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Kiang KM, Ahad L, Zhong X, Lu QR. Biomolecular condensates: hubs of Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling in cancer. Trends Cell Biol 2024; 34:566-577. [PMID: 38806345 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.04.009] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates, the membraneless cellular compartments formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), represent an important mechanism for physiological and tumorigenic processes. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of how these condensates formed in the cytoplasm or nucleus regulate Hippo signaling, a central player in organogenesis and tumorigenesis. Here, we review recent findings on the dynamic formation and function of biomolecular condensates in regulating the Hippo-yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcription coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) signaling pathway under physiological and pathological processes. We further discuss how the nuclear condensates of YAP- or TAZ-fusion oncoproteins compartmentalize crucial transcriptional co-activators and alter chromatin architecture to promote oncogenic programs. Finally, we highlight key questions regarding how these findings may pave the way for novel therapeutics to target cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karrie M Kiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Leena Ahad
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Xiaowen Zhong
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Q Richard Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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2
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Yang XX, Gao F, Ding R, Wei J, Zhu XM, Gong QX. Small blue round cell tumor with focal epithelial differentiation harboring a novel YAP1::LEUTX fusion with poor prognosis. Virchows Arch 2024:10.1007/s00428-024-03839-z. [PMID: 38850328 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-024-03839-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Xi Yang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Ru Ding
- Department of Pathology, The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an, 62 Huaihai South Road, Huai'an, 223000, China
| | - Jia Wei
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xiao-Mei Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Qi-Xing Gong
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
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3
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Kervarrec T, Battistella M, Macagno N. [Cutaneous adnexal tumours: Development and synthesis of diagnostic fusion genes]. Ann Pathol 2024:S0242-6498(24)00118-4. [PMID: 38839526 DOI: 10.1016/j.annpat.2024.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous adnexal tumours are a heterogeneous group of epithelial lesions that includes tumours with follicular, sudoral and/or sebaceous differentiation, or even several combined lines of differentiation. Over the last few years, molecular analysis of these lesions has allowed to identify specific molecular events responsible for tumour development in an increasing number of tumour types. Like other rare neoplasms, such as soft tissue tumours, adnexal tumours display fusion genes resulting from chromosomal translocations that may be specific for the diagnosis if molecular data are properly integrated in the clinical and morphological setting. Molecular testing of adnexal tumours is valuable as it allows to strengthen the robustness of the diagnosis for a group of tumours displaying a wide morphological spectrum. It has allowed to refine the diagnostic criteria and to develop increasingly specific diagnostic immunostainings. Finally, molecular testing has been responsible for the identification of new entities or morphological subtypes of previously known entities. The aim of this review is to provide an update on cutaneous adnexal tumours associated with fusion genes and to evaluate the impact of molecular data on the diagnosis of these lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Kervarrec
- Department of Pathology, université de Tours, hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, 37044 Tours, France; « Biologie des infections à polyomavirus » team, UMR Inra ISP 1282, université de Tours, Tours, France; CARADERM Network, Lille, France.
| | - Maxime Battistella
- CARADERM Network, Lille, France; Department of Pathology, hôpital Saint-Louis, université Paris 7, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Macagno
- CARADERM Network, Lille, France; Department of Pathology, Timone University Hospital, Marseille, France
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4
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Parrish AG, Arora S, Thirimanne HN, Rudoy D, Schmid S, Sievers P, Sahm F, Holland EC, Szulzewsky F. Aggressive high-grade NF2 mutant meningiomas downregulate oncogenic YAP signaling via the upregulation of VGLL4 and FAT3/4. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.30.596719. [PMID: 38854109 PMCID: PMC11160807 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.30.596719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults. Although generally benign, a subset of meningiomas is of higher grade, shows aggressive growth behavior and recurs even after multiple surgeries. Around half of all meningiomas harbor inactivating mutations in NF2. While benign low-grade NF2 mutant meningiomas exhibit few genetic events in addition to NF2 inactivation, aggressive high-grade NF2 mutant meningiomas frequently harbor a highly aberrant genome. We and others have previously shown that NF2 inactivation leads to YAP1 activation and that YAP1 acts as the pivotal oncogenic driver in benign NF2 mutant meningiomas. Using bulk and single-cell RNA-Seq data from a large cohort of human meningiomas, we show that aggressive NF2 mutant meningiomas harbor decreased levels YAP1 activity compared to their benign counterparts. Decreased expression levels of YAP target genes are significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence. We then identify the increased expression of the YAP1 competitor VGLL4 as well as the YAP1 upstream regulators FAT3/4 as a potential mechanism for the downregulation of YAP activity in aggressive NF2 mutant meningiomas. High expression of these genes is significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence. In vitro, overexpression of VGLL4 resulted in the downregulation of YAP activity in benign NF2 mutant meningioma cells, confirming the direct link between VGLL4 expression and decreased levels of YAP activity observed in aggressive NF2 mutant meningiomas. Our results shed new insight on the biology of benign and aggressive NF2 mutant meningiomas and may have important implications for the efficacy of therapies targeting oncogenic YAP1 activity in NF2 mutant meningiomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail G Parrish
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Sonali Arora
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Dmytro Rudoy
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Sebastian Schmid
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Philipp Sievers
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Sahm
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Seattle Translational Tumor Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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5
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Henikoff S, Henikoff JG, Paranal RM, Greene JE, Zheng Y, Russell ZR, Szulzewsky F, Kugel S, Holland EC, Ahmad K. RNA Polymerase II hypertranscription in cancer FFPE samples. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.28.582647. [PMID: 38559075 PMCID: PMC10979862 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.28.582647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Hypertranscription is common in human cancers and predicts poor prognosis. However detection of hypertranscription is indirect, relying on accurately quantifying mRNA levels and estimating cell numbers. Previously, we introduced FFPE-CUTAC, a genome-wide method for mapping RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections. Here we use FFPE-CUTAC to demonstrate genome-wide hypertranscription both in transgene-driven mouse gliomas and in assorted human tumors at active regulatory elements and replication-coupled histone genes with reduced mitochondrial DNA abundance. FFPE-CUTAC identified RNAPII-bound regulatory elements shared among diverse cancers and readily categorized human tumors despite using very small samples and low sequencing depths. Remarkably, RNAPII FFPE-CUTAC identified de novo and precisely mapped HER2 amplifications punctuated by likely selective sweeps including genes encoding direct positive regulators of RNAPII itself. Our results demonstrate that FFPE-CUTAC measurements of hypertranscription and classifications of tumors using small sections provides an affordable and sensitive genome-wide strategy for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Henikoff
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Jorja G. Henikoff
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ronald M. Paranal
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jacob E. Greene
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Molecular Medicine and Mechanisms of Disease (M3D) PhD Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ye Zheng
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sita Kugel
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eric C. Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kami Ahmad
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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6
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Nuechterlein N, Shelbourn A, Szulzewsky F, Arora S, Casad M, Pattwell S, Merino-Galan L, Sulman E, Arowa S, Alvinez N, Jung M, Brown D, Tang K, Jackson S, Stoica S, Chittaboina P, Banasavadi-Siddegowda YK, Wirsching HG, Stella N, Shapiro L, Paddison P, Patel AP, Gilbert MR, Abdullaev Z, Aldape K, Pratt D, Holland EC, Cimino PJ. Haploinsufficiency of phosphodiesterase 10A activates PI3K/AKT signaling independent of PTEN to induce an aggressive glioma phenotype. Genes Dev 2024; 38:273-288. [PMID: 38589034 PMCID: PMC11065166 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351350.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is universally fatal and characterized by frequent chromosomal copy number alterations harboring oncogenes and tumor suppressors. In this study, we analyzed exome-wide human glioblastoma copy number data and found that cytoband 6q27 is an independent poor prognostic marker in multiple data sets. We then combined CRISPR-Cas9 data, human spatial transcriptomic data, and human and mouse RNA sequencing data to nominate PDE10A as a potential haploinsufficient tumor suppressor in the 6q27 region. Mouse glioblastoma modeling using the RCAS/tv-a system confirmed that Pde10a suppression induced an aggressive glioma phenotype in vivo and resistance to temozolomide and radiation therapy in vitro. Cell culture analysis showed that decreased Pde10a expression led to increased PI3K/AKT signaling in a Pten-independent manner, a response blocked by selective PI3K inhibitors. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing from our mouse gliomas in vivo, in combination with cell culture validation, further showed that Pde10a suppression was associated with a proneural-to-mesenchymal transition that exhibited increased cell adhesion and decreased cell migration. Our results indicate that glioblastoma patients harboring PDE10A loss have worse outcomes and potentially increased sensitivity to PI3K inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Nuechterlein
- Neuropathology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Allison Shelbourn
- Neuropathology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Sonali Arora
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Michelle Casad
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Siobhan Pattwell
- Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98145, USA
| | - Leyre Merino-Galan
- Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98145, USA
| | - Erik Sulman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 11220, USA
| | - Sumaita Arowa
- Neuropathology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Neriah Alvinez
- Neuropathology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Miyeon Jung
- Neurosurgical Oncology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Desmond Brown
- Neurosurgical Oncology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Kayen Tang
- Developmental Therapeutics and Pharmacology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Sadhana Jackson
- Developmental Therapeutics and Pharmacology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Stefan Stoica
- Neurosurgery Unit for Pituitary and Inheritable Diseases, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Prashant Chittaboina
- Neurosurgery Unit for Pituitary and Inheritable Diseases, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Yeshavanth K Banasavadi-Siddegowda
- Molecular and Therapeutics Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Hans-Georg Wirsching
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich 8091, Switzerland
| | - Nephi Stella
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Linda Shapiro
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Patrick Paddison
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Anoop P Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Mark R Gilbert
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Zied Abdullaev
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Kenneth Aldape
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Drew Pratt
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Patrick J Cimino
- Neuropathology Unit, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA;
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7
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Wachtel M, Surdez D, Grünewald TGP, Schäfer BW. Functional Classification of Fusion Proteins in Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1355. [PMID: 38611033 PMCID: PMC11010897 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Sarcomas comprise a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin. More than 80 entities are associated with different mesenchymal lineages. Sarcomas with fibroblastic, muscle, bone, vascular, adipocytic, and other characteristics are distinguished. Nearly half of all entities contain specific chromosomal translocations that give rise to fusion proteins. These are mostly pathognomonic, and their detection by various molecular techniques supports histopathologic classification. Moreover, the fusion proteins act as oncogenic drivers, and their blockade represents a promising therapeutic approach. This review summarizes the current knowledge on fusion proteins in sarcoma. We categorize the different fusion proteins into functional classes, including kinases, epigenetic regulators, and transcription factors, and describe their mechanisms of action. Interestingly, while fusion proteins acting as transcription factors are found in all mesenchymal lineages, the others have a more restricted pattern. Most kinase-driven sarcomas belong to the fibroblastic/myofibroblastic lineage. Fusion proteins with an epigenetic function are mainly associated with sarcomas of unclear differentiation, suggesting that epigenetic dysregulation leads to a major change in cell identity. Comparison of mechanisms of action reveals recurrent functional modes, including antagonism of Polycomb activity by fusion proteins with epigenetic activity and recruitment of histone acetyltransferases by fusion transcription factors of the myogenic lineage. Finally, based on their biology, we describe potential approaches to block the activity of fusion proteins for therapeutic intervention. Overall, our work highlights differences as well as similarities in the biology of fusion proteins from different sarcomas and provides the basis for a functional classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Wachtel
- Department of Oncology and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Didier Surdez
- Balgrist University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich (UZH), CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas G. P. Grünewald
- Division of Translational Pediatric Sarcoma Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Hopp-Children’s Cancer Center (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, a Partnership between DKFZ and Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beat W. Schäfer
- Department of Oncology and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland
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Schmid S, Russell ZR, Yamashita AS, West ME, Parrish AG, Walker J, Rudoy D, Yan JZ, Quist DC, Gessesse BN, Alvinez N, Cimino PJ, Kumasaka DK, Parchment RE, Holland EC, Szulzewsky F. ERK signaling promotes resistance to TRK kinase inhibition in NTRK fusion-driven glioma mouse models. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.13.584849. [PMID: 38558981 PMCID: PMC10979979 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.13.584849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Pediatric-type high-grade gliomas frequently harbor gene fusions involving receptor tyrosine kinase genes, including neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor (NTRK) fusions. Clinically, these tumors show high initial response rates to tyrosine kinase inhibition but ultimately recur due to the accumulation of additional resistance-conferring mutations. Here, we developed a series of genetically engineered mouse models of treatment-naïve and -experienced NTRK1/2/3 fusion-driven gliomas. Both the TRK kinase domain and the N-terminal fusion partners influenced tumor histology and aggressiveness. Treatment with TRK kinase inhibitors significantly extended survival of NTRK fusion-driven glioma mice in a fusion- and inhibitor-dependent manner, but tumors ultimately recurred due to the presence of treatment-resistant persister cells. Finally, we show that ERK activation promotes resistance to TRK kinase inhibition and identify MEK inhibition as a potential combination therapy. These models will be invaluable tools for preclinical testing of novel inhibitors and to study the cellular responses of NTRK fusion-driven gliomas to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schmid
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Zachary R Russell
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Alex Shimura Yamashita
- Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Madeline E West
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Abigail G Parrish
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Julia Walker
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Dmytro Rudoy
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - James Z Yan
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - David C Quist
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Neriah Alvinez
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Patrick J Cimino
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Debra K Kumasaka
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Ralph E Parchment
- Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Seattle Translational Tumor Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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9
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Kardian AS, Mack S. The Intersection of Epigenetic Alterations and Developmental State in Pediatric Ependymomas. Dev Neurosci 2024:000537694. [PMID: 38527429 DOI: 10.1159/000537694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ependymomas are the third most common brain cancer in children and have no targeted therapies. They are divided into at least 9 major subtypes based on molecular characteristics and major drivers and have few genetic mutations compared to the adult form of this disease, leading to investigation of other mechanisms. SUMMARY Epigenetic alterations such as transcriptional programs activated by oncofusion proteins and alterations in histone modifications play an important role in development of this disease. Evidence suggests these alterations interact with the developmental epigenetic programs in the cell of origin to initiate neoplastic transformation and later disease progression, perhaps by keeping a portion of tumor cells in a developmental, proliferative state. KEY MESSAGES To better understand this disease, research on its developmental origins and associated epigenetic states needs to be further pursued. This could lead to better treatments, which are currently lacking due to the difficult-to-drug nature of known drivers such as fusion proteins. Epigenetic and developmental states characteristic of these tumors may not just be potential therapeutic targets, but used as a tool to find new avenues of treatment.
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10
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Szulzewsky F, Thirimanne HN, Holland EC. Meningioma: current updates on genetics, classification, and mouse modeling. Ups J Med Sci 2024; 129:10579. [PMID: 38571886 PMCID: PMC10989216 DOI: 10.48101/ujms.v129.10579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Meningiomas, the most common primary brain tumors in adults, are often benign and curable by surgical resection. However, a subset is of higher grade, shows aggressive growth behavior as well as brain invasion, and often recurs even after several rounds of surgery. Increasing evidence suggests that tumor classification and grading primarily based on histopathology do not always accurately predict tumor aggressiveness and recurrence behavior. The underlying biology of aggressive treatment-resistant meningiomas and the impact of specific genetic aberrations present in these high-grade tumors is still only insufficiently understood. Therefore, an in-depth research into the biology of this tumor type is warranted. More recent studies based on large-scale molecular data such as whole exome/genome sequencing, DNA methylation sequencing, and RNA sequencing have provided new insights into the biology of meningiomas and have revealed new risk factors and prognostic subtypes. The most common genetic aberration in meningiomas is functional loss of NF2 and occurs in both low- and high-grade meningiomas, whereas NF2-wildtype meningiomas are enriched for recurrent mutations in TRAF7, KLF4, AKT1, PI3KCA, and SMO and are more frequently benign. Most meningioma mouse models are based on patient-derived xenografts and only recently have new genetically engineered mouse models of meningioma been developed that will aid in the systematic evaluation of specific mutations found in meningioma and their impact on tumor behavior. In this article, we review recent advances in the understanding of meningioma biology and classification and highlight the most common genetic mutations, as well as discuss new genetically engineered mouse models of meningioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Eric C. Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Seattle Translational Tumor Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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11
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Chung CI, Yang J, Yang X, Liu H, Ma Z, Szulzewsky F, Holland EC, Shen Y, Shu X. Phase separation of YAP-MAML2 differentially regulates the transcriptome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2310430121. [PMID: 38315854 PMCID: PMC10873646 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310430121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Phase separation (PS) drives the formation of biomolecular condensates that are emerging biological structures involved in diverse cellular processes. Recent studies have unveiled PS-induced formation of several transcriptional factor (TF) condensates that are transcriptionally active, but how strongly PS promotes gene activation remains unclear. Here, we show that the oncogenic TF fusion Yes-associated protein 1-Mastermind like transcriptional coactivator 2 (YAP-MAML2) undergoes PS and forms liquid-like condensates that bear the hallmarks of transcriptional activity. Furthermore, we examined the contribution of PS to YAP-MAML2-mediated gene expression by developing a chemogenetic tool that dissolves TF condensates, allowing us to compare phase-separated and non-phase-separated conditions at identical YAP-MAML2 protein levels. We found that a small fraction of YAP-MAML2-regulated genes is further affected by PS, which include the canonical YAP target genes CTGF and CYR61, and other oncogenes. On the other hand, majority of YAP-MAML2-regulated genes are not affected by PS, highlighting that transcription can be activated effectively by diffuse complexes of TFs with the transcriptional machinery. Our work opens new directions in understanding the role of PS in selective modulation of gene expression, suggesting differential roles of PS in biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-I. Chung
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Junjiao Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Xiaoyu Yang
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Human Genetics, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Hongjiang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Human Genetics, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Zhimin Ma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA98109
| | - Eric C. Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA98109
- Seattle Tumor Translational Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA98109
| | - Yin Shen
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Human Genetics, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Xiaokun Shu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
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12
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Kervarrec T, Pissaloux D, Tirode F, de la Fouchardière A, Sohier P, Frouin E, Hamard A, Houben R, Schrama D, Barlier A, Cribier B, Battistella M, Macagno N. Gene fusions in poroma, porocarcinoma and related adnexal skin tumours: An update. Histopathology 2024; 84:266-278. [PMID: 37609771 DOI: 10.1111/his.15023] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Poroma is a benign sweat gland tumour showing morphological features recapitulating the superficial portion of the eccrine sweat coil. A subset of poromas may transform into porocarcinoma, its malignant counterpart. Poroma and porocarcinoma are characterised by recurrent gene fusions involving YAP1, a transcriptional co-activator, which is controlled by the Hippo signalling pathway. The fusion genes frequently involve MAML2 and NUTM1, which are also rearranged in other cutaneous and extracutaneous neoplasms. We aimed to review the clinical, morphological and molecular features of this category of adnexal neoplasms with a special focus upon emerging differential diagnoses, and discuss how their systematic molecular characterisation may contribute to a standardisation of diagnosis, more accurate classification and, ultimately, refinement of their prognosis and therapeutic modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Kervarrec
- CARADERM, French Network of Rare Cutaneous Cancer, Lille, France
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Tours, Tours, France
- 'Biologie des infections à polyomavirus' Team, UMR1282 INRAE, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | | | - Franck Tirode
- Department of Biopathology, Center Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Equipe Labellisée, University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon, France
| | - Arnaud de la Fouchardière
- CARADERM, French Network of Rare Cutaneous Cancer, Lille, France
- Department of Biopathology, Center Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
- Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Equipe Labellisée, University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Lyon, France
| | - Pierre Sohier
- CARADERM, French Network of Rare Cutaneous Cancer, Lille, France
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, AP-HP Centre - Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Faculté de Médecine, University Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Eric Frouin
- CARADERM, French Network of Rare Cutaneous Cancer, Lille, France
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Poitiers, University of Poitiers, LITEC, Poitiers, France
| | - Aymeric Hamard
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Roland Houben
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - David Schrama
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anne Barlier
- Aix-Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, U1251, Marmara Institute, Marseille, France
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, La Conception Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Bernard Cribier
- CARADERM, French Network of Rare Cutaneous Cancer, Lille, France
- Clinique Dermatologique, Hôpital Civil, Hôpitaux Universitaires, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Maxime Battistella
- CARADERM, French Network of Rare Cutaneous Cancer, Lille, France
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U976, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Macagno
- CARADERM, French Network of Rare Cutaneous Cancer, Lille, France
- Aix-Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, U1251, Marmara Institute, Marseille, France
- Department of Pathology, APHM, Timone University Hospital, Marseille, France
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13
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Zhao Y, Sheldon M, Sun Y, Ma L. New Insights into YAP/TAZ-TEAD-Mediated Gene Regulation and Biological Processes in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5497. [PMID: 38067201 PMCID: PMC10705714 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15235497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway is conserved across species. Key mammalian Hippo pathway kinases, including MST1/2 and LATS1/2, inhibit cellular growth by inactivating the TEAD coactivators, YAP, and TAZ. Extensive research has illuminated the roles of Hippo signaling in cancer, development, and regeneration. Notably, dysregulation of Hippo pathway components not only contributes to tumor growth and metastasis, but also renders tumors resistant to therapies. This review delves into recent research on YAP/TAZ-TEAD-mediated gene regulation and biological processes in cancer. We focus on several key areas: newly identified molecular patterns of YAP/TAZ activation, emerging mechanisms that contribute to metastasis and cancer therapy resistance, unexpected roles in tumor suppression, and advances in therapeutic strategies targeting this pathway. Moreover, we provide an updated view of YAP/TAZ's biological functions, discuss ongoing controversies, and offer perspectives on specific debated topics in this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhao
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.Z.); (M.S.)
| | - Marisela Sheldon
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.Z.); (M.S.)
| | - Yutong Sun
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.Z.); (M.S.)
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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14
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Park MA, Lee YH, Gu MJ. High TEAD4 Expression is Associated With Aggressive Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, Regardless of YAP1 Expression. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol 2023; 31:649-656. [PMID: 37779294 DOI: 10.1097/pai.0000000000001164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and transcriptional coactivator TEA domain transcription factor 4 (TEAD4) are the main effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway. Deregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway significantly impacts tumorigenesis and tumor progression. We evaluated the mRNA expression level of YAP1 and TEAD4 using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database and investigated the roles of YAP1 and TEAD4 in 349 surgically resected clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) samples through immunohistochemical analysis. High YAP1 and TEAD4 expression were observed in 57 (16.3%) and 131 (37.5%) cases, respectively. High YAP1 expression was associated with a low nuclear grade only. High TEAD4 expression was significantly associated with large tumor size, high nuclear grade, lymphovascular invasion, advanced pT classification, advanced clinical stage, sarcomatous differentiation, and metastasis. CCRCC with YAP1-low/TEAD4-high expression was significantly associated with aggressive clinicopathological variables and poor outcomes. For CCRCC, higher tumor stage, sarcomatous differentiation, and metastasis were the independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). High TEAD4 expression was significantly associated with short OS and DFS but was not an independent prognostic factor. High TEAD4 and YAP1-low/TEAD4-high expression significantly correlated with adverse clinicopathological factors and worse OS and DFS in patients with CCRCC. YAP1 expression was not significantly associated with clinicopathological factors or patient survival. Therefore, TEAD4 plays a critical role in CCRCC tumor progression independent of YAP1 and may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for CCRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min A Park
- Department of Pathology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Nam-gu, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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15
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Teku G, Nilsson J, Magnusson L, Sydow S, Flucke U, Puls F, Mitra S, Mertens F. Insertion of the CXXC domain of KMT2A into YAP1: An unusual mechanism behind the formation of a chimeric oncogenic protein. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2023; 62:633-640. [PMID: 37246732 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.23176] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Most neoplasia-associated gene fusions are formed through the fusion of the 5'-part of one gene with the 3'-part of another. We here describe a unique mechanism, by which a part of the KMT2A gene through an insertion replaces part of the YAP1 gene. The resulting YAP1::KMT2A::YAP1 (YKY) fusion was verified by RT-PCR in three cases of sarcoma morphologically resembling sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF-like sarcoma). In all cases, a portion (exons 4/5-6) encoding the CXXC domain of KMT2A was inserted between exon 4/5 and exon 8/9 of YAP1. The inserted sequence from KMT2A thus replaced exons 5/6-8 of YAP1, which encode an important regulatory sequence of YAP1. To evaluate the cellular impact of the YKY fusion, global gene expression profiles from fresh frozen and formalin-fixed YKY-expressing sarcomas were compared with control tumors. The effects of the YKY fusion, as well as YAP1::KMT2A and KMT2A::YAP1 fusion constructs, were further studied in immortalized fibroblasts. Analysis of differentially upregulated genes revealed significant overlap between tumors and cell lines expressing YKY, as well as with previously reported YAP1 fusions. Pathway analysis of upregulated genes in cells and tumors expressing YKY revealed an enrichment of genes included in key oncogenic signaling pathways, such as Wnt and Hedgehog. As these pathways are known to interact with YAP1, it seems likely that the pathogenesis of sarcomas with the YKY fusion is linked to distorted YAP1 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Teku
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jenny Nilsson
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Linda Magnusson
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Saskia Sydow
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Uta Flucke
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Florian Puls
- Department Clinical Pathology and Genetics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Shamik Mitra
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Mertens
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Genetics and Pathology, Lund, Sweden
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16
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Thrash HL, Pendergast AM. Multi-Functional Regulation by YAP/TAZ Signaling Networks in Tumor Progression and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4701. [PMID: 37835395 PMCID: PMC10572014 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway transcriptional co-activators, YES-associated protein (YAP) and Transcriptional Co-Activator with PDZ Binding Motif (TAZ), have both been linked to tumor progression and metastasis. These two proteins possess overlapping and distinct functions, and their activities lead to the expression of genes involved in multiple cellular processes, including cell proliferation, survival, and migration. The dysregulation of YAP/TAZ-dependent cellular processes can result in altered tumor growth and metastasis. In addition to their well-documented roles in the regulation of cancer cell growth, survival, migration, and invasion, the YAP/TAZ-dependent signaling pathways have been more recently implicated in cellular processes that promote metastasis and therapy resistance in several solid tumor types. This review highlights the role of YAP/TAZ signaling networks in the regulation of tumor cell plasticity mediated by hybrid and reversible epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) states, and the promotion of cancer stem cell/progenitor phenotypes. Mechanistically, YAP and TAZ regulate these cellular processes by targeting transcriptional networks. In this review, we detail recently uncovered mechanisms whereby YAP and TAZ mediate tumor growth, metastasis, and therapy resistance, and discuss new therapeutic strategies to target YAP/TAZ function in various solid tumor types. Understanding the distinct and overlapping roles of YAP and TAZ in multiple cellular processes that promote tumor progression to metastasis is expected to enable the identification of effective therapies to treat solid tumors through the hyper-activation of YAP and TAZ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ann Marie Pendergast
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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17
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Henikoff S, Henikoff JG, Ahmad K, Paranal RM, Janssens DH, Russell ZR, Szulzewsky F, Kugel S, Holland EC. Epigenomic analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples by CUT&Tag. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5930. [PMID: 37739938 PMCID: PMC10516967 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41666-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
For more than a century, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sample preparation has been the preferred method for long-term preservation of biological material. However, the use of FFPE samples for epigenomic studies has been difficult because of chromatin damage from long exposure to high concentrations of formaldehyde. Previously, we introduced Cleavage Under Targeted Accessible Chromatin (CUTAC), an antibody-targeted chromatin accessibility mapping protocol based on CUT&Tag. Here we show that simple modifications of our CUTAC protocol either in single tubes or directly on slides produce high-resolution maps of paused RNA Polymerase II at enhancers and promoters using FFPE samples. We find that transcriptional regulatory element differences produced by FFPE-CUTAC distinguish between mouse brain tumors and identify and map regulatory element markers with high confidence and precision, including microRNAs not detectable by RNA-seq. Our simple workflows make possible affordable epigenomic profiling of archived biological samples for biomarker identification, clinical applications and retrospective studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Henikoff
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
| | - Jorja G Henikoff
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kami Ahmad
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ronald M Paranal
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Derek H Janssens
- Basic Science Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zachary R Russell
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sita Kugel
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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18
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Abdelmogod A, Papadopoulos L, Riordan S, Wong M, Weltman M, Lim R, McEvoy C, Fellowes A, Fox S, Bedő J, Penington J, Pham K, Hofmann O, Vissers JHA, Grimmond S, Ratnayake G, Christie M, Mitchell C, Murray WK, McClymont K, Luk P, Papenfuss AT, Kee D, Scott CL, Goldstein D, Barker HE. A Matched Molecular and Clinical Analysis of the Epithelioid Haemangioendothelioma Cohort in the Stafford Fox Rare Cancer Program and Contextual Literature Review. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4378. [PMID: 37686662 PMCID: PMC10487006 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an ultra-rare malignant vascular tumour with a prevalence of 1 per 1,000,000. It is typically molecularly characterised by a WWTR1::CAMTA1 gene fusion in approximately 90% of cases, or a YAP1::TFE3 gene fusion in approximately 10% of cases. EHE cases are typically refractory to therapies, and no anticancer agents are reimbursed for EHE in Australia. METHODS We report a cohort of nine EHE cases with comprehensive histologic and molecular profiling from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Stafford Fox Rare Cancer Program (WEHI-SFRCP) collated via nation-wide referral to the Australian Rare Cancer (ARC) Portal. The diagnoses of EHE were confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) examination. Molecular profiling was performed using the TruSight Oncology 500 assay, the TruSight RNA fusion panel, whole genome sequencing (WGS), or whole exome sequencing (WES). RESULTS Molecular analysis of RNA, DNA or both was possible in seven of nine cases. The WWTR1::CAMTA1 fusion was identified in five cases. The YAP1::TFE3 fusion was identified in one case, demonstrating unique morphology compared to cases with the more common WWTR1::CAMTA1 fusion. All tumours expressed typical endothelial markers CD31, ERG, and CD34 and were negative for pan-cytokeratin. Cases with a WWTR1::CAMTA1 fusion displayed high expression of CAMTA1 and the single case with a YAP1::TFE3 fusion displayed high expression of TFE3. Survival was highly variable and unrelated to molecular profile. CONCLUSIONS This cohort of EHE cases provides molecular and histopathological characterisation and matching clinical information that emphasises the molecular patterns and variable clinical outcomes and adds to our knowledge of this ultra-rare cancer. Such information from multiple studies will advance our understanding, potentially improving treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arwa Abdelmogod
- Limestone Coast Local Health Network, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia;
| | - Lia Papadopoulos
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
- The Australian Rare Cancer Portal, BioGrid, Parkville, VIC 3051, Australia;
- Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC 3128, Australia
| | - Stephen Riordan
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of NSW, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia;
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Melvin Wong
- Radiology Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia;
| | - Martin Weltman
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nepean Hospital, Kingswood, NSW 2747, Australia;
| | - Ratana Lim
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
| | - Christopher McEvoy
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (C.M.); (A.F.)
| | - Andrew Fellowes
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (C.M.); (A.F.)
| | - Stephen Fox
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (C.M.); (A.F.)
| | - Justin Bedő
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
| | - Jocelyn Penington
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
| | - Kym Pham
- Centre for Cancer Research and Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (K.P.); (O.H.); (J.H.A.V.); (S.G.)
| | - Oliver Hofmann
- Centre for Cancer Research and Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (K.P.); (O.H.); (J.H.A.V.); (S.G.)
| | - Joseph H. A. Vissers
- Centre for Cancer Research and Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (K.P.); (O.H.); (J.H.A.V.); (S.G.)
| | - Sean Grimmond
- Centre for Cancer Research and Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (K.P.); (O.H.); (J.H.A.V.); (S.G.)
| | | | | | - Catherine Mitchell
- Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (C.M.); (W.K.M.)
| | - William K. Murray
- Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (C.M.); (W.K.M.)
| | - Kelly McClymont
- Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Peter Luk
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia;
| | - Anthony T. Papenfuss
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nepean Hospital, Kingswood, NSW 2747, Australia;
- Sir Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Damien Kee
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
- The Australian Rare Cancer Portal, BioGrid, Parkville, VIC 3051, Australia;
- Sir Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3000, Australia
- Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Clare L. Scott
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
- The Australian Rare Cancer Portal, BioGrid, Parkville, VIC 3051, Australia;
- The Royal Womens’ Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Sir Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3000, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - David Goldstein
- The Australian Rare Cancer Portal, BioGrid, Parkville, VIC 3051, Australia;
- Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC 3128, Australia
- Nelune Center, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Holly E. Barker
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.P.); (R.L.); (J.B.); (J.P.); (A.T.P.); (D.K.); (C.L.S.)
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
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19
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Nobee A, Xu M, Seth A, Rong Y. Atypical Intraparenchymal Meningioma with YAP1-MAML2 Fusion in a Young Adult Male: A Case Report and Mini Literature Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12814. [PMID: 37628996 PMCID: PMC10454436 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612814] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic Yes-associated protein (YAP) 1 fusions have been recently identified in several cases of meningioma mostly involving pediatric patients. The meningiomas harboring YAP1-MAML2, which is the most frequent fusion subtype, exhibit activated YAP1 signaling and share similarities with NF2 (neurofibromatosis type 2 gene) mutant meningiomas. We reported a rare case of atypical intraparenchymal meningioma with YAP1-MAML2 fusion in a 20-year-old male. The patient presented with an episode of seizure without a medical history. MRI revealed a lesion in the right temporal lobe without extra-axial involvement. The radiological and morphological findings, however, were indistinctive from other intracranial diseases, e.g., vascular malformation and glioma. Immunohistochemical results confirmed the presence of abundant meningothelial cells in the tumor and indicated brain invasion, supporting the diagnosis of atypical intraparenchymal meningioma. Targeted RNA fusion analysis further identified a YAP1-MAML2 rearrangement in the tumor. Non-dural-based intraparenchymal meningiomas are uncommon, and the careful selection of specific tumor markers is crucial for an accurate diagnosis. Additionally, the detection of the fusion gene provides valuable insights into the oncogenic mechanism of meningioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Nobee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Mei Xu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Anjali Seth
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Yuan Rong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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20
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Neil E, Kouskoff V. Current Model Systems for Investigating Epithelioid Haemangioendothelioma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15113005. [PMID: 37296967 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15113005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare sarcoma of the vascular endothelium with an unpredictable disease course. EHE tumours can remain indolent for long period of time but may suddenly evolve into an aggressive disease with widespread metastases and a poor prognosis. Two mutually exclusive chromosomal translocations define EHE tumours, each involving one of the transcription co-factors TAZ and YAP. The TAZ-CAMTA1 fusion protein results from a t(1;3) translocation and is present in 90% of EHE tumours. The remaining 10% of EHE cases harbour a t(X;11) translocation, resulting in the YAP1-TFE3 (YT) fusion protein. Until recently, the lack of representative EHE models made it challenging to study the mechanisms by which these fusion proteins promote tumorigenesis. Here, we describe and compare the recently developed experimental approaches that are currently available for studying this cancer. After summarising the key findings obtained with each experimental approach, we discuss the advantages and limitations of these different model systems. Our survey of the current literature shows how each experimental approach can be utilised in different ways to improve our understanding of EHE initiation and progression. Ultimately, this should lead to better treatment options for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Neil
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Valerie Kouskoff
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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21
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Nuclear condensates of YAP fusion proteins alter transcription to drive ependymoma tumourigenesis. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:323-336. [PMID: 36732631 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-01069-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear localization of HIPPO-YAP fusion proteins has been implicated in supratentorial ependymoma development. Here, unexpectedly, we find that liquid-liquid phase separation, rather than nuclear localization, of recurrent patient-derived YAP fusions, YAP-MAMLD1 and C11ORF95-YAP, underlies ependymoma tumourigenesis from neural progenitor cells. Mutagenesis and chimaera assays demonstrate that an intrinsically disordered region promotes oligomerization of the YAP fusions into nuclear, puncta-like, membrane-less condensates. Oligomerization and nuclear condensates induced by YAP fusion with a coiled-coil domain of transcriptional activator GCN4 also promote ependymoma formation. YAP-MAMLD1 concentrates transcription factors and co-activators, including BRD4, MED1 and TEAD, in condensates while excluding transcriptional repressive PRC2, and induces long-range enhancer-promoter interactions that promote transcription and oncogenic programmes. Blocking condensate-mediated transcriptional co-activator activity inhibits tumourigenesis, indicating a critical role of liquid phase separation for YAP fusion oncogenic activity in ependymoma. YAP fusions containing the intrinsically disordered region features are common in human tumours, suggesting that nuclear condensates could be targeted to treat YAP-fusion-induced cancers.
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22
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Pobbati AV, Kumar R, Rubin BP, Hong W. Therapeutic targeting of TEAD transcription factors in cancer. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:450-462. [PMID: 36709077 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The Hippo signaling pathway inhibits the activity of the oncogenic YAP (Yes-associated protein)/TAZ (transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif)-TEAD (TEA/ATTS domain) transcriptional complex. In cancers, inactivating mutations in upstream Hippo components and/or enhanced activity of YAP/TAZ and TEAD have been observed. The activity of this transcriptional complex can be effectively inhibited by targeting the TEAD family of transcription factors. The development of TEAD inhibitors has been driven by the discovery that TEAD has druggable hydrophobic pockets, and is currently at the clinical development stage. Three small molecule TEAD inhibitors are currently being tested in Phase I clinical trials. In this review, we highlight the role of TEADs in cancer, discuss various avenues through which TEAD activity can be inhibited, and outline the opportunities for the administration of TEAD inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajaybabu V Pobbati
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Ramesh Kumar
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), Singapore 138673
| | - Brian P Rubin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Wanjin Hong
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), Singapore 138673.
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23
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Piccolo S, Panciera T, Contessotto P, Cordenonsi M. YAP/TAZ as master regulators in cancer: modulation, function and therapeutic approaches. NATURE CANCER 2023; 4:9-26. [PMID: 36564601 PMCID: PMC7614914 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00473-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of the function of the transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ) in cancer is advancing. In this Review, we provide an update on recent progress in YAP/TAZ biology, their regulation by Hippo signaling and mechanotransduction and highlight open questions. YAP/TAZ signaling is an addiction shared by multiple tumor types and their microenvironments, providing many malignant attributes. As such, it represents an important vulnerability that may offer a broad window of therapeutic efficacy, and here we give an overview of the current treatment strategies and pioneering clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Piccolo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
- IFOM-ETS, the AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy.
| | - Tito Panciera
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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24
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Pediatric meningioma with a Novel MAML2-YAP1 fusion variant: a case report and literature review. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:694. [PMID: 36463108 PMCID: PMC9719181 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03747-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric meningioma with YAP1 fusion is a rare subset of meningiomas. Currently, there are lack of integrated clinical, radiological, and pathological features on this subset. Here, we reported a case of pediatric meningioma with a novel MAML2-YAP1 fusion variant and reviewed the relevant literature. CASE PRESENTATION We presented a case of 12-year-old boy with meningioma adjacent to the superior sagittal sinus and falx. Simpson grade II gross total resection was performed after diagnosis. Pathologically, he was diagnosed as WHO grade I meningothelial meningioma with rhabdoid features. A next-generation sequencing-based gene panel was performed to determine the molecular features for potential treatment, and a novel MAML2-YAP1 fusion break point was identified. CONCLUSION Pediatric meningioma with the fusion of YAP1 and MAML2 genes is more likely to have pathological features of rhabdiod cells, which needs to be validated in large-scale studies for exploring better treatment under the integrated diagnosis.
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25
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Garcia K, Gingras AC, Harvey KF, Tanas MR. TAZ/YAP fusion proteins: mechanistic insights and therapeutic opportunities. Trends Cancer 2022; 8:1033-1045. [PMID: 36096997 PMCID: PMC9671862 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Hippo pathway is dysregulated in many different cancers, but point mutations in the pathway are rare. Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) and Yes-associated protein (YAP) fusion proteins have emerged in almost all major cancer types and represent the most common genetic mechanism by which the two transcriptional co-activators are activated. Given that the N termini of TAZ or YAP are fused to the C terminus of another transcriptional regulator, the resultant fusion proteins hyperactivate a TEAD transcription factor-based transcriptome. Recent advances show that the C-terminal fusion partners confer oncogenic properties to TAZ/YAP fusion proteins by recruiting epigenetic modifiers that promote a hybrid TEAD-based transcriptome. Elucidating these cooperating epigenetic complexes represents a strategy to identify new therapeutic approaches for a pathway that has been recalcitrant to medical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Garcia
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kieran F Harvey
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Munir R Tanas
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA; Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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26
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Koinis F, Chantzara E, Samarinas M, Xagara A, Kratiras Z, Leontopoulou V, Kotsakis A. Emerging Role of YAP and the Hippo Pathway in Prostate Cancer. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2834. [PMID: 36359354 PMCID: PMC9687800 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway regulates and contributes to several hallmarks of prostate cancer (PCa). Although the elucidation of YAP function in PCa is in its infancy, emerging studies have shed light on the role of aberrant Hippo pathway signaling in PCa development and progression. YAP overexpression and nuclear localization has been linked to poor prognosis and resistance to treatment, highlighting a therapeutic potential that may suggest innovative strategies to treat cancer. This review aimed to summarize available data on the biological function of the dysregulated Hippo pathway in PCa and identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed for optimizing the development of YAP-targeted treatment strategies in patients likely to benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippos Koinis
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41221 Larissa, Greece
- Laboratory of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Evangelia Chantzara
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41221 Larissa, Greece
| | - Michael Samarinas
- Department of Urology, General Hospital “Koutlibanio”, 41221 Larissa, Greece
| | - Anastasia Xagara
- Laboratory of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Zisis Kratiras
- 3rd Urology Department University of Athens, “Attikon” University General Hospital, 12462 Chaidari, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Leontopoulou
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41221 Larissa, Greece
| | - Athanasios Kotsakis
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41221 Larissa, Greece
- Laboratory of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
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27
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Zhang X, Sun D, Zheng H, Rao Y, Deng Y, Liang X, chen J, Yang J. Comprehensive analysis of transcriptome characteristics and identification of TLK2 as a potential biomarker in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. Front Genet 2022; 13:926282. [PMID: 36134026 PMCID: PMC9483842 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.926282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare cutaneous sarcoma characterized by local invasion and recurrence. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) allows the qualification of cellular RNA populations and provides information on the transcriptional state. However, few studies have comprehensively analyzed DFSP transcriptional data. Methods: Fourteen DFSP samples with paired non-neoplastic soft tissue from Chinese patients undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery were used for RNA-seq analysis. Differential expression analysis and enrichment analysis for RNA-seq data were performed to identify fusion genes, biomarkers, and microenvironment characteristics of DFSP. Results: This study systemically describes the transcriptomic characteristics of DFSP. First, we performed gene fusion analysis and identified a novel FBN1-CSAD fusion event in a DFSP patient with fibrosarcomatous transformation. Then, we identified TLK2 as a biomarker for DFSP based on functional enrichment analysis, and validated its accuracy for diagnosing DFSP by immunohistochemical staining and joint analysis with public data. Finally, microenvironment analysis described the infiltration characteristics of immune and stromal cells in DFSP. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that RNA-seq can serve as a promising strategy for exploring molecular mechanisms in DFSP. Our results provide new insights into accurate diagnosis and therapeutic targets of DFSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Sun
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyan Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yamin Rao
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuqi Deng
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Liang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Chen, ; Jun yang,
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Jun Chen, ; Jun yang,
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28
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Szulzewsky F, Arora S, Arakaki AKS, Sievers P, Almiron Bonnin DA, Paddison PJ, Sahm F, Cimino PJ, Gujral TS, Holland EC. Both YAP1-MAML2 and constitutively active YAP1 drive the formation of tumors that resemble NF2 mutant meningiomas in mice. Genes Dev 2022; 36:gad.349876.122. [PMID: 36008139 PMCID: PMC9480855 DOI: 10.1101/gad.349876.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
YAP1 is a transcriptional coactivator regulated by the Hippo signaling pathway, including NF2. Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors; a large percentage exhibit heterozygous loss of chromosome 22 (harboring the NF2 gene) and functional inactivation of the remaining NF2 copy, implicating oncogenic YAP activity in these tumors. Recently, fusions between YAP1 and MAML2 have been identified in a subset of pediatric NF2 wild-type meningiomas. Here, we show that human YAP1-MAML2-positive meningiomas resemble NF2 mutant meningiomas by global and YAP-related gene expression signatures. We then show that expression of YAP1-MAML2 in mice induces tumors that resemble human YAP1 fusion-positive and NF2 mutant meningiomas by gene expression. We demonstrate that YAP1-MAML2 primarily functions by exerting TEAD-dependent YAP activity that is resistant to Hippo signaling. Treatment with YAP-TEAD inhibitors is sufficient to inhibit the viability of YAP1-MAML2-driven mouse tumors ex vivo. Finally, we show that expression of constitutively active YAP1 (S127/397A-YAP1) is sufficient to induce similar tumors, suggesting that the YAP component of the gene fusion is the critical driver of these tumors. In summary, our results implicate YAP1-MAML2 as a causal oncogenic driver and highlight TEAD-dependent YAP activity as an oncogenic driver in YAP1-MAML2 fusion meningioma as well as NF2 mutant meningioma in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Sonali Arora
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Aleena K S Arakaki
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Philipp Sievers
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Patrick J Paddison
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Felix Sahm
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick J Cimino
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Taranjit S Gujral
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
- Seattle Translational Tumor Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
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29
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Karajannis MA, Li BK, Souweidane MM, Liechty B, Yao J, Benhamida JK, Bale TA, Rosenblum MK. YAP1-MAML2 fusion in a pediatric NF2-wildtype intraparenchymal brainstem schwannoma. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:117. [PMID: 35986430 PMCID: PMC9392329 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01423-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Biallelic inactivation of NF2 represents the primary or sole oncogenic driver event in the vast majority of schwannomas. We report on a four-year-old female who underwent subtotal resection of a right medullary intraparenchymal schwannoma. RNA sequencing revealed an in-frame fusion between exon 5 of YAP1 and exon 2 of MAML2. YAP1-MAML2 fusions have previously been reported in a variety of tumor types, but not schwannomas. Our report expands the spectrum of oncogenic YAP1 gene fusions an alternative to NF2 inactivation to include sporadic schwannoma, analogous to what has recently been described in NF2-wildtype pediatric meningiomas. Appropriate somatic and germline molecular testing should be undertaken in all young patients with solitary schwannoma and meningioma given the high prevalence of an underlying tumor predisposition syndrome. In such patients, the identification of a somatic non-NF2 driver alteration such as this newly described YAP1 fusion, can help ascertain the diagnosis of a sporadic schwannoma.
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30
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Sahebjam S, Gilbert MR. Modeling YAP fusions: a paradigm for investigating rare cancers? Genes Dev 2022; 36:874-875. [PMID: 36207139 PMCID: PMC9575698 DOI: 10.1101/gad.350069.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Loss of the NF2 tumor suppressor gene is a common finding in meningiomas, and more recently YAP1 fusions have been found in a subset of pediatric NF2 wild-type meningiomas. In the previous issue of Genes & Development, Szulzewsky and colleagues (pp. 857-870) showed that TEAD-dependent YAP1 activity by either the loss of the NF2 gene or YAP1-MAML2 fusion is an oncogenic process promoting meningioma tumorigenesis. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of YAP1-TEAD resulted in antitumor activity in both YAP1 fusion-positive and NF2 mutant meningiomas. Together, these data indicate that disruption of the YAP1-TEAD interaction raises a potential therapeutic option for these tumors that requires future investigation.
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31
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Unraveling the Biology of Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma, a TAZ-CAMTA1 Fusion Driven Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14122980. [PMID: 35740643 PMCID: PMC9221450 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14122980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular cancer that involves a gain-of-function gene fusion involving TAZ, a transcriptional coactivator, and one of two end effectors of the Hippo pathway. Although the activity of TAZ and/or YAP, a paralog of TAZ, is consistently altered in many cancers, genetic alterations involving YAP/TAZ are rare, and the precise mechanisms by which YAP/TAZ are activated are not well understood in most cancers. Because WWTR1(TAZ)–CAMTA1 is the only genetic alteration in approximately half of EHE, EHE is a genetically clean and homogenous system for understanding how the dysregulation of TAZ promotes tumorigenesis. Therefore, by using EHE as a model system, we hope to elucidate the essential biological pathways mediated by TAZ and identify mechanisms to target them. The findings of EHE research can be applied to other cancers that are addicted to high YAP/TAZ activity. Abstract The activities of YAP and TAZ, the end effectors of the Hippo pathway, are consistently altered in cancer, and this dysregulation drives aggressive tumor phenotypes. While the actions of these two proteins aid in tumorigenesis in the majority of cancers, the dysregulation of these proteins is rarely sufficient for initial tumor development. Herein, we present a unique TAZ-driven cancer, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), which harbors a WWTR1(TAZ)–CAMTA1 gene fusion in at least 90% of cases. Recent investigations have elucidated the mechanisms by which YAP/TAP-fusion oncoproteins function and drive tumorigenesis. This review presents a critical evaluation of this recent work, with a particular focus on how the oncoproteins alter the normal activity of TAZ and YAP, and, concurrently, we generate a framework for how we can target the gene fusions in patients. Since EHE represents a paradigm of YAP/TAZ dysregulation in cancer, targeted therapies for EHE may also be effective against other YAP/TAZ-dependent cancers.
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32
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Yurchenko AA, Pop OT, Ighilahriz M, Padioleau I, Rajabi F, Sharpe HJ, Poulalhon N, Dreno B, Khammari A, Delord M, Alberti A, Soufir N, Battistella M, Mourah S, Bouquet F, Savina A, Besse A, Mendez-Lopez M, Grange F, Monestier S, Mortier L, Meyer N, Dutriaux C, Robert C, Saiag P, Herms F, Lambert J, de Sauvage FJ, Dumaz N, Flatz L, Basset-Seguin N, Nikolaev SI. Frequency and Genomic Aspects of Intrinsic Resistance to Vismodegib in Locally Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:1422-1432. [PMID: 35078858 PMCID: PMC9365352 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-3764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vismodegib is approved for the treatment of locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (laBCC), but some cases demonstrate intrinsic resistance (IR) to the drug. We sought to assess the frequency of IR to vismodegib in laBCC and its underlying genomic mechanisms. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Response to vismodegib was evaluated in a cohort of 148 laBCC patients. Comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic profiling was performed in a subset of five intrinsically resistant BCC (IR-BCC). RESULTS We identified that IR-BCC represents 6.1% of laBCC in the studied cohort. Prior treatment with chemotherapy was associated with IR. Genetic events that were previously associated with acquired resistance (AR) in BCC or medulloblastoma were observed in three out of five IR-BCC. However, IR-BCCs were distinct by highly rearranged polyploid genomes. Functional analyses identified hyperactivation of the HIPPO-YAP and WNT pathways at RNA and protein levels in IR-BCC. In vitro assay on the BCC cell line further confirmed that YAP1 overexpression increases the cell proliferation rate. CONCLUSIONS IR to vismodegib is a rare event in laBCC. IR-BCCs frequently harbor resistance mutations in the Hh pathway, but also are characterized by hyperactivation of the HIPPO-YAP and WNT pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey A. Yurchenko
- INSERM U981, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Oltin T. Pop
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | | | - Ismael Padioleau
- INSERM U981, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Fatemeh Rajabi
- INSERM U981, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Nicolas Poulalhon
- Service de dermatologie, Hôpital Lyon Sud, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Brigitte Dreno
- Department of Dermato-Oncology, CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, CIC 1413, Inserm UMR 1302/EMR6001 INCIT, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Amir Khammari
- Department of Dermato-Oncology, CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, CIC 1413, Inserm UMR 1302/EMR6001 INCIT, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Marc Delord
- Université de Paris, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Maxime Battistella
- INSERM U976, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Service d'anatomie pathologique, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Claude Vellefaux, Paris, France
| | - Samia Mourah
- INSERM U976, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Département de Génomique des Tumeurs Solides, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Claude Vellefaux, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Andrej Besse
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Max Mendez-Lopez
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Florent Grange
- Service de dermatologie, CHU Reims, Rue du general Koenig, Reims, France.,Service de Dermatologie, centre hospitalier de Valence, Valence, France
| | | | - Laurent Mortier
- Service de dermatologie, CHU Lille, Clin Dermato Hop Huriez, Rue Michel Polonovski, Lille, France
| | - Nicolas Meyer
- Service de dermatologie, Institut Univeristaire du Cancer et CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital Larrey, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Caroline Robert
- INSERM U981, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy and Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Philippe Saiag
- Department of General and Oncologic Dermatology, Ambroise-Paré hospital, APHP, and EA 4340 “Biomarkers in Cancerology and Hemato-oncology,” UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Florian Herms
- Service de dermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Jerome Lambert
- Université de Paris, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Service de Biostatistique et Information Médicale, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Lukas Flatz
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicole Basset-Seguin
- INSERM U976, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Service de dermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Corresponding Authors: Sergey I. Nikolaev, U981 INSERM, Institut Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800 Villejuif, France. Phone: 33-142115775; E-mail: ; and Nicole Basset-Seguin, Service de dermatologie, unité d'oncodermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 1 avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris. Phone: 33-153722066; Fax: 33-142355310; E-mail:
| | - Sergey I. Nikolaev
- INSERM U981, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Corresponding Authors: Sergey I. Nikolaev, U981 INSERM, Institut Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800 Villejuif, France. Phone: 33-142115775; E-mail: ; and Nicole Basset-Seguin, Service de dermatologie, unité d'oncodermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 1 avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris. Phone: 33-153722066; Fax: 33-142355310; E-mail:
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33
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Roosen M, Odé Z, Bunt J, Kool M. The oncogenic fusion landscape in pediatric CNS neoplasms. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:427-451. [PMID: 35169893 PMCID: PMC8960661 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02405-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Pediatric neoplasms in the central nervous system (CNS) are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children. Recent developments in molecular analyses have greatly contributed to a more accurate diagnosis and risk stratification of CNS tumors. Additionally, sequencing studies have identified various, often entity specific, tumor-driving events. In contrast to adult tumors, which often harbor multiple mutated oncogenic drivers, the number of mutated genes in pediatric cancers is much lower and many tumors can have a single oncogenic driver. Moreover, in children, much more than in adults, fusion proteins play an important role in driving tumorigenesis, and many different fusions have been identified as potential driver events in pediatric CNS neoplasms. However, a comprehensive overview of all the different reported oncogenic fusion proteins in pediatric CNS neoplasms is still lacking. A better understanding of the fusion proteins detected in these tumors and of the molecular mechanisms how these proteins drive tumorigenesis, could improve diagnosis and further benefit translational research into targeted therapies necessary to treat these distinct entities. In this review, we discuss the different oncogenic fusions reported in pediatric CNS neoplasms and their structure to create an overview of the variety of oncogenic fusion proteins to date, the tumor entities they occur in and their proposed mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieke Roosen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Zelda Odé
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jens Bunt
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Kool
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center DKFZ and German Cancer Consortium DKTK, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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34
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Al-Mathkour MM, Dwead AM, Alp E, Boston AM, Cinar B. The Hippo effector YAP1/TEAD1 regulates EPHA3 expression to control cell contact and motility. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3840. [PMID: 35264657 PMCID: PMC8907295 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07790-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The EPHA3 protein tyrosine kinase, a member of the ephrin receptor family, regulates cell fate, cell motility, and cell-cell interaction. These cellular events are critical for tissue development, immunological responses, and the processes of tumorigenesis. Earlier studies revealed that signaling via the STK4-encoded MST1 serine-threonine protein kinase, a core component of the Hippo pathway, attenuated EPHA3 expression. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which MST1 regulates EPHA3. Our findings have revealed that the transcriptional regulators YAP1 and TEAD1 are crucial activators of EPHA3 transcription. Silencing YAP1 and TEAD1 suppressed the EPHA3 protein and mRNA levels. In addition, we identified putative TEAD enhancers in the distal EPHA3 promoter, where YAP1 and TEAD1 bind and promote EPHA3 expression. Furthermore, EPHA3 knockout by CRISPR/Cas9 technology reduced cell-cell interaction and cell motility. These findings demonstrate that EPHA3 is transcriptionally regulated by YAP1/TEAD1 of the Hippo pathway, suggesting that it is sensitive to cell contact-dependent interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwah M Al-Mathkour
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Abdulrahman M Dwead
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Esma Alp
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Ava M Boston
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Bekir Cinar
- Department of Biology and the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA. .,Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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35
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The Hippo pathway in cancer: YAP/TAZ and TEAD as therapeutic targets in cancer. Clin Sci (Lond) 2022; 136:197-222. [PMID: 35119068 PMCID: PMC8819670 DOI: 10.1042/cs20201474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tumorigenesis is a highly complex process, involving many interrelated and cross-acting signalling pathways. One such pathway that has garnered much attention in the field of cancer research over the last decade is the Hippo signalling pathway. Consisting of two antagonistic modules, the pathway plays an integral role in both tumour suppressive and oncogenic processes, generally via regulation of a diverse set of genes involved in a range of biological functions. This review discusses the history of the pathway within the context of cancer and explores some of the most recent discoveries as to how this critical transducer of cellular signalling can influence cancer progression. A special focus is on the various recent efforts to therapeutically target the key effectors of the pathway in both preclinical and clinical settings.
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36
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Jenseit A, Camgöz A, Pfister SM, Kool M. EZHIP: a new piece of the puzzle towards understanding pediatric posterior fossa ependymoma. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:1-13. [PMID: 34762160 PMCID: PMC8732814 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02382-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ependymomas (EPN) are tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) that can arise in the supratentorial brain (ST-EPN), hindbrain or posterior fossa (PF-EPN) or anywhere in the spinal cord (SP-EPN), both in children and adults. Molecular profiling studies have identified distinct groups and subtypes in each of these anatomical compartments. In this review, we give an overview on recent findings and new insights what is driving PFA ependymomas, which is the most common group. PFA ependymomas are characterized by a young median age at diagnosis, an overall balanced genome and a bad clinical outcome (56% 10-year overall survival). Sequencing studies revealed no fusion genes or other highly recurrently mutated genes, suggesting that the disease is epigenetically driven. Indeed, recent findings have shown that the characteristic global loss of the repressive histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) mark in PFA ependymoma is caused by aberrant expression of the enhancer of zeste homolog inhibitory protein (EZHIP) or in rare cases by H3K27M mutations, which both inhibit EZH2 thereby preventing the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) from spreading H3K27me3. We present the current status of the ongoing work on EZHIP and its essential role in the epigenetic disturbance of PFA biology. Comparisons to the oncohistone H3K27M and its role in diffuse midline glioma (DMG) are drawn, highlighting similarities but also differences between the tumor entities and underlying mechanisms. A strong focus is to point out missing information and to present directions of further research that may result in new and improved therapies for PFA ependymoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Jenseit
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KITZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aylin Camgöz
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KITZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan M Pfister
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KITZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcel Kool
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KITZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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37
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Torrence D, Antonescu CR. The genetics of vascular tumours: an update. Histopathology 2022; 80:19-32. [PMID: 34958509 PMCID: PMC8950088 DOI: 10.1111/his.14458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent molecular advances have shed significant light on the classification of vascular tumours. Except for haemangiomas, vascular lesions remain difficult to diagnose, owing to their rarity and overlapping clinical, radiographic and histological features across malignancies. In particular, challenges still remain in the differential diagnosis of epithelioid vascular tumours, including epithelioid haemangioma and epithelioid haemangioendothelioma at the benign/low-grade end of the spectrum, and epithelioid angiosarcoma at the high-grade end. Historically, the classification of vascular tumours has been heavily dependent on the clinical setting and histological features, as traditional immunohistochemical markers across the group have often been non-discriminatory. The increased application of next-generation sequencing in clinical practice, in particular targeted RNA sequencing (such as Archer, Illumina), has led to numerous novel discoveries, mainly recurrent gene fusions (e.g. those involving FOS, FOSB, YAP1, and WWTR1), which have resulted in refined tumour classification and improved diagnostic reproducibility for vascular tumours. However, other molecular alterations besides fusions have been discovered in vascular tumours, including somatic mutations (e.g. involving GNA family and IDH genes) in a variety of haemangiomas, as well as copy number alterations in high-grade angiosarcomas (e.g. MYC amplifications). Moreover, the translation of these novel molecular abnormalities into diagnostic ancillary markers, either fluorescence in-situ hybridisation probes or surrogate immunohistochemical markers (FOSB, CAMTA1, YAP1, and MYC), has been remarkable. This review will focus on the latest molecular discoveries covering both benign and malignant vascular tumours, and will provide practical diagnostic algorithms, highlighting frequently encountered pitfalls and challenges in the diagnosis of vascular lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianne Torrence
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Cristina R Antonescu
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY,Corresponding author: Cristina R Antonescu, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065,
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38
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Papke DJ, Hornick JL. Recent advances in the diagnosis, classification and molecular pathogenesis of cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasms. Histopathology 2021; 80:216-232. [DOI: 10.1111/his.14450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D J Papke
- Department of Pathology Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA
| | - J L Hornick
- Department of Pathology Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA
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39
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Patton A, Bridge JA, Liebner D, Chung C, Iwenofu OH. A YAP1::TFE3 cutaneous low-grade fibromyxoid neoplasm: A novel entity! Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2021; 61:194-199. [PMID: 34874592 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.23018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous fibromyxoid neoplasms (CFMN) comprise a vast category of benign and malignant tumors that include, but are not limited to, low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, myxoid dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, myxoid solitary fibrous tumor, and myxoid neurofibroma with differing implications for treatment and prognosis. Herein, a case of CFMN arising as a painless, slow-growing, flesh-colored forearm mass in a 53-year-old female is presented. The neoplasm comprised of copious myxoid material with banal spindle cells, exhibiting mild hyperchromasia, dissecting the dermal collagen table. Focal perivascular accentuation of spindle cells was identified in the absence of vasoformative features. Immunohistochemically, lesional cells were strongly and diffusely positive for CD34 and multifocally for Factor XIIIa and epithelial membrane antigen while negative for CD31, ERG, FLI-1, D2-40, smooth muscle actin, Desmin, S100, HMB-45, STAT6, MUC4, and keratins. RNA- and DNA-sequencing identified a YAP1::TFE3 fusion transcript that were subsequently corroborated by fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for TFE3 (Xp11.23) locus rearrangement and strong, diffuse TFE3 immunoreactivity, respectively. To date, the YAP1::TFE3 fusion has only been identified in a subset of epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas and clear cell stromal tumors of the lung. This is the first report of a CFMN featuring a YAP1::TFE3 fusion (YAP1 Exon 1 and TFE3 Exon 4). The morphologic findings are unlike those previously described for epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and suggest that this neoplasm may represent a yet unclassified or novel CFMN entity. Although the patient is 1-year status postsurgical excision with no evidence of clinical recurrence, the clinical behavior of this novel entity remains to be fully characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Patton
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Julia A Bridge
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Propath Laboratories, Dallas, Texas, USA.,Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - David Liebner
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Division of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Catherine Chung
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - O Hans Iwenofu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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40
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Cell-of-Origin and Genetic, Epigenetic, and Microenvironmental Factors Contribute to the Intra-Tumoral Heterogeneity of Pediatric Intracranial Ependymoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13236100. [PMID: 34885210 PMCID: PMC8657076 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13236100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Intra-tumoral heterogeneity (ITH) is a complex multifaceted phenomenon that posits major challenges for the clinical management of cancer patients. Genetic, epigenetic, and microenvironmental factors are concurrent drivers of diversity among the distinct populations of cancer cells. ITH may also be installed by cancer stem cells (CSCs), that foster unidirectional hierarchy of cellular phenotypes or, alternatively, shift dynamically between distinct cellular states. Ependymoma (EPN), a molecularly heterogeneous group of tumors, shows a specific spatiotemporal distribution that suggests a link between ependymomagenesis and alterations of the biological processes involved in embryonic brain development. In children, EPN most often arises intra-cranially and is associated with an adverse outcome. Emerging evidence shows that EPN displays large intra-patient heterogeneity. In this review, after touching on EPN inter-tumoral heterogeneity, we focus on the sources of ITH in pediatric intra-cranial EPN in the framework of the CSC paradigm. We also examine how single-cell technology has shed new light on the complexity and developmental origins of EPN and the potential impact that this understanding may have on the therapeutic strategies against this deadly pediatric malignancy.
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41
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Dermawan JK, Azzato EM, Billings SD, Fritchie KJ, Aubert S, Bahrami A, Barisella M, Baumhoer D, Blum V, Bode B, Aesif SW, Bovée JVMG, Dickson BC, van den Hout M, Lucas DR, Moch H, Oaxaca G, Righi A, Sciot R, Sumathi V, Yoshida A, Rubin BP. YAP1-TFE3-fused hemangioendothelioma: a multi-institutional clinicopathologic study of 24 genetically-confirmed cases. Mod Pathol 2021; 34:2211-2221. [PMID: 34381186 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-021-00879-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
YAP1-TFE3-fused hemangioendothelioma is an extremely rare malignant vascular tumor. We present the largest multi-institutional clinicopathologic study of YAP1-TFE3-fused hemangioendothelioma to date. The 24 cases of YAP1-TFE3-fused hemangioendothelioma showed a female predominance (17 female, 7 male) across a wide age range (20-78 years old, median 44). Tumors were most commonly located in soft tissue (50%), followed by bone (29%), lung (13%), and liver (8%), ranging from 3 to 115 mm in size (median 40 mm). About two-thirds presented with multifocal disease, including 7 cases with distant organ metastasis. Histopathologically, we describe three dominant architectural patterns: solid sheets of coalescing nests, pseudoalveolar and (pseudo)vasoformative pattern, and discohesive strands and clusters of cells set in a myxoid to myxohyaline stroma. These patterns were present in variable proportions across different tumors and often coexisted within the same tumor. The dominant cytomorphology (88%) was large epithelioid cells with abundant, glassy eosinophilic to vacuolated cytoplasm, prominent nucleoli and well-demarcated cell borders. Multinucleated or binucleated cells, prominent admixed erythrocytic and lymphocytic infiltrates, and intratumoral fat were frequently present. Immunohistochemically, ERG, CD31, and TFE3 were consistently expressed, while expression of CD34 (83%) and cytokeratin AE1/AE3 (20%) was variable. CAMTA1 was negative in all but one case. All cases were confirmed by molecular testing to harbor YAP1-TFE3 gene fusions: majority with YAP1 exon 1 fused to TFE3 exon 4 (88%), or less commonly, TFE3 exon 6 (12%). Most patients (88%) were treated with primary surgical resection. Over a follow-up period of 4-360 months (median 36 months) in 17 cases, 35% of patients remained alive without disease, and 47% survived many years with stable, albeit multifocal and/or metastatic disease. Five-year progression-free survival probability was 88%. We propose categorizing YAP1-TFE3-fused hemangioendothelioma as a distinct disease entity given its unique clinical and histopathologic characteristics in comparison to conventional epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine K Dermawan
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Azzato
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Steven D Billings
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Karen J Fritchie
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sebastien Aubert
- Department of Pathology, Institut de Pathologie, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Armita Bahrami
- Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marta Barisella
- Struttura Complessa Anatomia Patologica, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Daniel Baumhoer
- Bone Tumor Reference Center at the Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Veronika Blum
- FMH Medical Oncology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland
| | - Beata Bode
- Pathology Institute Enge and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Scott W Aesif
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Judith V M G Bovée
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Brendan C Dickson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mari van den Hout
- Department of Pathology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - David R Lucas
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Holger Moch
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel Oaxaca
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Raf Sciot
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vaiyapuri Sumathi
- Department of Musculoskeletal Pathology, Robert Aitken Institute of Clinical Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Akihiko Yoshida
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Brian P Rubin
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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42
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Arakaki AKS, Szulzewsky F, Gilbert MR, Gujral TS, Holland EC. Utilizing preclinical models to develop targeted therapies for rare central nervous system cancers. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:S4-S15. [PMID: 34725698 PMCID: PMC8561121 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with rare central nervous system (CNS) tumors typically have a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Historically, these cancers have been difficult to study due to small number of patients. Recent technological advances have identified molecular drivers of some of these rare cancers which we can now use to generate representative preclinical models of these diseases. In this review, we outline the advantages and disadvantages of different models, emphasizing the utility of various in vitro and ex vivo models for target discovery and mechanistic inquiry and multiple in vivo models for therapeutic validation. We also highlight recent literature on preclinical model generation and screening approaches for ependymomas, histone mutated high-grade gliomas, and atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors, all of which are rare CNS cancers that have recently established genetic or epigenetic drivers. These preclinical models are critical to advancing targeted therapeutics for these rare CNS cancers that currently rely on conventional treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleena K S Arakaki
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Mark R Gilbert
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Taranjit S Gujral
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
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43
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Seavey CN, Rubin BP. Letter by Seavey and Rubin Regarding Article, "Sustained Activation of Endothelial YAP1 Causes Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma". Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2021; 41:e491-e492. [PMID: 34550713 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.121.316754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb N Seavey
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute (C.N.S., B.P.R.), Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH.,Department of General Surgery, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute (C.N.S.), Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH.,Department of Molecular Medicine, PRISM Program, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, OH (C.N.S.)
| | - Brian P Rubin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute (C.N.S., B.P.R.), Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH.,Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute (B.P.R.), Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH
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44
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Lim KY, Lee KH, Phi JH, Yun H, Won JK, Choi SH, Park SH. ZFTA-YAP1 fusion-positive ependymoma can occur in the spinal cord: Letter to the editor. Brain Pathol 2021; 32:e13020. [PMID: 34506076 PMCID: PMC8713521 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ka Young Lim
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Hoon Lee
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Phi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hongseok Yun
- Department of Precision Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Kyung Won
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hong Choi
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hye Park
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Institute of Neuroscience, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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45
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Lavado A, Gangwar R, Paré J, Wan S, Fan Y, Cao X. YAP/TAZ maintain the proliferative capacity and structural organization of radial glial cells during brain development. Dev Biol 2021; 480:39-49. [PMID: 34419458 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Hippo pathway regulates the development and homeostasis of many tissues and in many species. It controls the activity of two paralogous transcriptional coactivators, YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ). Although previous studies have established that aberrant YAP/TAZ activation is detrimental to mammalian brain development, whether and how endogenous levels of YAP/TAZ activity regulate brain development remain unclear. Here, we show that during mammalian cortical development, YAP/TAZ are specifically expressed in apical neural progenitor cells known as radial glial cells (RGCs). The subcellular localization of YAP/TAZ undergoes dynamic changes as corticogenesis proceeds. YAP/TAZ are required for maintaining the proliferative potential and structural organization of RGCs, and their ablation during cortical development reduces the numbers of cortical projection neurons and causes the loss of ependymal cells, resulting in hydrocephaly. Transcriptomic analysis using sorted RGCs reveals gene expression changes in YAP/TAZ-depleted cells that correlate with mutant phenotypes. Thus, our study has uncovered essential functions of YAP/TAZ during mammalian brain development and revealed the transcriptional mechanism of their action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Lavado
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Ruchika Gangwar
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Joshua Paré
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Shibiao Wan
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Yiping Fan
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Xinwei Cao
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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46
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He Z, Li R, Jiang H. Mutations and Copy Number Abnormalities of Hippo Pathway Components in Human Cancers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:661718. [PMID: 34150758 PMCID: PMC8209335 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.661718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway is highly conserved from Drosophila to mammals. As a key regulator of cell proliferation, the Hippo pathway controls tissue homeostasis and has a major impact on tumorigenesis. The originally defined core components of the Hippo pathway in mammals include STK3/4, LATS1/2, YAP1/TAZ, TEAD, VGLL4, and NF2. However, for most of these genes, mutations and copy number variations are relatively uncommon in human cancer. Several other recently identified upstream and downstream regulators of Hippo signaling, including FAT1, SHANK2, Gq/11, and SWI/SNF complex, are more commonly dysregulated in human cancer at the genomic level. This review will discuss major genomic events in human cancer that enable cancer cells to escape the tumor-suppressive effects of Hippo signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengjin He
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruihan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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47
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Merritt N, Garcia K, Rajendran D, Lin ZY, Zhang X, Mitchell KA, Borcherding N, Fullenkamp C, Chimenti MS, Gingras AC, Harvey KF, Tanas MR. TAZ-CAMTA1 and YAP-TFE3 alter the TAZ/YAP transcriptome by recruiting the ATAC histone acetyltransferase complex. eLife 2021; 10:62857. [PMID: 33913810 PMCID: PMC8143797 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a vascular sarcoma that metastasizes early in its clinical course and lacks an effective medical therapy. The TAZ-CAMTA1 and YAP-TFE3 fusion proteins are chimeric transcription factors and initiating oncogenic drivers of EHE. A combined proteomic/genetic screen in human cell lines identified YEATS2 and ZZZ3, components of the Ada2a-containing histone acetyltransferase (ATAC) complex, as key interactors of both fusion proteins despite the dissimilarity of the C terminal fusion partners CAMTA1 and TFE3. Integrative next-generation sequencing approaches in human and murine cell lines showed that the fusion proteins drive a unique transcriptome by simultaneously hyperactivating a TEAD-based transcriptional program and modulating the chromatin environment via interaction with the ATAC complex. Interaction of the ATAC complex with both fusion proteins indicates that it is a key oncogenic driver and unifying enzymatic therapeutic target for this sarcoma. This study presents an approach to mechanistically dissect how chimeric transcription factors drive the formation of human cancers. The proliferation of human cells is tightly regulated to ensure that enough cells are made to build and repair organs and tissues, while at the same time stopping cells from dividing uncontrollably and damaging the body. To get the right balance, cells rely on physical and chemical cues from their environment that trigger the biochemical signals that regulate two proteins called TAZ and YAP. These proteins control gene activity by regulating the rate at which genes are copied to produce proteins. If this process becomes dysregulated, cells can grow uncontrollably, causing cancer. In cancer cells, it is common to find TAZ and YAP fused to other proteins. In epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, a rare cancer that grows in the blood vessels, cancerous growth can be driven by a version of TAZ fused to the protein CAMTA1, or a version of YAP fused to the protein TFE3. While the role of TAZ and YAP in promoting gene activity is known, it is unclear how CAMTA1 and TFE3 contribute to cell growth becoming dysregulated. Merritt, Garcia et al. studied sarcoma cell lines to show that these two fusion proteins, TAZ-CAMTA1 and YAP-TFE3, change the pattern of gene activity seen in the cells compared to TAZ or YAP alone. An analysis of molecules that interact with the two fusion proteins identified a complex called ATAC as the cause of these changes. This complex adds chemical markers to DNA-packaging proteins, which control which genes are available for activation. The fusion proteins combine the ability of TAZ and YAP to control gene activity and the ability of CAMTA1 and TFE3 to make DNA more accessible, allowing the fusion proteins to drive uncontrolled cancerous growth. Similar TAZ and YAP fusion proteins have been found in other cancers, which can activate genes and potentially alter DNA packaging. Targeting drug development efforts at the proteins that complex with TAZ and YAP fusion proteins may lead to new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Merritt
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Keith Garcia
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Dushyandi Rajendran
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, United States
| | - Zhen-Yuan Lin
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, United States
| | | | - Katrina A Mitchell
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Nicholas Borcherding
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University, St. Louis, United States
| | | | - Michael S Chimenti
- Iowa Institute of Human Genetics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, United States
| | - Kieran F Harvey
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Munir R Tanas
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, United States
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48
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Driskill JH, Zheng Y, Wu BK, Wang L, Cai J, Rakheja D, Dellinger M, Pan D. WWTR1(TAZ)-CAMTA1 reprograms endothelial cells to drive epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Genes Dev 2021; 35:495-511. [PMID: 33766984 PMCID: PMC8015719 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348221.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In this study, Driskill et al. studied whether the TAZ-CAMTA1 gene fusion is a driver of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), a poorly understood and devastating vascular cancer. They show that TAZ-CAMTA1 expression in endothelial cells is sufficient to drive the formation of vascular tumors with the distinctive features of EHE, and inhibition of TAZ-CAMTA1 results in the regression of these vascular tumors, and their findings provide the first genetic model of a TAZ fusion oncoprotein driving its associated human cancer, pinpointing TAZ-CAMTA1 as the key driver and a valid therapeutic target of EHE. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a poorly understood and devastating vascular cancer. Sequencing of EHE has revealed a unique gene fusion between the Hippo pathway nuclear effector TAZ (WWTR1) and the brain-enriched transcription factor CAMTA1 in ∼90% of cases. However, it remains unclear whether the TAZ-CAMTA1 gene fusion is a driver of EHE, and potential targeted therapies are unknown. Here, we show that TAZ-CAMTA1 expression in endothelial cells is sufficient to drive the formation of vascular tumors with the distinctive features of EHE, and inhibition of TAZ-CAMTA1 results in the regression of these vascular tumors. We further show that activated TAZ resembles TAZ-CAMTA1 in driving the formation of EHE-like vascular tumors, suggesting that constitutive activation of TAZ underlies the pathological features of EHE. We show that TAZ-CAMTA1 initiates an angiogenic and regenerative-like transcriptional program in endothelial cells, and disruption of the TAZ-CAMTA1-TEAD interaction or ectopic expression of a dominant negative TEAD in vivo inhibits TAZ-CAMTA1-mediated transformation. Our study provides the first genetic model of a TAZ fusion oncoprotein driving its associated human cancer, pinpointing TAZ-CAMTA1 as the key driver and a valid therapeutic target of EHE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan H Driskill
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Yonggang Zheng
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Bo-Kuan Wu
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Jing Cai
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Dinesh Rakheja
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Health, Dallas, Texas 75235, USA
| | - Michael Dellinger
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Duojia Pan
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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49
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Kannan S, Lock I, Ozenberger BB, Jones KB. Genetic drivers and cells of origin in sarcomagenesis. J Pathol 2021; 254:474-493. [DOI: 10.1002/path.5617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarmishta Kannan
- Departments of Orthopaedics and Oncological Sciences Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine Salt Lake City UT USA
| | - Ian Lock
- Departments of Orthopaedics and Oncological Sciences Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine Salt Lake City UT USA
| | - Benjamin B Ozenberger
- Departments of Orthopaedics and Oncological Sciences Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine Salt Lake City UT USA
| | - Kevin B Jones
- Departments of Orthopaedics and Oncological Sciences Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine Salt Lake City UT USA
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50
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Kanvinde PP, Malla AP, Connolly NP, Szulzewsky F, Anastasiadis P, Ames HM, Kim AJ, Winkles JA, Holland EC, Woodworth GF. Leveraging the replication-competent avian-like sarcoma virus/tumor virus receptor-A system for modeling human gliomas. Glia 2021; 69:2059-2076. [PMID: 33638562 PMCID: PMC8591561 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common primary intrinsic brain tumors occurring in adults. Of all malignant gliomas, glioblastoma (GBM) is considered the deadliest tumor type due to diffuse brain invasion, immune evasion, cellular, and molecular heterogeneity, and resistance to treatments resulting in high rates of recurrence. An extensive understanding of the genomic and microenvironmental landscape of gliomas gathered over the past decade has renewed interest in pursuing novel therapeutics, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, glioma-associated macrophage/microglia (GAMs) modulators, and others. In light of this, predictive animal models that closely recreate the conditions and findings found in human gliomas will serve an increasingly important role in identifying new, effective therapeutic strategies. Although numerous syngeneic, xenograft, and transgenic rodent models have been developed, few include the full complement of pathobiological features found in human tumors, and therefore few accurately predict bench-to-bedside success. This review provides an update on how genetically engineered rodent models based on the replication-competent avian-like sarcoma (RCAS) virus/tumor virus receptor-A (tv-a) system have been used to recapitulate key elements of human gliomas in an immunologically intact host microenvironment and highlights new approaches using this model system as a predictive tool for advancing translational glioma research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranjali P Kanvinde
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adarsha P Malla
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nina P Connolly
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Pavlos Anastasiadis
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather M Ames
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anthony J Kim
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Winkles
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Seattle Tumor Translational Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Graeme F Woodworth
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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