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Gonçalves M, Lopes C, Silva P. Comparative histological description of the intestine in platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus) and swordtail fish (Xiphophorus helleri). Tissue Cell 2024; 87:102306. [PMID: 38237385 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2024.102306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the histological structure of intestinal tissues of platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus) and swordtail fish (Xiphophorus helleri). Specifically, the objectives were: (1) to compare the structural adaptations of their intestines related to their distinct feeding habits, diet, and digestive strategies; and (2) to explore their potential as animal models for intestinal disease research. Through detailed examination of tissue morphology, cell types, and structural features, this study found that both species lack a stomach, with the intestine directly connected to the esophagus. Additionally, this study proposes a new division of the intestine into anterior and posterior segments based on distinct histological characteristics. The anterior segment may be adapted for temporary food storage and digestion and was characterized by elongated epithelial cells and thin intestinal folds. In contrast, the posterior segment displayed shorter villi and higher concentrations of goblet cells. This study is the first to describe in detail the intestinal morphology of platyfish and swordtail fish. These findings contribute significantly to the understanding of the comparative anatomy and physiology of these fish species, highlighting their potential as valuable models for intestinal biology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (U.Porto), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto 4050-313, Portugal
| | - Célia Lopes
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (U.Porto), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto 4050-313, Portugal; Histomorphology, Physiopathology and Applied Toxicology Team, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto (U.Porto), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos 4450-208, Portugal
| | - Paula Silva
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (U.Porto), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto 4050-313, Portugal; NOVA Institute of Communication (ICNOVA), NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal.
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2
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Pinto C, Aluai-Cunha C, Santos A. The human and animals' malignant melanoma: comparative tumor models and the role of microbiome in dogs and humans. Melanoma Res 2023; 33:87-103. [PMID: 36662668 DOI: 10.1097/cmr.0000000000000880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the most progressively occurring incident cancer is melanoma. The mouse is the most popular model in human melanoma research given its various benefits as a laboratory animal. Nevertheless, unlike humans, mice do not develop melanoma spontaneously, so they need to be genetically manipulated. In opposition, there are several reports of other animals, ranging from wild to domesticated animals, that spontaneously develop melanoma and that have cancer pathways that are similar to those of humans. The influence of the gut microbiome on health and disease is being the aim of many recent studies. It has been proven that the microbiome is a determinant of the host's immune status and disease prevention. In human medicine, there is increasing evidence that changes in the microbiome influences malignant melanoma progression and response to therapy. There are several similarities between some animals and human melanoma, especially between canine and human oral malignant melanoma as well as between the gut microbiome of both species. However, microbiome studies are scarce in veterinary medicine, especially in the oncology field. Future studies need to address the relevance of gut and tissue microbiome for canine malignant melanoma development, which results will certainly benefit both species in the context of translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Pinto
- Department of Veterinary Clinics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar of the University of Porto (ICBAS-UP)
| | - Catarina Aluai-Cunha
- Department of Veterinary Clinics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar of the University of Porto (ICBAS-UP)
| | - Andreia Santos
- Department of Veterinary Clinics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar of the University of Porto (ICBAS-UP)
- Animal Science and Study Centre (CECA), Food and Agragrian Sciences and Technologies Institute (ICETA), Apartado, Porto, Portugal
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3
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Battaglia L, Scomparin A, Dianzani C, Milla P, Muntoni E, Arpicco S, Cavalli R. Nanotechnology Addressing Cutaneous Melanoma: The Italian Landscape. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1617. [PMID: 34683910 PMCID: PMC8540596 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive solid tumors, with a low survival for the metastatic stage. Currently, clinical melanoma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Of note, innovative therapeutic regimens concern the administration of multitarget drugs in tandem, in order to improve therapeutic efficacy. However, also, if this drug combination is clinically relevant, the patient's response is not yet optimal. In this scenario, nanotechnology-based delivery systems can play a crucial role in the clinical treatment of advanced melanoma. In fact, their nano-features enable targeted drug delivery at a cellular level by overcoming biological barriers. Various nanomedicines have been proposed for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, and a relevant number of them are undergoing clinical trials. In Italy, researchers are focusing on the pharmaceutical development of nanoformulations for malignant melanoma therapy. The present review reports an overview of the main melanoma-addressed nanomedicines currently under study in Italy, alongside the state of the art of melanoma therapy. Moreover, the latest Italian advances concerning the pre-clinical evaluation of nanomedicines for melanoma are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Battaglia
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Anna Scomparin
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
- . Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Chiara Dianzani
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Paola Milla
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Elisabetta Muntoni
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Silvia Arpicco
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
| | - Roberta Cavalli
- . Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Turin, Italy; (L.B.); (A.S.); (C.D.); (P.M.); (E.M.); (S.A.)
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4
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Nussinov R, Zhang M, Maloney R, Jang H. Ras isoform-specific expression, chromatin accessibility, and signaling. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:489-505. [PMID: 34466166 PMCID: PMC8355297 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00817-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The anchorage of Ras isoforms in the membrane and their nanocluster formations have been studied extensively, including their detailed interactions, sizes, preferred membrane environments, chemistry, and geometry. However, the staggering challenge of their epigenetics and chromatin accessibility in distinct cell states and types, which we propose is a major factor determining their specific expression, still awaits unraveling. Ras isoforms are distinguished by their C-terminal hypervariable region (HVR) which acts in intracellular transport, regulation, and membrane anchorage. Here, we review some isoform-specific activities at the plasma membrane from a structural dynamic standpoint. Inspired by physics and chemistry, we recognize that understanding functional specificity requires insight into how biomolecules can organize themselves in different cellular environments. Within this framework, we suggest that isoform-specific expression may largely be controlled by the chromatin density and physical compaction, which allow (or curb) access to "chromatinized DNA." Genes are preferentially expressed in tissues: proteins expressed in pancreatic cells may not be equally expressed in lung cells. It is the rule-not an exception, and it can be at least partly understood in terms of chromatin organization and accessibility state. Genes are expressed when they can be sufficiently exposed to the transcription machinery, and they are less so when they are persistently buried in dense chromatin. Notably, chromatin accessibility can similarly determine expression of drug resistance genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism National Cancer Institute, 1050 Boyles St, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Mingzhen Zhang
- Computational Structural Biology Section Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism National Cancer Institute, 1050 Boyles St, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Ryan Maloney
- Computational Structural Biology Section Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism National Cancer Institute, 1050 Boyles St, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism National Cancer Institute, 1050 Boyles St, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
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Eddy K, Chen S. Glutamatergic Signaling a Therapeutic Vulnerability in Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3874. [PMID: 34359771 PMCID: PMC8345431 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Like other cancers, melanomas are associated with the hyperactivation of two major cell signaling cascades, the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. Both pathways are activated by numerous genes implicated in the development and progression of melanomas such as mutated BRAF, RAS, and NF1. Our lab was the first to identify yet another driver of melanoma, Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1 (protein: mGluR1, mouse gene: Grm1, human gene: GRM1), upstream of the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. Binding of glutamate, the natural ligand of mGluR1, activates MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways and sets in motion the deregulated cellular responses in cell growth, cell survival, and cell metastasis. In this review, we will assess the proposed modes of action that mediate the oncogenic properties of mGluR1 in melanoma and possible application of anti-glutamatergic signaling modulator(s) as therapeutic strategy for the treatment of melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevinn Eddy
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Suzie Chen
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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6
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Leon KE, Tangudu NK, Aird KM, Buj R. Loss of p16: A Bouncer of the Immunological Surveillance? Life (Basel) 2021; 11:309. [PMID: 33918220 PMCID: PMC8065641 DOI: 10.3390/life11040309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
p16INK4A (hereafter called p16) is an important tumor suppressor protein frequently suppressed in human cancer and highly upregulated in many types of senescence. Although its role as a cell cycle regulator is very well delineated, little is known about its other non-cell cycle-related roles. Importantly, recent correlative studies suggest that p16 may be a regulator of tissue immunological surveillance through the transcriptional regulation of different chemokines, interleukins and other factors secreted as part of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Here, we summarize the current evidence supporting the hypothesis that p16 is a regulator of tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E. Leon
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (K.E.L.); (N.K.T.); (K.M.A.)
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 15213, USA
| | - Naveen Kumar Tangudu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (K.E.L.); (N.K.T.); (K.M.A.)
| | - Katherine M. Aird
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (K.E.L.); (N.K.T.); (K.M.A.)
| | - Raquel Buj
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (K.E.L.); (N.K.T.); (K.M.A.)
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7
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Buj R, Leon KE, Anguelov MA, Aird KM. Suppression of p16 alleviates the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:3290-3312. [PMID: 33550279 PMCID: PMC7906185 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is characterized by increased expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p16, leading to a hallmark cell cycle arrest. Suppression of p16 in this context drives proliferation, senescence bypass, and contributes to tumorigenesis. OIS cells are also characterized by the expression and secretion of a widely variable group of factors collectively termed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The SASP can be both beneficial and detrimental and affects the microenvironment in a highly context-dependent manner. The relationship between p16 suppression and the SASP remains unclear. Here, we show that knockdown of p16 decreases expression of the SASP factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL6 and CXCL8 in multiple models, including OIS and DNA damage-induced senescence. Notably, this is uncoupled from the senescence-associated cell cycle arrest. Moreover, low p16 expression in both cancer cell lines and patient samples correspond to decreased SASP gene expression, suggesting this is a universal effect of loss of p16 expression. Together, our data suggest that p16 regulates SASP gene expression, which has implications for understanding how p16 modulates both the senescent and tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Buj
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kelly E. Leon
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Marlyn A. Anguelov
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Katherine M. Aird
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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8
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González-Gil C, Ribera J, Ribera JM, Genescà E. The Yin and Yang-Like Clinical Implications of the CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B Gene Cluster in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12010079. [PMID: 33435487 PMCID: PMC7827355 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant clonal expansion of lymphoid hematopoietic precursors that exhibit developmental arrest at varying stages of differentiation. Similar to what occurs in solid cancers, transformation of normal hematopoietic precursors is governed by a multistep oncogenic process that drives initiation, clonal expansion and metastasis. In this process, alterations in genes encoding proteins that govern processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and growth provide us with some of the clearest mechanistic insights into how and why cancer arises. In such a scenario, deletions in the 9p21.3 cluster involving CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B genes arise as one of the oncogenic hallmarks of ALL. Deletions in this region are the most frequent structural alteration in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and account for roughly 30% of copy number alterations found in B-cell-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). Here, we review the literature concerning the involvement of the CDKN2A/B genes as a prognosis marker of good or bad response in the two ALL subtypes (BCP-ALL and T-ALL). We compare frequencies observed in studies performed on several ALL cohorts (adult and child), which mainly consider genetic data produced by genomic techniques. We also summarize what we have learned from mouse models designed to evaluate the functional involvement of the gene cluster in ALL development and in relapse/resistance to treatment. Finally, we examine the range of possibilities for targeting the abnormal function of the protein-coding genes of this cluster and their potential to act as anti-leukemic agents in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia González-Gil
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.G.-G.); (J.R.); (J.M.R.)
| | - Jordi Ribera
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.G.-G.); (J.R.); (J.M.R.)
| | - Josep Maria Ribera
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.G.-G.); (J.R.); (J.M.R.)
- Clinical Hematology Department, ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Eulàlia Genescà
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.G.-G.); (J.R.); (J.M.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-93-557-28-08
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Abstract
Since the first resection of melanoma by Hunter in 1787, efforts to treat patients with this deadly malignancy have been ongoing. Initial work to understand melanoma biology for therapeutics development began with the employment of isolated cancer cells grown in cell cultures. However, these models lack in vivo interactions with the tumor microenvironment. Melanoma cell line transplantation into suitable animals such as mice has been informative and useful for testing therapeutics as a preclinical model. Injection of freshly isolated patient melanomas into immunodeficient animals has shown the capacity to retain the genetic heterogeneity of the tumors, which is lost during the long-term culture of melanoma cells. Upon advancement of technology, genetically engineered animals have been generated to study the spontaneous development of melanomas in light of newly discovered genetic aberrations associated with melanoma formation. Culturing melanoma cells in a matrix generate tumor spheroids, providing an in vitro environment that promotes the heterogeneity commonplace with human melanoma and displaces the need for animal care facilities. Advanced 3D cultures have been created simulating the structure and cellularity of human skin to permit in vitro testing of therapeutics on melanomas expressing the same phenotype as demonstrated in vivo. This review will discuss these models and their relevance to the study of melanomagenesis, growth, metastasis, and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal K Gregg
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University-Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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10
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van der Weyden L, Brenn T, Patton EE, Wood GA, Adams DJ. Spontaneously occurring melanoma in animals and their relevance to human melanoma. J Pathol 2020; 252:4-21. [PMID: 32652526 PMCID: PMC7497193 DOI: 10.1002/path.5505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to other cancer types, melanoma incidence has been increasing over the last 50 years, and while it still represents less than 5% of all cutaneous malignancies, melanoma accounts for the majority of skin cancer deaths, due to its propensity to metastasise. Whilst melanoma most commonly affects the skin, it can also arise in mucosal surfaces, the eye, and the brain. For new therapies to be developed, a better understanding of the genetic landscape, signalling pathways, and tumour–microenvironmental interactions is needed. This is where animal models are of critical importance. The mouse is the foremost used model of human melanoma. Arguably this is due to its plethora of benefits as a laboratory animal; however, it is important to note that unlike humans, melanocytes are not present at the dermal–epidermal junction in mice and mice do not develop melanoma without genetic manipulation. In contrast, there are numerous reports of animals that spontaneously develop melanoma, ranging from sharks and parrots to hippos and monkeys. In addition, several domesticated and laboratory‐bred animals spontaneously develop melanoma or UV‐induced melanoma, specifically, fish, opossums, pigs, horses, cats, and dogs. In this review, we look at spontaneously occurring animal ‘models’ of melanoma and discuss their relevance to the different types of melanoma found in humans. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland..
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Brenn
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AL, Canada
| | - E Elizabeth Patton
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, The MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Geoffrey A Wood
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - David J Adams
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
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Castel P, Rauen KA, McCormick F. The duality of human oncoproteins: drivers of cancer and congenital disorders. Nat Rev Cancer 2020; 20:383-397. [PMID: 32341551 PMCID: PMC7787056 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-020-0256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Human oncoproteins promote transformation of cells into tumours by dysregulating the signalling pathways that are involved in cell growth, proliferation and death. Although oncoproteins were discovered many years ago and have been widely studied in the context of cancer, the recent use of high-throughput sequencing techniques has led to the identification of cancer-associated mutations in other conditions, including many congenital disorders. These syndromes offer an opportunity to study oncoprotein signalling and its biology in the absence of additional driver or passenger mutations, as a result of their monogenic nature. Moreover, their expression in multiple tissue lineages provides insight into the biology of the proto-oncoprotein at the physiological level, in both transformed and unaffected tissues. Given the recent paradigm shift in regard to how oncoproteins promote transformation, we review the fundamentals of genetics, signalling and pathogenesis underlying oncoprotein duality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pau Castel
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Katherine A Rauen
- MIND Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Frank McCormick
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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12
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Pérez-Guijarro E, Yang HH, Araya RE, El Meskini R, Michael HT, Vodnala SK, Marie KL, Smith C, Chin S, Lam KC, Thorkelsson A, Iacovelli AJ, Kulaga A, Fon A, Michalowski AM, Hugo W, Lo RS, Restifo NP, Sharan SK, Van Dyke T, Goldszmid RS, Weaver Ohler Z, Lee MP, Day CP, Merlino G. Multimodel preclinical platform predicts clinical response of melanoma to immunotherapy. Nat Med 2020; 26:781-791. [PMID: 32284588 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-0818-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, only a subset of patients demonstrate durable clinical benefit. Definitive predictive biomarkers and targets to overcome resistance remain unidentified, underscoring the urgency to develop reliable immunocompetent models for mechanistic assessment. Here we characterize a panel of syngeneic mouse models, representing a variety of molecular and phenotypic subtypes of human melanomas and exhibiting their diverse range of responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Comparative analysis of genomic, transcriptomic and tumor-infiltrating immune cell profiles demonstrated alignment with clinical observations and validated the correlation of T cell dysfunction and exclusion programs with resistance. Notably, genome-wide expression analysis uncovered a melanocytic plasticity signature predictive of patient outcome in response to ICB, suggesting that the multipotency and differentiation status of melanoma can determine ICB benefit. Our comparative preclinical platform recapitulates melanoma clinical behavior and can be employed to identify mechanisms and treatment strategies to improve patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Pérez-Guijarro
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Howard H Yang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Romina E Araya
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rajaa El Meskini
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Helen T Michael
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Suman Kumar Vodnala
- Surgery Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Lyell Immunopharma, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kerrie L Marie
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cari Smith
- Laboratory Animal Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Sung Chin
- Laboratory Animal Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Khiem C Lam
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Andres Thorkelsson
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anthony J Iacovelli
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Alan Kulaga
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Anyen Fon
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Aleksandra M Michalowski
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Willy Hugo
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Roger S Lo
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas P Restifo
- Surgery Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Lyell Immunopharma, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shyam K Sharan
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA.,Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Terry Van Dyke
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA.,Path Forward Solutions, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Romina S Goldszmid
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zoe Weaver Ohler
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Maxwell P Lee
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Chi-Ping Day
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Glenn Merlino
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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13
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Early TP53 alterations engage environmental exposures to promote gastric premalignancy in an integrative mouse model. Nat Genet 2020; 52:219-230. [PMID: 32025000 PMCID: PMC7031028 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-019-0574-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Somatic alterations in cancer genes are being detected in normal and premalignant tissue, placing greater emphasis on gene-environment interactions that enable disease phenotypes. By combining early genetic alterations with disease-relevant exposures, we developed an integrative mouse model to study gastric premalignancy. Deletion of Trp53 in gastric cells confers a selective advantage and promotes the development of dysplasia in the setting of dietary carcinogens. Organoid derivation from dysplastic lesions facilitated genomic, transcriptional, and functional evaluation of gastric premalignancy. Cell cycle regulators, most notably Cdkn2a, were upregulated by p53 inactivation in gastric premalignancy, serving as a barrier to disease progression. Co-deletion of Cdkn2a and Trp53 in dysplastic gastric organoids promoted cancer phenotypes but also induced replication stress, exposing a susceptibility to DNA damage response pathway inhibitors. These findings demonstrate the utility of mouse models that integrate genomic alterations with relevant exposures and highlight the importance of gene-environment interactions in shaping the premalignant state.
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14
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Menezes ME, Talukdar S, Wechman SL, Das SK, Emdad L, Sarkar D, Fisher PB. Prospects of Gene Therapy to Treat Melanoma. Adv Cancer Res 2019; 138:213-237. [PMID: 29551128 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of melanoma has continued to increase over the past 30 years. Hence, developing effective therapies to treat both primary and metastatic melanoma are essential. While advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy have provided novel therapeutic options to treat melanoma, gene therapy may provide additional strategies for the treatment of metastatic melanoma clinically. This review focuses upon the challenges and opportunities that gene therapy provides for targeting melanoma. We begin with a discussion of the various gene therapy targets which are relevant to melanoma. Next, we explore the gene therapy clinical trials that have been conducted for treating melanoma. Finally, challenges faced in gene therapy as well as combination therapies for targeting melanoma, which may circumvent these obstacles, will be discussed. Targeted combination gene therapy strategies hold significant promise for developing the most effective therapeutic outcomes, while reducing the toxicity to noncancerous cells, and would integrate the patient's immune system to diminish melanoma progression. Next-generation vectors designed to embody required safety profiles and "theranostic" attributes, combined with immunotherapeutic strategies would be critical in achieving beneficial management and therapeutic outcomes in melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell E Menezes
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Sarmistha Talukdar
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Stephen L Wechman
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Swadesh K Das
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Luni Emdad
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Devanand Sarkar
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Paul B Fisher
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States.
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15
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The Use of Genetically Engineered Mouse Models for Studying the Function of Mutated Driver Genes in Pancreatic Cancer. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8091369. [PMID: 31480737 PMCID: PMC6780401 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8091369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is often treatment-resistant, with the emerging standard of care, gemcitabine, affording only a few months of incrementally-deteriorating survival. Reflecting on the history of failed clinical trials, genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) in oncology research provides the inspiration to discover new treatments for pancreatic cancer that come from better knowledge of pathogenesis mechanisms, not only of the derangements in and consequently acquired capabilities of the cancer cells, but also in the aberrant microenvironment that becomes established to support, sustain, and enhance neoplastic progression. On the other hand, the existing mutational profile of pancreatic cancer guides our understanding of the disease, but leaves many important questions of pancreatic cancer biology unanswered. Over the past decade, a series of transgenic and gene knockout mouse modes have been produced that develop pancreatic cancers with features reflective of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in humans. Animal models of PDAC are likely to be essential to understanding the genetics and biology of the disease and may provide the foundation for advances in early diagnosis and treatment.
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16
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Mo X, Preston S, Zaidi MR. Macroenvironment-gene-microenvironment interactions in ultraviolet radiation-induced melanomagenesis. Adv Cancer Res 2019; 144:1-54. [PMID: 31349897 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous malignant melanoma is one of the few major cancers that continue to exhibit a positive rate of increase in the developed world. A wealth of epidemiological data has undisputedly implicated ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from sunlight and artificial sources as the major risk factor for melanomagenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms of this cause-and-effect relationship remain murky and understudied. Recent efforts on multiple fronts have brought unprecedented expansion of our knowledge base on this subject and it is now clear that melanoma is caused by a complex interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental exposure, primarily to UVR. Here we provide an overview of the effects of the macroenvironment (UVR) on the skin microenvironment and melanocyte-specific intrinsic (mostly genetic) landscape, which conspire to produce one of the deadliest malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Mo
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sarah Preston
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - M Raza Zaidi
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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17
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Stark MS. Large-Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevi: Moving Beyond NRAS Mutations. J Invest Dermatol 2019; 139:756-759. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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18
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Cutaneous Melanoma-A Long Road from Experimental Models to Clinical Outcome: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061566. [PMID: 29795011 PMCID: PMC6032347 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is a complex disorder characterized by an elevated degree of heterogeneity, features that place it among the most aggressive types of cancer. Although significant progress was recorded in both the understanding of melanoma biology and genetics, and in therapeutic approaches, this malignancy still represents a major problem worldwide due to its high incidence and the lack of a curative treatment for advanced stages. This review offers a survey of the most recent information available regarding the melanoma epidemiology, etiology, and genetic profile. Also discussed was the topic of cutaneous melanoma murine models outlining the role of these models in understanding the molecular pathways involved in melanoma initiation, progression, and metastasis.
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19
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El-Athman R, Genov NN, Mazuch J, Zhang K, Yu Y, Fuhr L, Abreu M, Li Y, Wallach T, Kramer A, Schmitt CA, Relógio A. The Ink4a/Arf locus operates as a regulator of the circadian clock modulating RAS activity. PLoS Biol 2017; 15:e2002940. [PMID: 29216180 PMCID: PMC5720494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian circadian clock and the cell cycle are two major biological oscillators whose coupling influences cell fate decisions. In the present study, we use a model-driven experimental approach to investigate the interplay between clock and cell cycle components and the dysregulatory effects of RAS on this coupled system. In particular, we focus on the Ink4a/Arf locus as one of the bridging clock-cell cycle elements. Upon perturbations by the rat sarcoma viral oncogene (RAS), differential effects on the circadian phenotype were observed in wild-type and Ink4a/Arf knock-out mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), which could be reproduced by our modelling simulations and correlated with opposing cell cycle fate decisions. Interestingly, the observed changes can be attributed to in silico phase shifts in the expression of core-clock elements. A genome-wide analysis revealed a set of differentially expressed genes that form an intricate network with the circadian system with enriched pathways involved in opposing cell cycle phenotypes. In addition, a machine learning approach complemented by cell cycle analysis classified the observed cell cycle fate decisions as dependent on Ink4a/Arf and the oncogene RAS and highlighted a putative fine-tuning role of Bmal1 as an elicitor of such processes, ultimately resulting in increased cell proliferation in the Ink4a/Arf knock-out scenario. This indicates that the dysregulation of the core-clock might work as an enhancer of RAS-mediated regulation of the cell cycle. Our combined in silico and in vitro approach highlights the important role of the circadian clock as an Ink4a/Arf-dependent modulator of oncogene-induced cell fate decisions, reinforcing its function as a tumour-suppressor and the close interplay between the clock and the cell cycle network. In mammals, the circadian clock controls the punctual regulation of biological processes, which, in turn, affect physiology and behaviour, allowing for the synchronisation of internal time to environmental light-dark cycles. Malfunctions of the circadian clock are associated with pathological phenotypes including cancer. Given the range of molecular time-dependent processes, including metabolism, DNA repair, and the cell cycle, the clock is hypothesised to act as a tumour suppressor. With the help of mathematical modelling and whole-genome analysis combined with machine learning, we investigated the RAS-dependent dysregulation of the circadian clock. We find that the tumour-suppressor Ink4a/Arf acts as a key mediator of RAS oncogene-induced changes in the circadian system, thereby mediating the interplay between the clock and the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rukeia El-Athman
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
| | - Nikolai N. Genov
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
| | - Jeannine Mazuch
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
| | - Kaiyang Zhang
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
| | - Yong Yu
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luise Fuhr
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
| | - Mónica Abreu
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
| | - Yin Li
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
| | - Thomas Wallach
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Laboratory of Chronobiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Achim Kramer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Laboratory of Chronobiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clemens A. Schmitt
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angela Relógio
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, and Molecular Cancer Research Center, Germany
- * E-mail:
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20
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Constitutive Ras signaling and Ink4a/Arf inactivation cooperate during the development of B-ALL in mice. Blood Adv 2017; 1:2361-2374. [PMID: 29296886 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2017012211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in treatment, human precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains a challenging clinical entity. Recent genome-wide studies have uncovered frequent genetic alterations involving RAS pathway mutations and loss of the INK4A/ARF locus, suggesting their important role in the pathogenesis, relapse, and chemotherapy resistance of B-ALL. To better understand the oncogenic mechanisms by which these alterations might promote B-ALL and to develop an in vivo preclinical model of relapsed B-ALL, we engineered mouse strains with induced somatic KrasG12D pathway activation and/or loss of Ink4a/Arf during early stages of B-cell development. Although constitutive activation of KrasG12D in B cells induced prominent transcriptional changes that resulted in enhanced proliferation, it was not sufficient by itself to induce development of a high-grade leukemia/lymphoma. Instead, in 40% of mice, these engineered mutations promoted development of a clonal low-grade lymphoproliferative disorder resembling human extranodal marginal-zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue or lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Interestingly, loss of the Ink4a/Arf locus, apart from reducing the number of apoptotic B cells broadly attenuated KrasG12D-induced transcriptional signatures. However, combined Kras activation and Ink4a/Arf inactivation cooperated functionally to induce a fully penetrant, highly aggressive B-ALL phenotype resembling high-risk subtypes of human B-ALL such as BCR-ABL and CRFL2-rearranged. Ninety percent of examined murine B-ALL tumors showed loss of the wild-type Ink4a/Arf locus without acquisition of highly recurrent cooperating events, underscoring the role of Ink4a/Arf in restraining Kras-driven oncogenesis in the lymphoid compartment. These data highlight the importance of functional cooperation between mutated Kras and Ink4a/Arf loss on B-ALL.
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21
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Zhou JJ, Huang Y, Zhang X, Cheng Y, Tang L, Ma X. Eyes absent gene (EYA1) is a pathogenic driver and a therapeutic target for melanoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:105081-105092. [PMID: 29285235 PMCID: PMC5739622 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.21352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
EYA1 is a DNA repair enzyme that is induced after DNA damage and is upregulated in melanoma. However, its role in pathogenesis and therapeutic targeting of melanoma is unknown. Our objectives are (1) to study the relationship between EYA1 expression levels and melanoma patients’ clinical pathologic parameters including survival; (2) to investigate its impact on cultured melanoma cells in vitro; and (3) to evaluate EYA1 inhibitors’ potential as a treatment of melanoma. Melanoma tissue microarrays were used to assess EYA1 protein expression in 326 melanoma tissues, and to correlate the expression with patients’ clinical pathological parameters. In addition, retroviral ShRNA vectors were used to silence expression of EYA1 in A375 melanoma cells, and the resultant cells examined for changes in growth, DNA synthesis, and tumor formation in vitro. Lastly, melanoma cells were treated with benzbromarone with or without the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib. Our results showed that EYA1 protein is low in benign nevi, but is significantly up-regulated in melanoma in situ, and remains high in invasive and metastatic melanoma. In addition, silencing of EYA1 gene expression resulted in decreased proliferation and colony formation. These were associated with decreased cyclin D1 and increased phosphorylated histone protein γH2AX. Finally, treatment with benzbromarone, a specific inhibitor of EYA1, caused significant inhibition of melanoma cell proliferation, and increased sensitivity to the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib. In conclusion, EYA1 gene is a pathogenic driver in melanoma pathogenesis. Targeting EYA1 may be a valuable strategy for treatment of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Jiawei Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Welichem Biotech Inc., Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Yuanshen Huang
- Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yabin Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Liren Tang
- Welichem Biotech Inc., Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- College of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
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22
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Pérez-Guijarro E, Day CP, Merlino G, Zaidi MR. Genetically engineered mouse models of melanoma. Cancer 2017; 123:2089-2103. [PMID: 28543694 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is a complex disease that exhibits highly heterogeneous etiological, histopathological, and genetic features, as well as therapeutic responses. Genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models provide powerful tools to unravel the molecular mechanisms critical for melanoma development and drug resistance. Here, we expound briefly the basis of the mouse modeling design, the available technology for genetic engineering, and the aspects influencing the use of GEMs to model melanoma. Furthermore, we describe in detail the currently available GEM models of melanoma. Cancer 2017;123:2089-103. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Pérez-Guijarro
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Chi-Ping Day
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Glenn Merlino
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - M Raza Zaidi
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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23
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Fantauzzo KA, Soriano P. Generation of an immortalized mouse embryonic palatal mesenchyme cell line. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179078. [PMID: 28582446 PMCID: PMC5459506 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Palatogenesis is a complex morphogenetic process, disruptions in which result in highly prevalent birth defects in humans. In recent decades, the use of model systems such as genetically-modified mice, mouse palatal organ cultures and primary mouse embryonic palatal mesenchyme (MEPM) cultures has provided significant insight into the molecular and cellular defects underlying cleft palate. However, drawbacks in each of these systems have prevented high-throughput, large-scale studies of palatogenesis in vitro. Here, we report the generation of an immortalized MEPM cell line that maintains the morphology, migration ability, transcript expression and responsiveness to exogenous growth factors of primary MEPM cells, with increased proliferative potential over primary cultures. The immortalization method described in this study will facilitate the generation of palatal mesenchyme cells with an unlimited capacity for expansion from a single genetically-modified mouse embryo and enable mechanistic studies of palatogenesis that have not been possible using primary culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Fantauzzo
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Philippe Soriano
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
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24
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Mouse models of UV-induced melanoma: genetics, pathology, and clinical relevance. J Transl Med 2017; 97:698-705. [PMID: 28092363 PMCID: PMC5514606 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2016.155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanocytes, a neural crest cell derivative, produce pigment to protect keratinocytes from ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Although melanocytic lesions such as nevi and cutaneous malignant melanomas are known to be associated with sun exposure, the role of UVR in oncogenesis is complex and has yet to be clearly elucidated. UVR appears to have a direct mutational role in inducing or promoting melanoma formation as well as an indirect role through microenvironmental changes. Recent advances in the modeling of human melanoma in animals have built platforms upon which prospective studies can begin to investigate these questions. This review will focus exclusively on genetically engineered mouse models of UVR-induced melanoma. The role that UVR has in mouse models depends on multiple factors, including the waveband, timing, and dose of UVR, as well as the nature of the oncogenic agent(s) driving melanomagenesis in the model. Work in the field has examined the role of neonatal and adult UVR, interactions between UVR and common melanoma oncogenes, the role of sunscreen in preventing melanoma, and the effect of UVR on immune function within the skin. Here we describe relevant mouse models and discuss how these models can best be translated to the study of human skin and cutaneous melanoma.
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25
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Badal B, Solovyov A, Di Cecilia S, Chan JM, Chang LW, Iqbal R, Aydin IT, Rajan GS, Chen C, Abbate F, Arora KS, Tanne A, Gruber SB, Johnson TM, Fullen DR, Raskin L, Phelps R, Bhardwaj N, Bernstein E, Ting DT, Brunner G, Schadt EE, Greenbaum BD, Celebi JT. Transcriptional dissection of melanoma identifies a high-risk subtype underlying TP53 family genes and epigenome deregulation. JCI Insight 2017; 2:92102. [PMID: 28469092 PMCID: PMC5414564 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.92102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melanoma is a heterogeneous malignancy. We set out to identify the molecular underpinnings of high-risk melanomas, those that are likely to progress rapidly, metastasize, and result in poor outcomes. METHODS We examined transcriptome changes from benign states to early-, intermediate-, and late-stage tumors using a set of 78 treatment-naive melanocytic tumors consisting of primary melanomas of the skin and benign melanocytic lesions. We utilized a next-generation sequencing platform that enabled a comprehensive analysis of protein-coding and -noncoding RNA transcripts. RESULTS Gene expression changes unequivocally discriminated between benign and malignant states, and a dual epigenetic and immune signature emerged defining this transition. To our knowledge, we discovered previously unrecognized melanoma subtypes. A high-risk primary melanoma subset was distinguished by a 122-epigenetic gene signature ("epigenetic" cluster) and TP53 family gene deregulation (TP53, TP63, and TP73). This subtype associated with poor overall survival and showed enrichment of cell cycle genes. Noncoding repetitive element transcripts (LINEs, SINEs, and ERVs) that can result in immunostimulatory signals recapitulating a state of "viral mimicry" were significantly repressed. The high-risk subtype and its poor predictive characteristics were validated in several independent cohorts. Additionally, primary melanomas distinguished by specific immune signatures ("immune" clusters) were identified. CONCLUSION The TP53 family of genes and genes regulating the epigenetic machinery demonstrate strong prognostic and biological relevance during progression of early disease. Gene expression profiling of protein-coding and -noncoding RNA transcripts may be a better predictor for disease course in melanoma. This study outlines the transcriptional interplay of the cancer cell's epigenome with the immune milieu with potential for future therapeutic targeting. FUNDING National Institutes of Health (CA154683, CA158557, CA177940, CA087497-13), Tisch Cancer Institute, Melanoma Research Foundation, the Dow Family Charitable Foundation, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brateil Badal
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | - Alexander Solovyov
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Serena Di Cecilia
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | - Joseph Minhow Chan
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | - Li-Wei Chang
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | - Ramiz Iqbal
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | - Iraz T. Aydin
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | - Geena S. Rajan
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | | | - Franco Abbate
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
| | - Kshitij S. Arora
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Antoine Tanne
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Stephen B. Gruber
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Douglas R. Fullen
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Leon Raskin
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Nina Bhardwaj
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emily Bernstein
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - David T. Ting
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Georg Brunner
- Department of Cancer Research, Fachklinik Hornheide, Munster, Germany
| | - Eric E. Schadt
- Department of Genetic and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Benjamin D. Greenbaum
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Julide Tok Celebi
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Dermatology
- Department of Oncological Sciences, and
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Silva JM, Deuker MM, Baguley BC, McMahon M. PIK3CA-mutated melanoma cells rely on cooperative signaling through mTORC1/2 for sustained proliferation. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2017; 30:353-367. [PMID: 28233937 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Malignant conversion of BRAF- or NRAS-mutated melanocytes into melanoma cells can be promoted by PI3'-lipid signaling. However, the mechanism by which PI3'-lipid signaling cooperates with mutationally activated BRAF or NRAS has not been adequately explored. Using human NRAS- or BRAF-mutated melanoma cells that co-express mutationally activated PIK3CA, we explored the contribution of PI3'-lipid signaling to cell proliferation. Despite mutational activation of PIK3CA, melanoma cells were more sensitive to the biochemical and antiproliferative effects of broader spectrum PI3K inhibitors than to an α-selective PI3K inhibitor. Combined pharmacological inhibition of MEK1/2 and PI3K signaling elicited more potent antiproliferative effects and greater inhibition of the cell division cycle compared to single-agent inhibition of either pathway alone. Analysis of signaling downstream of MEK1/2 or PI3K revealed that these pathways cooperate to regulate cell proliferation through mTORC1-mediated effects on ribosomal protein S6 and 4E-BP1 phosphorylation in an AKT-dependent manner. Although PI3K inhibition resulted in cytostatic effects on xenografted NRASQ61H /PIK3CAH1047R melanoma, combined inhibition of MEK1/2 plus PI3K elicited significant melanoma regression. This study provides insights as to how mutationally activated PIK3CA acts in concert with MEK1/2 signaling to cooperatively regulate mTORC1/2 to sustain PIK3CA-mutated melanoma proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M Silva
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marian M Deuker
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce C Baguley
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Martin McMahon
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM), a rare cancer of the eye, is distinct from cutaneous melanoma by its etiology, the mutation frequency and profile, and its clinical behavior including resistance to targeted therapy and immune checkpoint blockers. Primary disease is efficiently controlled by surgery or radiation therapy, but about half of UMs develop distant metastasis mostly to the liver. Survival of patients with metastasis is below 1 year and has not improved in decades. Recent years have brought a deep understanding of UM biology characterized by initiating mutations in the G proteins GNAQ and GNA11. Cytogenetic alterations, in particular monosomy of chromosome 3 and amplification of the long arm of chromosome 8, and mutation of the BRCA1-associated protein 1, BAP1, a tumor suppressor gene, or the splicing factor SF3B1 determine UM metastasis. Cytogenetic and molecular profiling allow for a very precise prognostication that is still not matched by efficacious adjuvant therapies. G protein signaling has been shown to activate the YAP/TAZ pathway independent of HIPPO, and conventional signaling via the mitogen-activated kinase pathway probably also contributes to UM development and progression. Several lines of evidence indicate that inflammation and macrophages play a pro-tumor role in UM and in its hepatic metastases. UM cells benefit from the immune privilege in the eye and may adopt several mechanisms involved in this privilege for tumor escape that act even after leaving the niche. Here, we review the current knowledge of the biology of UM and discuss recent approaches to UM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Amaro
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Integrated Oncology Therapies, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, L.go Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Rosaria Gangemi
- Laboratory of Biotherapies, Department of Integrated Oncology Therapies, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Piaggio
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Integrated Oncology Therapies, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, L.go Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Angelini
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Integrated Oncology Therapies, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, L.go Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gaia Barisione
- Laboratory of Biotherapies, Department of Integrated Oncology Therapies, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvano Ferrini
- Laboratory of Biotherapies, Department of Integrated Oncology Therapies, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ulrich Pfeffer
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Integrated Oncology Therapies, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, L.go Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
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Ko A, Han SY, Song J. Dynamics of ARF regulation that control senescence and cancer. BMB Rep 2017; 49:598-606. [PMID: 27470213 PMCID: PMC5346319 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2016.49.11.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
ARF is an alternative reading frame product of the INK4a/ARF locus, inactivated in numerous human cancers. ARF is a key regulator of cellular senescence, an irreversible cell growth arrest that suppresses tumor cell growth. It functions by sequestering MDM2 (a p53 E3 ligase) in the nucleolus, thus activating p53. Besides MDM2, ARF has numerous other interacting partners that induce either cellular senescence or apoptosis in a p53-independent manner. This further complicates the dynamics of the ARF network. Expression of ARF is frequently disrupted in human cancers, mainly due to epigenetic and transcriptional regulation. Vigorous studies on various transcription factors that either positively or negatively regulate ARF transcription have been carried out. However, recent focus on posttranslational modifications, particularly ubiquitination, indicates wider dynamic controls of ARF than previously known. In this review, we discuss the role and dynamic regulation of ARF in senescence and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aram Ko
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Su Yeon Han
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Jaewhan Song
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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Abstract
Background: Population-based studies have identified several clinical variables associated with an increased risk of developing cutaneous melanoma that include phenotype, amount of and response to sun exposure, and family history. However, these observations are of limited relevance to clinical practice as the risk associated with each factor is individually modest and the characteristics of these variables lack precision when applied to a particular individual. Objective: To review the literature regarding recent advances made in the understanding of the genes and genetics of clinical variables associated with an increased risk of melanoma. Conclusion: Variants of the MC1R (melanocortin-1 receptor) have been identified as major determinants of high-risk phenotypes, such as red hair and pale skin, and the ability to tan in response to UV exposure. Several studies also suggest that such variants may increase melanoma risk independent of their contribution to phenotype. A strong genetic basis for both nevus density and size has been demonstrated and the link between nevi and the development of MM has become better defined. Finally, germline defects in several genes involved in cell cycle regulation, namely, p16 and CDK4, have been demonstrated in many familial melanoma kindreds. This progress has introduced the prospect of genetic testing as a means of identifying a limited number of high-risk individuals who can be targeted with regular screening and education regarding UV exposure and skin self-examination. Ultimately, through rational genetic therapy targeted to correcting the underlying molecular defect, altering the natural history of melanoma development may be possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Gibbs
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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30
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NRAS(Q61K) mutated primary leptomeningeal melanoma in a child: case presentation and discussion on clinical and diagnostic implications. BMC Cancer 2016; 16:512. [PMID: 27439913 PMCID: PMC4955223 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2556-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Primary melanocytic neoplasms are rare in the pediatric age. Among them, the pattern of neoplastic meningitis represents a peculiar diagnostic challenge since neuroradiological features may be subtle and cerebrospinal fluid analysis may not be informative. Clinical misdiagnosis of neoplastic meningitis with tuberculous meningitis has been described in few pediatric cases, leading to a significant delay in appropriate management of patients. We describe the case of a child with primary leptomeningeal melanoma (LMM) that was initially misdiagnosed with tuberculous meningitis. We review the clinical and molecular aspects of LMM and discuss on clinical and diagnostic implications. Case presentation A 27-month-old girl with a 1-week history of vomiting with mild intermittent strabismus underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging, showing diffuse brainstem and spinal leptomeningeal enhancement. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis was unremarkable. Antitubercular treatment was started without any improvement. A spinal intradural biopsy was suggestive for primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis. Chemotherapy was started, but general clinical conditions progressively worsened and patient died 11 months after diagnosis. Molecular investigations were performed post-mortem on tumor tissue and revealed absence of BRAFV600E, GNAQQ209 and GNA11Q209 mutations but the presence of a NRASQ61K mutation. Conclusions Our case adds some information to the limited experience of the literature, confirming the presence of the NRASQ61K mutation in children with melanomatosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case of leptomeningeal melanocytic neoplasms (LMN) without associated skin lesions to harbor this mutation. Isolated LMN presentation might be insidious, mimicking tuberculous meningitis, and should be suspected if no definite diagnosis is possible or if antitubercular treatment does not result in dramatic clinical improvement. Leptomeningeal biopsy should be considered, not only to confirm diagnosis of LMN but also to study molecular profile. Further molecular profiling and preclinical models will be pivotal in testing combination of target therapy to treat this challenging disease.
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31
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Meng X, Tackmann NR, Liu S, Yang J, Dong J, Wu C, Cox AD, Zhang Y. RPL23 Links Oncogenic RAS Signaling to p53-Mediated Tumor Suppression. Cancer Res 2016; 76:5030-9. [PMID: 27402081 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-3420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The ribosomal protein (RP)-MDM2 interaction is a p53 response pathway critical for preventing oncogenic c-MYC-induced tumorigenesis. To investigate whether the RP-MDM2-p53 pathway is a broad antioncogenic mechanism, we crossed mice bearing an MDM2(C305F) mutation, which disrupts RPL11 binding to MDM2, with mice expressing an oncogenic Hras(G12V) transgene. Interestingly, the MDM2(C305F)-mutant mice, which are hypersensitive to c-MYC-induced tumorigenesis, are not hypersensitive to oncogenic Hras(G12V)-induced tumorigenesis. Unlike c-MYC, which induces expression of RPL11, RAS overexpression leads to an increase in RPL23 mRNA and protein whereas RPL11 expression remains unchanged. The induction of RPL23 involves both MEK and PI3K signaling pathways and requires mTOR function. Increased expression of RPL23, which maintains binding to MDM2(C305F) mutant, correlates with increased p53 expression in MDM2(C305F) cells. Furthermore, RAS overexpression can induce p53 in the absence of p19ARF, and the induction can be abolished by downregulation of RPL23. Thus, although the RPL11-MDM2-p53 pathway coordinates with the p19ARF-MDM2-p53 pathway against oncogenic c-MYC-induced tumorigenesis, the RPL23-MDM2-p53 pathway coordinates with the p19ARF-MDM2-p53 pathway against oncogenic RAS-induced tumorigenesis. Cancer Res; 76(17); 5030-9. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Meng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. Hospital and Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institute of System Biomedicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Nicole R Tackmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Shijie Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiahong Dong
- Hospital and Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institute of System Biomedicine, Peking University, Beijing, China. Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medical Center, Changping District, Beijing, China
| | - Congying Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institute of System Biomedicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Adrienne D Cox
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Yanping Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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Posch C, Sanlorenzo M, Vujic I, Oses-Prieto JA, Cholewa BD, Kim ST, Ma J, Lai K, Zekhtser M, Esteve-Puig R, Green G, Chand S, Burlingame AL, Panzer-Grümayer R, Rappersberger K, Ortiz-Urda S. Phosphoproteomic Analyses of NRAS(G12) and NRAS(Q61) Mutant Melanocytes Reveal Increased CK2α Kinase Levels in NRAS(Q61) Mutant Cells. J Invest Dermatol 2016; 136:2041-2048. [PMID: 27251789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.05.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
In melanoma, mutant and thereby constantly active neuroblastoma rat sarcoma (NRAS) affects 15-20% of tumors, contributing to tumor initiation, growth, invasion, and metastasis. Recent therapeutic approaches aim to mimic RAS extinction by interfering with critical signaling pathways downstream of the mutant protein. This study investigates the phosphoproteome of primary human melanocytes bearing mutations in the two hot spots of NRAS, NRAS(G12) and NRAS(Q61). Stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture followed by mass spectrometry identified 14,155 spectra of 3,371 unique phosphopeptides mapping to 1,159 proteins (false discovery rate < 2%). Data revealed pronounced PI3K/AKT signaling in NRAS(G12V) mutant cells and pronounced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in NRAS(Q61L) variants. Computer-based prediction models for kinases involved, revealed that CK2α is significantly overrepresented in primary human melanocytes bearing NRAS(Q61L) mutations. Similar differences were found in human NRAS(Q61) mutant melanoma cell lines that were also more sensitive to pharmacologic CK2α inhibition compared with NRAS(G12) mutant cells. Furthermore, CK2α levels were pronounced in patient samples of NRAS(Q61) mutant melanoma at the mRNA and protein level. The preclinical findings of this study reveal that codon 12 and 61 mutant NRAS cells have distinct signaling characteristics that could allow for the development of more effective, mutation-specific treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Posch
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Dermatology, The Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Leukemia Biology Group, Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria; School of Medicine, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Martina Sanlorenzo
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Dermatology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Igor Vujic
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Dermatology, The Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria; School of Medicine, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria
| | - Juan A Oses-Prieto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Brian D Cholewa
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sarasa T Kim
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey Ma
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kevin Lai
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mitchell Zekhtser
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rosaura Esteve-Puig
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gary Green
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Shreya Chand
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alma L Burlingame
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Klemens Rappersberger
- Department of Dermatology, The Rudolfstiftung Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susana Ortiz-Urda
- Department of Dermatology, Mt. Zion Cancer Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Lutful Kabir FM, Alvarez CE, Bird RC. Canine Mammary Carcinomas: A Comparative Analysis of Altered Gene Expression. Vet Sci 2015; 3:vetsci3010001. [PMID: 29056711 PMCID: PMC5644615 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci3010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer represents the second most frequent neoplasm in humans and sexually intact female dogs after lung and skin cancers, respectively. Many similar features in human and dog cancers including, spontaneous development, clinical presentation, tumor heterogeneity, disease progression and response to conventional therapies have supported development of this comparative model as an alternative to mice. The highly conserved similarities between canine and human genomes are also key to this comparative analysis, especially when compared to the murine genome. Studies with canine mammary tumor (CMT) models have shown a strong genetic correlation with their human counterparts, particularly in terms of altered expression profiles of cell cycle regulatory genes, tumor suppressor and oncogenes and also a large group of non-coding RNAs or microRNAs (miRNAs). Because CMTs are considered predictive intermediate models for human breast cancer, similarities in genetic alterations and cancer predisposition between humans and dogs have raised further interest. Many cancer-associated genetic defects critical to mammary tumor development and oncogenic determinants of metastasis have been reported and appear to be similar in both species. Comparative analysis of deregulated gene sets or cancer signaling pathways has shown that a significant proportion of orthologous genes are comparably up- or down-regulated in both human and dog breast tumors. Particularly, a group of cell cycle regulators called cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) acting as potent tumor suppressors are frequently defective in CMTs. Interestingly, comparative analysis of coding sequences has also shown that these genes are highly conserved in mammals in terms of their evolutionary divergence from a common ancestor. Moreover, co-deletion and/or homozygous loss of the INK4A/ARF/INK4B (CDKN2A/B) locus, encoding three members of the CKI tumor suppressor gene families (p16/INK4A, p14ARF and p15/INK4B), in many human and dog cancers including mammary carcinomas, suggested their important conserved genetic order and localization in orthologous chromosomal regions. miRNAs, as powerful post-transcriptional regulators of most of the cancer-associated genes, have not been well evaluated to date in animal cancer models. Comprehensive expression profiles of miRNAs in CMTs have revealed their altered regulation showing a strong correlation with those found in human breast cancers. These genetic correlations between human and dog mammary cancers will greatly advance our understanding of regulatory mechanisms involving many critical cancer-associated genes that promote neoplasia and contribute to the promising development of future therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farruk M Lutful Kabir
- Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer (AURIC), Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA.
- Current address: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Carlos E Alvarez
- Center for Molecular and Human Genetics, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital Departments of Pediatrics and Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University Colleges of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
| | - R Curtis Bird
- Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer (AURIC), Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA.
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Küsters-Vandevelde HVN, Küsters B, van Engen-van Grunsven ACH, Groenen PJTA, Wesseling P, Blokx WAM. Primary melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system: a review with focus on molecular aspects. Brain Pathol 2015; 25:209-26. [PMID: 25534128 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) represent a spectrum of rare tumors. They can be benign or malignant and occur in adults as well as in children, the latter often in the context of neurocutaneous melanosis. Until recently, the genetic alterations in these tumors were largely unknown. This is in contrast with cutaneous and uveal melanomas, which are known to harbor distinct oncogenic mutations that can be used as targets for treatment with small-molecule inhibitors in the advanced setting. Recently, novel insights in the molecular alterations underlying primary melanocytic tumors of the CNS were obtained, including different oncogenic mutations in tumors in adult patients (especially GNAQ, GNA11) vs. children (especially NRAS). In this review, the focus is on molecular characteristics of primary melanocytic tumors of the CNS. We summarize what is known about their genetic alterations and discuss implications for pathogenesis and differential diagnosis with other pigmented tumors in or around the CNS. Finally, new therapeutic options with targeted therapy are discussed.
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35
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van der Weyden L, Patton EE, Wood GA, Foote AK, Brenn T, Arends MJ, Adams DJ. Cross-species models of human melanoma. J Pathol 2015; 238:152-65. [PMID: 26354726 PMCID: PMC4832391 DOI: 10.1002/path.4632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Although transformation of melanocytes to melanoma is rare, the rapid growth, systemic spread, as well as the chemoresistance of melanoma present significant challenges for patient care. Here we review animal models of melanoma, including murine, canine, equine, and zebrafish models, and detail the immense contribution these models have made to our knowledge of human melanoma development, and to melanocyte biology. We also highlight the opportunities for cross-species comparative genomic studies of melanoma to identify the key molecular events that drive this complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise van der Weyden
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - E Elizabeth Patton
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, The MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Geoffrey A Wood
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alastair K Foote
- Rossdales Equine Hospital, Cotton End Road, Exning, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7NN, UK
| | - Thomas Brenn
- Pathology Department, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Mark J Arends
- Centre for Comparative Pathology, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - David J Adams
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
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36
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Kuzu OF, Nguyen FD, Noory MA, Sharma A. Current State of Animal (Mouse) Modeling in Melanoma Research. CANCER GROWTH AND METASTASIS 2015; 8:81-94. [PMID: 26483610 PMCID: PMC4597587 DOI: 10.4137/cgm.s21214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite the considerable progress in understanding the biology of human cancer and technological advancement in drug discovery, treatment failure remains an inevitable outcome for most cancer patients with advanced diseases, including melanoma. Despite FDA-approved BRAF-targeted therapies for advanced stage melanoma showed a great deal of promise, development of rapid resistance limits the success. Hence, the overall success rate of melanoma therapy still remains to be one of the worst compared to other malignancies. Advancement of next-generation sequencing technology allowed better identification of alterations that trigger melanoma development. As development of successful therapies strongly depends on clinically relevant preclinical models, together with the new findings, more advanced melanoma models have been generated. In this article, besides traditional mouse models of melanoma, we will discuss recent ones, such as patient-derived tumor xenografts, topically inducible BRAF mouse model and RCAS/TVA-based model, and their advantages as well as limitations. Although mouse models of melanoma are often criticized as poor predictors of whether an experimental drug would be an effective treatment, development of new and more relevant models could circumvent this problem in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer F Kuzu
- Department of Pharmacology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Felix D Nguyen
- The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mohammad A Noory
- Department of Pharmacology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Arati Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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Sheridan C, Downward J. Overview of KRAS-Driven Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN PHARMACOLOGY 2015; 70:14.35.1-14.35.16. [PMID: 26331885 DOI: 10.1002/0471141755.ph1435s70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
KRAS, the most frequently mutated oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer, has been utilized extensively to model human lung adenocarcinomas. The results from such studies have enhanced considerably an understanding of the relationship between KRAS and the development of lung cancer. Detailed in this overview are the features of various KRAS-driven genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of non-small cell lung cancer, their utilization, and the potential of these models for the study of lung cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Sheridan
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Downward
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Lung Cancer Group, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
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38
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Tominaga K. The emerging role of senescent cells in tissue homeostasis and pathophysiology. PATHOBIOLOGY OF AGING & AGE RELATED DISEASES 2015; 5:27743. [PMID: 25994420 PMCID: PMC4439419 DOI: 10.3402/pba.v5.27743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Revised: 05/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a state of permanent growth arrest and is thought to play a pivotal role in tumor suppression. Cellular senescence may play an important role in tumor suppression, wound healing, and protection against tissue fibrosis in physiological conditions in vivo. However, accumulating evidence that senescent cells may have harmful effects in vivo and may contribute to tissue remodeling, organismal aging, and many age-related diseases also exists. Cellular senescence can be induced by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Both p53/p21 and p16/RB pathways are important for irreversible growth arrest in senescent cells. Senescent cells secret numerous biologically active factors. This specific secretion phenotype by senescent cells may largely contribute to physiological and pathological consequences in organisms. Here I review the molecular basis of cell cycle arrest and the specific secretion phenotype in cellular senescence. I also summarize the current knowledge of the role of cellular senescence in vivo in physiological and pathological settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Tominaga
- Division of Functional Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan;
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39
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Nasti TH, Cochran JB, Tsuruta Y, Yusuf N, McKay KM, Athar M, Timares L, Elmets CA. A murine model for the development of melanocytic nevi and their progression to melanoma. Mol Carcinog 2015; 55:646-58. [PMID: 25788145 PMCID: PMC4575238 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Acquired melanocytic nevi are commonly found in sun exposed and unexposed human skin, but the potential for their transformation into invasive melanoma is not clear. Therefore, a mouse model of nevus initiation and progression was developed in C3H/HeN mice using a modified chemical carcinogenesis protocol. Nevi develop due to DNA damage initiated by dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA) followed by chronic promotion with 12‐O‐tetradecanoyl‐phorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA). Dysplastic pigmented skin lesions appeared in 7–9 wk with 100% penetrance. Nests of melanocytic cells appeared in a subset of skin draining lymph nodes (dLN) by 25 wk, but not in age matched controls. Immunohistochemistry, real‐time PCR, and flow cytometric analyses confirmed their melanocytic origin. Transformed cells were present in a subset of nevi and dLNs, which exhibited anchorage‐independent growth, tumor development, and metastasis in nude mice. Approximately 50% of the cell lines contained H‐Ras mutations and lost tumor suppressor p16Ink4a expression. While most studies of melanoma focus on tumor progression in transgenic mouse models where the mutations are present from birth, our model permits investigation of acquired mutations at the earliest stages of nevus initiation and promotion of nevus cell transformation. This robust nevus/melanoma model may prove useful for identifying genetic loci associated with nevus formation, novel oncogenic pathways, tumor targets for immune‐prevention, screening therapeutics, and elucidating mechanisms of immune surveillance and immune evasion. © 2015 The Authors. Molecular Carcinogenesis, published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahseen H Nasti
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - J Barry Cochran
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Yuko Tsuruta
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Skin Diseases Research Center, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Nabiha Yusuf
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Skin Diseases Research Center, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Kristopher M McKay
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Mohammad Athar
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Skin Diseases Research Center, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Laura Timares
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Skin Diseases Research Center, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Craig A Elmets
- The Department of Dermatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Skin Diseases Research Center, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,The Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama
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40
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Ya Z, Hailemichael Y, Overwijk W, Restifo NP. Mouse model for pre-clinical study of human cancer immunotherapy. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 108:20.1.1-20.1.43. [PMID: 25640991 PMCID: PMC4361407 DOI: 10.1002/0471142735.im2001s108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This unit describes protocols for developing tumors in mice, including subcutaneous growth, pulmonary metastases of B16 melanoma, and spontaneous melanoma in B-Raf V600E/PTEN deletion transgenic mouse models. Two immunization methods to prevent B16 tumor growth are described using B16.GM-CSF and recombinant vaccinia virus. A therapeutic approach is also included that uses adoptive transfer of tumor antigen-specific T cells. Methods including CTL induction, isolation, testing, and genetic modification of mouse T cells for adoptive transfer by using retrovirus-expressing genes of interest are provided. Additional sections, including growing B16 melanoma, enumerating pulmonary metastases, tumor imaging technique, and use of recombinant viruses for vaccination, are discussed together with safety concerns.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies/blood
- Antibodies/immunology
- Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Cancer Vaccines/adverse effects
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cell Culture Techniques
- Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy/adverse effects
- Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy/methods
- Disease Models, Animal
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Female
- Gene Transfer Techniques
- Genetic Vectors/genetics
- Immunization/methods
- Immunotherapy/adverse effects
- Immunotherapy/methods
- Male
- Melanoma, Experimental/diagnosis
- Melanoma, Experimental/immunology
- Melanoma, Experimental/pathology
- Melanoma, Experimental/therapy
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Molecular Imaging/methods
- Neoplasm Metastasis
- Neoplasms/diagnosis
- Neoplasms/etiology
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/metabolism
- Transduction, Genetic
- Translational Research, Biomedical
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiya Ya
- National Cancer Institute, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yared Hailemichael
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology-Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Willem Overwijk
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology-Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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41
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Kim M. Cooperative interactions of PTEN deficiency and RAS activation in melanoma metastasis. Small GTPases 2014; 1:161-164. [PMID: 21686270 DOI: 10.4161/sgtp.1.3.14344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2010] [Revised: 11/30/2010] [Accepted: 12/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma displays frequent activation of RAS/RAF/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways as well as inactivation of CDKN2A (INK4a/ARF) and PTEN tumor suppressors via genetic and epigenetic alterations. Pathogenetic roles of these melanoma-prone mutations and their genetic interactions have been established in genetically engineered mouse models. Here, we catalog frequent genetic alterations observed in human melanomas and describe mouse models of melanoma initiation and progression, including our recent study that investigated the genetic interactions of RAS activation and PTEN loss in a CDKN2A (INK4a/ARF) null melanoma prone genetic background. We showed that loss of PTEN cooperates with HRAS activation, leading to increased development of melanoma and emergence of metastasis. Moreover, we observed that RNA i-mediated PTEN inactivation in RAS-driven melanomas enhanced migration and invasion with concomitant downregulation of E-cadherin, the major regulator of epithelial and mesenchymal transition, and enhanced AKT2 phosphorylation, which has been previously linked to invasion and metastasis of several cancer types, including breast and ovary. These data show that activated RAS cooperates with PTEN loss in melanoma genesis and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjung Kim
- Molecular Oncology Department; Comprehensive Melanoma Research Center; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute; Tampa, FL USA
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42
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Miller DM, Flaherty KT. Cyclin-dependent kinases as therapeutic targets in melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2014; 27:351-65. [PMID: 24405945 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Decades of scientific insights have led to a recent expansion of the therapeutic menu for melanoma. Despite these advances, the current targeted therapies and immune checkpoint agents continue to yield suboptimal response and cure rates. Hitherto, the most effective targeted therapy strategies have centered on effectors in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. This review focuses on the emerging evidence of combinatorial approaches targeting both MAPK signaling and dysregulations in cell-cycle checkpoints. We discuss the prospects and limitations of utilizing strategies that promote cellular senescence, such as inhibition of the interphase cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and highlight the current state of CDK drug discovery in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Miller
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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43
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Silva JM, Bulman C, McMahon M. BRAFV600E cooperates with PI3K signaling, independent of AKT, to regulate melanoma cell proliferation. Mol Cancer Res 2014; 12:447-63. [PMID: 24425783 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-13-0224-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Mutationally activated BRAF(V600E) cooperates with PTEN silencing in the conversion of normal melanocytes to metastatic melanoma cells, but the mechanism underlying this cooperation is poorly understood. Here, the consequences of pharmacologic blockade of BRAF(V600E) or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling were explored using pathway-targeted inhibitors and a panel of human BRAF-mutated melanoma-derived cell lines. Blockade of BRAF(V600E) → MEK1/2 → ERK1/2 or class I PI3K inhibited melanoma proliferation, whereas inhibition of AKT had only modest effects, even in cells with mutated or amplified AKT. Although single-agent inhibition of either BRAF(V600E) or PI3K signaling elicited antiproliferative effects, combinatorial inhibition was more potent. Analysis of signaling downstream of BRAF(V600E) or PI3K revealed that these pathways cooperated to regulate protein synthesis through AKT-independent, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1)-dependent effects on p70(S6K), ribosomal protein S6, and 4E-BP1 phosphorylation. Moreover, inhibition of mTORC1/2 inhibited cell proliferation as profoundly as single-agent inhibition of either BRAF(V600E) or PI3K signaling. These data reveal a mechanism by which BRAF(V600E) and PI3K signaling cooperate to regulate melanoma proliferation through AKT-independent effects on protein translation. Furthermore, this study provides a potential foundation for pathway-targeted combination therapy designed to enhance the therapeutic benefit to patients with melanoma that contain combined alterations in BRAF and PI3K signaling. IMPLICATIONS PI3K, but not AKT, represent potential targets for melanoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M Silva
- Diller Cancer Research Building, MC-0128, 1450 Third Street, Room HD-365, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158.
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44
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Jiang H, Wortsman J, Matsuoka L, Granese J, Carlson JA, Mihm M, Slominski A. Molecular spectrum of pigmented skin lesions: from nevus to melanoma. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1586/17469872.1.5.679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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45
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Abstract
The rapidly increasing incidence of melanoma, coupled with its highly aggressive metastatic nature, is of urgent concern. In order to design rational therapies, it is of critical importance to identify the genetic determinants that drive melanoma formation and progression. To date, signaling cascades emanating from the EGF receptor, c-MET and other receptors are known to be altered in melanoma. Important mutations in signaling molecules, such as BRAF and N-RAS, have been identified. In this review, some of the major genetic alterations and signaling pathways involved in melanoma will be discussed. Given the great deal of genetic heterogeneity observed in melanoma, it is likely that many more genetic determinants exist. Through the use of powerful genomic technologies, it is now possible to identify these additional genetic alterations in melanoma. A critical step in this analysis will be culling bystanders from functionally important drivers, as this will highlight genetic elements that will be promising therapeutic targets. Such technologies and the important points to consider in understanding the genetics of melanoma will be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Papia Ghosh
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medical Oncology, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA, Tel.: +1 617 258 8614, ,
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46
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Beaumont KA, Mohana-Kumaran N, Haass NK. Modeling Melanoma In Vitro and In Vivo. Healthcare (Basel) 2013; 2:27-46. [PMID: 27429258 PMCID: PMC4934492 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare2010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Revised: 12/07/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The behavior of melanoma cells has traditionally been studied in vitro in two-dimensional cell culture with cells adhering to plastic dishes. However, in order to mimic the three-dimensional architecture of a melanoma, as well as its interactions with the tumor microenvironment, there has been the need for more physiologically relevant models. This has been achieved by designing 3D in vitro models of melanoma, such as melanoma spheroids embedded in extracellular matrix or organotypic skin reconstructs. In vivo melanoma models have typically relied on the growth of tumor xenografts in immunocompromised mice. Several genetically engineered mouse models have now been developed which allow the generation of spontaneous melanoma. Melanoma models have also been established in other species such as zebrafish, which are more conducive to imaging and high throughput studies. We will discuss these models as well as novel techniques that are relevant to the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying melanoma progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley A. Beaumont
- The Centenary Institute, Newtown, New South Wales 2042, Australia; E-Mails: (K.A.B.); (N.M.-K.)
| | - Nethia Mohana-Kumaran
- The Centenary Institute, Newtown, New South Wales 2042, Australia; E-Mails: (K.A.B.); (N.M.-K.)
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Nikolas K. Haass
- The Centenary Institute, Newtown, New South Wales 2042, Australia; E-Mails: (K.A.B.); (N.M.-K.)
- Discipline of Dermatology, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4102, Australia
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +61-7-3443-7087; Fax: +61-7-3443-6966
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47
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Abstract
The American Cancer Society estimates that skin cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers with over 2 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer each year and 75,000 melanoma cases in 2012. Representative animal cancer models are important for understanding the underlying molecular pathogenesis of these cancers and the development of novel targeted anticancer therapeutics. In this review, we will discuss some of the important animal models that have been useful to identify important pathways involved in basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Gober
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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48
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Marsh Durban V, Deuker MM, Bosenberg MW, Phillips W, McMahon M. Differential AKT dependency displayed by mouse models of BRAFV600E-initiated melanoma. J Clin Invest 2013; 123:5104-18. [PMID: 24200692 PMCID: PMC3859393 DOI: 10.1172/jci69619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant melanoma is frequently driven by mutational activation of v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) accompanied by silencing of the phosphatase and tensin homology (PTEN) tumor suppressor. Despite the implied importance of PI3K signaling in PTENNull melanomas, mutational activation of the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of PI3Kα (PIK3CA), is rarely detected. Since PTEN has both PI3-lipid phosphatase-dependent and -independent tumor suppressor activities, we investigated the contribution of PI3K signaling to BRAFV600E-induced melanomagenesis using mouse models, cultured melanoma cells, and PI3K pathway-targeted inhibitors. These experiments revealed that mutationally activated PIK3CAH1047R cooperates with BRAFV600E for melanomagenesis in mice. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of PI3Ks prevented growth of BRAFV600E/PTENNull melanomas in vivo and in tissue culture. Combined inhibition of BRAFV600E and PI3K had more potent effects on the regression of established BRAFV600E/PTENNull melanomas and cultured melanoma cells than individual blockade of either pathway. Surprisingly, growth of BRAFV600E/PIK3CAH1047R melanomas was dependent on the protein kinase AKT; however, AKT inhibition had no effect on growth of BRAFV600E/PTENNull melanomas. These data indicate that PTEN silencing contributes a PI3K-dependent, but AKT-independent, function in melanomagenesis. Our findings enhance our knowledge of how BRAFV600E and PI3K signaling cooperate in melanomagenesis and provide preclinical validation for combined pathway-targeted inhibition of PI3K and BRAFV600E in the therapeutic management of BRAFV600E/PTENNull melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Marsh Durban
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA.
Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Surgical Oncology Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marian M. Deuker
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA.
Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Surgical Oncology Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marcus W. Bosenberg
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA.
Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Surgical Oncology Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wayne Phillips
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA.
Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Surgical Oncology Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin McMahon
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA.
Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Surgical Oncology Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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49
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Bradish JR, Montironi R, Lopez-Beltran A, Post KM, MacLennan GT, Cheng L. Towards personalized therapy for patients with malignant melanoma: molecular insights into the biology of BRAF mutations. Future Oncol 2013; 9:245-53. [PMID: 23414474 DOI: 10.2217/fon.12.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BRAF mutations have been identified as the most common oncogene mutation in melanomas, especially important in those originating on nonchronically sun-damaged skin. There is a large and continually growing body of evidence regarding the importance of this mutation in targeted therapy for melanoma. In this review, we outline these findings including: molecular pathways used by BRAF, the importance in nonmalignant neoplasms, histologic associations, the relationship of BRAF to KIT and NRAS mutations, and their impact on survival, as well as resistance mechanisms to BRAF inhibitors employed by melanoma. Understanding these topics and how they relate to one another may facilitate the development of new treatments and eventually improve the prognosis for those patients afflicted with this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua R Bradish
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, IU Health Pathology Laboratory, 350 W. 11th St, 4th Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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50
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Rüschoff J, Kleinschmidt M, Middel P. [Translational research and diagnostics of melanoma]. DER PATHOLOGE 2013; 33 Suppl 2:291-5. [PMID: 22968732 DOI: 10.1007/s00292-012-1661-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Although early stage malignant melanoma (MM) has a favorable prognosis five year survival rate is poor (<10%) in patients suffering from distant metastases. Due to molecular typing of MM recently high response rates were achieved in metastatic MM by using specific inhibitors directed against the mutated form of BRAF kinase, e.g. Vemurafinib and Dabrafinib. Therefore BRAF mutation analysis has become standard of care in advanced MM and pathologists are urged to provide a quality guaranteed molecular diagnostics. However, squamous neoplasias (e. g., keratoacanthomas) and recurrences of MM mostly within 6 months during targeted therapy point to the need of further translational research. Thus new drugs, such as MEK inhibitors, based on the MAP-kinase pathway downstream of BRAF have already effectively been used. Finally, the impact of molecular characteristics in different subtypes of MM (acral, mucosal, uveal) will be discussed with respect to their specific mutational spectrum (e.g. cKIT , NRAS , GNAQ).
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Affiliation(s)
- J Rüschoff
- Institut für Pathologie Nordhessen, Germaniastr. 7, 34119 Kassel.
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