. We observed a considerably varying anti-leukemic efficacy of idasanutlin and cobimetinib. AML cells with high sensitivity to the single compounds as well as to the combined treatment emerged with normal karyotype, wild-type TP53 and elevated FLT3 and MDM2 protein levels. Our data indicate that AML cells with normal karyotype (NK) and wild-type status of TP53 with elevated FLT3 and MDM2 expression emerge to be most sensitive to the combined treatment with cobimetinib and idasanutlin. FLT3 and MDM2 are biomarkers for treatment response to idasanutlin and cobimetinib in AML.
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12
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Orso M, Serraino D, Abraha I, Fusco M, Giovannini G, Casucci P, Cozzolino F, Granata A, Gobbato M, Stracci F, Ciullo V, Vitale MF, Eusebi P, Orlandi W, Montedori A, Bidoli E. Validating malignant melanoma ICD-9-CM codes in Umbria, ASL Napoli 3 Sud and Friuli Venezia Giulia administrative healthcare databases: a diagnostic accuracy study. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020631. [PMID: 29678984 PMCID: PMC5914898 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes in identifying subjects with melanoma. DESIGN A diagnostic accuracy study comparing melanoma ICD-9-CM codes (index test) with medical chart (reference standard). Case ascertainment was based on neoplastic lesion of the skin and a histological diagnosis from a primary or metastatic site positive for melanoma. SETTING Administrative databases from Umbria Region, Azienda Sanitaria Locale (ASL) Napoli 3 Sud (NA) and Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region. PARTICIPANTS 112, 130 and 130 cases (subjects with melanoma) were randomly selected from Umbria, NA and FVG, respectively; 94 non-cases (subjects without melanoma) were randomly selected from each unit. OUTCOME MEASURES Sensitivity and specificity for ICD-9-CM code 172.x located in primary position. RESULTS The most common melanoma subtype was malignant melanoma of skin of trunk, except scrotum (ICD-9-CM code: 172.5), followed by malignant melanoma of skin of lower limb, including hip (ICD-9-CM code: 172.7). The mean age of the patients ranged from 60 to 61 years. Most of the diagnoses were performed in surgical departments.The sensitivities were 100% (95% CI 96% to 100%) for Umbria, 99% (95% CI 94% to 100%) for NA and 98% (95% CI 93% to 100%) for FVG. The specificities were 88% (95% CI 80% to 93%) for Umbria, 77% (95% CI 69% to 85%) for NA and 79% (95% CI 71% to 86%) for FVG. CONCLUSIONS The case definition for melanoma based on clinical or instrumental diagnosis, confirmed by histological examination, showed excellent sensitivities and good specificities in the three operative units. Administrative databases from the three operative units can be used for epidemiological and outcome research of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Orso
- Health Planning Service, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
| | - Diego Serraino
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico Aviano, Aviano, Italy
| | - Iosief Abraha
- Health Planning Service, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
- Innovation and development, Agenzia Nazionale per i Servizi Sanitari Regionali (Agenas), Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Fusco
- Registro Tumori Regione Campania, ASL Napoli 3 Sud, Brusciano, Italy
| | - Gianni Giovannini
- Health Planning Service, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
| | - Paola Casucci
- SOC Epidemiologia Oncologica, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico Aviano, Aviano, Italy
| | - Francesco Cozzolino
- Health Planning Service, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
| | - Annalisa Granata
- Registro Tumori Regione Campania, ASL Napoli 3 Sud, Brusciano, Italy
| | - Michele Gobbato
- SOC Epidemiologia Oncologica, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico Aviano, Aviano, Italy
| | | | - Valerio Ciullo
- Registro Tumori Regione Campania, ASL Napoli 3 Sud, Brusciano, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Eusebi
- Health Planning Service, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
| | - Walter Orlandi
- Direzione Regionale Salute, Regional Health Authority of Umbria, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Ettore Bidoli
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico Aviano, Aviano, Italy
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13
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Mambelli LI, Teixeira SF, Jorge SD, Kawamura B, Meneguelo R, Barbuto JAM, de Azevedo RA, Ferreira AK. Phosphoethanolamine induces caspase-independent cell death by reducing the expression of C-RAF and inhibits tumor growth in human melanoma model. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 103:18-28. [PMID: 29635124 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.03.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphoethanolamine (PEA) is a fundamental precursor during the biosynthesis of cell membranes phospholipids. In the past few years, it has been described as a potential antitumor agent. In previous studies, we demonstrated that PEA showed antitumor properties in vitro and in vivo in a wide range of tumor cell lines. Herein, we showed that PEA possesses cytotoxic properties and notably revealed to induce caspase-independent cell death. Of interest, we provided evidence that PEA inhibits melanoma cells proliferation through the reduction of C-RAF. Molecular docking of PEA evidenced that this compound indeed fits satisfactory in the binding site located between the dimers of C-RAF protein with 107,01 Å and score of -29,62. Also, PEA arrested A2058 cells at G2/M phase in the cell cycle. Moreover, cell proliferation, migration and adhesion capacities of A2058 cells were also inhibited by PEA. Most importantly, PEA inhibited tumor growth of melanoma tumors and prolonged survival rate of mice. Also, PEA induced a significant immune response in a syngeneic metastatic melanoma model. Taken together, these data indicate that PEA is a promising candidate for future developments in cancer field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisley I Mambelli
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Sarah F Teixeira
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Salomão D Jorge
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Alchemy, Innovation, Research & Development, Department of Oncology, CIETEC/IPEN, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Kawamura
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Medical Science, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Meneguelo
- Instituto Tecnológico da Aeronáutica, Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - José A M Barbuto
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo A de Azevedo
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Alchemy, Innovation, Research & Development, Department of Oncology, CIETEC/IPEN, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adilson K Ferreira
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Alchemy, Innovation, Research & Development, Department of Oncology, CIETEC/IPEN, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Medical Science, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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14
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de Assis LVM, Moraes MN, Magalhães-Marques KK, Kinker GS, da Silveira Cruz-Machado S, Castrucci AMDL. Non-Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma Induces Chronodisruption in Central and Peripheral Circadian Clocks. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E1065. [PMID: 29614021 PMCID: PMC5979525 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19041065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological clock has received increasing interest due to its key role in regulating body homeostasis in a time-dependent manner. Cancer development and progression has been linked to a disrupted molecular clock; however, in melanoma, the role of the biological clock is largely unknown. We investigated the effects of the tumor on its micro- (TME) and macro-environments (TMaE) in a non-metastatic melanoma model. C57BL/6J mice were inoculated with murine B16-F10 melanoma cells and 2 weeks later the animals were euthanized every 6 h during 24 h. The presence of a localized tumor significantly impaired the biological clock of tumor-adjacent skin and affected the oscillatory expression of genes involved in light- and thermo-reception, proliferation, melanogenesis, and DNA repair. The expression of tumor molecular clock was significantly reduced compared to healthy skin but still displayed an oscillatory profile. We were able to cluster the affected genes using a human database and distinguish between primary melanoma and healthy skin. The molecular clocks of lungs and liver (common sites of metastasis), and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) were significantly affected by tumor presence, leading to chronodisruption in each organ. Taken altogether, the presence of non-metastatic melanoma significantly impairs the organism's biological clocks. We suggest that the clock alterations found in TME and TMaE could impact development, progression, and metastasis of melanoma; thus, making the molecular clock an interesting pharmacological target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Vinícius Monteiro de Assis
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
| | - Maria Nathália Moraes
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
| | - Keila Karoline Magalhães-Marques
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
| | - Gabriela Sarti Kinker
- Laboratory of Chronopharmacology, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
| | - Sanseray da Silveira Cruz-Machado
- Laboratory of Chronopharmacology, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
| | - Ana Maria de Lauro Castrucci
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiology of Pigmentation, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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15
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Gerber T, Willscher E, Loeffler-Wirth H, Hopp L, Schadendorf D, Schartl M, Anderegg U, Camp G, Treutlein B, Binder H, Kunz M. Mapping heterogeneity in patient-derived melanoma cultures by single-cell RNA-seq. Oncotarget 2018; 8:846-862. [PMID: 27903987 PMCID: PMC5352202 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent technological advances in single-cell genomics make it possible to analyze cellular heterogeneity of tumor samples. Here, we applied single-cell RNA-seq to measure the transcriptomes of 307 single cells cultured from three biopsies of three different patients with a BRAF/NRAS wild type, BRAF mutant/NRAS wild type and BRAF wild type/NRAS mutant melanoma metastasis, respectively. Analysis based on self-organizing maps identified sub-populations defined by multiple gene expression modules involved in proliferation, oxidative phosphorylation, pigmentation and cellular stroma. Gene expression modules had prognostic relevance when compared with gene expression data from published melanoma samples and patient survival data. We surveyed kinome expression patterns across sub-populations of the BRAF/NRAS wild type sample and found that CDK4 and CDK2 were consistently highly expressed in the majority of cells, suggesting that these kinases might be involved in melanoma progression. Treatment of cells with the CDK4 inhibitor palbociclib restricted cell proliferation to a similar, and in some cases greater, extent than MAPK inhibitors. Finally, we identified a low abundant sub-population in this sample that highly expressed a module containing ABC transporter ABCB5, surface markers CD271 and CD133, and multiple aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs). Patient-derived cultures of the BRAF mutant/NRAS wild type and BRAF wild type/NRAS mutant metastases showed more homogeneous single-cell gene expression patterns with gene expression modules for proliferation and ABC transporters. Taken together, our results describe an intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity in melanoma short-term cultures which might be relevant for patient survival, and suggest promising targets for new treatment approaches in melanoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Gerber
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Edith Willscher
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lydia Hopp
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Manfred Schartl
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Clinic Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Institute for Advanced Study, 3572 Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3572, USA
| | - Ulf Anderegg
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gray Camp
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Barbara Treutlein
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manfred Kunz
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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16
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Yan J, Wu X, Yu J, Yu H, Xu T, Brown KM, Bai X, Dai J, Ma M, Tang H, Si L, Chi Z, Sheng X, Cui C, Kong Y, Guo J. Analysis of NRAS gain in 657 patients with melanoma and evaluation of its sensitivity to a MEK inhibitor. Eur J Cancer 2017; 89:90-101. [PMID: 29245078 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma rat-sarcoma (NRAS) mutations have been described in Chinese patients with melanoma. However, the status and the clinical significance of NRAS gain have not been investigated on a large scale. METHODS A total of 657 melanoma samples were included in the study. NRAS copy number was examined using the QuantiGene Plex DNA assay. The sensitivities of cell lines and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models containing NRAS gain to a MAP/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor (binimetinib) were also evaluated. RESULTS The overall incidence of NRAS gain was 14.0% (92 of 657). Incidence of NRAS gain in acral, mucosal, chronic sun-induced damage (CSD) and non-CSD melanomas was 12.2%, 15.8%, 9.5% and 19.4%, respectively. NRAS gain was mutually exclusive to NRAS mutations (P = 0.036). The median survival time for melanoma patients with NRAS gain was significantly shorter than that for patients with normal NRAS copy number (P = 0.006). For patients containing NRAS gain, the median survival time for higher copy number (>4 copies) was significantly shorter than those with lower copy number (2-4 copies; P = 0.002). The MEK inhibitor (binimetinib) inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cells and the tumour growth of PDX models with NRAS gain. CONCLUSIONS NRAS gain is frequent in patients with melanoma and may predict a poor prognosis of melanoma. The melanoma cells and PDX models containing NRAS gain are sensitive to MEK inhibitor (binimetinib), indicating that NRAS gain might be a new therapeutic target for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Yan
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaowen Wu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jiayi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Tianxiao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Kevin M Brown
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xue Bai
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Dai
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Ma
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Tang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Si
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Chi
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Xinan Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanliang Cui
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Kong
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China.
| | - Jun Guo
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Renal Cancer and Melanoma, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China.
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17
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Mudan S, Kumar J, Mafalda NC, Kusano T, Reccia I, Zanallato A, Dalgleish A, Habib N. Case report on the role of radiofrequency-assisted spleen-preserving surgery for splenic metastasis in the era of check-point inhibitors. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017; 96:e9106. [PMID: 29245341 PMCID: PMC5728956 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000009106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE An isolated splenic metastasis is a rare phenomenon noted in advanced stage melanoma. We report the role of radiofrequency (RF) -based splenic-preserving splenectomy in a patient with a solitary splenic metastasis from advanced stage melanoma that was managed with checkpoint inhibitors. PATIENT CONCERNS We report a case of a 60-year-old man who presented with multiple lung metastases and a solitary splenic metastasis with advanced stage melanoma following excision of primary from his trunk 2.3 years back. DIAGNOSIS Considering the diagnosis of advanced stage melanoma with multiple lung metastases and a solitary splenic metastasis, and its ongoing progressive nature. This case was discussed in the tumour board meeting. INTERVENTIONS A decision was made to commence treatment with immunotherapy in the form of PD-1 inhibitor (programmed cell death 1 receptor) pembrolizumab. Follow-up restaging computer tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and chest showed a significant reduction in the lung and chest wall lesions, but the splenic lesion remained unchanged. Given the lack of response to treatment in the splenic metastasis and the significant decrease in lung metastases, the multidisciplinary team decided that a partial splenectomy combined with continued immunotherapy treatment would be appropriate as the success of immunotherapy was imminent within the splenic preservation. OUTCOMES The postoperative recovery was smooth and the patient was discharged from hospital on the sixth postoperative day with normal platelets and white blood cells. The histopathological analysis of the resected specimen showed a metastatic melanoma with negative margins.At 10-month follow-up after the splenic resection the patient had not experienced further tumour recurrences. LESSONS Spleen-preserving resection for an isolated, solitary splenic metastasis of melanoma is a feasible approach as it not only preserves the ongoing efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors by preserving the physiological T cell milieu, but the immunomodulation properties of RF can produce potentially additional therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jayant Kumar
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Nagy Habib
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London
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18
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Merchant M, Moffat J, Schaefer G, Chan J, Wang X, Orr C, Cheng J, Hunsaker T, Shao L, Wang SJ, Wagle MC, Lin E, Haverty PM, Shahidi-Latham S, Ngu H, Solon M, Eastham-Anderson J, Koeppen H, Huang SMA, Schwarz J, Belvin M, Kirouac D, Junttila MR. Combined MEK and ERK inhibition overcomes therapy-mediated pathway reactivation in RAS mutant tumors. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185862. [PMID: 28982154 PMCID: PMC5628883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway dysregulation is implicated in >30% of all cancers, rationalizing the development of RAF, MEK and ERK inhibitors. While BRAF and MEK inhibitors improve BRAF mutant melanoma patient outcomes, these inhibitors had limited success in other MAPK dysregulated tumors, with insufficient pathway suppression and likely pathway reactivation. In this study we show that inhibition of either MEK or ERK alone only transiently inhibits the MAPK pathway due to feedback reactivation. Simultaneous targeting of both MEK and ERK nodes results in deeper and more durable suppression of MAPK signaling that is not achievable with any dose of single agent, in tumors where feedback reactivation occurs. Strikingly, combined MEK and ERK inhibition is synergistic in RAS mutant models but only additive in BRAF mutant models where the RAF complex is dissociated from RAS and thus feedback productivity is disabled. We discovered that pathway reactivation in RAS mutant models occurs at the level of CRAF with combination treatment resulting in a markedly more active pool of CRAF. However, distinct from single node targeting, combining MEK and ERK inhibitor treatment effectively blocks the downstream signaling as assessed by transcriptional signatures and phospho-p90RSK. Importantly, these data reveal that MAPK pathway inhibitors whose activity is attenuated due to feedback reactivation can be rescued with sufficient inhibition by using a combination of MEK and ERK inhibitors. The MEK and ERK combination significantly suppresses MAPK pathway output and tumor growth in vivo to a greater extent than the maximum tolerated doses of single agents, and results in improved anti-tumor activity in multiple xenografts as well as in two Kras mutant genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models. Collectively, these data demonstrate that combined MEK and ERK inhibition is functionally unique, yielding greater than additive anti-tumor effects and elucidates a highly effective combination strategy in MAPK-dependent cancer, such as KRAS mutant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Merchant
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - John Moffat
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Gabriele Schaefer
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jocelyn Chan
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Christine Orr
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jason Cheng
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas Hunsaker
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Lily Shao
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Stephanie J. Wang
- Department of Biological Engineering, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Marie-Claire Wagle
- Department of Oncology Biomarker Development, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Eva Lin
- Department of Discovery Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Peter M. Haverty
- Department of Bioinformatics, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sheerin Shahidi-Latham
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Hai Ngu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Margaret Solon
- Department of Discovery Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Eastham-Anderson
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Hartmut Koeppen
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Shih-Min A. Huang
- Department of Oncology Biomarker Development, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jacob Schwarz
- Department of Discovery Chemistry, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Marcia Belvin
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel Kirouac
- Department of Pre-clinical & Translational Pharmacokinetics Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Melissa R. Junttila
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
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19
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Wick MR, Gru AA. Metastatic melanoma: Pathologic characterization, current treatment, and complications of therapy. Semin Diagn Pathol 2016; 33:204-18. [PMID: 27234321 DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2016.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Metastatic melanoma (MM) has the potential to involve virtually any anatomical site, and it also has a wide spectrum of histological appearances. General clinicopathologic data pertaining to MM are presented in this review, together with a discussion of its differential diagnosis and therapy. "Biological" agents used in the treatment of melanoma are considered, along with the pathological features of the complications that they may cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Wick
- Division of Surgical Pathology & Cytopathology, University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville, Virginia.
| | - Alejandro A Gru
- Division of Surgical Pathology & Cytopathology, University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville, Virginia
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20
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Ebert PJR, Cheung J, Yang Y, McNamara E, Hong R, Moskalenko M, Gould SE, Maecker H, Irving BA, Kim JM, Belvin M, Mellman I. MAP Kinase Inhibition Promotes T Cell and Anti-tumor Activity in Combination with PD-L1 Checkpoint Blockade. Immunity 2016; 44:609-621. [PMID: 26944201 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 520] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Targeted inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) can induce regression of tumors bearing activating mutations in the Ras pathway but rarely leads to tumor eradication. Although combining MEK inhibition with T-cell-directed immunotherapy might lead to more durable efficacy, T cell responses are themselves at least partially dependent on MEK activity. We show here that MEK inhibition did profoundly block naive CD8(+) T cell priming in tumor-bearing mice, but actually increased the number of effector-phenotype antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells within the tumor. MEK inhibition protected tumor-infiltrating CD8(+) T cells from death driven by chronic TCR stimulation while sparing cytotoxic activity. Combining MEK inhibition with anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) resulted in synergistic and durable tumor regression even where either agent alone was only modestly effective. Thus, despite the central importance of the MAP kinase pathway in some aspects of T cell function, MEK-targeted agents can be compatible with T-cell-dependent immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeanne Cheung
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Yagai Yang
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Erin McNamara
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Rebecca Hong
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | | | | | - Bryan A Irving
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Jeong M Kim
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Marcia Belvin
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Ira Mellman
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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21
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Mukherjee S, Ma Z, Wheeler S, Sathanoori M, Coldren C, Prescott JL, Kozyr N, Bouzyk M, Correll M, Ho H, Chandra PK, Lennon PA. Chromosomal microarray provides enhanced targetable gene aberration detection when paired with next generation sequencing panel in profiling lung and colorectal tumors. Cancer Genet 2016; 209:119-29. [PMID: 26880400 DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2015.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 12/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The development of targeted therapies based on specific genomic alterations has altered the treatment and management of lung and colorectal cancers. Chromosomal microarray (CMA) has allowed identification of copy number variations (CNVs) in lung and colorectal cancers in great detail, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) is used extensively to analyze the genome of cancers for molecular subtyping and use of molecularly guided therapies. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of combining CMA and NGS for a comprehensive genomic assessment of lung and colorectal adenocarcinomas, especially for detecting drug targets. We compared the results from NGS and CMA data from 60 lung and 51 colorectal tumors. From CMA analysis, 33% were amplified, 89% showed gains, 75% showed losses and 41% demonstrated loss of heterozygosity; pathogenic variants were identified in 81% of colon and 67% lung specimens through NGS. KRAS mutations commonly occurred with loss in TP53 and there was significant loss of BRCA1 and NF1 among male patients with lung cancer. For clinically actionable targets, 23% had targetable CNVs when no pathogenic variants were detected by NGS. The data thus indicate that combining the two approaches provides significant benefit in a routine clinical setting not available by NGS alone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Z Ma
- PathGroup, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - H Ho
- PathGroup, Nashville, TN, USA
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22
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Patel D, Gao Y, Son K, Siltanen C, Neve RM, Ferrara K, Revzin A. Microfluidic co-cultures with hydrogel-based ligand trap to study paracrine signals giving rise to cancer drug resistance. LAB ON A CHIP 2015; 15:4614-4624. [PMID: 26542093 DOI: 10.1039/c5lc00948k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Targeted cancer therapies are designed to deactivate signaling pathways used by cancer cells for survival. However, cancer cells are often able to adapt by activating alternative survival pathways, thereby acquiring drug resistance. An emerging theory is that autocrine or paracrine growth factor signaling in the cancer microenvironment represent an important mechanism of drug resistance. In the present study we wanted to examine whether paracrine interactions between groups of melanoma cells result in resistance to vemurafenib - an FDA approved drug targeting the BRAF mutation in metastatic melanoma. We used a vemurafenib-resistant melanoma model which secretes fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 to test our hypothesis that this is a key paracrine mediator of resistance to vemurafenib. Sensitive cells treated with media conditioned by resistant cells did not protect from the effects of vemurafenib. To query paracrine interactions further we fabricated a microfluidic co-culture device with two parallel compartments, separated by a 100 μm wide hydrogel barrier. The gel barrier prevented resorting/contact of cells while permitting paracrine cross-talk. In this microfluidic system, sensitive cells did become refractive to the effects of vemurafenib when cultured adjacent to resistant cells. Importantly, incorporation of FGF-2 capture probes into the gel barrier separating the two cell types prevented onset of resistance to vemurafenib. Microfluidic tools described here allow for more sensitive analysis of paracrine signals, may help better understand signaling in the cancer microenvironment and may enable development of more effective cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipali Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, One Shields Ave, University of California, Davis, CA 95618, USA.
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23
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Vujic I, Sanlorenzo M, Posch C, Esteve-Puig R, Yen AJ, Kwong A, Tsumura A, Murphy R, Rappersberger K, Ortiz-Urda S. Metformin and trametinib have synergistic effects on cell viability and tumor growth in NRAS mutant cancer. Oncotarget 2015; 6:969-78. [PMID: 25504439 PMCID: PMC4359268 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Attempts to directly block the mutant neuroblastoma rat sarcoma oncogene (NRAS) protein, a driving mutation in many cancer types, have been unsuccessful. Current treatments focus on inhibition of different components of NRAS' two main downstream cascades: PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK. Here we test a novel dual therapy combination of metformin and trametinib on a panel of 16 NRAS mutant cell lines, including melanoma cells, melanoma cells with acquired trametinib resistance, lung cancer and neuroblastoma cells. We show that both of the main downstream cascades of NRAS can be blocked by this combination: metformin indirectly inhibits the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and trametinib directly impedes the MAPK pathway. This dual therapy synergistically reduced cell viability in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in vivo. We conclude that metformin and trametinib combinations are effective in preclinical models and may be a possible option for treatment of NRAS mutant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Vujic
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Department of Dermatology, Juchgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martina Sanlorenzo
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Dermatology, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Christian Posch
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Department of Dermatology, Juchgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rosaura Esteve-Puig
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Adam J Yen
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Kwong
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Aaron Tsumura
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ryan Murphy
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Klemens Rappersberger
- Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Department of Dermatology, Juchgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susana Ortiz-Urda
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
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24
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Clinical detection and categorization of uncommon and concomitant mutations involving BRAF. BMC Cancer 2015; 15:779. [PMID: 26498038 PMCID: PMC4619530 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1811-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Selective BRAF inhibitors, vemurafenib and dabrafenib, and the MEK inhibitor, trametinib, have been approved for treatment of metastatic melanomas with a BRAF p.V600E mutation. The clinical significance of non-codon 600 mutations remains unclear, in part, due to variation of kinase activity for different mutants. METHODS In this study, we categorized BRAF mutations according to the reported mutant kinase activity. A total of 1027 lung cancer, colorectal cancer or melanoma specimens were submitted for clinical mutation detection by next generation sequencing. RESULTS Non-codon 600 mutations were observed in 37% of BRAF-mutated tumors. Of all BRAF mutants, 75% were kinase-activated, 15% kinase-impaired and 10% kinase-unknown. The most common kinase-impaired mutant involves codon 594, specifically, p.D594G (c.1781A > G) and p.D594N (c.1780G > A). Lung cancers showed significantly higher incidences of kinase-impaired or kinase-unknown mutants. Kinase-impaired BRAF mutants showed a significant association with concomitant activating KRAS or NRAS mutations, but not PIK3CA mutations, supporting the reported interaction of these mutations. CONCLUSIONS BRAF mutants with impaired or unknown kinase activity as well as concomitant kinase-impaired BRAF mutations and RAS mutations were detected in lung cancers, colorectal cancers and melanomas. Different therapeutic strategies based on the BRAF mutant kinase activity and the concomitant mutations may be worthwhile.
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25
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Muñoz-Couselo E, García JS, Pérez-García JM, Cebrián VO, Castán JC. Recent advances in the treatment of melanoma with BRAF and MEK inhibitors. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2015; 3:207. [PMID: 26488003 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2015.05.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Selective inhibition of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway with either BRAF or MEK inhibition has emerged as the key component for the treatment of BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. New evidence from several phase III trials suggests that the combination of BRAF and MEK inhibitors improves tumor response rate and progression-free survival (PFS). Some of the serious adverse events, in particular, the incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma seen with the monotherapy treatment with a BRAF inhibitor are attenuated with combination therapy, whereas milder side effects such as pyrexia can be more common with combination therapy. Although dose reductions and dose interruptions are slightly more common with combination therapy, overall data supports the notion that combination therapy is safe and improves the outcomes for metastatic melanoma patients compared to single agent BRAF inhibitors.
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26
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To outline the most urgent challenges in the management of advanced melanoma. RECENT FINDINGS Considerable progress in targeted and immunotherapy of advanced melanoma has opened a perspective for a cure if all molecular and medical information is integrated in a rational precision treatment algorithm. SUMMARY Bioinformatics and system biology approaches will be needed to deal with omics databases. The support of patient advocacy groups may help to increase the acceptance of large scale, routine biobanking.
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Abstract
Aberrant activation of the three-layered protein kinase cascade, Raf/MEK/ERK, is often detected in human cancer, which is mainly attributed to the oncogenic alterations of RAF, or its upstream activators RAS or cell surface receptor tyrosine kinases. Deregulated activity of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway drives uncontrolled tumor cell proliferation and survival, thus providing a rational therapeutic target for the treatment of many cancers. While Raf, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2 are equally important targets for the design of therapeutic small molecular weight inhibitors, the effort to develop MEK1/2-specific inhibitors has been greatly successful. Particularly, MEK1/2 have been relatively advantageous for the design of highly selective adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-noncompetitive inhibitors. Indeed, a plethora of highly selective and potent MEK1/2 inhibitors are now available and many of those inhibitors have been evaluated for their therapeutic potential. Herein, we review different MEK1/2 inhibitors that have been studied for their inhibitory mechanisms and therapeutic potential in cancer. Some of the key structural features of MEK1/2 that are important for the efficacy of these inhibitors are also discussed. In addition, we discuss current challenges and future prospective in using these advanced MEK1/2 inhibitors for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pui-Kei Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Jong-In Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
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28
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Crassini K, Stevenson WS, Mulligan SP, Best OG. The MEK1/2 inhibitor, MEKi-1, induces cell death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells under conditions that mimic the tumor microenvironment and is synergistic with fludarabine. Leuk Lymphoma 2015; 56:3407-17. [PMID: 25804768 DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2015.1032963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The Raf-1/MEK/ERK1/2 pathway has become a focus for novel cancer therapies. This study sought to investigate whether targeting MEK1/2 may represent a therapeutic option for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The MEK1/2 inhibitor, MEKi-1, induced apoptosis of CLL cells and was synergistic with fludarabine under conditions that mimic the tumor microenvironment, irrespective of poor-risk characteristics. MEKi-1 down-regulated the activities of AKT and ERK1/2 and was synergistic with fludarabine through a mechanism that involved potentiation of DNA damage and attenuation of the activity of ERK1/2 and expression of Mcl-1. This study highlights the significant role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-ERK1/2 pathway in mediating the effects of the CLL tumor microenvironment and suggests that targeting MEK1/2 in CLL cells may impact upon the activity of both ERK1/2 and AKT. Inhibitors of MEK1/2 as single agents or in combination with DNA-damaging agents may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for CLL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Crassini
- a Northern Blood Research Centre, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital , St Leonards, Sydney , NSW , Australia.,b CLL Australian Research Consortium (CLLARC) , Sydney , NSW , Australia
| | - William S Stevenson
- a Northern Blood Research Centre, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital , St Leonards, Sydney , NSW , Australia.,b CLL Australian Research Consortium (CLLARC) , Sydney , NSW , Australia
| | - Stephen P Mulligan
- a Northern Blood Research Centre, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital , St Leonards, Sydney , NSW , Australia.,b CLL Australian Research Consortium (CLLARC) , Sydney , NSW , Australia
| | - O Giles Best
- a Northern Blood Research Centre, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital , St Leonards, Sydney , NSW , Australia.,b CLL Australian Research Consortium (CLLARC) , Sydney , NSW , Australia
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29
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Vujic I, Posch C, Sanlorenzo M, Yen AJ, Tsumura A, Kwong A, Feichtenschlager V, Lai K, Arneson DV, Rappersberger K, Ortiz-Urda SM. Mutant NRASQ61 shares signaling similarities across various cancer types--potential implications for future therapies. Oncotarget 2015; 5:7936-44. [PMID: 25277205 PMCID: PMC4202171 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic mutations in the Neuroblastoma Rat Sarcoma oncogene (NRAS) are frequent in melanoma, but are also found in several other cancer types, such as lung cancer, neuroblastoma and colon cancer. We designed our study to analyze changes in NRAS mutant tumor cells derived from malignancies other than melanoma. A variety of small molecule inhibitors as well as their combinations was tested in order to find beneficial inhibitory modalities in NRASQ61 mutant lung cancer and neuroblastoma cell lines. Signaling changes after incubation with inhibitors were studied and compared to those found in NRAS mutant melanoma. All cell lines were most sensitive to inhibition in the MAPK pathway with the MEK inhibitor trametinib. MEK/AKT and MEK/CDK4,6 inhibitor combinations did not show any beneficial effects in vitro. However, we observed strong synergism combining MEK and PI3K/mTOR inhibitors in all cell lines. Our study provides evidence that NRAS mutant cancers share signaling similarities across different malignancies. We demonstrate that dual pathway inhibition of the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway synergistically reduces cell viability in NRAS mutant cancers regardless of their tissue origin. Our results suggest that such inhibitor combinations may be a potential treatment option for non-melanoma tumors harboring activating NRAS mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Vujic
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA. Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna, Department of Dermatology, Juchgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Posch
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA. Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna, Department of Dermatology, Juchgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martina Sanlorenzo
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA. Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Dermatology, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Adam J Yen
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA
| | - Aaron Tsumura
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA
| | - Andrew Kwong
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA
| | - Valentin Feichtenschlager
- Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna, Department of Dermatology, Juchgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kevin Lai
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA
| | - Douglas V Arneson
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA
| | - Klemens Rappersberger
- Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna, Department of Dermatology, Juchgasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susana M Ortiz-Urda
- University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, San Francisco, USA
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Shi-Lin D, Yuan X, Zhan S, Luo-Jia T, Chao-Yang T. Trametinib, a novel MEK kinase inhibitor, suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production and endotoxin shock. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 458:667-673. [PMID: 25684183 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.01.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), one of the most prominent pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), activates macrophages, causing release of toxic cytokines (i.e. tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α) that may provoke inflammation and endotoxin shock. Here, we tested the potential role of trametinib, a novel and highly potent MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor, against LPS-induced TNF-α response in monocytes, and analyzed the underlying mechanisms. We showed that trametinib, at nM concentrations, dramatically inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α mRNA expression and protein secretion in transformed (RAW 264.7 cells) and primary murine macrophages. In ex-vivo cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), this MEK inhibitor similarly suppressed TNF-α production by LPS. For the mechanism study, we found that trametinib blocked LPS-induced MEK-ERK activation in above monocytes, which accounted for the defective TNF-α response. Macrophages or PBMCs treated with a traditional MEK inhibitor PD98059 or infected with MEK1/2-shRNA lentivirus exhibited a similar defect as trametinib, and nullified the activity of trametinib. On the other hand, introducing a constitutively-active (CA) ERK1 restored TNF-α production by LPS in the presence of trametinib. In vivo, mice administrated with trametinib produced low levels of TNF-α after LPS stimulation, and these mice were protected from LPS-induced endotoxin shock. Together, these results show that trametinib inhibits LPS-induced TNF-α expression and endotoxin shock probably through blocking MEK-ERK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Du Shi-Lin
- Department of Emergency, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Yuan
- Department of Emergency, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sun Zhan
- Department of Emergency, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tang Luo-Jia
- Department of Emergency, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tong Chao-Yang
- Department of Emergency, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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31
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Caputo E, Miceli R, Motti ML, Taté R, Fratangelo F, Botti G, Mozzillo N, Carriero MV, Cavalcanti E, Palmieri G, Ciliberto G, Pirozzi G, Ascierto PA. AurkA inhibitors enhance the effects of B-RAF and MEK inhibitors in melanoma treatment. J Transl Med 2014; 12:216. [PMID: 25074438 PMCID: PMC4237855 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-014-0216-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aurora kinase A (AurkA) is over-expressed in melanoma and its inhibition has been observed to limit tumor growth, suggesting a potential role in melanoma treatment. Methods A human melanoma cell line with the B-RAF (V600E) mutation (A375mel) was exposed to B-RAF inhibitor (GSK2118436), MEK inhibitor (GSK1120212) and AurkA inhibitor (MLN8054) as single agents or in various combinations (BRAF plus AurkA inhibitor, MEK plus AurkA inhibitor or triple combination BRAF plus MEK plus AurkA inhibitor). Cell proliferation was assessed using xCELLigence technology. Total protein extracts were examined for p53 and c-Myc protein expression by Western blot analysis. Drug anti-tumor effects were further assessed using a 3D-human melanoma skin reconstruction model, in which tissues were incubated with serum-free medium containing control, B-RAF plus MEK inhibitor, MEK plus AurkA inhibitor or the triple combination. Results AurkA inhibitor plus B-RAF inhibitor, AurkA inhibitor plus MEK inhibitor or triple combination had a markedly greater anti-proliferative effect on A375 (BRAFV600E) melanoma cells than single agents. In the 3D human skin model, the triple combination had a greater anti-tumor effect at the epidermal/dermal junction than control or either double combination. However, S-100 and Ki-67 positively stained spindle-shaped cells were detected in the dermal stratum, suggesting the presence of alive and proliferating melanoma cells. Conclusions These findings provide new prospects for melanoma research, including combined B-RAF/AurkA inhibition for B-RAF mutated melanomas and MEK/AurkA inhibitor combination for patients without B-RAF mutations. Moreover, for the first time, we have shown that a B-RAF, MEK and AurkA inhibitor triple drug combination offers increased efficacy against melanoma cell growth and might be considered as a potential treatment strategy for enhancing clinical response in melanoma. However, although this triple drug combination was more effective at the epidermal/dermal junction, the suggested presence of alive and proliferating melanoma cells in the dermal stratum could result in drug resistance and disease recurrence. Molecular characterization of these dermal cells may be critical for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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33
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Chapman PB, Hauschild A, Sondak VK. Frontline approach to metastatic BRAF-mutant melanoma diagnosis, molecular evaluation, and treatment choice. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2014:e412-e421. [PMID: 24857132 DOI: 10.14694/edbook_am.2014.34.e412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
An estimated 76,100 patients will be diagnosed with invasive melanoma in the United States in 2014, and 9,710 patients will die from the disease. In almost all cases, the cause of death is related to the development of widespread metastatic disease. Although death rates from most types of cancer have steadily decreased in the United States--a 20% decrease during two decades from a peak of 215.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 1991 to 171.8 in 2010--death rates from melanoma have steadily increased during the same time, especially among males. The news regarding melanoma is far from all bad. Increases in our understanding of the human immune system have led to the development of new immunotherapeutic drugs such as ipilimumab, which has been shown to improve survival in phase III trials in metastatic melanoma, and anti-programmed death 1 (anti-PD1) antibodies, recently hailed by ASCO as one of the past year's most noteworthy clinical cancer advances. However, no discovery has influenced and, indeed, transformed the management of metastatic melanoma more than the identifıcation of activating mutations in the BRAF gene in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which occur in about half of cutaneous melanomas and can be targeted with small molecule inhibitors of the BRAF protein, the downstream MEK protein, or both. This article will address how patients with metastatic melanoma are evaluated for their mutation status and how the presence of a targetable mutation influences therapeutic decisions regarding systemic therapy and even surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul B Chapman
- From the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany; Department of Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, and Departments of Oncologic Sciences and Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Axel Hauschild
- From the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany; Department of Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, and Departments of Oncologic Sciences and Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Vernon K Sondak
- From the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany; Department of Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, and Departments of Oncologic Sciences and Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
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