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Chatzikalil E, Stergiou IE, Papadakos SP, Konstantinidis I, Theocharis S. The Clinical Relevance of the EPH/Ephrin Signaling Pathway in Pediatric Solid and Hematologic Malignancies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3834. [PMID: 38612645 PMCID: PMC11011407 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073834] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pediatric neoplasms represent a complex group of malignancies that pose unique challenges in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of the underlying molecular pathogenetic mechanisms. Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptors (EPHs), the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases and their membrane-tethered ligands, ephrins, orchestrate short-distance cell-cell signaling and are intricately involved in cell-pattern morphogenesis and various developmental processes. Unraveling the role of the EPH/ephrin signaling pathway in the pathophysiology of pediatric neoplasms and its clinical implications can contribute to deciphering the intricate landscape of these malignancies. The bidirectional nature of the EPH/ephrin axis is underscored by emerging evidence revealing its capacity to drive tumorigenesis, fostering cell-cell communication within the tumor microenvironment. In the context of carcinogenesis, the EPH/ephrin signaling pathway prompts a reevaluation of treatment strategies, particularly in pediatric oncology, where the modest progress in survival rates and enduring treatment toxicity necessitate novel approaches. Molecularly targeted agents have emerged as promising alternatives, prompting a shift in focus. Through a nuanced understanding of the pathway's intricacies, we aim to lay the groundwork for personalized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, ultimately contributing to improved outcomes for young patients grappling with neoplastic challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Chatzikalil
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Ioanna E. Stergiou
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Stavros P. Papadakos
- First Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | | | - Stamatios Theocharis
- First Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
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Zhu Y, Hu Y, Wang P, Dai X, Fu Y, Xia Y, Sun L, Ruan S. Comprehensive bioinformatics and experimental analysis of SH3PXD2B reveals its carcinogenic effect in gastric carcinoma. Life Sci 2023; 326:121792. [PMID: 37211344 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121792] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
AIMS We aim to explore the possibility and mechanism of SH3PXD2B as a reliable biomarker for gastric cancer (GC). MAIN METHODS We used public databases to analyze the molecular characteristics and disease associations of SH3PXD2B, and KM database for prognostic analysis. The TCGA gastric cancer dataset was used for single gene correlation, differential expression, functional enrichment and immunoinfiltration analysis. SH3PXD2B protein interaction network was constructed by the STRING database. And the GSCALite database was used to explore sensitive drugs and perform SH3PXD2B molecular docking. The impact of SH3PXD2B silencing and over-expression by lentivirus transduction on the proliferation and invasion of human GC HGC-27 and NUGC-3 cells was determined. KEY FINDINGS The high expression of SH3PXD2B in gastric cancer was related to the poor prognosis of patients. It may affect the progression of gastric cancer by forming a regulatory network with FBN1, ADAM15 and other molecules, and the mechanism may involve regulating the infiltration of Treg, TAM and other immunosuppressive cells. The cytofunctional experiments verified that it significantly promoted the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells. In addition, we found that some drugs were sensitive to the expression of SH3PXD2B such as sotrastaurin, BHG712 and sirolimus, and they had strong molecular combination of SH3PXD2B, which may provide guidance for the treatment of gastric cancer. SIGNIFICANCE Our study strongly suggests that SH3PXD2B is a carcinogenic molecule that can be used as a biomarker for GC detection, prognosis, treatment design, and follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China; Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Yunhong Hu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Peipei Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xinyang Dai
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yuhan Fu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yuwei Xia
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Leitao Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China; Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
| | - Shanming Ruan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou 310006, China.
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Aktaş TÇ, Kızmazoğlu D, Aktaş S, Gökbayrak ÖE, Serinan E, Erol A, Altun Z, Yuan H, Olgun HN. Identification of ALK Mutation in Neuroblastoma on the Point of Molecular Heterogeneity. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2023; 22:15330338231211138. [PMID: 37964559 PMCID: PMC10652808 DOI: 10.1177/15330338231211138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM In neuroblastoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations have recently received attention as molecular targets for the treatment of neuroblastoma, as 6% to 10% of patients with neuroblastoma have anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations. There are little data from the cases in Turkey. We aimed to detect anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations and molecular heterogeneity in neuroblastoma using next-generation sequencing. This study is the first one with this many cases in Turkey. METHODS Next-generation sequencing analysis was performed using an Illumina MiniSeq custom gene panel. Clinically important mutations were selected for the analysis. We also gathered clinical data of the patients from Turkish Pediatric Oncology Group cohorts to associate them with anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations. This study is a retrospective cross-sectional study. We followed STROBE guideline (https://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/strobe/) on this study. RESULTS We analyzed anaplastic lymphoma kinase in 108 patients with neuroblastoma, with a mean age of 43.76 months. Pathogenic anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations were detected in 13 patients (12.04%). We noted that anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations were primarily observed in intermediate- and high-risk patients (P = .028). R1275Q and F1174-related mutations were predominant; I1171T, L1226F, S1189F, V1135A, and G1125S mutations were rare. Duplicate samples did not exhibit any heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS We found that F1174 and R1275Q-related anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations are the most common pathogenic mutations in neuroblastoma. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutation status did not show any heterogeneity, and the mutations were correlated with intermediate- or high-risk groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tekincan Çağrı Aktaş
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Deniz Kızmazoğlu
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Clinical Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Safiye Aktaş
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Özde Elif Gökbayrak
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Efe Serinan
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aylin Erol
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Zekiye Altun
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Hongling Yuan
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Hatice Nur Olgun
- Institute of Oncology, Department of Clinical Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
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How Genetics and Genomics Advances Are Rewriting Pediatric Cancer Research and Clinical Care. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58101386. [PMID: 36295546 PMCID: PMC9610804 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58101386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last two decades, thanks to the data that have been obtained from the Human Genome Project and the development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, research in oncology has produced extremely important results in understanding the genomic landscape of pediatric cancers, which are the main cause of death during childhood. NGS has provided significant advances in medicine by detecting germline and somatic driver variants that determine the development and progression of many types of cancers, allowing a distinction between hereditary and non-hereditary cancers, characterizing resistance mechanisms that are also related to alterations of the epigenetic apparatus, and quantifying the mutational burden of tumor cells. A combined approach of next-generation technologies allows us to investigate the numerous molecular features of the cancer cell and the effects of the environment on it, discovering and following the path of personalized therapy to defeat an "ancient" disease that has had victories and defeats. In this paper, we provide an overview of the results that have been obtained in the last decade from genomic studies that were carried out on pediatric cancer and their contribution to the more accurate and faster diagnosis in the stratification of patients and the development of new precision therapies.
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Cimmino F, Montella A, Tirelli M, Avitabile M, Lasorsa VA, Visconte F, Cantalupo S, Maiorino T, De Angelis B, Morini M, Castellano A, Locatelli F, Capasso M, Iolascon A. FGFR1 is a potential therapeutic target in neuroblastoma. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:174. [PMID: 35488346 PMCID: PMC9052553 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02587-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND FGFR1 regulates cell-cell adhesion and extracellular matrix architecture and acts as oncogene in several cancers. Potential cancer driver mutations of FGFR1 occur in neuroblastoma (NB), a neural crest-derived pediatric tumor arising in sympathetic nervous system, but so far they have not been studied experimentally. We investigated the driver-oncogene role of FGFR1 and the implication of N546K mutation in therapy-resistance in NB cells. METHODS Public datasets were used to predict the correlation of FGFR1 expression with NB clinical outcomes. Whole genome sequencing data of 19 paired diagnostic and relapse NB samples were used to find somatic mutations. In NB cell lines, silencing by short hairpin RNA and transient overexpression of FGFR1 were performed to evaluate the effect of the identified mutation by cell growth, invasion and cologenicity assays. HEK293, SHSY5Y and SKNBE2 were selected to investigate subcellular wild-type and mutated protein localization. FGFR1 inhibitor (AZD4547), alone or in combination with PI3K inhibitor (GDC0941), was used to rescue malignant phenotypes induced by overexpression of FGFR1 wild-type and mutated protein. RESULTS High FGFR1 expression correlated with low relapse-free survival in two independent NB gene expression datasets. In addition, we found the somatic mutation N546K, the most recurrent point mutation of FGFR1 in all cancers and already reported in NB, in one out of 19 matched primary and recurrent tumors. Loss of FGFR1 function attenuated invasion and cologenicity in NB cells, whereas FGFR1 overexpression enhanced oncogenicity. The overexpression of FGFR1N546K protein showed a higher nuclear localization compared to wild-type protein and increased cellular invasion and cologenicity. Moreover, N546K mutation caused the failure in response to treatment with FGFR1 inhibitor by activation of ERK, STAT3 and AKT pathways. The combination of FGFR1 and PI3K pathway inhibitors was effective in reducing the invasive and colonigenic ability of cells overexpressing FGFR1 mutated protein. CONCLUSIONS FGFR1 is an actionable driver oncogene in NB and a promising therapy may consist in targeting FGFR1 mutations in patients with therapy-resistant NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Cimmino
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy
| | - Annalaura Montella
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80145, Naples, Italy
| | - Matilde Tirelli
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy.,European School of Molecular Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Marianna Avitabile
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Feliciano Visconte
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy
| | - Sueva Cantalupo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80145, Naples, Italy
| | - Teresa Maiorino
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80145, Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio De Angelis
- Hematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy Department, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Morini
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Aurora Castellano
- Paediatric Haematology/Oncology Department, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Franco Locatelli
- IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Sapienza, University of Rome, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Capasso
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy. .,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80145, Naples, Italy.
| | - Achille Iolascon
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80145, Naples, Italy. .,Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80145, Naples, Italy.
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Ditsiou A, Gagliano T, Samuels M, Vella V, Tolias C, Giamas G. The multifaceted role of lemur tyrosine kinase 3 in health and disease. Open Biol 2021; 11:210218. [PMID: 34582708 PMCID: PMC8478525 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, LMTK3 (lemur tyrosine kinase 3) has emerged as an important player in breast cancer, contributing to the advancement of disease and the acquisition of resistance to therapy through a strikingly complex set of mechanisms. Although the knowledge of its physiological function is largely limited to receptor trafficking in neurons, there is mounting evidence that LMTK3 promotes oncogenesis in a wide variety of cancers. Recent studies have broadened our understanding of LMTK3 and demonstrated its importance in numerous signalling pathways, culminating in the identification of a potent and selective LMTK3 inhibitor. Here, we review the roles of LMTK3 in health and disease and discuss how this research may be used to develop novel therapeutics to advance cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Ditsiou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, JMS Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Teresa Gagliano
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, JMS Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK,Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, Udine 33100, Italy
| | - Mark Samuels
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, JMS Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Viviana Vella
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, JMS Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Christos Tolias
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, JMS Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK,Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH) NHS Trust, Millennium Building, Brighton BN2 5BE, UK
| | - Georgios Giamas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, JMS Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
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Zhu M, Gong Z, Wu Q, Su Q, Yang T, Yu R, Xu R, Zhang Y. Homoharringtonine suppresses tumor proliferation and migration by regulating EphB4-mediated β-catenin loss in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:632. [PMID: 32801343 PMCID: PMC7429962 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02902-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Overexpressed EphB4 conduce to tumor development and is regarded as a potential anticancer target. Homoharringtonine (HHT) has been approved for hematologic malignancies treatment, but its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been studied. This study elucidated HHT could restrain the proliferation and migration of HCC via an EphB4/β-catenin-dependent manner. We found that the antiproliferative activity of HHT in HCC cells and tumor xenograft was closely related to EphB4 expression. In HepG2, Hep3B and SMMC-7721 cells, EphB4 overexpression or EphrinB2 Fc stimulation augmented HHT-induced inhibitory effect on cell growth and migration ability, and such effect was abrogated when EphB4 was knocked down. The similar growth inhibitory effect of HHT was observed in SMMC-7721 and EphB4+/SMMC-7721 cells xenograft in vivo. Preliminary mechanistic investigation indicated that HHT directly bound to EphB4 and suppressed its expression. Data obtained from HCC patients revealed increased β-catenin expression and a positive correlation between EphB4 expression and β-catenin levels. HHT-induced EphB4 suppression promoted the phosphorylation and loss of β-catenin, which triggered regulation of β-catenin downstream signaling related to migration, resulting in the reversion of EMT in TGF-β-induced HepG2 cells. Collectively, this study provided a groundwork for HHT as an effective antitumor agent for HCC in an EphB4/β-catenin-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Zhengyan Gong
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Qing Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Qi Su
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Tianfeng Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Runze Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Rui Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta Weststreet, #54, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
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Andolfo I, Lasorsa VA, Manna F, Rosato BE, Formicola D, Iolascon A, Capasso M. Kinome multigenic panel identified novel druggable EPHB4-V871I somatic variant in high-risk neuroblastoma. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:6459-6471. [PMID: 32336043 PMCID: PMC7294133 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial neoplasm in children. The overall outcome for high‐risk NB patients is still unacceptable, therefore, it is critical to deeply understand molecular mechanisms associated with NB, which in turn can be utilized for developing drugs towards the treatment of NB. Protein kinases (TKs) play an essential role in the regulation of cell survival and proliferation. Different kinases, such as anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), Aurora kinase, RET receptor tyrosine kinase, are potential therapeutic targets in various cancers, including NB. We analysed a cohort of 45 high‐risk NB patients and 9 NB cell lines by a targeted—(t)NGS custom gene panel (genes codifying for the kinase domains of 90 TKs). We identified somatic variants in four TK genes (ALK, EPHB4, LMTK3 and EPHB6) in NB patients and we functionally characterized an interesting somatic variant, V871I, in EPHB4 gene. EPHB4 plays a crucial role in cardiovascular development and regulates vascularization in cancer‐promoting angiogenesis, tumour growth and metastasis. Several EPHB4 mutations have previously been identified in solid and haematological tumour specimens but EPHB4 mutations were not described until now in NB. Interestingly, a re‐analysis of public CGH‐array showed that the EPHB4 gain is associated with advanced diseases in NB. We further demonstrated that higher EPHB4 expression is correlated to stage 4 of NB and with poor overall survival. Additionally, we also revealed that the EPHB4‐V871I accounts for increased proliferation, migration and invasion properties in two NB cell lines by acting on VEGF, c‐RAF and CDK4 target genes and by increasing the phosphorylation of ERK1‐2 pathway. The use of two EPHB4 inhibitors, JI‐101 and NVP‐BHG712, was able to rescue the phenotype driven by the variant. Our study suggested that EPHB4 is a promising therapeutic target in high‐risk NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Immacolata Andolfo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Vito A Lasorsa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Manna
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara E Rosato
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Achille Iolascon
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Mario Capasso
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy.,IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy
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