1
|
Saibo NV, Maiti S, Boral S, Banerjee P, Kushwaha T, Inampudi KK, Goswami R, De S. The intrinsically disordered transactivation region of HOXA9 regulates its function by auto-inhibition of its DNA-binding activity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 273:132704. [PMID: 38825283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132704] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
HOXA9 transcription factor is expressed in hematopoietic stem cells and is involved in the regulation of their differentiation and maturation to various blood cells. HOXA9 is linked to various leukemia and is a marker for poor prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This protein has a conserved DNA-binding homeodomain and a transactivation domain. We show that this N-terminal transactivation domain is intrinsically disordered and inhibits DNA-binding by the homeodomain. Using NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation, we show that the hexapeptide 197AANWLH202 in the disordered region transiently occludes the DNA-binding interface. The hexapeptide also forms a rigid segment, as determined by NMR dynamics, in an otherwise flexible disordered region. Interestingly, this hexapeptide is known to mediate the interaction of HOXA9 and its TALE partner proteins, such as PBX1, and help in cooperative DNA binding. Mutation of tryptophan to alanine in the hexapeptide abrogates the DNA-binding auto-inhibition. We propose that the disordered transactivation region plays a dual role in the regulation of HOXA9 function. In the absence of TALE partners, it inhibits DNA binding, and in the presence of TALE partners it interacts with the TALE protein and facilitates the cooperative DNA binding by the HOX-TALE complex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikita V Saibo
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, WB 721302, India
| | - Snigdha Maiti
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, WB 721302, India
| | - Soumendu Boral
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, WB 721302, India
| | - Puja Banerjee
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, WB 721302, India
| | - Tushar Kushwaha
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Krishna K Inampudi
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ritobrata Goswami
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, WB 721302, India
| | - Soumya De
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, WB 721302, India.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Graff Z, Wachter F, Eapen M, Lehmann L, Cooper T. Navigating Treatment Options and Communication in Relapsed Pediatric AML. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2024; 44:e438690. [PMID: 38862135 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_438690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Despite improved outcomes in newly diagnosed pediatric AML, relapsed disease remains a therapeutic challenge. Factors contributing to slow progress in improving outcomes include inherent challenges in pediatric clinical trial accrual and the scarcity of novel targeted/immunotherapy agents available for pediatric development. This paradigm is changing, however, as international collaboration grows in parallel with the development of promising targeted agents. In this review, we discuss the therapeutic landscape of relapsed pediatric AML, including conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and the challenges of drug approvals in this patient population. We highlight current efforts to improve communication among academia, industry, and regulatory authorities and discuss the importance of international collaboration to improve access to new therapies. Among the therapeutic options, we highlight the approach to second hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and discuss which patients are most likely to benefit from this potentially curative intervention. Importantly, we acknowledge the challenges in providing these high-risk interventions to our patients and their families and the importance of shared communication and decision making when considering early-phase clinical trials and second HSCT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Graff
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, and BMT, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Franziska Wachter
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Mary Eapen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Leslie Lehmann
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Todd Cooper
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kao TW, Chen HH, Lin J, Wang TL, Shen YA. PBX1 as a novel master regulator in cancer: Its regulation, molecular biology, and therapeutic applications. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189085. [PMID: 38341110 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189085] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
PBX1 is a critical transcription factor at the top of various cell fate-determining pathways. In cancer, PBX1 stands at the crossroads of multiple oncogenic signaling pathways and mediates responses by recruiting a broad repertoire of downstream targets. Research thus far has corroborated the involvement of PBX1 in cancer proliferation, resisting apoptosis, tumor-associated neoangiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis, immune evasion, genome instability, and dysregulating cellular metabolism. Recently, our understanding of the functional regulation of the PBX1 protein has advanced, as increasing evidence has depicted a regulatory network consisting of transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels of control mechanisms. Furthermore, accumulating studies have supported the clinical utilization of PBX1 as a prognostic or therapeutic target in cancer. Preliminary results showed that PBX1 entails vast potential as a targetable master regulator in the treatment of cancer, particularly in those with high-risk features and resistance to other therapeutic strategies. In this review, we will explore the regulation, protein-protein interactions, molecular pathways, clinical application, and future challenges of PBX1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Wan Kao
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Han Chen
- Department of General Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100224, Taiwan
| | - James Lin
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Tian-Li Wang
- Departments of Pathology, Oncology and Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 1550 Orleans Street, CRB2, Room 306, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Yao-An Shen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan; International Master/Ph.D. Program in Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Karol SE, Gueguen G. Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia - novel approaches. Curr Opin Hematol 2024; 31:47-52. [PMID: 37982279 DOI: 10.1097/moh.0000000000000795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Despite higher remission and survival rates than observed in adults, children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) still suffer unacceptably high rates of treatment failure and late toxicities. Ongoing work aims to improve these long-term outcomes through improvements in the utilization of current therapies, the incorporation of novel chemotherapy agents, and improved use of current or novel cellular and immunotherapeutic approaches. In this review, we highlight recent advances and contextualize them within this evolving landscape. RECENT FINDINGS Novel agents such as the B-cell lymphoma 2 inhibitor venetoclax and the menin inhibitors have shown promising results with implications for large portions of the pediatric AML population. Older agents are being used in novel combinations (e.g. gemtuzumab ozogamicin) or are expanding into pediatrics after longer use in adults (e.g. Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 inhibitors). Finally, immunotherapeutic approaches offer new options for patients with high-risk or relapsed disease. SUMMARY Recent findings have altered the landscape of pediatric AML therapy with exciting immediate and long-term implications. Ongoing studies may soon define this as standard as well. After many years in which few new therapies have become available for children with AML, recent and upcoming advances may soon dramatically alter the therapeutic landscape.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seth E Karol
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Gwenaelle Gueguen
- Center of Clinical Investigations, INSERM CIC1426, Robert-Debré University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cheng Y, Yang X, Wang Y, Li Q, Chen W, Dai R, Zhang C. Multiple machine-learning tools identifying prognostic biomarkers for acute Myeloid Leukemia. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2024; 24:2. [PMID: 38167056 PMCID: PMC10759623 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-023-02408-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) generally has a relatively low survival rate after treatment. There is an urgent need to find new biomarkers that may improve the survival prognosis of patients. Machine-learning tools are more and more widely used in the screening of biomarkers. METHODS Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), Support Vector Machine-Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE), Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), lrFuncs, IdaProfile, caretFuncs, and nbFuncs models were used to screen key genes closely associated with AML. Then, based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), pan-cancer analysis was performed to determine the correlation between important genes and AML or other cancers. Finally, the diagnostic value of important genes for AML was verified in different data sets. RESULTS The survival analysis results of the training set showed 26 genes with survival differences. After the intersection of the results of each machine learning method, DNM1, MEIS1, and SUSD3 were selected as key genes for subsequent analysis. The results of the pan-cancer analysis showed that MEIS1 and DNM1 were significantly highly expressed in AML; MEIS1 and SUSD3 are potential risk factors for the prognosis of AML, and DNM1 is a potential protective factor. Three key genes were significantly associated with AML immune subtypes and multiple immune checkpoints in AML. The results of the verification analysis show that DNM1, MEIS1, and SUSD3 have potential diagnostic value for AML. CONCLUSION Multiple machine learning methods identified DNM1, MEIS1, and SUSD3 can be regarded as prognostic biomarkers for AML.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujing Cheng
- Department of blood transfusion, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province. The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No.157 Jinbi Road, 650034, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of blood transfusion, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province. The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No.157 Jinbi Road, 650034, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of blood transfusion, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province. The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No.157 Jinbi Road, 650034, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of blood transfusion, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province. The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No.157 Jinbi Road, 650034, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Wanlu Chen
- Department of blood transfusion, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province. The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No.157 Jinbi Road, 650034, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Run Dai
- Department of blood transfusion, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province. The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No.157 Jinbi Road, 650034, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chan Zhang
- Department of blood transfusion, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province. The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, No.157 Jinbi Road, 650034, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang N, Yin J, You N, Zhu W, Guo N, Liu X, Zhang P, Huang W, Xie Y, Ren Q, Ma X. Twist family BHLH transcription factor 1 is required for the maintenance of leukemia stem cell in MLL-AF9 + acute myeloid leukemia. Haematologica 2024; 109:84-97. [PMID: 37767575 PMCID: PMC10772510 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.282748] [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: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leukemia stem cells (LSC) are a rare population capable of limitless self-renewal and are responsible for the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of leukemia. Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of LSC function could provide novel treatment strategies. Here, we show that TWIST1 is extremely highly expressed in the LSC of MLL-AF9+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and its upregulation is positively regulated by KDM4C in a H3K9me3 demethylation-dependent manner. We further demonstrate that TWIST1 is essential for the viability, dormancy, and self-renewal capacities of LSC, and that it promotes the initiation and maintenance of MLL-AF9-mediated AML. In addition, TWIST1 directly interacts and collaborates with HOXA9 in inducing AML in mice. Mechanistically, TWIST1 exerts its oncogenic function by activating the WNT5a/RAC1 axis. Collectively, our study uncovers a critical role of TWIST1 in LSC function and provides new mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of MLL-AF9+ AML.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Jing Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Na You
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Wenqi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Nini Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Peiwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Wanling Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Yueqiao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Qian Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin
| | - Xiaotong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, Tianjin 301600, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Juul-Dam KL, Shukla NN, Cooper TM, Cuglievan B, Heidenreich O, Kolb EA, Rasouli M, Hasle H, Zwaan CM. Therapeutic targeting in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia with aberrant HOX/MEIS1 expression. Eur J Med Genet 2023; 66:104869. [PMID: 38174649 PMCID: PMC11195042 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2023.104869] [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: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Despite advances in the clinical management of childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) during the last decades, outcome remains fatal in approximately one third of patients. Primary chemoresistance, relapse and acute and long-term toxicities to conventional myelosuppressive therapies still constitute significant challenges and emphasize the unmet need for effective targeted therapies. Years of scientific efforts have translated into extensive insights on the heterogeneous spectrum of genetics and oncogenic signaling pathways of AML and identified a subset of patients characterized by upregulation of HOXA and HOXB homeobox genes and myeloid ecotropic virus insertion site 1 (MEIS1). Aberrant HOXA/MEIS1 expression is associated with genotypes such as rearrangements in Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A-r), nucleoporin 98 (NUP98-r) and mutated nucleophosmin (NPM1c) that are found in approximately one third of children with AML. AML with upregulated HOXA/MEIS1 shares a number of molecular vulnerabilities amenable to recently developed molecules targeting the assembly of protein complexes or transcriptional regulators. The interaction between the nuclear scaffold protein menin and KMT2A has gained particular interest and constitutes a molecular dependency for maintenance of the HOXA/MEIS1 transcription program. Menin inhibitors disrupt the menin-KMT2A complex in preclinical models of KMT2A-r, NUP98-r and NPM1c acute leukemias and its occupancy at target genes leading to leukemic cell differentiation and apoptosis. Early-phase clinical trials are either ongoing or in development and preliminary data suggests tolerable toxicities and encouraging efficacy of menin inhibitors in adults with relapsed or refractory KMT2A-r and NPM1c AML. The Pediatric Acute Leukemia/European Pediatric Acute Leukemia (PedAL/EUPAL) project is focused to advance and coordinate informative clinical trials with new agents and constitute an ideal framework for testing of menin inhibitors in pediatric study populations. Menin inhibitors in combination with standard chemotherapy or other targeting agents may enhance anti-leukemic effects and constitute rational treatment strategies for select genotypes of childhood AML, and provide enhanced safety to avoid differentiation syndrome. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms in KMT2A-r, NUP98-r and NPM1c AML, emerging molecules targeting the HOXA/MEIS1 transcription program with menin inhibitors as the most prominent examples and future therapeutic implications of these agents in childhood AML.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristian L Juul-Dam
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Neerav N Shukla
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Todd M Cooper
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Branko Cuglievan
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Olaf Heidenreich
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - E Anders Kolb
- Division of Oncology, Nemours/Alfred I. Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA
| | - Milad Rasouli
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Henrik Hasle
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - C Michel Zwaan
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Duong VH, Ruppert AS, Mims AS, Borate U, Stein EM, Baer MR, Stock W, Kovacsovics T, Blum W, Arellano ML, Schiller GJ, Olin RL, Foran JM, Litzow MR, Lin TL, Patel PA, Foster MC, Redner RL, Al-Mansour Z, Cogle CR, Swords RT, Collins RH, Vergilio JA, Heerema NA, Rosenberg L, Yocum AO, Marcus S, Chen T, Druggan F, Stefanos M, Gana TJ, Shoben AB, Druker BJ, Burd A, Byrd JC, Levine RL, Boyiadzis MM. Entospletinib with decitabine in acute myeloid leukemia with mutant TP53 or complex karyotype: A phase 2 substudy of the Beat AML Master Trial. Cancer 2023; 129:2308-2320. [PMID: 37078412 PMCID: PMC11225573 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34780] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have tumor protein p53 (TP53) mutations or a complex karyotype have a poor prognosis, and hypomethylating agents are often used. The authors evaluated the efficacy of entospletinib, an oral inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase, combined with decitabine in this patient population. METHODS This was a multicenter, open-label, phase 2 substudy of the Beat AML Master Trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03013998) using a Simon two-stage design. Eligible patients aged 60 years or older who had newly diagnosed AML with mutations in TP53 with or without a complex karyotype (cohort A; n = 45) or had a complex karyotype without TP53 mutation (cohort B; n = 13) received entospletinib 400 mg twice daily with decitabine 20 mg/m2 on days 1-10 every 28 days for up to three induction cycles, followed by up to 11 consolidation cycles, in which decitabine was reduced to days 1-5. Entospletinib maintenance was given for up to 2 years. The primary end point was complete remission (CR) and CR with hematologic improvement by up to six cycles of therapy. RESULTS The composite CR rates for cohorts A and B were 13.3% (95% confidence interval, 5.1%-26.8%) and 30.8% (95% confidence interval, 9.1%-61.4%), respectively. The median duration of response was 7.6 and 8.2 months, respectively, and the median overall survival was 6.5 and 11.5 months, respectively. The study was stopped because the futility boundary was crossed in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS The combination of entospletinib and decitabine demonstrated activity and was acceptably tolerated in this patient population; however, the CR rates were low, and overall survival was short. Novel treatment strategies for older patients with TP53 mutations and complex karyotype remain an urgent need.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vu H. Duong
- University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Amy S. Ruppert
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Alice S. Mims
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Uma Borate
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Eytan M. Stein
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maria R. Baer
- University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Wendy Stock
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Tibor Kovacsovics
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - William Blum
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Gary J. Schiller
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rebecca L. Olin
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - James M. Foran
- Hematology and Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Mark R. Litzow
- Departments of Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tara L. Lin
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Prapti A. Patel
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Medical School, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew C. Foster
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert L. Redner
- Hillman Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zeina Al-Mansour
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Ronan T. Swords
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Robert H. Collins
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Medical School, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | | | - Nyla A. Heerema
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | | | | | - Sonja Marcus
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Rye Brook, New York, USA
| | - Timothy Chen
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Franchesca Druggan
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mona Stefanos
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Abigail B. Shoben
- Division of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Brian J. Druker
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Amy Burd
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Rye Brook, New York, USA
| | - John C. Byrd
- Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Ross L. Levine
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael M. Boyiadzis
- Hillman Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Issa GC, Aldoss I, DiPersio J, Cuglievan B, Stone R, Arellano M, Thirman MJ, Patel MR, Dickens DS, Shenoy S, Shukla N, Kantarjian H, Armstrong SA, Perner F, Perry JA, Rosen G, Bagley RG, Meyers ML, Ordentlich P, Gu Y, Kumar V, Smith S, McGeehan GM, Stein EM. The menin inhibitor revumenib in KMT2A-rearranged or NPM1-mutant leukaemia. Nature 2023; 615:920-924. [PMID: 36922593 PMCID: PMC10060155 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05812-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 106.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Targeting critical epigenetic regulators reverses aberrant transcription in cancer, thereby restoring normal tissue function1-3. The interaction of menin with lysine methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A), an epigenetic regulator, is a dependence in acute leukaemia caused by either rearrangement of KMT2A or mutation of the nucleophosmin 1 gene (NPM1)4-6. KMT2A rearrangements occur in up to 10% of acute leukaemias and have an adverse prognosis, whereas NPM1 mutations occur in up to 30%, forming the most common genetic alteration in acute myeloid leukaemia7,8. Here, we describe the results of the first-in-human phase 1 clinical trial investigating revumenib (SNDX-5613), a potent and selective oral inhibitor of the menin-KMT2A interaction, in patients with relapsed or refractory acute leukaemia (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04065399). We show that therapy with revumenib was associated with a low frequency of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events and a 30% rate of complete remission or complete remission with partial haematologic recovery (CR/CRh) in the efficacy analysis population. Asymptomatic prolongation of the QT interval on electrocardiography was identified as the only dose-limiting toxicity. Remissions occurred in leukaemias refractory to multiple previous lines of therapy. We demonstrate clearance of residual disease using sensitive clinical assays and identify hallmarks of differentiation into normal haematopoietic cells, including differentiation syndrome. These data establish menin inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for susceptible acute leukaemia subtypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ghayas C Issa
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | | | - John DiPersio
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Branko Cuglievan
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Martha Arellano
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Manish R Patel
- Florida Cancer Specialists/Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | | | - Shalini Shenoy
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Neerav Shukla
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hagop Kantarjian
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Florian Perner
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Greifswald University Medical Center, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yu Gu
- Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Waltham, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Eytan M Stein
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Issa GC, Aldoss I, DiPersio J, Cuglievan B, Stone R, Arellano M, Thirman MJ, Patel MR, Dickens DS, Shenoy S, Shukla N, Kantarjian H, Armstrong SA, Perner F, Perry JA, Rosen G, Bagley RG, Meyers ML, Ordentlich P, Gu Y, Kumar V, Smith S, McGeehan GM, Stein EM. The menin inhibitor revumenib in KMT2A-rearranged or NPM1-mutant leukaemia. Nature 2023. [PMID: 36922593 DOI: 10.1038/s411586-023-05755-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Targeting critical epigenetic regulators reverses aberrant transcription in cancer, thereby restoring normal tissue function1-3. The interaction of menin with lysine methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A), an epigenetic regulator, is a dependence in acute leukaemia caused by either rearrangement of KMT2A or mutation of the nucleophosmin 1 gene (NPM1)4-6. KMT2A rearrangements occur in up to 10% of acute leukaemias and have an adverse prognosis, whereas NPM1 mutations occur in up to 30%, forming the most common genetic alteration in acute myeloid leukaemia7,8. Here, we describe the results of the first-in-human phase 1 clinical trial investigating revumenib (SNDX-5613), a potent and selective oral inhibitor of the menin-KMT2A interaction, in patients with relapsed or refractory acute leukaemia (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04065399). We show that therapy with revumenib was associated with a low frequency of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events and a 30% rate of complete remission or complete remission with partial haematologic recovery (CR/CRh) in the efficacy analysis population. Asymptomatic prolongation of the QT interval on electrocardiography was identified as the only dose-limiting toxicity. Remissions occurred in leukaemias refractory to multiple previous lines of therapy. We demonstrate clearance of residual disease using sensitive clinical assays and identify hallmarks of differentiation into normal haematopoietic cells, including differentiation syndrome. These data establish menin inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for susceptible acute leukaemia subtypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ghayas C Issa
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | | | - John DiPersio
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Branko Cuglievan
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Martha Arellano
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Manish R Patel
- Florida Cancer Specialists/Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | | | - Shalini Shenoy
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Neerav Shukla
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hagop Kantarjian
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Florian Perner
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Greifswald University Medical Center, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yu Gu
- Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Waltham, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Eytan M Stein
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Muranyi A, Ammer T, Kechter A, Rawat VP, Sinha A, Gonzalez-Menendez I, Quintanilla-Martinez L, Azoitei A, Günes C, Mupo A, Vassiliou G, Bamezai S, Buske C. Npm1 haploinsufficiency in collaboration with MEIS1 is sufficient to induce AML in mice. Blood Adv 2023; 7:351-364. [PMID: 35468619 PMCID: PMC9898611 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2022007015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
NPM1 is among the most frequently mutated genes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Mutations in the NPM1 gene result in the increased export of NPM1 to the cytoplasm (NPM1c) and are associated with multiple transforming events including the aberrant upregulation of MEIS1 that maintains stem cell and cell cycle-associated pathways in NPM1c AML. However, another consequence of the NPM1c mutation is the inadequate levels of NPM1 wild-type in the nucleus and nucleolus, caused by the loss of one wild-type allele in addition to enforced NPM1 nuclear export. The contribution of NPM1 haploinsufficiency independently of the NPM1 mutation to AML development and its relationship with MEIS1 function is poorly understood. Using mouse models, our study shows that NPM1 haploinsufficiency paired with MEIS1 overexpression is sufficient to induce a fully penetrant AML in mice that transcriptionally resembles human NPM1c AML. NPM1 haploinsufficiency alters MEIS1-binding occupancies such that it binds the promoter of the oncogene structural maintenance of chromosome protein 4 (SMC4) in NPM1 haploinsufficient AML cells but not in NPM1 wild-type-harboring Hoxa9/Meis1-transformed cells. SMC4 is higher expressed in haploinsufficient and NPM1c+ AML cells, which are more vulnerable to the disruption of the MEIS1-SMC4 axis compared with AML cells with nonmutated NPM1. Taken together, our study underlines that NPM1 haploinsufficiency on its own is a key factor of myeloid leukemogenesis and characterizes the MEIS1-SMC4 axis as a potential therapeutic target in this AML subtype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Muranyi
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tobias Ammer
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anna Kechter
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Vijay P.S. Rawat
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Irene Gonzalez-Menendez
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence, Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies (iFIT) (EXC 2180), Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Leticia Quintanilla-Martinez
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence, Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies (iFIT) (EXC 2180), Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anca Azoitei
- Department of Urology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Annalisa Mupo
- Department of Hematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - George Vassiliou
- Department of Hematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Shiva Bamezai
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christian Buske
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ciotti G, Marconi G, Sperotto A, Giannini MB, Gottardi M, Martinelli G. Biological therapy in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2023; 23:175-194. [PMID: 36715330 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2023.2174015] [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: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The introduction of target molecules and immunological therapies is changing the treatment landscape of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AREAS COVERED We recapitulate the biological therapies that can be employed in the treatment of elderly patients with AML. Alongside small molecules inhibitors that target specific gene mutations, antibodies, tumor microenvironment modulators, and cellular therapies are being developed for the cure of the disease. Here, we report the biological activities, the efficacy and toxicities of humanized antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates that targets surface antigens as CD33 (gemtuzumab ozogamicine) or CD123 (pivekimab sunirine). We further explore mechanisms and effectiveness of medications that modify the microenvironment, such as glasdegib, or that harness the immune system against leukemia, such as CD47 antibody magrolimab, PD1/PDL1 inhibitors pembrolizumab and nivolumab, TIM3 inhibitor sabatolimab, T-cell and NK-cell engagers. Cellular therapies are considered, even if a large trial is still pending for the feasibility of the approach. In this scenario, a brief overview of the mechanism of action of target agents is provided, particularly with respect to their biological mechanisms. EXPERT OPINION Overall, this therapeutic armamentarium will constitute the basis for multimodal and personalized combinations that, in the idea of precision medicine, will enormously benefit elderly AML patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Ciotti
- Onco Hematology, Department of Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marconi
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Alessandra Sperotto
- Onco Hematology, Department of Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Maria B Giannini
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Michele Gottardi
- Onco Hematology, Department of Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ye S, Xiong F, He X, Yuan Y, Li D, Ye D, Shi L, Lin Z, Zhao M, Feng S, Zhou B, Weng H, Hong L, Ye H, Gao S. DNA hypermethylation-induced miR-182 silence targets BCL2 and HOXA9 to facilitate the self-renewal of leukemia stem cell, accelerate acute myeloid leukemia progression, and determine the sensitivity of BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax. Theranostics 2023; 13:77-94. [PMID: 36593968 PMCID: PMC9800726 DOI: 10.7150/thno.77404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: microRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently deregulated and play important roles in the pathogenesis and progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). miR-182 functions as an onco-miRNA or tumor suppressor miRNA in the context of different cancers. However, whether miR-182 affects the self-renewal of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) and normal hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) is unknown. Methods: Bisulfite sequencing was used to analyze the methylation status at pri-miR-182 promoter. Lineage-negative HSPCs were isolated from miR-182 knockout (182KO) and wild-type (182WT) mice to construct MLL-AF9-transformed AML model. The effects of miR-182 depletion on the overall survival and function of LSC were analyzed in this mouse model in vivo. Results: miR-182-5p (miR-182) expression was lower in AML blasts than normal controls (NCs) with hypermethylation observed at putative pri-miR-182 promoter in AML blasts but unmethylation in NCs. Overexpression of miR-182 inhibited proliferation, reduced colony formation, and induced apoptosis in leukemic cells. In addition, depletion of miR-182 accelerated the development and shortened the overall survival (OS) in MLL-AF9-transformed murine AML through increasing LSC frequency and self-renewal ability. Consistently, overexpression of miR-182 attenuated AML development and extended the OS in the murine AML model. Most importantly, miR-182 was likely dispensable for normal hematopoiesis. Mechanistically, we identified BCL2 and HOXA9 as two key targets of miR-182 in this context. Most importantly, AML patients with miR-182 unmethylation had high expression of miR-182 followed by low protein expression of BCL2 and resistance to BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax (Ven) in vitro. Conclusions: Our results suggest that miR-182 is a potential therapeutic target for AML patients through attenuating the self-renewal of LSC but not HSPC. miR-182 promoter methylation could determine the sensitivity of Ven treatment and provide a potential biomarker for it.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Ye
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Fang Xiong
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiaofei He
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yigang Yuan
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Danyang Li
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Daijiao Ye
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Liuzhi Shi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zihan Lin
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shuya Feng
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huachun Weng
- The College of Medical Technology, Shanghai University of Medicine& Health Sciences; 279 ZhouZhuGong Street, Pudong District, Shanghai, China
| | - Lili Hong
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Post Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Haige Ye
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.,✉ Corresponding authors: Dr. Haige Ye, E-mail: , Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang Province, China. Tel: +86-577-55579127; Fax: +86-577-55579127. Dr. Shenmeng Gao, E-mail: , Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang Province, China. Tel.: +86-577-55578080; Fax: +86-577-55578080
| | - Shenmeng Gao
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.,✉ Corresponding authors: Dr. Haige Ye, E-mail: , Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang Province, China. Tel: +86-577-55579127; Fax: +86-577-55579127. Dr. Shenmeng Gao, E-mail: , Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 1 Xuefubei Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang Province, China. Tel.: +86-577-55578080; Fax: +86-577-55578080
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhang HB, Sun ZK, Zhong FM, Yao FY, Liu J, Zhang J, Zhang N, Lin J, Li SQ, Li MY, Jiang JY, Cheng Y, Xu S, Cheng XX, Huang B, Wang XZ. A novel fatty acid metabolism-related signature identifies features of the tumor microenvironment and predicts clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia. Lipids Health Dis 2022; 21:79. [PMID: 36002858 PMCID: PMC9404605 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-022-01687-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common malignancy of the hematological system, and there are currently a number of studies regarding abnormal alterations in energy metabolism, but fewer reports related to fatty acid metabolism (FAM) in AML. We therefore analyze the association of FAM and AML tumor development to explore targets for clinical prognosis prediction and identify those with potential therapeutic value. Methods The identification of AML patients with different fatty acid metabolism characteristics was based on a consensus clustering algorithm. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to calculate the proportion of infiltrating immune cells. We used Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis to construct a signature for predicting the prognosis of AML patients. The Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer database was used to predict the sensitivity of patient samples in high- and low-risk score groups to different chemotherapy drugs. Results The consensus clustering approach identified three molecular subtypes of FAM that exhibited significant differences in genomic features such as immunity, metabolism, and inflammation, as well as patient prognosis. The risk-score model we constructed accurately predicted patient outcomes, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.870, 0.878, and 0.950 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The validation cohort also confirmed the prognostic evaluation performance of the risk score. In addition, higher risk scores were associated with stronger fatty acid metabolisms, significantly higher expression levels of immune checkpoints, and significantly increased infiltration of immunosuppressive cells. Immune functions, such as inflammation promotion, para-inflammation, and type I/II interferon responses, were also significantly activated. These results demonstrated that immunotherapy targeting immune checkpoints and immunosuppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and M2 macrophages, are more suitable for patients with high-risk scores. Finally, the prediction results of chemotherapeutic drugs showed that samples in the high-risk score group had greater treatment sensitivity to four chemotherapy drugs in vitro. Conclusions The analysis of the molecular patterns of FAM effectively predicted patient prognosis and revealed various tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12944-022-01687-x.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Bin Zhang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhuo-Kai Sun
- Queen Mary School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Fang-Min Zhong
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.,School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Fang-Yi Yao
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jin Lin
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shu-Qi Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Mei-Yong Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jun-Yao Jiang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Ying Cheng
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.,School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shuai Xu
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.,School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xue-Xin Cheng
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Bo Huang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Xiao-Zhong Wang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. .,School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
MOZ is critical for the development of MOZ/MLL-fusion-induced leukemia through regulation of Hoxa9/Meis1 expression. Blood Adv 2022; 6:5527-5537. [PMID: 35947126 PMCID: PMC9577624 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020003490] [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: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Monocytic leukemia zinc finger protein (MOZ, MYST3, or KAT6A) is a MYST-type acetyltransferase involved in chromosomal translocation in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome. MOZ is established as essential for hematopoiesis; however, the role of MOZ in AML has not been addressed. We propose that MOZ is critical for AML development induced by MLL-AF9, MLL-AF10, or MOZ-TIF2 fusions. Moz-deficient hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) transduced with an MLL-AF10 fusion gene neither formed colonies in methylcellulose nor induced AML in mice. Moz-deficient HSPCs bearing MLL-AF9 also generated significantly reduced colony and cell numbers. Moz-deficient HSPCs expressing MOZ-TIF2 could form colonies in vitro but could not induce AML in mice. By contrast, Moz was dispensable for colony formation by HOXA9-transduced cells and AML development caused by HOXA9 and MEIS1, suggesting a specific requirement for MOZ in AML induced by MOZ/MLL fusions. Expression of the Hoxa9 and Meis1 genes was decreased in Moz-deficient MLL fusion-expressing cells, while expression of Meis1, but not Hoxa9, was reduced in Moz-deficient MOZ-TIF2 AML cells. AML development induced by MOZ-TIF2 was rescued by introducing Meis1 into Moz-deficient cells carrying MOZ-TIF2. Meis1 deletion impaired MOZ-TIF2–mediated AML development. Active histone modifications were also severely reduced at the Meis1 locus in Moz-deficient MOZ-TIF2 and MLL-AF9 AML cells. These results suggest that endogenous MOZ is critical for MOZ/MLL fusion-induced AML development and maintains active chromatin signatures at target gene loci. MOZ is critical for MOZ/MLL fusion-mediated AML development, Meis1 induction by MOZ fusions, and Hoxa9/Meis1 induction by MLL fusions. Endogenous MOZ is required to maintain MOZ-target and active histone modifications at the Meis1 gene locus.
Collapse
|
16
|
Jin Y, Wang J, Zhao M, Lin J, Hong L. Myeloid ecotropic viral integration site-1 inhibition promotes apoptosis, suppresses proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia cells, accentuates the effects of anticancer drugs. Bioengineered 2022; 13:5700-5708. [PMID: 35212611 PMCID: PMC8974192 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2000725] [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] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the effects of myeloid ecotropic viral integration site-1 (MEIS1) on the proliferation and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and the anticancer effects of the drug, we screened Kasumi-6, KG-1, and Kasumi-1 cells using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Kasumi-6 and Kasumi-1 cells were subjected to human antigen R (HuR)-mediated interference (IV). Hexokinase 2 (HK2) expression and phosphorylation of protein kinase B (p-AKT) and mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) were observed with Western blotting. Cell proliferation was assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8, apoptosis was examined using Hoechst 33,258 staining, and glucose uptake was detected with a colorimetric biochemical assay kit. We found that, among the three cell lines tested, MEIS1 expression was highest in Kasumi-1 cells, which were therefore selected for subsequent experiments. Kasumi-1 cells receiving IV showed significantly decreased proliferation (p < 0.05) and increased apoptosis compared to the control group. Compared with the controls, IV significantly increased the expression of HK2, p-AKT, p-mTOR, multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 and P-glycoprotein (P < 0.05), but decreased glucose uptake. Treatment with adriamycin, daunorubicin and imatinib resulted in a progressive increase in inhibition of cell proliferation, with the IV group showing the highest inhibition rate among the three groups (P < 0.05). Thus, inhibition of MEIS1 activity promoted apoptosis, inhibited the proliferation of Kasumi-1 and Kasumi-6 cells, and increaseed the anticancer effect of the drugs, suggesting that inhibition of MEIS1 may be a potential strategy for the treatment of AML.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yinglan Jin
- Department of Hematology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jinghua Wang
- Department of Hematology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Mingming Zhao
- Department of Hematology and Rheumatism, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jingyi Lin
- Department of Hematology and Rheumatism, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Luojia Hong
- Department of Hematology and Rheumatism, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Meriç N, Kocabaş F. The Historical Relationship Between Meis1 and Leukemia. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1387:127-144. [DOI: 10.1007/5584_2021_705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
18
|
Ahmedy IA, Tayel SI. Prognostic impact of homeobox and PR domain containing protein 16 genes expressions in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. GENE REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2021.101425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
19
|
Blasi F, Bruckmann C. MEIS1 in Hematopoiesis and Cancer. How MEIS1-PBX Interaction Can Be Used in Therapy. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9040044. [PMID: 34698191 PMCID: PMC8544432 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently MEIS1 emerged as a major determinant of the MLL-r leukemic phenotype. The latest and most efficient drugs effectively decrease the levels of MEIS1 in cancer cells. Together with an overview of the latest drugs developed to target MEIS1 in MLL-r leukemia, we review, in detail, the role of MEIS1 in embryonic and adult hematopoiesis and suggest how a more profound knowledge of MEIS1 biochemistry can be used to design potent and effective drugs against MLL-r leukemia. In addition, we present data showing that the interaction between MEIS1 and PBX1 can be blocked efficiently and might represent a new avenue in anti-MLL-r and anti-leukemic therapy.
Collapse
|
20
|
Chung HY, Lin BA, Lin YX, Chang CW, Tzou WS, Pei TW, Hu CH. Meis1, Hi1α, and GATA1 are integrated into a hierarchical regulatory network to mediate primitive erythropoiesis. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21915. [PMID: 34496088 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001044rrr] [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: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
During development, erythroid cells are generated by two waves of hematopoiesis. In zebrafish, primitive erythropoiesis takes place in the intermediate cell mass region, and definitive erythropoiesis arises from the aorta-gonad mesonephros. TALE-homeoproteins Meis1 and Pbx1 function upstream of GATA1 to specify the erythroid lineage. Embryos lacking Meis1 or Pbx1 have weak gata1 expression and fail to produce primitive erythrocytes. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism of how Meis1 and Pbx1 mediate gata1 transcription in erythrocytes remains unclear. Here we show that Hif1α acts downstream of Meis1 to mediate gata1 expression in zebrafish embryos. Inhibition of Meis1 expression resulted in suppression of hif1a expression and abrogated primitive erythropoiesis, while injection with in vitro-synthesized hif1α mRNA rescued gata1 transcription in Meis1 morphants and recovered their erythropoiesis. Ablation of Hif1α expression either by morpholino knockdown or Crispr-Cas9 knockout suppressed gata1 transcription and abrogated primitive erythropoiesis. Results of chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that Hif1α associates with hypoxia-response elements located in the 3'-flanking region of gata1 during development, suggesting that Hif1α regulates gata1 expression in vivo. Together, our results indicate that Meis1, Hif1α, and GATA1 indeed comprise a hierarchical regulatory network in which Hif1α acts downstream of Meis1 to activate gata1 transcription through direct interactions with its cis-acting elements in primitive erythrocytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Yu Chung
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Bo-An Lin
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Xuan Lin
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Wei Chang
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Shyong Tzou
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan.,Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Tun-Wen Pei
- Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology
| | - Chin-Hwa Hu
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan.,Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Therapeutic implications of menin inhibition in acute leukemias. Leukemia 2021; 35:2482-2495. [PMID: 34131281 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01309-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Menin inhibitors are novel targeted agents currently in clinical development for the treatment of genetically defined subsets of acute leukemia. Menin has a tumor suppressor function in endocrine glands. Germline mutations in the gene encoding menin cause the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome, a hereditary condition associated with tumors of the endocrine glands. However, menin is also critical for leukemogenesis in subsets driven by rearrangement of the Lysine Methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A) gene, previously known as mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL), which encodes an epigenetic modifier. These seemingly opposing functions of menin can be explained by its various roles in gene regulation. Therefore, leukemias with rearrangement of KMT2A are predicted to respond to menin inhibition with early clinical data validating this proof-of-concept. These leukemias affect infants, children and adults, and lead to adverse outcomes with current standard therapies. Recent studies have identified novel targets in acute leukemia that are susceptible to menin inhibition, such as mutated Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1), the most common genetic alteration in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In addition to these alterations, other leukemia subsets with similar transcriptional dependency could be targeted through menin inhibition. This led to rationally designed clinical studies, investigating small-molecule oral menin inhibitors in relapsed acute leukemias with promising early results. Herein, we discuss the physiologic and malignant biology of menin, the mechanisms of leukemia in these susceptible subsets, and future therapeutic strategies using these inhibitors in acute leukemia.
Collapse
|
22
|
Yao M, Gu Y, Yang Z, Zhong K, Chen Z. MEIS1 and its potential as a cancer therapeutic target (Review). Int J Mol Med 2021; 48:181. [PMID: 34318904 PMCID: PMC8354308 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2021.5014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Meis homeobox 1 (Meis1) was initially discovered in 1995 as a factor involved in leukemia in an animal model. Subsequently, 2 years later, MEIS1, the human homolog, was cloned in the liver and cerebellum, and was found to be highly expressed in myeloid leukemia cells. The MEIS1 gene, located on chromosome 2p14, encodes a 390-amino acid protein with six domains. The expression of homeobox protein MEIS1 is affected by cell type, age and environmental conditions, as well as the pathological state. Certain types of modifications of MEIS1 and its protein interaction with homeobox or pre-B-cell leukemia homeobox proteins have been described. As a transcription factor, MEIS1 protein is involved in cell proliferation in leukemia and some solid tumors. The present review article discusses the molecular biology, modifications, protein-protein interactions, as well as the role of MEIS1 in cell proliferation of cancer cells and MEIS1 inhibitors. It is suggested by the available literature MEIS1 has potential to become a cancer therapeutic target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maozhong Yao
- Clinical Research Center, Hainan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Haikou, Hainan 570203, P.R. China
| | - Yong Gu
- Clinical Research Center, Hainan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Haikou, Hainan 570203, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoxin Yang
- Teaching Experimental Animal Center, Research Center for Drug Safety Evaluation of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 571199, P.R. China
| | - Keyan Zhong
- Teaching Experimental Animal Center, Research Center for Drug Safety Evaluation of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 571199, P.R. China
| | - Zhanjuan Chen
- Chemical Experiment Teaching Center, College of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 571199, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Mayoral-Varo V, Jiménez L, Link W. The Critical Role of TRIB2 in Cancer and Therapy Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112701. [PMID: 34070799 PMCID: PMC8198994 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Tribbles proteins are members of CAMK Ser/Thr protein kinase family. They are evolutionary conserved pseudokinases found in most tissues of eukaryotic organisms. This ubiquitously expressed protein family is characterized by containing a catalytically deficient kinase domain which lacks amino acid residues required for the productive interaction with ATP and metal ions. Tribbles proteins exert their biological functions mainly through direct interaction with MAPKK and AKT proteins, therefore regulating important pathways involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Due to the role of MAPKK and AKT signalling in the context of cancer development, Tribbles proteins have been recently considered as biomarkers of cancer progression. Furthermore, as the atypical pseudokinase domain retains a binding platform for substrates, Tribbles targeting provides an attractive opportunity for drug development. Abstract The Tribbles pseudokinases family consists of TRIB1, TRIB2, TRIB3 and STK40 and, although evolutionarily conserved, they have distinctive characteristics. Tribbles members are expressed in a context and cell compartment-dependent manner. For example, TRIB1 and TRIB2 have potent oncogenic activities in vertebrate cells. Since the identification of Tribbles proteins as modulators of multiple signalling pathways, recent studies have linked their expression with several pathologies, including cancer. Tribbles proteins act as protein adaptors involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system, as they bridge the gap between substrates and E3 ligases. Between TRIB family members, TRIB2 is the most ancestral member of the family. TRIB2 is involved in protein homeostasis regulation of C/EBPα, β-catenin and TCF4. On the other hand, TRIB2 interacts with MAPKK, AKT and NFkB proteins, involved in cell survival, proliferation and immune response. Here, we review the characteristic features of TRIB2 structure and signalling and its role in many cancer subtypes with an emphasis on TRIB2 function in therapy resistance in melanoma, leukemia and glioblastoma. The strong evidence between TRIB2 expression and chemoresistance provides an attractive opportunity for targeting TRIB2.
Collapse
|
24
|
Keinan N, Scharff Y, Goldstein O, Chamo M, Ilic S, Gazit R. Syngeneic leukemia models using lentiviral transgenics. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:193. [PMID: 33602907 PMCID: PMC7893004 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03477-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Animal models are necessary to study cancer and develop treatments. After decades of intensive research, effective treatments are available for only a few types of leukemia, while others are currently incurable. Our goal was to generate novel leukemia models in immunocompetent mice. We had achieved abilities for overexpression of multiple driving oncogenes simultaneously in normal primary cells, which can be transplanted and followed in vivo. Our experiments demonstrated the induction of primary malignant growth. Leukemia lines that model various types of leukemia, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), were passaged robustly in congenic wild-type immunocompetent mice. These novel leukemia lines, which may complement previous models, offer the flexibility to generate tailored models of defined oncogenes of interest. The characterization of our leukemia models in immunocompetent animals can uncover the mechanisms of malignancy progression and offer a unique opportunity to stringently test anti-cancer chemotherapies.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/pharmacology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation
- Cell Transformation, Viral
- Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/immunology
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/pathology
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/virology
- Immunocompetence
- Lentivirus/genetics
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/genetics
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/immunology
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/virology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/virology
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neoplasm Transplantation
- Oncogenes
- Transplantation, Isogeneic
- Vidarabine/analogs & derivatives
- Vidarabine/pharmacology
- Mice
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nurit Keinan
- The Shraga Segal Department for Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences; National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, POB 84105, Israel
| | - Ye'ela Scharff
- The Shraga Segal Department for Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences; National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, POB 84105, Israel
| | - Oron Goldstein
- The Shraga Segal Department for Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences; National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, POB 84105, Israel
| | - Michael Chamo
- The Shraga Segal Department for Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences; National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, POB 84105, Israel
| | - Stefan Ilic
- The Shraga Segal Department for Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences; National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, POB 84105, Israel
| | - Roi Gazit
- The Shraga Segal Department for Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences; National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, POB 84105, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Bruckmann C, Tamburri S, De Lorenzi V, Doti N, Monti A, Mathiasen L, Cattaneo A, Ruvo M, Bachi A, Blasi F. Mapping the native interaction surfaces of PREP1 with PBX1 by cross-linking mass-spectrometry and mutagenesis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16809. [PMID: 33033354 PMCID: PMC7545097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74032-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Both onco-suppressor PREP1 and the oncogene MEIS1 bind to PBX1. This interaction stabilizes the two proteins and allows their translocation into the nucleus and thus their transcriptional activity. Here, we have combined cross-linking mass-spectrometry and systematic mutagenesis to detail the binding geometry of the PBX1-PREP1 (and PBX1-MEIS1) complexes, under native in vivo conditions. The data confirm the existence of two distinct interaction sites within the PBC domain of PBX1 and unravel differences among the highly similar binding sites of MEIS1 and PREP1. The HR2 domain has a fundamental role in binding the PBC-B domain of PBX1 in both PREP1 and MEIS1. The HR1 domain of MEIS1, however, seem to play a less stringent role in PBX1 interaction with respect to that of PREP1. This difference is also reflected by the different binding affinity of the two proteins to PBX1. Although partial, this analysis provides for the first time some ideas on the tertiary structure of the complexes not available before. Moreover, the extensive mutagenic analysis of PREP1 identifies the role of individual hydrophobic HR1 and HR2 residues, both in vitro and in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Bruckmann
- IFOM (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy.
| | - Simone Tamburri
- IFOM (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina De Lorenzi
- IFOM (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
- Center for Nanotechnology Innovation@NEST, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Nunzianna Doti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Lisa Mathiasen
- IFOM (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Cattaneo
- IFOM (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
- Cogentech S.R.L. Benefit Corporation IT, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Menotti Ruvo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Bachi
- IFOM (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Blasi
- IFOM (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology), Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Zargari S, Negahban Khameneh S, Rad A, Forghanifard MM. MEIS1 promotes expression of stem cell markers in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:789. [PMID: 32819319 PMCID: PMC7441725 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07307-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND MEIS1 (Myeloid ecotropic viral integration site 1) as a homeobox (HOX) transcription factor plays regulatory roles in a variety of cellular processes including development, differentiation, survival, apoptosis and hematopoiesis, as well as stem cell regulation. Few studies have established pluripotency and self-renewal regulatory roles for MEIS1 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and our aim in this study was to evaluate the functional correlation between MEIS1 and the stemness markers in ESCC patients and cell line KYSE-30. METHODS Expression pattern of MEIS1 and SALL4 gene expression was analyzed in different pathological features of ESCC patients. shRNA in retroviral vector was used for constantly silencing of MEIS1 mRNA in ESCC line (KYSE-30). Knockdown of MEIS1 gene and the expression pattern of selected stemness markers including SALL4, OCT4, BMI-1, HIWI, NANOG, PLK1, and KLF4 were evaluated using real-time PCR. RESULTS Significant correlations were observed between MEIS1 and stemness marker SALL4 in different early pathological features of ESCC including non-invaded tumors, and the tumors with primary stages of progression. Retroviral knockdown of MEIS1 in KYSE-30 cells caused a noteworthy underexpression of both MEIS1 and major involved markers in stemness state of the cells including SALL4, OCT4, BMI-1, HIWI and KLF4. CONCLUSIONS The results highlight the important potential role of MEIS1 in modulating stemness properties of ESCCs and cells KYSE-30. These findings may confirm the linkage between MEIS1 and self-renewal capacity in ESCC and support probable oncogenic role for MEIS1 in the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Selma Zargari
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shabnam Negahban Khameneh
- Department of Biology, Damghan branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O.Box: 3671639998, Cheshmeh-Ali Boulevard, Sa'dei Square, Damghan, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Abolfazl Rad
- Cellular and Molecular Research center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Forghanifard
- Department of Biology, Damghan branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O.Box: 3671639998, Cheshmeh-Ali Boulevard, Sa'dei Square, Damghan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Minervini A, Coccaro N, Anelli L, Zagaria A, Specchia G, Albano F. HMGA Proteins in Hematological Malignancies. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061456. [PMID: 32503270 PMCID: PMC7353061 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061456] [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: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The high mobility group AT-Hook (HMGA) proteins are a family of nonhistone chromatin remodeling proteins known as "architectural transcriptional factors". By binding the minor groove of AT-rich DNA sequences, they interact with the transcription apparatus, altering the chromatin modeling and regulating gene expression by either enhancing or suppressing the binding of the more usual transcriptional activators and repressors, although they do not themselves have any transcriptional activity. Their involvement in both benign and malignant neoplasias is well-known and supported by a large volume of studies. In this review, we focus on the role of the HMGA proteins in hematological malignancies, exploring the mechanisms through which they enhance neoplastic transformation and how this knowledge could be exploited to devise tailored therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Francesco Albano
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-(0)80-5478031; Fax: +39-(0)80-5508369
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lavau CP, Aumann WK, Sze SGK, Gupta V, Ripple K, Port SA, Kehlenbach RH, Wechsler DS. The SQSTM1-NUP214 fusion protein interacts with Crm1, activates Hoxa and Meis1 genes, and drives leukemogenesis in mice. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232036. [PMID: 32343715 PMCID: PMC7188244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The NUP98 and NUP214 nucleoporins (NUPs) are recurrently fused to heterologous proteins in leukemia. The resulting chimeric oncoproteins retain the phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeat motifs of the NUP moiety that mediate interaction with the nuclear export receptor Crm1. NUP fusion leukemias are characterized by HOXA gene upregulation; however, their molecular pathogenesis remains poorly understood. To investigate the role of Crm1 in mediating the leukemogenic properties of NUP chimeric proteins, we took advantage of the Sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1)-NUP214 fusion. SQSTM1-NUP214 retains only a short C-terminal portion of NUP214 which contains FG motifs that mediate interaction with Crm1. We introduced point mutations targeting these FG motifs and found that the ability of the resulting SQSTM1-NUP214FGmut protein to interact with Crm1 was reduced by more than 50% compared with SQSTM1-NUP214. Mutation of FG motifs affected transforming potential: while SQSTM1-NUP214 impaired myeloid maturation and conferred robust colony formation to transduced hematopoietic progenitors in a serial replating assay, the effect of SQSTM1-NUP214FGmut was considerably diminished. Moreover, SQSTM1-NUP214 caused myeloid leukemia in all transplanted mice, whereas none of the SQSTM1-NUP214FGmut reconstituted mice developed leukemia. These oncogenic effects coincided with the ability of SQSTM1-NUP214 and SQSTM1-NUP214FGmut to upregulate the expression of Hoxa and Meis1 genes in hematopoietic progenitors. Indeed, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that impaired SQSTM1-NUP214 interaction with Crm1 correlated with impaired binding of the fusion protein to Hoxa and Meis1 genes. These findings highlight the importance of Crm1 in mediating the leukemogenic properties of SQSTM1-NUP214, and suggest a conserved role of Crm1 in recruiting oncoproteins to their effector genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine P. Lavau
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Waitman K. Aumann
- Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Sei-Gyung K. Sze
- Maine Children’s Cancer Program, Scarborough, Maine, United States of America
| | - Veerain Gupta
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Katelyn Ripple
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Sarah A. Port
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Ralph H. Kehlenbach
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine and the Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel S. Wechsler
- Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
High WBP5 expression correlates with elevation of HOX genes levels and is associated with inferior survival in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3505. [PMID: 32103106 PMCID: PMC7044279 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60480-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
WW domain binding protein 5 (WBP5), also known as Transcriptional Elongation Factor A like 9 (TCEAL9) has been proposed as a candidate oncogene for human colorectal cancers with microsatellite instability and as a predictive indicator of small cell lung cancers. Furthermore, several independent studies have proposed WBP5, and its association with Wilms Tumor-1 (WT1) expression, as part of a gene expression-based risk score for predicting survival and clinical outcome in patients with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). To date, the prognostic significance of the sole WBP5 expression and its impact on the survival outcome in AML patients remains largely understudied. In the present study, we have made use of publicly available patient expression arrays and have developed an unbiased approach to classify AML patients into low versus high WBP5 expressers and to balance them for known mutations and cytogenetic findings. Interestingly, we found that patients characterized by high WBP5 expression displayed inferior overall and event-free survival rates. Notably, gene expression profiling showed that patients with high WBP5 had elevated expression of several HOX cluster genes, such as HOXA5, HOXA7, HOXA9 and HOXA10, and several of their partner proteins, such as MEIS1 and FOXC1, which have been demonstrated to be causative for AML. Taken together, our data suggest that WBP5 expression level could serve as an indicator for prognosis and survival outcome in patients with AML.
Collapse
|
30
|
DNMT3A mutants provide proliferating advantage with augmentation of self-renewal activity in the pathogenesis of AML in KMT2A-PTD-positive leukemic cells. Oncogenesis 2020; 9:7. [PMID: 32015320 PMCID: PMC6997180 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-020-0191-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with partial tandem duplication of histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A-PTD) is a subtype of AML and is associated with adverse survival, yet the molecular pathogenesis of KMT2A-PTD is not fully understood. DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) is mutated in various myeloid neoplasms including AML, especially at the Arg882. Recently, it has been found that DNMT3A mutations frequently coexisted with KMT2A-PTD and are associated with inferior outcomes. We aimed to understand the biological role of DNMT3A mutation in KMT2A-PTD-positive cells. Herein, we found that overexpression of DNMT3A mutants (MT) in KMT2A-PTD-positive EOL-1 cells augmented cell proliferation and clonogenicity. Serial colony replating assays indicated that DNMT3A-MT increased the self-renewal ability of Kmt2a-PTD-expressing mouse bone marrow cells with immature morphology. At 10 months post bone marrow transplantation, mice with the combined Kmt2a-PTD and DNMT3A-MT showed hepatosplenomegaly and leukocytosis with a shorter latency compared to control and DNMT3A-wild-type. Gene expression microarray analyses of bone marrow samples from human AML with KMT2A-PTD/DNMT3A-MT showed a stem cell signature and myeloid hematopoietic lineage with dysregulation of HOXB gene expression. In addition, human bone marrow AML cells carrying KMT2A-PTD/DNMT3A-MT showed abnormal growth and augmented self-renewal activity in primary cell culture. The present study provides information underlying the pathogenic role of DNMT3A-MT with KMT2A-PTD in proliferating advantage with augmentation of self-renewal activity in human leukemia, which may help to better understand the disease and to design better therapy for AML patients with these mutations.
Collapse
|
31
|
Cdx2 Animal Models Reveal Developmental Origins of Cancers. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10110928. [PMID: 31739541 PMCID: PMC6895827 DOI: 10.3390/genes10110928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Cdx2 homeobox gene is important in assigning positional identity during the finely orchestrated process of embryogenesis. In adults, regenerative responses to tissues damage can require a replay of these same developmental pathways. Errors in reassigning positional identity during regeneration can cause metaplasias-normal tissue arising in an abnormal location-and this in turn, is a well-recognized cancer risk factor. In animal models, a gain of Cdx2 function can elicit a posterior shift in tissue identity, modeling intestinal-type metaplasias of the esophagus (Barrett's esophagus) and stomach. Conversely, loss of Cdx2 function can elicit an anterior shift in tissue identity, inducing serrated-type lesions expressing gastric markers in the colon. These metaplasias are major risk factors for the later development of esophageal, stomach and colon cancer. Leukemia, another cancer in which Cdx2 is ectopically expressed, may have mechanistic parallels with epithelial cancers in terms of stress-induced reprogramming. This review will address how animal models have refined our understanding of the role of Cdx2 in these common human cancers.
Collapse
|
32
|
HoxA9 transforms murine myeloid cells by a feedback loop driving expression of key oncogenes and cell cycle control genes. Blood Adv 2019; 2:3137-3148. [PMID: 30463913 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2018025866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ectopic expression of the oncogenic transcription factor HoxA9 is a major cause of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we demonstrate that HoxA9 is a specific substrate of granule proteases. Protease knockout allowed the comprehensive determination of genome-wide HoxA9 binding sites by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing in primary murine cells and a human AML cell line. The kinetics of enhancer activity and transcription rates in response to alterations of an inducible HoxA9 were determined. This permitted identification of HoxA9-controlled enhancers and promoters, allocation to their respective transcription units, and discrimination against HoxA9-bound, but unresponsive, elements. HoxA9 triggered an elaborate positive-feedback loop that drove expression of the complete Hox-A locus. In addition, it controlled key oncogenic transcription factors Myc and Myb and directly induced the cell cycle regulators Cdk6 and CyclinD1, as well as telomerase, drawing the essential blueprint for perturbation of proliferation by leukemogenic HoxA9 expression.
Collapse
|
33
|
Lambert M, Alioui M, Jambon S, Depauw S, Van Seuningen I, David-Cordonnier MH. Direct and Indirect Targeting of HOXA9 Transcription Factor in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11060837. [PMID: 31213012 PMCID: PMC6627208 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11060837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
HOXA9 (Homeobox A9) is a homeotic transcription factor known for more than two decades to be associated with leukemia. The expression of HOXA9 homeoprotein is associated with anterior-posterior patterning during embryonic development, and its expression is then abolished in most adult cells, with the exception of hematopoietic progenitor cells. The oncogenic function of HOXA9 was first assessed in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML), particularly in the mixed-phenotype associated lineage leukemia (MPAL) subtype. HOXA9 expression in AML is associated with aggressiveness and a poor prognosis. Since then, HOXA9 has been involved in other hematopoietic malignancies and an increasing number of solid tumors. Despite this, HOXA9 was for a long time not targeted to treat cancer, mainly since, as a transcription factor, it belongs to a class of protein long considered to be an "undruggable" target; however, things have now evolved. The aim of the present review is to focus on the different aspects of HOXA9 targeting that could be achieved through multiple ways: (1) indirectly, through the inhibition of its expression, a strategy acting principally at the epigenetic level; or (2) directly, through the inhibition of its transcription factor function by acting at either the protein/protein interaction or the protein/DNA interaction interfaces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie Lambert
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 - JPArc - Centre de Recherche Jean-Pierre Aubert Neurosciences and Cancer, F-59000 Lille, France.
- Institut pour la Recherche sur le Cancer de Lille, F-59045 Lille, France.
| | - Meryem Alioui
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 - JPArc - Centre de Recherche Jean-Pierre Aubert Neurosciences and Cancer, F-59000 Lille, France.
- Institut pour la Recherche sur le Cancer de Lille, F-59045 Lille, France.
| | - Samy Jambon
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 - JPArc - Centre de Recherche Jean-Pierre Aubert Neurosciences and Cancer, F-59000 Lille, France.
- Institut pour la Recherche sur le Cancer de Lille, F-59045 Lille, France.
| | - Sabine Depauw
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 - JPArc - Centre de Recherche Jean-Pierre Aubert Neurosciences and Cancer, F-59000 Lille, France.
- Institut pour la Recherche sur le Cancer de Lille, F-59045 Lille, France.
| | - Isabelle Van Seuningen
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 - JPArc - Centre de Recherche Jean-Pierre Aubert Neurosciences and Cancer, F-59000 Lille, France.
| | - Marie-Hélène David-Cordonnier
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 - JPArc - Centre de Recherche Jean-Pierre Aubert Neurosciences and Cancer, F-59000 Lille, France.
- Institut pour la Recherche sur le Cancer de Lille, F-59045 Lille, France.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
A predicted novel protein isoform of HOXA9. Leuk Res 2019; 82:7-10. [PMID: 31112908 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
35
|
Vishwakarma BA, Gudmundsson KO, Oakley K, Han Y, Du Y. Insertional mutagenesis identifies cooperation between Setbp1 and Mllt3 in inducing myeloid leukemia development. Leukemia 2019; 33:2121-2125. [PMID: 30894666 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-019-0445-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bandana A Vishwakarma
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kristbjorn O Gudmundsson
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kevin Oakley
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yufen Han
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yang Du
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Somers K, Wen VW, Middlemiss SMC, Osborne B, Forgham H, Jung M, Karsa M, Clifton M, Bongers A, Gao J, Mayoh C, Raoufi-Rad N, Kusnadi EP, Hannan KM, Scott DA, Kwek A, Liu B, Flemming C, Chudakova DA, Pandher R, Failes TW, Lim J, Angeli A, Osterman AL, Imamura T, Kees UR, Supuran CT, Pearson RB, Hannan RD, Davis TP, McCarroll J, Kavallaris M, Turner N, Gudkov AV, Haber M, Norris MD, Henderson MJ. A novel small molecule that kills a subset of MLL-rearranged leukemia cells by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. Oncogene 2019; 38:3824-3842. [PMID: 30670779 PMCID: PMC6756102 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0666-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Survival rates for pediatric patients suffering from mixed lineage leukemia (MLL)-rearranged leukemia remain below 50% and more targeted, less toxic therapies are urgently needed. A screening method optimized to discover cytotoxic compounds selective for MLL-rearranged leukemia identified CCI-006 as a novel inhibitor of MLL-rearranged and CALM-AF10 translocated leukemias that share common leukemogenic pathways. CCI-006 inhibited mitochondrial respiration and induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and apoptosis in a subset (7/11, 64%) of MLL-rearranged leukemia cell lines within a few hours of treatment. The unresponsive MLL-rearranged leukemia cells did not undergo mitochondrial membrane depolarization or apoptosis despite a similar attenuation of mitochondrial respiration by the compound. In comparison to the sensitive cells, the unresponsive MLL-rearranged leukemia cells were characterized by a more glycolytic metabolic phenotype, exemplified by a more pronounced sensitivity to glycolysis inhibitors and elevated HIF1α expression. Silencing of HIF1α expression sensitized an intrinsically unresponsive MLL-rearranged leukemia cell to CCI-006, indicating that this pathway plays a role in determining sensitivity to the compound. In addition, unresponsive MLL-rearranged leukemia cells expressed increased levels of MEIS1, an important leukemogenic MLL target gene that plays a role in regulating metabolic phenotype through HIF1α. MEIS1 expression was also variable in a pediatric MLL-rearranged ALL patient dataset, highlighting the existence of a previously undescribed metabolic variability in MLL-rearranged leukemia that may contribute to the heterogeneity of the disease. This study thus identified a novel small molecule that rapidly kills MLL-rearranged leukemia cells by targeting a metabolic vulnerability in a subset of low HIF1α/low MEIS1-expressing MLL-rearranged leukemia cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Klaartje Somers
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Victoria W Wen
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Shiloh M C Middlemiss
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Brenna Osborne
- Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Helen Forgham
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - MoonSun Jung
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Mawar Karsa
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Molly Clifton
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Angelika Bongers
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Jixuan Gao
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Chelsea Mayoh
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Newsha Raoufi-Rad
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Eric P Kusnadi
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kate M Hannan
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra City, ACT, Australia
| | - David A Scott
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Alan Kwek
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Bing Liu
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Claudia Flemming
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Daria A Chudakova
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Ruby Pandher
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Tim W Failes
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,ACRF Drug Discovery Centre, Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James Lim
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrea Angeli
- Neurofarba Department, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Andrei L Osterman
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Toshihiko Imamura
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ursula R Kees
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | | | | | - Ross D Hannan
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra City, ACT, Australia
| | - Thomas P Davis
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Chemistry, University of Warrick, Coventry, UK
| | - Joshua McCarroll
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Maria Kavallaris
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nigel Turner
- Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrei V Gudkov
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Oncotartis, Inc., Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Michelle Haber
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Murray D Norris
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,UNSW Centre for Childhood Cancer Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle J Henderson
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
PKNOX2 expression and regulation in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells of Fanconi anemia patients and healthy donors. Mol Biol Rep 2018; 46:669-678. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-018-4522-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
|
38
|
Coan M, Rampioni Vinciguerra GL, Cesaratto L, Gardenal E, Bianchet R, Dassi E, Vecchione A, Baldassarre G, Spizzo R, Nicoloso MS. Exploring the Role of Fallopian Ciliated Cells in the Pathogenesis of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19092512. [PMID: 30149579 PMCID: PMC6163198 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
High-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women and the first among gynecological malignancies. Despite an initial response to standard chemotherapy, most HGSOC patients relapse. To improve treatment options, we must continue investigating tumor biology. Tumor characteristics (e.g., risk factors and epidemiology) are valuable clues to accomplish this task. The two most frequent risk factors for HGSOC are the lifetime number of ovulations, which is associated with increased oxidative stress in the pelvic area caused by ovulation fluid, and a positive family history due to genetic factors. In the attempt to identify novel genetic factors (i.e., genes) associated with HGSOC, we observed that several genes in linkage with HGSOC are expressed in the ciliated cells of the fallopian tube. This finding made us hypothesize that ciliated cells, despite not being the cell of origin for HGSOC, may take part in HGSOC tumor initiation. Specifically, malfunction of the ciliary beat impairs the laminar fluid flow above the fallopian tube epithelia, thus likely reducing the clearance of oxidative stress caused by follicular fluid. Herein, we review the up-to-date findings dealing with HGSOC predisposition with the hypothesis that fallopian ciliated cells take part in HGSOC onset. Finally, we review the up-to-date literature concerning genes that are located in genomic loci associated with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) predisposition that are expressed by the fallopian ciliated cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michela Coan
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Translational Research, IRCCS CRO Aviano-National Cancer Institute, Via Franco Gallini, 2 33081 Aviano PN, Italy.
| | - Gian Luca Rampioni Vinciguerra
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Translational Research, IRCCS CRO Aviano-National Cancer Institute, Via Franco Gallini, 2 33081 Aviano PN, Italy.
| | - Laura Cesaratto
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Translational Research, IRCCS CRO Aviano-National Cancer Institute, Via Franco Gallini, 2 33081 Aviano PN, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Gardenal
- Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Bianchet
- Scientific Direction, CRO Aviano Italy, Via Franco Gallini, 2 33081 Aviano, Italy.
| | - Erik Dassi
- Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, Italy.
| | - Andrea Vecchione
- Department of clinical and molecular medicine, university of Rome "Sapienza", c/o sant andrea hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
| | - Gustavo Baldassarre
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Translational Research, IRCCS CRO Aviano-National Cancer Institute, Via Franco Gallini, 2 33081 Aviano PN, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Spizzo
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Translational Research, IRCCS CRO Aviano-National Cancer Institute, Via Franco Gallini, 2 33081 Aviano PN, Italy.
| | - Milena Sabrina Nicoloso
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Translational Research, IRCCS CRO Aviano-National Cancer Institute, Via Franco Gallini, 2 33081 Aviano PN, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Darvishi M, Mashati P, Khosravi A. The clinical significance of CDX2 in leukemia: A new perspective for leukemia research. Leuk Res 2018; 72:45-51. [PMID: 30096576 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2018.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
CDX2 gene encodes a transcription factor involved in primary embryogenesis and hematopoietic development; however, the expression of CDX2 in adults is restricted to intestine and is not observed in blood tissues. The ectopic expression of CDX2 has been frequently observed in acute myeloid and lymphoid leukemia which in most cases is concomitant with poor prognosis. Induction of CDX2 in mice leads to hematologic complications, showing the leukemogenic origin of this gene. CDX2 plays significant role in the most critical pathways as the regulator of important transcription factors targeting cell proliferation, multi-drug resistance and survival. On the whole, the results indicate that CDX2 has the potential to be suggested as the diagnostic marker in hematologic malignancies. This review discusses the role of aberrant expression of CDX2 in the prognosis and the response to treatment in patients with different leukemia in clinical reports in the recent decades. The improvement in this regard could be of high importance in diagnosis and treatment methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mina Darvishi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Bank, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pargol Mashati
- Department of Hematology and Blood Bank, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Khosravi
- Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Chang-Panesso M, Kadyrov FF, Machado FG, Kumar A, Humphreys BD. Meis1 is specifically upregulated in kidney myofibroblasts during aging and injury but is not required for kidney homeostasis or fibrotic response. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2018; 315:F275-F290. [PMID: 29592525 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00030.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The homeobox transcription factor Meis1 is required for mammalian development, and its overexpression plays a role in tumorigenesis, especially leukemia. Meis1 is known to be expressed in kidney stroma, but its function in kidney is undefined. We hypothesized that Meis1 may regulate stromal cell proliferation in kidney development and disease and tested the hypothesis using cell lineage tracing and cell-specific Meis1 deletion in development, aging, and fibrotic disease. We observed strong expression of Meis1 in platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β-positive pericytes and perivascular fibroblasts, both in adult mouse kidney and to a lesser degree in human kidney. Either bilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury or aging itself led to strong upregulation of Meis1 protein and mRNA in kidney myofibroblasts, and genetic lineage analysis confirmed that Meis1-positive cells proliferate as they differentiate into myofibroblasts after injury. Conditional deletion of Meis1 in all kidney stroma with two separate tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase drivers had no phenotype with the exception of consistent induction of the tubular injury marker kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) only in Meis1 mutants. Further examination of Kim-1 expression revealed linkage disequilibrium of Kim-1 and Meis1, such that Meis1 mutants carried the longer BALB/c Kim-1 allele. Unexpectedly, we report that this Kim-1 allele is expressed at baseline in wild-type BALB/c mice, without any associated abnormalities, including long-term fibrosis, as predicted from the literature. We conclude that Meis1 is specifically expressed in stroma and myofibroblasts of mouse and human kidney, that it is not required for kidney development, disease, or aging, and that BALB/c mice unexpectedly express Kim-1 protein at baseline without other kidney abnormality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monica Chang-Panesso
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Farid F Kadyrov
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Flavia G Machado
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Benjamin D Humphreys
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Gentner E, Vegi NM, Mulaw MA, Mandal T, Bamezai S, Claus R, Tasdogan A, Quintanilla-Martinez L, Grunenberg A, Döhner K, Döhner H, Bullinger L, Haferlach T, Buske C, Rawat VPS, Feuring-Buske M. VENTX induces expansion of primitive erythroid cells and contributes to the development of acute myeloid leukemia in mice. Oncotarget 2018; 7:86889-86901. [PMID: 27888632 PMCID: PMC5349961 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeobox genes are key regulators in normal and malignant hematopoiesis. The human Vent-like homeobox gene VENTX, a putative homolog of the Xenopus laevis Xvent-2 gene, was shown to be highly expressed in normal myeloid cells and in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. We now demonstrate that constitutive expression of VENTX suppresses expression of genes responsible for terminal erythroid differentiation in normal CD34+ stem and progenitor cells. Transplantation of bone marrow progenitor cells retrovirally engineered to express VENTX caused massive expansion of primitive erythroid cells and partly acute erythroleukemia in transplanted mice. The leukemogenic potential of VENTX was confirmed in the AML1-ETO transplantation model, as in contrast to AML1-ETO alone co-expression of AML1-ETO and VENTX induced acute myeloid leukemia, partly expressing erythroid markers, in all transplanted mice. VENTX was highly expressed in patients with primary human erythroleukemias and knockdown of VENTX in the erythroleukemic HEL cell line significantly blocked cell growth. In summary, these data indicate that VENTX is able to perturb erythroid differentiation and to contribute to myeloid leukemogenesis when co-expressed with appropriate AML oncogenes and point to its potential significance as a novel therapeutic target in AML.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva Gentner
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, CCC and University Hospital of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Naidu M Vegi
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, CCC and University Hospital of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Medhanie A Mulaw
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, CCC and University Hospital of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Tamoghna Mandal
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, CCC and University Hospital of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Shiva Bamezai
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, CCC and University Hospital of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Rainer Claus
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Alexander Grunenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Konstanze Döhner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Hartmut Döhner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Lars Bullinger
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Christian Buske
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, CCC and University Hospital of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Vijay P S Rawat
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, CCC and University Hospital of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
de Bock CE, Demeyer S, Degryse S, Verbeke D, Sweron B, Gielen O, Vandepoel R, Vicente C, Vanden Bempt M, Dagklis A, Geerdens E, Bornschein S, Gijsbers R, Soulier J, Meijerink JP, Heinäniemi M, Teppo S, Bouvy-Liivrand M, Lohi O, Radaelli E, Cools J. HOXA9 Cooperates with Activated JAK/STAT Signaling to Drive Leukemia Development. Cancer Discov 2018; 8:616-631. [PMID: 29496663 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-17-0583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Leukemia is caused by the accumulation of multiple genomic lesions in hematopoietic precursor cells. However, how these events cooperate during oncogenic transformation remains poorly understood. We studied the cooperation between activated JAK3/STAT5 signaling and HOXA9 overexpression, two events identified as significantly co-occurring in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Expression of mutant JAK3 and HOXA9 led to a rapid development of leukemia originating from multipotent or lymphoid-committed progenitors, with a significant decrease in disease latency compared with JAK3 or HOXA9 alone. Integrated RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, and Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) revealed that STAT5 and HOXA9 have co-occupancy across the genome, resulting in enhanced STAT5 transcriptional activity and ectopic activation of FOS/JUN (AP1). Our data suggest that oncogenic transcription factors such as HOXA9 provide a fertile ground for specific signaling pathways to thrive, explaining why JAK/STAT pathway mutations accumulate in HOXA9-expressing cells.Significance: The mechanism of oncogene cooperation in cancer development remains poorly characterized. In this study, we model the cooperation between activated JAK/STAT signaling and ectopic HOXA9 expression during T-cell leukemia development. We identify a direct cooperation between STAT5 and HOXA9 at the transcriptional level and identify PIM1 kinase as a possible drug target in mutant JAK/STAT/HOXA9-positive leukemia cases. Cancer Discov; 8(5); 616-31. ©2018 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 517.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles E de Bock
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sofie Demeyer
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Degryse
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Delphine Verbeke
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Sweron
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olga Gielen
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roel Vandepoel
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carmen Vicente
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marlies Vanden Bempt
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Antonis Dagklis
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ellen Geerdens
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Simon Bornschein
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Gijsbers
- Laboratory for Viral Vector Technology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Soulier
- U944 INSERM and Hematology Laboratory, St-Louis Hospital, APHP, Hematology University Institute, University Paris-Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Jules P Meijerink
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Merja Heinäniemi
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Susanna Teppo
- Tampere Centre for Child Health Research, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Maria Bouvy-Liivrand
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Olli Lohi
- Tampere Centre for Child Health Research, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Enrico Radaelli
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Cools
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium. .,VIB, Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Differential regulation of the c-Myc/Lin28 axis discriminates subclasses of rearranged MLL leukemia. Oncotarget 2018; 7:25208-23. [PMID: 27007052 PMCID: PMC5041898 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
MLL rearrangements occur in myeloid and lymphoid leukemias and are generally associated with a poor prognosis, however this varies depending on the fusion partner. We modeled acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in mice using various MLL fusion proteins (MLL-FPs) and observed significantly different survival outcomes. To better understand the differences between these leukemias, we examined the genome wide expression profiles of leukemic cells transformed with different MLL-FPs. RNA-sequencing and pathway analysis identified the c-Myc transcriptional program as one of the top distinguishing features. c-Myc protein levels were highly correlative with AML disease latency in mice. Functionally, overexpression of c-Myc resulted in a more aggressive proliferation rate in MLL-FP cell lines. While all MLL-FP transformed cells displayed sensitivity to BET inhibitors, high c-Myc expressing cells showed greater resistance to Brd4 inhibition. The Myc target Lin28B was also differentially expressed in MLL-FP cell lines in agreement with c-Myc expression. Examination of Lin28B miRNAs targets revealed that let-7g was significantly increased in leukemic cells associated with the longest disease latency and forced let-7g expression induced differentiation of leukemic blasts. Thus, differential regulation of the c-Myc/Lin28/let-7g program by different MLL-FPs is functionally related to disease latency and BET inhibitor resistance in MLL leukemias.
Collapse
|
44
|
Silencing of HMGA2 reverses retardance of cell differentiation in human myeloid leukaemia. Br J Cancer 2018; 118:405-415. [PMID: 29384529 PMCID: PMC5808023 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2017.403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 10/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: High-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) may serve as an architectural transcription factor, and it can regulate a range of normal biological processes including proliferation and differentiation. Upregulation of HMGA2 expression is correlated to the undifferentiated phenotype of immature leukaemic cells. However, the underlying mechanism of HMGA2-dependent myeloid differentiation blockage in leukaemia is unknown. Methods: To reveal the role and mechanism of HMGA2 in differentiation arrest of myeloid leukaemia cells, the quantitative expression of HMGA2 and homeobox A9 (HOXA9) was analysed by real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The regulatory function of HMGA2 in blockage of differentiation in human myeloid leukaemia was investigated through in vitro assays (XTT assay, May–Grünwald–Giemsa, flow cytometry analysis and western blot). Results: We found that the expression of HMGA2 and HOXA9 was reduced during the process of granulo-monocytic maturation of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells, knockdown of HMGA2 promotes terminal (granulocytic and monocytic) differentiation of myeloid leukaemia primary blasts and cell lines, and HOXA9 was significantly downregulated in leukaemic cells with knockdown of HMGA2. Downregulation of HOXA9 in myeloid leukaemia cells led to increased differentiation capacity in vitro. Conclusions: Our data suggest that increased expression of HMGA2 represents a possible new mechanism of myeloid differentiation blockage of leukaemia. Aberrant expression of HMGA2 may enhance HOXA9-dependent leukaemogenesis and myeloid leukaemia phenotype. Disturbance of the HMGA2–HOXA9 pathway is probably a therapeutic strategy in myeloid leukaemia.
Collapse
|
45
|
Schneider E, Staffas A, Röhner L, Malmberg ED, Ashouri A, Krowiorz K, Pochert N, Miller C, Wei SY, Arabanian L, Buske C, Döhner H, Bullinger L, Fogelstrand L, Heuser M, Döhner K, Xiang P, Ruschmann J, Petriv OI, Heravi-Moussavi A, Hansen CL, Hirst M, Humphries RK, Rouhi A, Palmqvist L, Kuchenbauer F. Micro-ribonucleic acid-155 is a direct target of Meis1, but not a driver in acute myeloid leukemia. Haematologica 2017; 103:246-255. [PMID: 29217774 PMCID: PMC5792269 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2017.177485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro-ribonucleic acid-155 (miR-155) is one of the first described oncogenic miRNAs. Although multiple direct targets of miR-155 have been identified, it is not clear how it contributes to the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia. We found miR-155 to be a direct target of Meis1 in murine Hoxa9/Meis1 induced acute myeloid leukemia. The additional overexpression of miR-155 accelerated the formation of acute myeloid leukemia in Hoxa9 as well as in Hoxa9/Meis1 cells in vivo. However, in the absence or following the removal of miR-155, leukemia onset and progression were unaffected. Although miR-155 accelerated growth and homing in addition to impairing differentiation, our data underscore the pathophysiological relevance of miR-155 as an accelerator rather than a driver of leukemogenesis. This further highlights the complexity of the oncogenic program of Meis1 to compensate for the loss of a potent oncogene such as miR-155. These findings are highly relevant to current and developing approaches for targeting miR-155 in acute myeloid leukemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edith Schneider
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Anna Staffas
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Linda Röhner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Erik D Malmberg
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Kathrin Krowiorz
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Nicole Pochert
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Christina Miller
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Stella Yuan Wei
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Laleh Arabanian
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christian Buske
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Centre Ulm, Germany
| | - Hartmut Döhner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Lars Bullinger
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Linda Fogelstrand
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michael Heuser
- Department of Hematology, Homeostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Germany
| | - Konstanze Döhner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Ping Xiang
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jens Ruschmann
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Oleh I Petriv
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alireza Heravi-Moussavi
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Carl L Hansen
- Centre for High-Throughput Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Martin Hirst
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for High-Throughput Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - R Keith Humphries
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Arefeh Rouhi
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany
| | - Lars Palmqvist
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Florian Kuchenbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany .,Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Centre Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Negi V, Vishwakarma BA, Chu S, Oakley K, Han Y, Bhatia R, Du Y. Hoxa9 and Hoxa10 induce CML myeloid blast crisis development through activation of Myb expression. Oncotarget 2017; 8:98853-98864. [PMID: 29228732 PMCID: PMC5716772 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying the progression of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) from chronic phase to myeloid blast crisis are poorly understood. Our previous studies have suggested that overexpression of SETBP1 can drive this progression by conferring unlimited self-renewal capability to granulocyte macrophage progenitors (GMPs). Here we show that overexpression of Hoxa9 or Hoxa10, both transcriptional targets of Setbp1, is also sufficient to induce self-renewal of primary myeloid progenitors, causing their immortalization in culture. More importantly, both are able to cooperate with BCR/ABL to consistently induce transformation of mouse GMPs and development of aggressive leukemias resembling CML myeloid blast crisis, suggesting that either gene can drive CML progression by promoting the self-renewal of GMPs. We further identify Myb as a common critical target for Hoxa9 and Hoxa10 in inducing self-renewal of myeloid progenitors as Myb knockdown significantly reduced colony-forming potential of myeloid progenitors immortalized by the expression of either gene. Interestingly, Myb is also capable of immortalizing primary myeloid progenitors in culture and cooperating with BCR/ABL to induce leukemic transformation of mouse GMPs. Significantly increased levels of MYB transcript also were detected in all human CML blast crisis samples examined over chronic phase samples, further suggesting the possibility that MYB overexpression may play a prevalent role in driving human CML myeloid blast crisis development. In summary, our results identify overexpression of HOXA9, HOXA10, and MYB as critical drivers of CML progression, and suggest MYB as a key therapeutic target for inhibiting the self-renewal of leukemia-initiating cells in CML myeloid blast crisis patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Negi
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bandana A Vishwakarma
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Su Chu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kevin Oakley
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yufen Han
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ravi Bhatia
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Yang Du
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
A knock-in mouse strain facilitates dynamic tracking and enrichment of MEIS1. Blood Adv 2017; 1:2225-2235. [PMID: 29296870 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2017010355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myeloid ecotropic viral integration site 1 (MEIS1), a HOX transcription cofactor, is a critical regulator of normal hematopoiesis, and its overexpression is implicated in a wide range of leukemias. Using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein-9 (Cas9) gene-editing system, we generated a knock-in transgenic mouse line in which a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter and a hemagglutinin (HA) epitope tag are inserted near the translational start site of endogenous Meis1. This novel reporter strain readily enables tracking of MEIS1 expression at single-cell-level resolution via the fluorescence reporter GFP, and facilitates MEIS1 detection and purification via the HA epitope tag. This new Meis1 reporter mouse line provides powerful new approaches to track Meis1-expressing hematopoietic cells and to explore Meis1 function and regulation during normal and leukemic hematopoiesis.
Collapse
|
48
|
McKeown MR, Corces MR, Eaton ML, Fiore C, Lee E, Lopez JT, Chen MW, Smith D, Chan SM, Koenig JL, Austgen K, Guenther MG, Orlando DA, Lovén J, Fritz CC, Majeti R. Superenhancer Analysis Defines Novel Epigenomic Subtypes of Non-APL AML, Including an RARα Dependency Targetable by SY-1425, a Potent and Selective RARα Agonist. Cancer Discov 2017; 7:1136-1153. [PMID: 28729405 PMCID: PMC5962349 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-17-0399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
We characterized the enhancer landscape of 66 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), identifying 6 novel subgroups and their associated regulatory loci. These subgroups are defined by their superenhancer (SE) maps, orthogonal to somatic mutations, and are associated with distinct leukemic cell states. Examination of transcriptional drivers for these epigenomic subtypes uncovers a subset of patients with a particularly strong SE at the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA) gene locus. The presence of a RARA SE and concomitant high levels of RARA mRNA predisposes cell lines and ex vivo models to exquisite sensitivity to a selective agonist of RARα, SY-1425 (tamibarotene). Furthermore, only AML patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models with high RARA mRNA were found to respond to SY-1425. Mechanistically, we show that the response to SY-1425 in RARA-high AML cells is similar to that of acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with retinoids, characterized by the induction of known retinoic acid response genes, increased differentiation, and loss of proliferation.Significance: We use the SE landscape of primary human AML to elucidate transcriptional circuitry and identify novel cancer vulnerabilities. A subset of patients were found to have an SE at RARA, which is predictive for response to SY-1425, a potent and selective RARα agonist, in preclinical models, forming the rationale for its clinical investigation in biomarker-selected patients. Cancer Discov; 7(10); 1136-53. ©2017 AACR.See related commentary by Wang and Aifantis, p. 1065.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1047.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - M Ryan Corces
- Program in Cancer Biology, Cancer Institute, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | | | - Chris Fiore
- Syros Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Emily Lee
- Syros Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | - Steven M Chan
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julie L Koenig
- Program in Cancer Biology, Cancer Institute, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | | | | | | | - Jakob Lovén
- Syros Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Ravindra Majeti
- Program in Cancer Biology, Cancer Institute, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Lai CK, Norddahl GL, Maetzig T, Rosten P, Lohr T, Sanchez Milde L, von Krosigk N, Docking TR, Heuser M, Karsan A, Humphries RK. Meis2 as a critical player in MN1-induced leukemia. Blood Cancer J 2017; 7:e613. [PMID: 28960191 PMCID: PMC5709755 DOI: 10.1038/bcj.2017.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Meningioma 1 (MN1) is an independent prognostic marker for normal karyotype acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with high expression linked to all-trans retinoic acid resistance and poor survival. MN1 is also a potent and sufficient oncogene in murine leukemia models, strongly dependent on the MEIS1/AbdB-like HOX protein complex to transform common myeloid progenitors, block myeloid differentiation, and promote leukemic stem cell self-renewal. To identify key genes and pathways underlying leukemic activity, we functionally assessed MN1 cell phenotypic heterogeneity, revealing leukemic and non-leukemic subsets. Using gene expression profiling of these subsets combined with previously published comparisons of full-length MN1 and mutants with varying leukemogenic activity, we identified candidate genes critical to leukemia. Functional analysis identified Hlf and Hoxa9 as critical to MN1 in vitro proliferation, self-renewal and impaired myeloid differentiation. Although critical to transformation, Meis1 knockdown had little impact on these properties in vitro. However, we identified Meis2 as critical to MN1-induced leukemia, with essential roles in proliferation, self-renewal, impairment of differentiation and disease progression in vitro and in vivo. Here, we provide evidence of phenotypic and functional hierarchy in MN1-induced leukemic cells, characterise contributions of Hlf, Hoxa9 and Meis1 to in vitro leukemic properties, and reveal Meis2 as a novel player in MN1-induced leukemogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C K Lai
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - G L Norddahl
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - T Maetzig
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - P Rosten
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - T Lohr
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - L Sanchez Milde
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - N von Krosigk
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - T R Docking
- Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - M Heuser
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - A Karsan
- Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - R K Humphries
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Stahlhut M, Schambach A, Kustikova OS. Multimodal Lentiviral Vectors for Pharmacologically Controlled Switching Between Constitutive Single Gene Expression and Tetracycline-Regulated Multiple Gene Collaboration. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2017; 28:191-204. [PMID: 28683573 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2017.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multimodal lentiviral vectors (LVs) allow switching between constitutive and tetracycline-regulated gene co-expressions in genetically modified cells. Transduction of murine primary hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) with multimodal LVs in the absence of doxycycline ensures the constitutive expression of gene of interest 1 (GOI1) only. In the presence of doxycycline, induced tetracycline-regulated expression of a second GOI (GOI2) allows evaluation of the collaboration between two genes. Drug removal retains constitutive expression, which allows the contribution of an individual gene into created networks to be studied. Doxycycline-dependent switching can be tracked via fluorescent markers coupled to constitutive and tetracycline-regulated GOIs. This article describes transduction of murine primary HPCs with different doses of multimodal LVs, distinct cytokine conditions, and their influence on the number and viability of cells co-expressing both collaborating GOIs upon doxycycline induction. A 2-week protocol is provided for multimodal LV production, titer determination, and evaluation of tetracycline responsive promoter background activity in a murine fibroblast cell line. The power of this model to assess the dose/time/order-controlled contribution of single and multiple genes into hematopoietic networks opens new routes in reprogramming, stem cell, and leukemia biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maike Stahlhut
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,3 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Olga S Kustikova
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| |
Collapse
|