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Xu Y, Qiu Z, Chen J, Huang L, Zhang J, Lin J. LINC00460 promotes neuroblastoma tumorigenesis and cisplatin resistance by targeting miR-149-5p/DLL1 axis and activating Notch pathway in vitro and in vivo. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2024; 14:2003-2018. [PMID: 38161194 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-023-01505-6] [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] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to participate in neuroblastoma cisplatin resistance and tumorigenesis. LncRNA LINC00460 was previously reported to play a critical regulatory role in many cancer development. Nevertheless, its role in modulating neuroblastoma cisplatin resistance has not been explored till now. Cisplatin-resistant neuroblastoma cell lines were established by exposing neuroblastoma cell lines to progressively increasing concentrations of cisplatin for 6 months. LINC00460, microRNA (miR)-149-5p, and delta-like ligand 1 (DLL1) mRNA expression was measured through RT-qPCR. The protein levels of DLL1, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, and the Notch signaling-related molecules were measured via western blotting. The IC50 value for cisplatin, cell growth, metastasis and apoptosis were analyzed in cisplatin-resistant neuroblastoma cells. The binding between LINC00460 (or DLL1) and miR-149-5p was validated through dual-luciferase reporter assay. The murine xenograft model was established to perform in vivo assays. LINC00460 and DLL1 levels were elevated, while miR-149-5p level was reduced in cisplatin-resistant neuroblastoma cells. LINC00460 depletion attenuated IC50 values for cisplatin, weakened cell growth, metastasis, and EMT, and enhanced apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant neuroblastoma cells. Mechanically, LINC00460 sponged miR-338-3p to increase DLL1 level, thereby activating Notch signaling pathway. DLL1 overexpression antagonized LINC00460 silencing-induced suppression on neuroblastoma cell cisplatin resistance and malignant behaviors, while such effects were further reversed by treatment with DAPT, the inhibitor of Notch pathway. Additionally, LINC00460 knockdown further augmented cisplatin-induced impairment on tumor growth in vivo. LINC00460 contributes to neuroblastoma cisplatin resistance and tumorigenesis through miR-149-5p/DLL1/Notch pathway, providing new directions to improve the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy drugs applied in patients with neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Xu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 Cha-Zhong Road, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Zhixin Qiu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 Cha-Zhong Road, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Jinwen Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 Cha-Zhong Road, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Lihong Huang
- The First Clinical Medical School, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhang
- The First Clinical Medical School, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Junshan Lin
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 20 Cha-Zhong Road, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, China.
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Berthenet K, Aïmontché E, El Mrini S, Brière J, Pion N, Iacono I, Brejon S, Monier K, Catez F, Ichim G, Combaret V, Mertani HC, Diaz JJ, Albaret MA. Spatial sequestration of activated-caspase 3 in aggresomes mediates resistance of neuroblastoma cell to bortezomib treatment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3768. [PMID: 38355966 PMCID: PMC10866921 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54140-7] [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: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common pediatric tumor and is currently treated by several types of therapies including chemotherapies, such as bortezomib treatment. However, resistance to bortezomib is frequently observed by mechanisms that remain to be deciphered. Bortezomib treatment leads to caspase activation and aggresome formation. Using models of patients-derived NB cell lines with different levels of sensitivity to bortezomib, we show that the activated form of caspase 3 accumulates within aggresomes of NB resistant cells leading to an impairment of bortezomib-induced apoptosis and increased cell survival. Our findings unveil a new mechanism of resistance to chemotherapy based on an altered subcellular distribution of the executioner caspase 3. This mechanism could explain the resistance developed in NB patients treated with bortezomib, emphasizing the potential of drugs targeting aggresomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Berthenet
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Eliézer Aïmontché
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Sara El Mrini
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Johan Brière
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Nathalie Pion
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Isabelle Iacono
- Department of Translational Research and Innovation, Centre Léon Bérard, 69373, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphanie Brejon
- Department of Translational Research and Innovation, Centre Léon Bérard, 69373, Lyon, France
| | - Karine Monier
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Frédéric Catez
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Gabriel Ichim
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
- Institut Convergence PLAsCAN, 69373, Lyon Cedex 08, France
| | - Valérie Combaret
- Department of Translational Research and Innovation, Centre Léon Bérard, 69373, Lyon, France
| | - Hichem C Mertani
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Diaz
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France
- Institut Convergence PLAsCAN, 69373, Lyon Cedex 08, France
- DevWeCan Labex Laboratory, 69373, Lyon Cedex 08, France
| | - Marie Alexandra Albaret
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008, Lyon, France.
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3
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Yuan Y, Alzrigat M, Rodriguez-Garcia A, Wang X, Bexelius TS, Johnsen JI, Arsenian-Henriksson M, Liaño-Pons J, Bedoya-Reina OC. Target Genes of c-MYC and MYCN with Prognostic Power in Neuroblastoma Exhibit Different Expressions during Sympathoadrenal Development. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4599. [PMID: 37760568 PMCID: PMC10527308 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Deregulation of the MYC family of transcription factors c-MYC (encoded by MYC), MYCN, and MYCL is prevalent in most human cancers, with an impact on tumor initiation and progression, as well as response to therapy. In neuroblastoma (NB), amplification of the MYCN oncogene and over-expression of MYC characterize approximately 40% and 10% of all high-risk NB cases, respectively. However, the mechanism and stage of neural crest development in which MYCN and c-MYC contribute to the onset and/or progression of NB are not yet fully understood. Here, we hypothesized that subtle differences in the expression of MYCN and/or c-MYC targets could more accurately stratify NB patients in different risk groups rather than using the expression of either MYC gene alone. We employed an integrative approach using the transcriptome of 498 NB patients from the SEQC cohort and previously defined c-MYC and MYCN target genes to model a multigene transcriptional risk score. Our findings demonstrate that defined sets of c-MYC and MYCN targets with significant prognostic value, effectively stratify NB patients into different groups with varying overall survival probabilities. In particular, patients exhibiting a high-risk signature score present unfavorable clinical parameters, including increased clinical risk, higher INSS stage, MYCN amplification, and disease progression. Notably, target genes with prognostic value differ between c-MYC and MYCN, exhibiting distinct expression patterns in the developing sympathoadrenal system. Genes associated with poor outcomes are mainly found in sympathoblasts rather than in chromaffin cells during the sympathoadrenal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yuan
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mohammad Alzrigat
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aida Rodriguez-Garcia
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xueyao Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Sjöberg Bexelius
- Paediatric Oncology Unit, Astrid Lindgren’s Children Hospital, SE-171 64 Solna, Sweden
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John Inge Johnsen
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Arsenian-Henriksson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Judit Liaño-Pons
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oscar C. Bedoya-Reina
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
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Ahmad MH, Ghosh B, Rizvi MA, Ali M, Kaur L, Mondal AC. Neural crest cells development and neuroblastoma progression: Role of Wnt signaling. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:306-328. [PMID: 36502519 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common heterogeneous extracranial cancers in infancy that arises from neural crest (NC) cells of the sympathetic nervous system. The Wnt signaling pathway, both canonical and noncanonical pathway, is a highly conserved signaling pathway that regulates the development and differentiation of the NC cells during embryogenesis. Reports suggest that aberrant activation of Wnt ligands/receptors in Wnt signaling pathways promote progression and relapse of NB. Wnt signaling pathways regulate NC induction and migration in a similar manner; it regulates proliferation and metastasis of NB. Inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway or its ligands/receptors induces apoptosis and abrogates proliferation and tumorigenicity in all major types of NB cells. Here, we comprehensively discuss the Wnt signaling pathway and its mechanisms in regulating the development of NC and NB pathogenesis. This review highlights the implications of aberrant Wnt signaling in the context of etiology, progression, and relapse of NB. We have also described emerging strategies for Wnt-based therapies against the progression of NB that will provide new insights into the development of Wnt-based therapeutic strategies for NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Hilal Ahmad
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.,Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Balaram Ghosh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Midnapore Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal, Medinipur, India
| | - Moshahid Alam Rizvi
- Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Mansoor Ali
- School of Life Sciences, Cancer Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Loveleena Kaur
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Srinagar, India
| | - Amal Chandra Mondal
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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The BRD4 Inhibitor dBET57 Exerts Anticancer Effects by Targeting Superenhancer-Related Genes in Neuroblastoma. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:7945884. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/7945884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common solid tumor of the neural crest cell origin in children and has a poor prognosis in high-risk patients. The oncogene MYCN was found to be amplified at extremely high levels in approximately 20% of neuroblastoma cases. In recent years, research on the targeted hydrolysis of BRD4 to indirectly inhibit the transcription of the MYCN created by proteolysis targeting chimaera (PROTAC) technology has become very popular. dBET57 (S0137, Selleck, TX, USA) is a novel and potent heterobifunctional small molecule degrader based on PROTAC technology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of dBET57 in NB and its potential mechanism. In this study, we found that dBET57 can target BRD4 ubiquitination and disrupt the proliferation ability of NB cells. At the same time, dBET57 can also induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and decrease migration. Furthermore, dBET57 also has a strong antiproliferation function in xenograft tumor models in vivo. In terms of mechanism, dBET57 targets the BET protein family and the MYCN protein family by associating with CRBN and destroys the SE landscape of NB cells. Combined with RNA-seq and ChIP-seq public database analysis, we identified the superenhancer-related genes TBX3 and ZMYND8 in NB as potential downstream targets of dBET57 and experimentally verified that they play an important role in the occurrence and development of NB. In conclusion, these results suggest that dBET57 may be an effective new therapeutic drug for the treatment of NB.
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Bartolucci D, Montemurro L, Raieli S, Lampis S, Pession A, Hrelia P, Tonelli R. MYCN Impact on High-Risk Neuroblastoma: From Diagnosis and Prognosis to Targeted Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184421. [PMID: 36139583 PMCID: PMC9496712 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Neuroblastoma is one of the most diffuse and the deadliest cancer in children. While many advances have been made in the last few decades to improve patients’ outcome, high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) still shows a very aggressive pattern of development and poor prognosis, with only a 50% chance of 5-year survival. Moreover, while many factors contribute to defining the high-risk condition, MYCN status is well established as the major element in pathology disclosure. The aim of this review is to describe the current knowledge in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic approaches of HR-NB, particularly in relation to MYCN. The review highlights how MYCN influences the HR-NB scenario and the new therapeutic approaches that are currently proposed to target it, in consideration of MYCN as a highly relevant target for HR-NB patient management. Abstract Among childhood cancers, neuroblastoma is the most diffuse solid tumor and the deadliest in children. While to date, the pathology has become progressively manageable with a significant increase in 5-year survival for its less aggressive form, high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) remains a major issue with poor outcome and little survivability of patients. The staging system has also been improved to better fit patient needs and to administer therapies in a more focused manner in consideration of pathology features. New and improved therapies have been developed; nevertheless, low efficacy and high toxicity remain a staple feature of current high-risk neuroblastoma treatment. For this reason, more specific procedures are required, and new therapeutic targets are also needed for a precise medicine approach. In this scenario, MYCN is certainly one of the most interesting targets. Indeed, MYCN is one of the most relevant hallmarks of HR-NB, and many studies has been carried out in recent years to discover potent and specific inhibitors to block its activities and any related oncogenic function. N-Myc protein has been considered an undruggable target for a long time. Thus, many new indirect and direct approaches have been discovered and preclinically evaluated for the interaction with MYCN and its pathways; a few of the most promising approaches are nearing clinical application for the investigation in HR-NB.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luca Montemurro
- Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Pession
- Pediatric Unit, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Hrelia
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Tonelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Yu W, Lutz C, Krämer A, Schmidt-Zachmann MS. The JmjC-domain protein NO66/RIOX-1 affects the balance between proliferation and maturation in acute myeloid leukemia. Exp Cell Res 2021; 402:112566. [PMID: 33745927 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
As epigenetic regulators are frequently dysregulated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) we determined expression levels of the JmjC-protein NO66 in AML cell lines and sub fractions of healthy human hematopoietic cells. NO66 is absent in the AML cell lines KG1/KG1a which consist of cells with the immature CD34+/CD38- phenotype and is regarded as a "stem cell-like" model system. Similarly, NO66 is not detectable in CD34+/CD38- cells purified from healthy donors but is clearly expressed in the more committed CD34+/CD38+ cell population. Loss of NO66 expression in KG1/KG1a cells is due to hyper-methylation of its promoter and is released by DNA-methyltransferase inhibitors. In KG1a cells stably expressing exogenous wild type (KG1a66wt) or enzymatically inactive mutant (KG1a66mut) NO66, respectively, the wild type protein inhibited proliferation and rDNA transcription. Gene expression profiling revealed that the expression of NO66 induces a transcriptional program enriched for genes with roles in proliferation and maturation (e.g.EPDR1, FCER1A, CD247, MYCN, SNORD13). Genes important for the maintenance of stem cell properties are downregulated (e.g. SIRPA, Lin28B, JAML). Our results indicate that NO66 induces lineage commitment towards myeloid progenitor cell fate and suggest that NO66 contributes to loss of stem cell properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Yu
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Molecular Hematology/Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Christoph Lutz
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Alwin Krämer
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Molecular Hematology/Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Marion S Schmidt-Zachmann
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Molecular Hematology/Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
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Liao YM, Hung TH, Tung JK, Yu J, Hsu YL, Hung JT, Yu AL. Low Expression of IL-15 and NKT in Tumor Microenvironment Predicts Poor Outcome of MYCN-Non-Amplified Neuroblastoma. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11020122. [PMID: 33668573 PMCID: PMC7918138 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11020122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune tumor microenvironment (TME) in neuroblastoma (NBL) contributes to tumor behavior and treatment response. T cells and natural killer (NK) cells have been shown to play important roles in the neuroblastoma TME. However, few reports address the clinical relevance of natural killer T cells (NKTs) and interleukin-15 (IL-15), one of the crucial cytokines controlling the activation and expansion of NK/NKT cells, in NBL. In this study, we examined NKT immunoscores and IL-15 expression in both MYCN-amplified and MYCN-non-amplified NBL to correlate with clinical outcomes such as event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). From Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets GSE45480 (n = 643) and GSE49711 (n = 493), we found that NKT immunoscore and IL-15 expression were both significantly lower in MYCN-amplified NBL, and similar results were observed using our clinical NBL samples (n = 53). Moreover, NBL patients (GEO dataset GSE49711 and our clinical samples) with both lower NKT immunoscore and IL-15 expression exhibited decreased EFS and OS regardless of MYCN gene amplification status. Multivariate analysis further showed that the combination of low NKT immunoscore and low IL-15 expression level was an independent prognostic factor for poor EFS and OS in our NBL patients. These findings provide the rationale for the development of strategy to incorporate IL-15 and NKT cell therapy into the treatment regimen for neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Mei Liao
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-M.L.); (T.-H.H.); (J.K.T.); (J.Y.)
- Program in Translational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, and Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Hsien Hung
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-M.L.); (T.-H.H.); (J.K.T.); (J.Y.)
| | - John K. Tung
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-M.L.); (T.-H.H.); (J.K.T.); (J.Y.)
| | - John Yu
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-M.L.); (T.-H.H.); (J.K.T.); (J.Y.)
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ling Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
| | - Jung-Tung Hung
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-M.L.); (T.-H.H.); (J.K.T.); (J.Y.)
- Correspondence: (J.-T.H.); (A.L.Y.); Tel.: +886-3328-1200 (ext. 7813) (J.-T.H.); +886-3328-1200 (ext. 7805) (A.L.Y.); Fax: +886-3328-1200 (A.L.Y. & J.-T.H.)
| | - Alice L. Yu
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-M.L.); (T.-H.H.); (J.K.T.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California in San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103, USA
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (J.-T.H.); (A.L.Y.); Tel.: +886-3328-1200 (ext. 7813) (J.-T.H.); +886-3328-1200 (ext. 7805) (A.L.Y.); Fax: +886-3328-1200 (A.L.Y. & J.-T.H.)
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9
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Currò M, Ferlazzo N, Giunta ML, Montalto AS, Russo T, Arena S, Impellizzeri P, Caccamo D, Romeo C, Ientile R. Hypoxia-Dependent Expression of TG2 Isoforms in Neuroblastoma Cells as Consequence of Different MYCN Amplification Status. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041364. [PMID: 32085516 PMCID: PMC7072980 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a multifunctional enzyme and two isoforms, TG2-L and TG2-S, exerting opposite effects in the regulation of cell death and survival, have been revealed in cancer tissues. Notably, in cancer cells a hypoxic environment may stimulate tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Here we aimed to characterize the role of TG2 isoforms in neuroblastoma cell fate under hypoxic conditions. The mRNA levels of TG2 isoforms, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, p16, cyclin D1 and B1, as well as markers of cell proliferation/death, DNA damage, and cell cycle were examined in SH-SY5Y (non-MYCN-amplified) and IMR-32 (MYCN-amplified) neuroblastoma cells in hypoxia/reoxygenation conditions. The exposure to hypoxia induced the up-regulation of HIF-1α in both cell lines. Hypoxic conditions caused the up-regulation of TG2-S and the reduction of cell viability/proliferation associated with DNA damage in SH-SY5Y cells, while in IMR-32 did not produce DNA damage, and increased the levels of both TG2 isoforms and proliferation markers. Different cell response to hypoxia can be mediated by TG2 isoforms in function of MYCN amplification status. A better understanding of the role of TG2 isoforms in neuroblastoma may open new venues in a diagnostic and therapeutic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Currò
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.C.); (N.F.); (M.L.G.); (D.C.)
| | - Nadia Ferlazzo
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.C.); (N.F.); (M.L.G.); (D.C.)
| | - Maria Laura Giunta
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.C.); (N.F.); (M.L.G.); (D.C.)
| | - Angela Simona Montalto
- Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood “Gaetano Barresi,” University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (A.S.M.); (T.R.); (S.A.); (P.I.); (C.R.)
| | - Tiziana Russo
- Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood “Gaetano Barresi,” University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (A.S.M.); (T.R.); (S.A.); (P.I.); (C.R.)
| | - Salvatore Arena
- Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood “Gaetano Barresi,” University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (A.S.M.); (T.R.); (S.A.); (P.I.); (C.R.)
| | - Pietro Impellizzeri
- Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood “Gaetano Barresi,” University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (A.S.M.); (T.R.); (S.A.); (P.I.); (C.R.)
| | - Daniela Caccamo
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.C.); (N.F.); (M.L.G.); (D.C.)
| | - Carmelo Romeo
- Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood “Gaetano Barresi,” University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (A.S.M.); (T.R.); (S.A.); (P.I.); (C.R.)
| | - Riccardo Ientile
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.C.); (N.F.); (M.L.G.); (D.C.)
- Correspondence:
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10
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Mühling J, Eberherr C, Müller Höcker J, Grote V, von Schweinitz D, Kappler R, Fröba-Pohl A. Vessel adherent growth represents a major challenge in the surgical resection of neuroblastoma and Is associated with adverse outcome. J Pediatr Surg 2019; 54:2336-2342. [PMID: 31402147 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2019.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial, solid tumor in childhood, with a peak incidence in children under 6 years of age. Due to its variable course of disease, which ranges from spontaneous regression to metastatic spread, NB still represents a significant therapeutic challenge. Strikingly, a certain number of NBs intraoperatively show vessel adhesion and/or infiltrative growth, which is often not visible in pre-operative imaging. We proposed the term unexpected vessel infiltration of NB (UVIN) to denote this phenomenon. UVIN represents a major surgical challenge. METHODS In this study, we determined frequency and clinical relevance of UVIN in a cohort of 100 NB-patients with subsequent correlation to several unfavorable characteristics of disease. RNA expression levels of MYCN and its co-regulated antisense transcript MYCNOS to identify markers was measured by PCR. RESULTS We found UVIN to be present in 34% of cases and significantly correlated with incomplete resection, MYCN amplification, complications, neoadjuvant therapy, tumor grade and MYCNOS expression levels. MYCN expression levels showed no significant results with UVIN. CONCLUSION Collectively, our data show that UVIN represents a frequent surgical problem associated with a poor outcome in NB patients. MYCN and MYCNOS seem to be no appropriate markers for UVIN. TYPE OF STUDY Prognosis study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Mühling
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Corinna Eberherr
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | | | - Veit Grote
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Dietrich von Schweinitz
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Roland Kappler
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandra Fröba-Pohl
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
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11
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Aygun N, Altungoz O. MYCN is amplified during S phase, and c‑myb is involved in controlling MYCN expression and amplification in MYCN‑amplified neuroblastoma cell lines. Mol Med Rep 2018; 19:345-361. [PMID: 30483774 PMCID: PMC6297758 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.9686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma derived from primitive sympathetic neural precursors is a common type of solid tumor in infants. MYCN proto-oncogene bHLH transcription factor (MYCN) amplification and 1p36 deletion are important factors associated with the poor prognosis of neuroblastoma. Expression levels of MYCN and c-MYB proto-oncogene transcription factor (c-myb) decline during the differentiation of neuroblastoma cells; E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) activates the MYCN promoter. However, the underlying mechanism of MYCN overexpression and amplification requires further investigation. In the present study, potential c-Myb target genes, and the effect of c-myb RNA interference (RNAi) on MYCN expression and amplification were investigated in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines. The mRNA expression levels and MYCN gene copy number in five neuroblastoma cell lines were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, variations in potential target gene expression and MYCN gene copy number between pre- and post-c-myb RNAi treatment groups in MYCN-amplified Kelly, IMR32, SIMA and MHH-NB-11 cell lines, normalized to those of non-MYCN-amplified SH-SY5Y, were examined. To determine the associations between gene expression levels and chromosomal aberrations, MYCN amplification and 1p36 alterations in interphases/metaphases were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Statistical analyses revealed correlations between 1p36 alterations and the expression of c-myb, MYB proto-oncogene like 2 (B-myb) and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (p21). Additionally, the results of the present study also demonstrated that c-myb may be associated with E2F1 and L3MBTL1 histone methyl-lysine binding protein (L3MBTL1) expression, and that E2F1 may contribute to MYCN, B-myb, p21 and chromatin licensing and DNA replication factor 1 (hCdt1) expression, but to the repression of geminin (GMNN). On c-myb RNAi treatment, L3MBTL1 expression was silenced, while GMNN was upregulated, indicating G2/M arrest. In addition, MYCN gene copy number increased following treatment with c-myb RNAi. Notably, the present study also reported a 43.545% sequence identity between upstream of MYCN and Drosophila melanogaster amplification control element 3, suggesting that expression and/or amplification mechanisms of developmentally-regulated genes may be evolutionarily conserved. In conclusion, c-myb may be associated with regulating MYCN expression and amplification. c-myb, B-myb and p21 may also serve a role against chromosome 1p aberrations. Together, it was concluded that MYCN gene is amplified during S phase, potentially via a replication-based mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevim Aygun
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir 35340, Turkey
| | - Oguz Altungoz
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir 35340, Turkey
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12
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Szewczyk K. Comparison of the human tumor metastasis gene expression level in neuroblastoma patients with MYCN amplification and 2p gain: Pilot study. PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY ONCOLOGY JOURNAL 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phoj.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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13
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Bettinsoli P, Ferrari-Toninelli G, Bonini SA, Guarienti M, Cangelosi D, Varesio L, Memo M. Favorable prognostic role of tropomodulins in neuroblastoma. Oncotarget 2018; 9:27092-27103. [PMID: 29930753 PMCID: PMC6007461 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a pediatric tumor of the sympatoadrenal lineage of the neural crest characterized by high molecular and clinical heterogeneity, which are the main causes of the poor response to standard multimodal therapy. The identification of new and selective biomarkers is important to improve our knowledge on the mechanisms of neuroblastoma progression and to find the targets for innovative cancer therapies. This study identifies a positive correlation among tropomodulins (TMODs) proteins expression and neuroblastoma progression. TMODs bind the pointed end of actin filaments, regulate polymerization and depolymerization processes modifying actin cytoskeletal dynamic and influencing neuronal development processes. Expression levels of TMODs genes were analyzed in 17 datasets comprising different types of tumors, including neuroblastoma, and it was demonstrated that high levels of tropomodulin1 (TMOD1) and tropomodulin 2 (TMOD2) correlate positively with high survival probability and with favorable clinical and molecular characteristics. Functional studies on neuroblastoma cell lines, showed that TMOD1 knockin induced cell cycle arrest, cell proliferation arrest and a mature functional differentiation. TMOD1 overexpression was responsible for particular cell morphology and biochemical changes which directed cells towards a neuronal favorable differentiation profile. TMOD1 downregulation also induced cell proliferation arrest but caused the loss of mature cell differentiation and promoted the development of neuroendocrine cellular characteristics, delineating an aggressive and unfavorable tumor behavior. Overall, these data indicated that TMODs are favorable prognostic biomarkers in neuroblastoma and we believe that they could contribute to unravel a new pathophysiological mechanism of neuroblastoma resistance contributing to the design of personalized therapeutics opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Bettinsoli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giulia Ferrari-Toninelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Sara Anna Bonini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Michela Guarienti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Davide Cangelosi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Giannina Gaslini Institute, Genova, Italy
| | - Luigi Varesio
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Giannina Gaslini Institute, Genova, Italy
| | - Maurizio Memo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
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14
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Bettinsoli P, Ferrari-Toninelli G, Bonini SA, Prandelli C, Memo M. Notch ligand Delta-like 1 as a novel molecular target in childhood neuroblastoma. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:352. [PMID: 28525978 PMCID: PMC5438559 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3340-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid malignancy in childhood, responsible for 15% of all pediatric cancer deaths. It is an heterogeneous disease that does not always respond to classical therapy; so the identification of new and specific molecular targets to improve existing therapy is needed. We have previously demonstrated the involvement of the Notch pathway in the onset and progression of neuroblastoma. In this study we further investigated the role of Notch signaling and identified Delta-like 1 (DLL1) as a novel molecular target in neuroblastoma cells with a high degree of MYCN amplification, which is a major oncogenic driver in neuroblastoma. The possibility to act on DLL1 expression levels by using microRNAs (miRNAs) was assessed. METHODS DLL1 mRNA and protein expression levels were measured in three different neuroblastoma cell lines using quantitative real-time PCR and Western Blot analysis, respectively. Activation of the Notch pathway as a result of increased levels of DLL1 was analyzed by Immunofluorescence and Western Blot methods. In silico tools revealed the possibility to act on DLL1 expression levels with miRNAs, in particular with the miRNA-34 family. Neuroblastoma cells were transfected with miRNA-34 family members, and the effect of miRNAs transfection on DLL1 mRNA expression levels, on cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis was measured. RESULTS In this study, the DLL1 ligand was identified as the Notch pathway component highly expressed in neuroblastoma cells with MYCN amplification. In silico analysis demonstrated that DLL1 is one of the targets of miRNA-34 family members that maps on chromosome regions that are frequently deregulated or deleted in neuroblastoma. We studied the possibility to use miRNAs to target DLL1. Among all miRNA-34 family members, miRNA-34b is able to significantly downregulate DLL1 mRNA expression levels, to arrest cell proliferation and to induce neuronal differentiation in malignant neuroblastoma cells. CONCLUSIONS Targeted therapies have emerged as new strategies for cancer treatment. This study identified the Notch ligand DLL1 as a novel and attractive molecular target in childhood neuroblastoma and its results could help to devise a targeted therapy using miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bettinsoli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Viale Europa, 11, Brescia, Italy.
| | - G Ferrari-Toninelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Viale Europa, 11, Brescia, Italy
| | - S A Bonini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Viale Europa, 11, Brescia, Italy
| | - C Prandelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Viale Europa, 11, Brescia, Italy
| | - M Memo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia Medical School, Viale Europa, 11, Brescia, Italy
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15
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Kratimenos P, Koutroulis I, Syriopoulou V, Michailidi C, Delivoria-Papadopoulos M, Klijanienko J, Theocharis S. FAK-Src-paxillin system expression and disease outcome in human neuroblastoma. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2017; 34:221-230. [PMID: 29040002 DOI: 10.1080/08880018.2017.1360969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma (NB) often presents with metastatic disease and poor survival. The need for new prognostic markers remains invaluable. The FAK-Src-Paxillin protein system is associated with aggressive phenotype in adult malignancies but is largely unexplored in pediatric NB. OBJECTIVE To assess FAK-Src-Paxillin protein expression in human NB cell lines and clinical cytology material and to delineate its association with survival. DESIGN/METHODS Western blot and immunohistochemistry were applied for FAK-Src-Paxillin expression in NB cell lines and 23 human cytology specimens, respectively. Protein expression in human clinical samples was correlated with clinicopathological parameters, MYCN amplification and survival. RESULTS FAK, Src and Paxillin proteins are expressed in human NB cells lines, and can be detected in clinical cytology specimens from NB patients, (59%, 32% and 33% respectively). Simultaneous FAK-Src-Paxillin expression was noted in 30% of NB patients. Children with concomitant positivity FAK, Src, and Paxillin tumors, as well as MYCN amplification, had increased mortality compared to those without. CONCLUSIONS FAK-Src-Paxillin system is a marker of unfavorable prognosis for human NB patients but also a promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Kratimenos
- a Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Children's National Medical Center , The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences , Washington, DC , USA.,b First Department of Pathology , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine , Athens , Greece
| | - Ioannis Koutroulis
- c Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center , The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences , Washington, DC , USA
| | - Vasiliki Syriopoulou
- f National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Athens, Department of Pediatrics , Athens , Greece
| | - Christina Michailidi
- a Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Children's National Medical Center , The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences , Washington, DC , USA
| | | | | | - Stamatios Theocharis
- a Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Children's National Medical Center , The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences , Washington, DC , USA.,d Department of Pathology , Institut Curie , Paris , France
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16
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Yang XH, Tang F, Shin J, Cunningham JM. A c-Myc-regulated stem cell-like signature in high-risk neuroblastoma: A systematic discovery (Target neuroblastoma ESC-like signature). Sci Rep 2017; 7:41. [PMID: 28246384 PMCID: PMC5427913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00122-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
c-Myc dysregulation is hypothesized to account for the ‘stemness’ – self-renewal and pluripotency – shared between embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and adult aggressive tumours. High-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) is the most frequent, aggressive, extracranial solid tumour in childhood. Using HR-NB as a platform, we performed a network analysis of transcriptome data and presented a c-Myc subnetwork enriched for genes previously reported as ESC-like cancer signatures. A subsequent drug-gene interaction analysis identified a pharmacogenomic agent that preferentially interacted with this HR-NB-specific, ESC-like signature. This agent, Roniciclib (BAY 1000394), inhibited neuroblastoma cell growth and induced apoptosis in vitro. It also repressed the expression of the oncogene c-Myc and the neural ESC marker CDK2 in vitro, which was accompanied by altered expression of the c-Myc-targeted cell cycle regulators CCND1, CDKN1A and CDKN2D in a time-dependent manner. Further investigation into this HR-NB-specific ESC-like signature in 295 and 243 independent patients revealed and validated the general prognostic index of CDK2 and CDKN3 compared with CDKN2D and CDKN1B. These findings highlight the very potent therapeutic benefits of Roniciclib in HR-NB through the targeting of c-Myc-regulated, ESC-like tumorigenesis. This work provides a hypothesis-driven systems computational model that facilitates the translation of genomic and transcriptomic signatures to molecular mechanisms underlying high-risk tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinan Holly Yang
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Fangming Tang
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Jisu Shin
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - John M Cunningham
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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17
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Jia Y, Chen L, Jia Q, Dou X, Xu N, Liao DJ. The well-accepted notion that gene amplification contributes to increased expression still remains, after all these years, a reasonable but unproven assumption. J Carcinog 2016; 15:3. [PMID: 27298590 PMCID: PMC4895059 DOI: 10.4103/1477-3163.182809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
“Gene amplification causes overexpression” is a longstanding and well-accepted concept in cancer genetics. However, raking the whole literature, we find only statistical analyses showing a positive correlation between gene copy number and expression level, but do not find convincing experimental corroboration for this notion, for most of the amplified oncogenes in cancers. Since an association does not need to be an actual causal relation, in our opinion, this widespread notion still remains a reasonable but unproven assumption awaiting experimental verification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Jia
- Animal Facilities, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong 250101, USA
| | - Lichan Chen
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Qingwen Jia
- Animal Facilities, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong 250101, USA
| | - Xixi Dou
- Animal Facilities, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong 250101, USA
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Dezhong Joshua Liao
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guizhou, Guiyang 550004, P.R. China
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18
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Gao S, Cao Y, Yan Y, Xiang X, Guo X. Correlations between fluorescence emission and base stacks of nucleic acid G-quadruplexes. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra21347b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Correlations between parallel G-quadruplex structures and featured fluorescence emission bands have been built.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang Gao
- College of Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
| | - Yanwei Cao
- College of Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
| | - Yuting Yan
- College of Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
| | | | - Xinhua Guo
- College of Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
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19
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Fey D, Halasz M, Dreidax D, Kennedy SP, Hastings JF, Rauch N, Munoz AG, Pilkington R, Fischer M, Westermann F, Kolch W, Kholodenko BN, Croucher DR. Signaling pathway models as biomarkers: Patient-specific simulations of JNK activity predict the survival of neuroblastoma patients. Sci Signal 2015; 8:ra130. [DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aab0990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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20
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Jin Y, Wang H, Han W, Lu J, Chu P, Han S, Ni X, Ning B, Yu D, Guo Y. Single nucleotide polymorphism rs11669203 in TGFBR3L is associated with the risk of neuroblastoma in a Chinese population. Tumour Biol 2015; 37:3739-47. [PMID: 26468016 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-4192-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
With a primary mortality, neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. Amplification of the MYCN (v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene neuroblastoma derived homolog) oncogene is observed in 20-30 % of NB cases, a feature which also characterizes a highly aggressive subtype of the disease. However, the systematic study of association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MYCN-regulated genes and the risk of NB has not been investigated. In the current study, we scanned a set of 16 SNPs located within known or predicted MYCN binding sites in a cohort of 247 patients of Chinese origin with neuroblastic family tumors, including neuroblastoma (NB), ganglioneuroma (GN), and ganglioneuroblastoma (GNB), and in 290 cancer-free controls to determine whether any of the tested SNPs are associated with neuroblastic family tumors. We found that the rs11669203 G>C polymorphism, located in TGFBR3L promoter, is significantly associated with the risk of NB. Further, we found that this association is site specific to adrenal NB compared to non-adrenal NB. In addition, transcriptome analysis indicated that increased expression of TGFBR3L is strongly correlated with poor survival. The SNP rs11669203 located at the MYCN binding site of TGFBR3L is significantly associated with elevated risk of NB, and abnormal MYCN-regulated TGFBR3L expression may contribute to NB oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Jin
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huanmin Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Han
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Lu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Chu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shujing Han
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Ni
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Baitang Ning
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, USA
| | - Dianke Yu
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, USA.
| | - Yongli Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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21
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Bao J, Qin L, Cui L, Wang X, Meng Q, Zhu L, Zhang S. Microarray data analysis of neuroblastoma: Expression of SOX2 downregulates the expression of MYCN. Mol Med Rep 2015; 12:6867-72. [PMID: 26398570 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.4311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to identify the genes directly or indirectly correlated with the amplification of MYCN in neuroblastoma (NB). Microarray data (GSE53371) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus, and included 10 NB cell lines with MYCN amplification and 10 NB cell lines with normal MYCN copy numbers. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the Linear Models for Microarray Data package, and a false discovery rate of <0.05 and |log2FC (fold change)|>1 were selected as cut‑off criteria. Hierarchical clustering analysis and Gene Ontology analysis were respectively performed for the DEGs using the Pheatmap package in R language and The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. A protein‑protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed for the DEGs using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database. Pathway analysis was performed for the DEGs in the PPI network using the WEB‑based GEne SeT AnaLysis Toolkit. The correlation between MYCN and the key gene associated with MYCN was determined using Pearson's correlation coefficient. In total, 137 downregulated and 35 upregulated DEGs were identified. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that KCNMB4 was involved in the regulation of action potential in neuron term, and the FOS, GLI3 and GLI1 genes were involved in the extracellular matrix‑receptor interaction pathway. The PPI network and correlation analysis revealed that the expression of SOX2 was directly correlated with the expression of MYCN, and the correlation coefficient of SOX2 and MYCN was ‑0.83. Therefore, SOX2, KCNMB4, FOS, GLI3 and GLI1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of NB, with the expression of SOX2 downregulating the expression of MYCN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Bao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, P.R. China
| | - Luying Qin
- Nursing College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, P.R. China
| | - Lingling Cui
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, P.R. China
| | - Qinglei Meng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, P.R. China
| | - Linchao Zhu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, P.R. China
| | - Shufeng Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, P.R. China
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22
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Shelake S, Eslin D, Sutphin RM, Sankpal UT, Wadwani A, Kenyon LE, Tabor-Simecka L, Bowman WP, Vishwanatha JK, Basha R. Combination of 13 cis-retinoic acid and tolfenamic acid induces apoptosis and effectively inhibits high-risk neuroblastoma cell proliferation. Int J Dev Neurosci 2015; 46:92-9. [PMID: 26287661 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapeutic regimens used for the treatment of Neuroblastoma (NB) cause long-term side effects in pediatric patients. NB arises in immature sympathetic nerve cells and primarily affects infants and children. A high rate of relapse in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB) necessitates the development of alternative strategies for effective treatment. This study investigated the efficacy of a small molecule, tolfenamic acid (TA), for enhancing the anti-proliferative effect of 13 cis-retinoic acid (RA) in HRNB cell lines. LA1-55n and SH-SY5Y cells were treated with TA (30μM) or RA (20μM) or both (optimized doses, derived from dose curves) for 48h and tested the effect on cell viability, apoptosis and selected molecular markers (Sp1, survivin, AKT and ERK1/2). Cell viability and caspase activity were measured using the CellTiter-Glo and Caspase-Glo kits. The apoptotic cell population was determined by flow cytometry with Annexin-V staining. The expression of Sp1, survivin, AKT, ERK1/2 and c-PARP was evaluated by Western blots. The combination therapy of TA and RA resulted in significant inhibition of cell viability (p<0.0001) when compared to individual agents. The anti-proliferative effect is accompanied by a decrease in Sp1 and survivin expression and an increase in apoptotic markers, Annexin-V positive cells, caspase 3/7 activity and c-PARP levels. Notably, TA+RA combination also caused down regulation of AKT and ERK1/2 suggesting a distinct impact on survival and proliferation pathways via signaling cascades. This study demonstrates that the TA mediated inhibition of Sp1 in combination with RA provides a novel therapeutic strategy for the effective treatment of HRNB in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Shelake
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Institute of Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - Don Eslin
- Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, FL 32806, United States
| | - Robert M Sutphin
- Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, FL 32806, United States
| | - Umesh T Sankpal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Institute of Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - Anmol Wadwani
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - Laura E Kenyon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - Leslie Tabor-Simecka
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Institute of Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - W Paul Bowman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Institute of Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
| | - Jamboor K Vishwanatha
- Institute of Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - Riyaz Basha
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Institute of Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States; Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States.
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Zhang H, Liu T, Yi S, Gu L, Zhou M. Targeting MYCN IRES in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma with miR-375 inhibits tumor growth and sensitizes tumor cells to radiation. Mol Oncol 2015; 9:1301-11. [PMID: 25864587 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2015.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The MYCN oncogene is amplified in 20% of neuroblastomas, leading to its overexpression at both the mRNA and protein levels. MYCN overexpression is strongly associated with advanced disease stage, rapid tumor progression and a worse prognosis. In the present study, we identified microRNA-375 (miR-375) as a negative regulator of MYCN: enforced expression of miR-375 inhibited MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma in vitro and in vivo. Upon searching the website miRbase for possible miR-375 binding sites within the whole MYCN mRNA, we found that the MYCN 5'-UTR had significant sequence complementarity to miR-375, yet no complementary sequences existed within the MYCN 3'-UTR and coding regions. Enforced overexpression of miR-375 efficiently inhibited MYCN mRNA translation and protein synthesis, via an IRES-dependent mechanism. In athymic nude mouse model with human MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma, MYCN downregulation by miR-375 led to inhibition of tumor cell growth and tumorigenicity. In particular, miR-375-regulated inhibition of MYCN translation was enhanced when MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells were exposed to stress stimulation, such as ionizing irradiation (IR), resulting in a remarkable increase in the neuroblastoma's sensitivity to IR-induced cell death. Our results identified a novel mechanism by which IRES-dependent translation of MYCN is repressed by miR-375, particularly during cellular stress, highlighting a potential anticancer strategy: the development of miR-375 as a novel therapeutic agent to treat MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Pediatrics and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Sha Yi
- Department of Pediatrics and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lubing Gu
- Department of Pediatrics and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Muxiang Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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Wang J, Gu S, Huang J, Chen S, Zhang Z, Xu M. Inhibition of autophagy potentiates the efficacy of Gli inhibitor GANT-61 in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells. BMC Cancer 2014; 14:768. [PMID: 25323222 PMCID: PMC4210511 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is often associated with neuroblastoma (NB), a childhood malignancy with varying clinical outcomes due to different molecular characteristics. Inhibition of Hh signaling with small molecule inhibitors, particularly with GANT-61, significantly suppresses NB growth. However, NB with MYCN amplification is less sensitive to GANT-61 than those without MYCN amplification. Methods Autophagic process was examined in two MYCN amplified and two MYCN non-amplified NB cells treated with GANT-61. Subsequently, chemical and genetic approaches were applied with GANT-61 together to evaluate the role of autophagy in GANT-61 induced cell death. Results Here we show that GANT-61 enhanced autophagy in MYCN amplified NB cells. Both an autophagic inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and genetic disruption of ATG5 or ATG7 expression suppressed GANT-61 induced autophagy and significantly increased apoptotic cell death, whereas pre-treatment with an apoptotic inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK, rescued GANT-61 induced cell death and had no effect on the autophagic process. In the other hand, GANT-61 barely induced autophagy in MYCN non-amplified NB cells, but overexpression of MYCN in MYCN non-amplified NB cells recapitulated GANT-61 induced autophagy seen in MYCN amplified NB cells, suggesting that the level of GANT-61 induced autophagy in NB cells is related to MYCN expression level in cells. Conclusion Aberrant Hh signaling activation as an oncogenic driver in NB renders inhibition of Hh signaling an effective measure to suppress NB growth. However, our data suggest that enhanced autophagy concomitant with Hh signaling inhibition acts as a pro-survival factor to maintain cell viability, which reduces GANT-61 efficacy. Besides, MYCN amplification is likely involved in the induction of the pro-survival autophagy. Overall, simultaneous inhibition of both Hh signaling and autophagy could be a better way to treat MYCN amplified NB. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2407-14-768) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
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25
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Latimer E, Anderson G, Sebire NJ. Ultrastructural features of neuroblastic tumours in relation to morphological, and molecular findings; a retrospective review study. BMC Clin Pathol 2014; 14:13. [PMID: 24679140 PMCID: PMC4012145 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6890-14-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour of infancy and is responsible for 15% of childhood cancer deaths. Presence of amplified MYCN in neuroblastoma is associated with poor prognosis and rapid tumour progression. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the ultrastructural features of high-risk MYCN amplified neuroblastomas, with lower-risk non-MYCN amplified tumours. Methods This was a retrospective study evaluating archival diagnostic tissue samples, in which Fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH) had been used at diagnosis to establish MYCN status. 22 (11 MYCN amplified tumours and 11 non-MYCN amplified) tumours of similar light microscopic appearance (poorly differentiated neuroblastoma) were then selected for ultrastructural examination. Results There is a relationship between ultrastructural features in neuroblastoma and MYCN status, although with marked overlap between groups. MYCN amplified tumours generally exhibited a ‘less differentiated’ ultrastructural phenotype, with significantly smaller neurotubules (NT) in the cell body (p < 0.002). Non-MYCN amplified tumours show increased features of neuronal differentiation, with fewer neurosecretory granules (NSG) and NT in the cytoplasm. Conclusions MYCN amplification is associated with a less differentiated ultrastructural phenotype, and lack of MYCN amplification with relative ultrastructural neuronal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Neil James Sebire
- Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK ; Department of Histopathology, UCL, London, UK ; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children Foundation Trust, London WC1N 3JH, UK
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26
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Poljaková J, Groh T, Gudino ZO, Hraběta J, Bořek-Dohalská L, Kizek R, Doktorová H, Eckschlager T, Stiborová M. Hypoxia-mediated histone acetylation and expression of N-myc transcription factor dictate aggressiveness of neuroblastoma cells. Oncol Rep 2014; 31:1928-34. [PMID: 24481548 DOI: 10.3892/or.2014.2999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells of solid malignancies generally adapt to entire lack of oxygen. Hypoxia induces the expression of several genes, which allows the cells to survive. For DNA transcription, it is necessary that DNA structure is loosened. In addition to structural characteristics of DNA, its epigenetic alterations influence a proper DNA transcription. Since histones play a key role in epigenetics, changes in expression levels of acetylated histones H3 and H4 as well as of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in human neuroblastoma cell lines cultivated under standard or hypoxic conditions (1% O2) were investigated. Moreover, the effect of hypoxia on the expression of two transcription factors, c-Myc and N-myc, was studied. Hypoxic stress increased levels of acetylated histones H3 and H4 in UKF-NB-3 and UKF-NB-4 neuroblastoma cells with N-myc amplification, whereas almost no changes in acetylation of these histones were found in an SK-N-AS neuroblastoma cell line, the line with diploid N-myc status. An increase in histone H4 acetylation caused by hypoxia in UKF-NB-3 and UKF-NB-4 corresponds to increased levels of N-myc transcription factor in these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitka Poljaková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Groh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Zaneta Omana Gudino
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Hraběta
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, 2nd Medical School, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Bořek-Dohalská
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - René Kizek
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Doktorová
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, 2nd Medical School, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Eckschlager
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, 2nd Medical School, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Stiborová
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic
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High incidence of MYCN amplification in a Moroccan series of neuroblastic tumors: comparison to current biological data. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 22:112-8. [PMID: 23628823 DOI: 10.1097/pdm.0b013e318277448e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
MYCN protooncogene status was assessed for the first time in Morocco in peripheral neuroblastic tumors, including neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma, and ganglioneuroma. Correlations with age at diagnosis, stage, mitosis-karyorrhexis index, differentiation, and Shimada histology were evaluated. Thirty-six formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded peripheral neuroblastic tumor tissue specimens collected between 2007 and 2010 from the Pathology Department were assessed for MYCN amplification using fluorescence in situ hybridization. MYCN amplification was found in 27.8% of cases. An association of MYCN amplification with unfavorable Shimada grading, higher mitosis-karyorrhexis index, and undifferentiated morphologic phenotype was found. We found no correlation with older age, advanced stage, or the presence of metastasis. Our results suggested that the presence of MYCN amplification is a strong biological indicator of a poor outcome and aggressive disease in neuroblastoma and nodular ganglioneuroblastoma.
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Ikegaki N, Hicks SL, Regan PL, Jacobs J, Jumbo AS, Leonhardt P, Rappaport EF, Tang XX. S(+)-ibuprofen destabilizes MYC/MYCN and AKT, increases p53 expression, and induces unfolded protein response and favorable phenotype in neuroblastoma cell lines. Int J Oncol 2013; 44:35-43. [PMID: 24173829 PMCID: PMC3867363 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2013.2148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Accepted: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric solid tumor that exhibits a striking clinical bipolarity favorable and unfavorable. The survival rate of children with unfavorable neuroblastoma remains low among all childhood cancers. MYCN and MYC play a crucial role in determining the malignancy of unfavorable neuroblastomas, whereas high-level expression of the favorable neuroblastoma genes is associated with a good disease outcome and confers growth suppression of neuroblastoma cells. A small fraction of neuroblastomas harbors TP53 mutations at diagnosis, but a higher proportion of the relapse cases acquire TP53 mutations. In this study, we investigated the effect of S(+)-ibuprofen on neuroblastoma cell lines, focusing on the expression of the MYCN, MYC, AKT, p53 proteins and the favorable neuroblastoma genes in vitro as biomarkers of malignancy. Treatment of neuroblastoma cell lines with S(+)-ibuprofen resulted in a significant growth suppression. This growth effect was accompanied by a marked decrease in the expression of MYC, MYCN, AKT and an increase in p53 expression in neuroblastoma cell lines without TP53 mutation. In addition, S(+)-ibuprofen enhanced the expression of some favorable neuroblastoma genes (EPHB6, CD44) and genes involved in growth suppression and differentiation (EGR1, EPHA2, NRG1 and SEL1L). Gene expression profile and Ingenuity pathway analyses using TP53-mutated SKNAS cells further revealed that S(+)-ibuprofen suppressed molecular pathways associated with cell growth and conversely enhanced those of cell cycle arrest and the unfolded protein response. Collectively, these results suggest that S(+)-ibuprofen or its related compounds may have the potential for therapeutic and/or palliative use for unfavorable neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naohiko Ikegaki
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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29
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Prochazka P, Hrabeta J, Vicha A, Cipro S, Stejskalova E, Musil Z, Vodicka P, Eckschlager T. Changes in MYCN expression in human neuroblastoma cell lines following cisplatin treatment may not be related to MYCN copy numbers. Oncol Rep 2013; 29:2415-21. [PMID: 23563570 DOI: 10.3892/or.2013.2383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a tumor accounting for approximately 10% of all childhood malignancies and 50% of all childhood cancer-related deaths. MYCN gene copy number variation represents the most important prognostic factor in neuroblastoma. Prognostic significance of MYCN gene expression is more complicated and may depend on other factors such as MYCN gene copy number status. In the present study, we assessed MYCN gene expression using real-time RT-PCR following cisplatin treatment in three human neuroblastoma cell lines (UKF-NB-3, UKF-NB-4 and SK-N-AS) and their cisplatin-resistant counterparts. We also examined MYCN gene status and copy number (gain and amplification) variations using interphase and metaphase fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). Only cisplatin-sensitive UKF-NB-4 cells exhibited decreased MYCN expression following treatment with cisplatin. Other sensitive neuroblastoma cells did not exhibit a change in MYCN expression. In contrast, cisplatin-resistant UKF-NB-4 and SK-N-AS cells exhibited increased MYCN expression irrespective of the number of MYCN copies or concentration of cisplatin in the medium. In MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells we did not observe any significant change in the number of MYCN copies after cisplatin treatment, whereas MYCN-non-amplified SK-N-AS cells revealed during cisplatin treatment an increased number of MYCN gene copies caused by 2p gain in the majority of cells by FISH. We postulated that cisplatin treatment does not result directly in altered transcription of MYCN. A functional change in MYCN mRNA levels and increased MYCN expression in cisplatin-resistant neuroblastoma cells do not have a clear relationship to MYCN copy numbers. These findings may further contribute to the understanding of cisplatin chemotherapy in connection with MYCN expression, and the possible copy number variations in MYCN neuroblastoma cells may be of importance since targeting of MYCN is being tested as neuroblastoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Prochazka
- Department of Paediatric Hematology and Oncology, Second Medical School, Charles University in Prague and University Hospital Motol, 15006 Prague, Czech Republic.
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Veschi V, Petroni M, Cardinali B, Dominici C, Screpanti I, Frati L, Bartolazzi A, Gulino A, Giannini G. Galectin-3 impairment of MYCN-dependent apoptosis-sensitive phenotype is antagonized by nutlin-3 in neuroblastoma cells. PLoS One 2012; 7:e49139. [PMID: 23152863 PMCID: PMC3494673 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2012] [Accepted: 10/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MYCN amplification occurs in about 20–25% of human neuroblastomas and characterizes the majority of the high-risk cases, which display less than 50% prolonged survival rate despite intense multimodal treatment. Somehow paradoxically, MYCN also sensitizes neuroblastoma cells to apoptosis, understanding the molecular mechanisms of which might be relevant for the therapy of MYCN amplified neuroblastoma. We recently reported that the apoptosis-sensitive phenotype induced by MYCN is linked to stabilization of p53 and its proapoptotic kinase HIPK2. In MYCN primed neuroblastoma cells, further activation of both HIPK2 and p53 by Nutlin-3 leads to massive apoptosis in vitro and to tumor shrinkage and impairment of metastasis in xenograft models. Here we report that Galectin-3 impairs MYCN-primed and HIPK2-p53-dependent apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells. Galectin-3 is broadly expressed in human neuroblastoma cell lines and tumors and is repressed by MYCN to induce the apoptosis-sensitive phenotype. Despite its reduced levels, Galectin-3 can still exert residual antiapoptotic effects in MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cells, possibly due to its specific subcellular localization. Importantly, Nutlin-3 represses Galectin-3 expression, and this is required for its potent cell killing effect on MYCN amplified cell lines. Our data further characterize the apoptosis-sensitive phenotype induced by MYCN, expand our understanding of the activity of MDM2-p53 antagonists and highlight Galectin-3 as a potential biomarker for the tailored p53 reactivation therapy in patients with high-risk neuroblastomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Veschi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Beatrice Cardinali
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council, Monterotondo Scalo, Italy
| | - Carlo Dominici
- Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
- School of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Liverpool University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Luigi Frati
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Armando Bartolazzi
- Experimental Pathology Laboratory, S. Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
- Cancer Center Karolinska (CCK) R8∶04, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alberto Gulino
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giannini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Gu L, Zhang H, He J, Li J, Huang M, Zhou M. MDM2 regulates MYCN mRNA stabilization and translation in human neuroblastoma cells. Oncogene 2012; 31:1342-53. [PMID: 21822304 PMCID: PMC3213308 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2011.343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The MYCN gene has a critical role in determining the clinical behavior of neuroblastoma. Although it is known that genomic amplification occurs in high-risk subsets, it remains unclear how MYCN expression is regulated in the pathogenesis of neuroblastomas. Here, we report that MYCN expression was regulated by the oncoprotein MDM2 at the post-transcriptional level and was associated with neuroblastoma cell growth. Increasing MDM2 by ectopic overexpression in the cytoplasm enhanced both mRNA and protein expression of MYCN. Mechanistic studies found that the C-terminal RING domain of the MDM2 protein bound to the MYCN mRNA's AREs within the 3'UTR and increased MYCN 3'UTR-mediated mRNA stability and translation. Conversely, MDM2 silencing by specific siRNA rendered the MYCN mRNA unstable and reduced the abundance of the MYCN protein in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines. Importantly, this MDM2 silencing resulted in a remarkable inhibition of neuroblastoma cell growth and induction of cell death through a p53-independent pathway. Our results indicate that MDM2 has a p53-independent role in the regulation of both MYCN mRNA stabilization and its translation, suggesting that MDM2-mediated MYCN expression is one mechanism associated with growth of MYCN-associated neuroblastoma and disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Gu
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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33
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Trajkovski M, da Silva MW, Plavec J. Unique structural features of interconverting monomeric and dimeric G-quadruplexes adopted by a sequence from the intron of the N-myc gene. J Am Chem Soc 2012; 134:4132-41. [PMID: 22303871 DOI: 10.1021/ja208483v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A multidimensional heteronuclear NMR study has demonstrated that a guanine-rich DNA oligonucleotide originating from the N-myc gene folds into G-quadruplex structures in the presence of K(+), NH(4)(+), and Na(+) ions. A monomeric G-quadruplex formed in K(+) ion containing solution exhibits three G-quartets and flexible propeller-type loops. The 3D structure with three single nucleotide loops represents a missing element in structures of parallel G-quadruplexes. The structural features together with the high temperature stability are suggestive of the specific biological role of G-quadruplex formation within the intron of the N-myc gene. An increase in K(+) ion and oligonucleotide concentrations resulted in transformation of the monomeric G-quadruplex into a dimeric form. The dimeric G-quadruplex exhibits six stacked G-quartets, parallel strand orientations, and propeller-type loops. A link between the third and the fourth G-quartets consists of two adenine residues that are flipped out to facilitate consecutive stacking of six G-quartets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Trajkovski
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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34
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Eslin D, Sankpal UT, Lee C, Sutphin RM, Maliakal P, Currier E, Sholler G, Khan M, Basha R. Tolfenamic acid inhibits neuroblastoma cell proliferation and induces apoptosis: a novel therapeutic agent for neuroblastoma. Mol Carcinog 2011; 52:377-86. [PMID: 22213339 DOI: 10.1002/mc.21866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2011] [Revised: 11/14/2011] [Accepted: 12/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Current therapeutic options for recurrent neuroblastoma have poor outcomes that warrant the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors regulate several genes involved in cell proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis. Sp1 regulates genes believed to be important determinants of the biological behavior of neuroblastoma. Tolfenamic acid (TA), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is known to induce the degradation of Sp proteins and may serve as a novel anti-cancer agent. The objective of this investigation was to examine the anti-cancer activity of TA using established human neuroblastoma cell lines. We tested the anti-proliferative effect of TA using SH-SY5Y, CHLA90, LA1 55n, SHEP, Be2c, CMP 13Y, and SMS KCNR cell lines. Cells were treated with TA (0/25/50/100 µM) and cell viability was measured at 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment. Selected neuroblastoma cell lines were treated with 50 µM TA for 24 and 48 h and tested for cell apoptosis using Annexin-V staining. Caspase activity was measured with caspase 3/7 Glo kit. Cell lysates were prepared and the expression of Sp1, survivin, and c-PARP were evaluated through Western blot analysis. TA significantly inhibited the growth of neuroblastoma cells in a dose/time-dependent manner and significantly decreased Sp1 and survivin expression. Apart from cell cycle (G0/G1) arrest, TA caused significant increase in the apoptotic cell population, caspase 3/7 activity, and c-PARP expression. These results show that TA effectively inhibits neuroblastoma cell growth potentially through suppressing mitosis, Sp1, and survivin expression, and inducing apoptosis. These results show TA as a novel therapeutic agent for neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don Eslin
- MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida, USA
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Chen ST, Jeng YM, Chang CC, Chang HH, Huang MC, Juan HF, Hsu CH, Lee H, Liao YF, Lee YL, Hsu WM, Lai HS. Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3 expression predicts unfavorable prognosis in patients with neuroblastoma. Cancer Sci 2011; 102:2191-8. [PMID: 21917080 PMCID: PMC11158860 DOI: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.02100.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3) has been reported to enhance proliferation and invasion in various cancers. The role of IMP3 on neuroblastoma (NB) is unknown. We aimed to clarify the prognostic significance of IMP3 expression in patients with NB. By microarray analysis, high IMP3 expression was found in patients with poor outcome. IMP3 expression in 90 NB samples was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining to correlate with clinical stages, histology, and patient outcome. Positive IMP3 expression was detected in 52 of 90 patients, and was significantly correlated with undifferentiated histology, advanced stages, MYCN amplification, and poor outcome. In subgroups, positive IMP3 expression could predict an even worse prognosis in patients with advanced disease, with normal MYCN status, or with MYCN amplification (P = 0.005, P = 0.001, and P = 0.033, respectively). The IMP3 expression decreased by induction of differentiation with retinoid acid treatment in SK-N-DZ and SK-N-SH cells in vitro. The invasion ability of NB cells also decreased as IMP3 knockdown by using RNA interference in vitro. In summary, high expression of IMP3 in NB might contribute to the undifferentiated phenotype and invasive behaviors, leading to a poor prognosis. Determining IMP3 expression in NB could help to improve a personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szu-Ta Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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Akter J, Takatori A, Hossain MS, Ozaki T, Nakazawa A, Ohira M, Suenaga Y, Nakagawara A. Expression of NLRR3 Orphan Receptor Gene Is Negatively Regulated by MYCN and Miz-1, and Its Downregulation Is Associated with Unfavorable Outcome in Neuroblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2011; 17:6681-92. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-11-0313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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De Brouwer S, Mestdagh P, Lambertz I, Pattyn F, De Paepe A, Westermann F, Schroeder C, Schulte JH, Schramm A, De Preter K, Vandesompele J, Speleman F. Dickkopf-3 is regulated by the MYCN-induced miR-17-92 cluster in neuroblastoma. Int J Cancer 2011; 130:2591-8. [PMID: 21796614 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.26295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2011] [Accepted: 06/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a paediatric tumour with a remarkable diverse clinical behaviour. Approximately half of the high stage aggressive tumours are characterized by MYCN gene amplification but our understanding of the role of MYCN in NB oncogenesis is incomplete. Previous studies have shown that MYCN expression is inversely correlated with expression of Dickkopf-3 (DKK3), a gene encoding an extracellular protein with presumed tumour suppressor activity, but direct MYCN regulation of DKK3 was excluded leaving the mechanism of regulation unexplained. Given the recently established role of MYCN-regulated miRNAs in downregulation of protein-coding genes and predicted seeds for miR-17-92 cluster members within the DKK3 3'UTR, we hypothesized that this mechanism would act in MYCN regulation of DKK3. To investigate this, we used a validated miR-17-92-inducible cellular system and could demonstrate robust downregulation of DKK3 mRNA and protein levels upon miR-17-92 overexpression. Next, two of the three predicted miRNAs, miR-19b and miR-92a, were shown to lower DKK3 protein levels, in addition to measurable DKK3 mRNA knock-down by miR-92a. Direct interaction between miR-19b or miR-92a and the 3'UTR of DKK3 was validated using luciferase reporter assays. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the MYCN-induced downregulation of DKK3 results from direct upregulation of miR-17-92 components effecting both DKK3 mRNA stability and translation which further contributes to the pleiotropic oncogenic effect of elevated MYCN levels. The strict MYCN-mediated regulation of DKK3 is suggestive for an important downstream function of the MYCN protein and thus warrants further investigations to unravel the role of DKK3 in NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara De Brouwer
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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Tumour-suppressor microRNAs let-7 and mir-101 target the proto-oncogene MYCN and inhibit cell proliferation in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Br J Cancer 2011; 105:296-303. [PMID: 21654684 PMCID: PMC3142803 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2011.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate expression of many cancer-related genes through posttranscriptional repression of their mRNAs. In this study we investigate the proto-oncogene MYCN as a target for miRNA regulation. Methods: A luciferase reporter assay was used to investigate software-predicted miRNA target sites in the 3′-untranslated region (3′UTR) of MYCN. The miRNAs were overexpressed in cell lines by transfection of miRNA mimics or miRNA-expressing plasmids. Mutation of the target sites was used to validate MYCN 3′UTR as a direct target of several miRNAs. To measure miRNA-mediated suppression of endogenous N-myc protein, inhibition of proliferation and inhibition of clonogenic growth, miRNAs were overexpressed in a MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell line. Results: The results from this study show that MYCN is targeted by several miRNAs. In addition to the previously shown mir-34a/c, we experimentally validate mir-449, mir-19a/b, mir-29a/b/c, mir-101 and let-7e/mir-202 as direct MYCN-targeting miRNAs. These miRNAs were able to suppress endogenous N-myc protein in a MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell line. The let-7e and mir-202 were strong negative regulators of MYCN expression. The mir-101 and the let-7 family miRNAs let-7e and mir-202 inhibited proliferation and clonogenic growth when overexpressed in Kelly cells. Conclusion: The tumour-suppressor miRNAs let-7 and mir-101 target MYCN and inhibit proliferation and clonogenic growth of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells.
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Teitz T, Stanke JJ, Federico S, Bradley CL, Brennan R, Zhang J, Johnson MD, Sedlacik J, Inoue M, Zhang ZM, Frase S, Rehg JE, Hillenbrand CM, Finkelstein D, Calabrese C, Dyer MA, Lahti JM. Preclinical models for neuroblastoma: establishing a baseline for treatment. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19133. [PMID: 21559450 PMCID: PMC3084749 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2011] [Accepted: 03/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Preclinical models of pediatric cancers are essential for testing new
chemotherapeutic combinations for clinical trials. The most widely used
genetic model for preclinical testing of neuroblastoma is the TH-MYCN mouse.
This neuroblastoma-prone mouse recapitulates many of the features of human
neuroblastoma. Limitations of this model include the low frequency of bone
marrow metastasis, the lack of information on whether the gene expression
patterns in this system parallels human neuroblastomas, the relatively slow
rate of tumor formation and variability in tumor penetrance on different
genetic backgrounds. As an alternative, preclinical studies are frequently
performed using human cell lines xenografted into immunocompromised mice,
either as flank implant or orthtotopically. Drawbacks of this system include
the use of cell lines that have been in culture for years, the inappropriate
microenvironment of the flank or difficult, time consuming surgery for
orthotopic transplants and the absence of an intact immune system. Principal Findings Here we characterize and optimize both systems to increase their utility for
preclinical studies. We show that TH-MYCN mice develop tumors in the
paraspinal ganglia, but not in the adrenal, with cellular and gene
expression patterns similar to human NB. In addition, we present a new
ultrasound guided, minimally invasive orthotopic xenograft method. This
injection technique is rapid, provides accurate targeting of the injected
cells and leads to efficient engraftment. We also demonstrate that tumors
can be detected, monitored and quantified prior to visualization using
ultrasound, MRI and bioluminescence. Finally we develop and test a
“standard of care” chemotherapy regimen. This protocol, which is
based on current treatments for neuroblastoma, provides a baseline for
comparison of new therapeutic agents. Significance The studies suggest that use of both the TH-NMYC model of neuroblastoma and
the orthotopic xenograft model provide the optimal combination for testing
new chemotherapies for this devastating childhood cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Teitz
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jennifer J. Stanke
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Sara Federico
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Cori L. Bradley
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Rachel Brennan
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jiakun Zhang
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Melissa D. Johnson
- Animal Imaging Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jan Sedlacik
- Department of Radiological Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Madoka Inoue
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Ziwei M. Zhang
- Animal Imaging Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Sharon Frase
- Cell and Tissue Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jerold E. Rehg
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Claudia M. Hillenbrand
- Department of Radiological Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - David Finkelstein
- Information Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Christopher Calabrese
- Animal Imaging Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Dyer
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee Health Science
Center, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of
America
- * E-mail: (JML); (MAD)
| | - Jill M. Lahti
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science
Center, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JML); (MAD)
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Petroni M, Veschi V, Prodosmo A, Rinaldo C, Massimi I, Carbonari M, Dominici C, McDowell HP, Rinaldi C, Screpanti I, Frati L, Bartolazzi A, Gulino A, Soddu S, Giannini G. MYCN sensitizes human neuroblastoma to apoptosis by HIPK2 activation through a DNA damage response. Mol Cancer Res 2010; 9:67-77. [PMID: 21173028 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-10-0227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
MYCN amplification occurs in approximately 20% of human neuroblastomas and is associated with early tumor progression and poor outcome, despite intensive multimodal treatment. However, MYCN overexpression also sensitizes neuroblastoma cells to apoptosis. Thus, uncovering the molecular mechanisms linking MYCN to apoptosis might contribute to designing more efficient therapies for MYCN-amplified tumors. Here we show that MYCN-dependent sensitization to apoptosis requires activation of p53 and its phosphorylation at serine 46. The p53(S46) kinase HIPK2 accumulates on MYCN expression, and its depletion by RNA interference impairs p53(S46) phosphorylation and apoptosis. Remarkably, MYCN induces a DNA damage response that accounts for the inhibition of HIPK2 degradation through an ATM- and NBS1-dependent pathway. Prompted by the rare occurrence of p53 mutations and by the broad expression of HIPK2 in our human neuroblastoma series, we evaluated the effects of the p53-reactivating compound Nutlin-3 on this pathway. At variance from other tumor histotypes, in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma, Nutlin-3 further induced HIPK2 accumulation, p53(S46) phosphorylation, and apoptosis, and in combination with clastogenic agents purged virtually the entire cell population. Altogether, our data uncover a novel mechanism linking MYCN to apoptosis that can be triggered by the p53-reactivating compound Nutlin-3, supporting its use in the most difficult-to-treat subset of neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marialaura Petroni
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena, 324, 00161, Rome, Italy
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Lin RJ, Lin YC, Chen J, Kuo HH, Chen YY, Diccianni MB, London WB, Chang CH, Yu AL. microRNA signature and expression of Dicer and Drosha can predict prognosis and delineate risk groups in neuroblastoma. Cancer Res 2010; 70:7841-50. [PMID: 20805302 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-10-0970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a common childhood tumor and accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths. To investigate the microRNA (miRNA) profile and role of Dicer and Drosha in neuroblastoma, we assessed the expression of 162 human miRNAs, Dicer and Drosha in 66 neuroblastoma tumors by using real-time PCR methods. We found global downregulation of miRNA expression in advanced neuroblastoma and identified 27 miRNAs that can clearly distinguish low- from high-risk patients. Furthermore, expression levels of Dicer or Drosha were low in high-risk neuroblastoma tumors, which accounted for global downregulation of miRNAs in advanced disease and correlated with poor outcome. Notably, for patients with non-MYCN-amplified tumors, low expression of Dicer can serve as a significant and independent predictor of poor outcome (hazard ratio, 9.6; P = 0.045; n = 52). Using plausible neural networks to select a combination of 15 biomarkers that consist of 12 miRNAs' signature, expression levels of Dicer and Drosha, and age at diagnosis, we were able to segregate all patients into four distinct patterns that were highly predictive of clinical outcome. In vitro studies also showed that knockdown of either Dicer or Drosha promoted the growth of neuroblastoma cell lines. Our results reveal that a combination of 15 biomarkers can delineate risk groups of neuroblastoma and serve as a powerful predictor of clinical outcome. Moreover, our findings of growth promotion by silencing Dicer/Drosha implied their potential use as therapeutic targets for neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruey-Jen Lin
- Graduate Institute of Life Science, National Defense Medical Center, and Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Albihn A, Johnsen JI, Henriksson MA. MYC in oncogenesis and as a target for cancer therapies. Adv Cancer Res 2010; 107:163-224. [PMID: 20399964 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-230x(10)07006-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
MYC proteins (c-MYC, MYCN, and MYCL) regulate processes involved in many if not all aspects of cell fate. Therefore, it is not surprising that the MYC genes are deregulated in several human neoplasias as a result from genetic and epigenetic alterations. The near "omnipotency" together with the many levels of regulation makes MYC an attractive target for tumor intervention therapy. Here, we summarize some of the current understanding of MYC function and provide an overview of different cancer forms with MYC deregulation. We also describe available treatments and highlight novel approaches in the pursuit for MYC-targeting therapies. These efforts, at different stages of development, constitute a promising platform for novel, more specific treatments with fewer side effects. If successful a MYC-targeting therapy has the potential for tailored treatment of a large number of different tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Albihn
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Ohtaki M, Otani K, Hiyama K, Kamei N, Satoh K, Hiyama E. A robust method for estimating gene expression states using Affymetrix microarray probe level data. BMC Bioinformatics 2010; 11:183. [PMID: 20380745 PMCID: PMC2873532 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2105-11-183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2009] [Accepted: 04/12/2010] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Microarray technology is a high-throughput method for measuring the expression levels of thousand of genes simultaneously. The observed intensities combine a non-specific binding, which is a major disadvantage with microarray data. The Affymetrix GeneChip assigned a mismatch (MM) probe with the intention of measuring non-specific binding, but various opinions exist regarding usefulness of MM measures. It should be noted that not all observed intensities are associated with expressed genes and many of those are associated with unexpressed genes, of which measured values express mere noise due to non-specific binding, cross-hybridization, or stray signals. The implicit assumption that all genes are expressed leads to poor performance of microarray data analyses. We assume two functional states of a gene - expressed or unexpressed - and propose a robust method to estimate gene expression states using an order relationship between PM and MM measures. Results An indicator 'probability of a gene being expressed' was obtained using the number of probe pairs within a probe set where the PM measure exceeds the MM measure. We examined the validity of the proposed indicator using Human Genome U95 data sets provided by Affymetrix. The usefulness of 'probability of a gene being expressed' is illustrated through an exploration of candidate genes involved in neuroblastoma prognosis. We identified the candidate genes for which expression states differed (un-expressed or expressed) when compared between two outcomes. The validity of this result was subsequently confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. Conclusion The proposed qualitative evaluation, 'probability of a gene being expressed', is a useful indicator for improving microarray data analysis. It is useful to reduce the number of false discoveries. Expression states - expressed or unexpressed - correspond to the most fundamental gene function 'On' and 'Off', which can lead to biologically meaningful results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megu Ohtaki
- Department of Environmetrics and Biometrics, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan.
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Geerts D, Koster J, Albert D, Koomoa DLT, Feith DJ, Pegg AE, Volckmann R, Caron H, Versteeg R, Bachmann AS. The polyamine metabolism genes ornithine decarboxylase and antizyme 2 predict aggressive behavior in neuroblastomas with and without MYCN amplification. Int J Cancer 2010; 126:2012-24. [PMID: 19960435 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
High polyamine (PA) levels and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) overexpression are well-known phenomena in many aggressive cancer types. We analyzed the expression of ODC and ODC-activity regulating genes antizymes 1-3 (OAZ1-3) and antizyme inhibitors 1-2 (AZ-IN1-2) in human neuroblastoma (NB) tumors and correlated these with genetic and clinical features of NB. Since ODC is a known target gene of MYCN, the correlation between ODC and MYCN was of special interest. Data were obtained from Affymetrix micro-array analysis of 88 NB tumor samples. In addition, mRNA expression levels of ODC, OAZ2 and MYCN in a MYCN-inducible NB cell line were determined by quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). ODC mRNA expression in NB tumors was significantly predictive of decreased overall survival probability and correlated with several unfavorable clinical NB characteristics (all p < 0.005). Interestingly, high ODC mRNA expression also showed significant correlation with poor survival prognosis in Kaplan-Meier analyses stratified for patients without MYCN amplification, suggesting an additional role for ODC independent of MYCN. Conversely, high OAZ2 mRNA expression correlated with increased survival and with several favorable clinical NB characteristics (all p < 0.003). In addition, we provide first evidence of a role for MYCN-associated transcription factors MAD2 and MAD7 in ODC regulation. In NB cell cultures, ectopic overexpression of MYCN altered ODC but not OAZ2 mRNA levels. In conclusion, these data suggest that elevated ODC and low OAZ2 mRNA expression levels correlate with several unfavorable genetic and clinical features in NB, offering new insights into PA pathways and PA metabolism-targeting therapy in NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Geerts
- Department of Human Genetics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Abraham D, Zins K, Sioud M, Lucas T, Schäfer R, Stanley ER, Aharinejad S. Stromal cell-derived CSF-1 blockade prolongs xenograft survival of CSF-1-negative neuroblastoma. Int J Cancer 2010; 126:1339-52. [PMID: 19711348 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.24859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms of tumor-host interactions that render neuroblastoma (NB) cells highly invasive are unclear. Cancer cells upregulate host stromal cell colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) production to recruit tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and accelerate tumor growth by affecting extracellular matrix remodeling and angiogenesis. By coculturing NB with stromal cells in vitro, we showed the importance of host CSF-1 expression for macrophage recruitment to NB cells. To examine this interaction in NB in vivo, mice bearing human CSF-1-expressing SK-N-AS and CSF-1-negative SK-N-DZ NB xenografts were treated with intratumoral injections of small interfering RNAs directed against mouse CSF-1. Significant suppression of both SK-N-AS and SK-N-DZ NB growth by these treatments was associated with decreased TAM infiltration, matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-12 levels and angiogenesis compared to controls, while expression of tissue inhibitors of MMPs increased following mouse CSF-1 blockade. Furthermore, Tie-2-positive and -negative TAMs recruited by host CSF-1 were identified in NB tumor tissue by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. However, host-CSF-1 blockade prolonged survival only in CSF-1-negative SK-N-DZ NB. These studies demonstrated that increased CSF-1 production by host cells enhances TAM recruitment and NB growth and that the CSF-1 phenotype of NB tumor cells adversely affects survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dietmar Abraham
- Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research, Vienna Medical University, A-1090Vienna, Austria
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Bell E, Chen L, Liu T, Marshall GM, Lunec J, Tweddle DA. MYCN oncoprotein targets and their therapeutic potential. Cancer Lett 2010; 293:144-57. [PMID: 20153925 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2010.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2009] [Revised: 01/11/2010] [Accepted: 01/16/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The MYCN oncogene encodes a transcription factor which is amplified in up to 40% of high risk neuroblastomas. MYCN amplification is a well-established poor prognostic marker in neuroblastoma, however the role of MYCN expression and the mechanisms by which it acts to promote an aggressive phenotype remain largely unknown. This review discusses the current evidence identifying the direct and indirect downstream transcriptional targets of MYCN from recent studies, with particular reference to how MYCN affects the cell cycle, DNA damage response, differentiation and apoptosis in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Bell
- Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
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Lam WA, Cao L, Umesh V, Keung AJ, Sen S, Kumar S. Extracellular matrix rigidity modulates neuroblastoma cell differentiation and N-myc expression. Mol Cancer 2010; 9:35. [PMID: 20144241 PMCID: PMC2831820 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-9-35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2009] [Accepted: 02/10/2010] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a pediatric malignancy characterized by tremendous clinical heterogeneity, in which some tumors are extremely aggressive while others spontaneously differentiate into benign forms. Because the degree of differentiation correlates with prognosis, and because differentiating agents such as retinoic acid (RA) have proven to decrease mortality, much effort has been devoted to identifying critical regulators of neuroblastoma differentiation in the cellular microenvironment, including cues encoded in the extracellular matrix (ECM). While signaling between tumor cells and the ECM is classically regarded to be based purely on biochemical recognition of ECM ligands by specific cellular receptors, a number of recent studies have made it increasingly clear that the biophysical properties of the ECM may also play an important role in this cross-talk. Given that RA-mediated neuroblastoma differentiation is accompanied by profound changes in cell morphology and neurite extension, both of which presumably rely upon mechanotransductive signaling systems, it occurred to us that mechanical cues from the ECM might also influence RA-mediated differentiation, which in turn might regulate clinically-relevant aspects of neuroblastoma biology. In this study, we tested this hypothesis by subjecting a series of neuroblastoma culture models to ECM microenvironments of varying mechanical stiffness and examined the regulatory role of ECM stiffness in proliferation, differentiation, and expression of tumor markers. We find that increasing ECM stiffness enhances neuritogenesis and suppresses cell proliferation. Remarkably, increasing ECM stiffness also reduces expression of N-Myc, a transcription factor involved in multiple aspects of oncogenic proliferation that is used for evaluating prognosis and clinical grading of neuroblastoma. Furthermore, the addition of RA enhances all of these effects for all ECM stiffnesses tested. Together, our data strongly support the notion that the mechanical signals from the cellular microenvironment influence neuroblastoma differentiation and do so synergistically with RA. These observations support further investigation of the role of microenvironmental mechanical signals in neuroblastoma proliferation and differentiation and suggest that pharmacological agents that modulate the underlying mechanotransductive signaling pathways may have a role in neuroblastoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilbur A Lam
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Abstract
Myc proteins (c-myc, Mycn and Mycl) target proliferative and apoptotic pathways vital for progression in cancer. Amplification of the MYCN gene has emerged as one of the clearest indicators of aggressive and chemotherapy-refractory disease in children with neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood. Phosphorylation and ubiquitin-mediated modulation of Myc protein influence stability and represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Phosphorylation of Myc proteins is controlled in-part by the receptor tyrosine kinase/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mTOR signaling, with additional contributions from Aurora A kinase. Myc proteins regulate apoptosis in part through interactions with the p53/Mdm2/Arf signaling pathway. Mutation in p53 is commonly observed in patients with relapsed neuroblastoma, contributing to both biology and therapeutic resistance. This review examines Myc function and regulation in neuroblastoma, and discusses emerging therapies that target Mycn.
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Mdm2 deficiency suppresses MYCN-Driven neuroblastoma tumorigenesis in vivo. Neoplasia 2009; 11:753-62. [PMID: 19649205 DOI: 10.1593/neo.09466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2009] [Revised: 04/26/2009] [Accepted: 04/30/2009] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is derived from neural crest precursor components of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system and accounts for more than 15% of all pediatric cancer deaths. A clearer understanding of the molecular basis of neuroblastoma is required for novel therapeutic approaches to improve morbidity and mortality. Neuroblastoma is uniformly p53 wild type at diagnosis and must overcome p53-mediated tumor suppression during pathogenesis. Amplification of the MYCN oncogene correlates with the most clinically aggressive form of the cancer, and MDM2, a primary inhibitor of the p53 tumor suppressor, is a direct transcriptional target of, and positively regulated by, both MYCN and MYCC. We hypothesize that MDM2 contributes to MYCN-driven tumorigenesis helping to ameliorate p53-dependent apoptotic oncogenic stress during tumor initiation and progression. To study the interaction of MYCN and MDM2, we generated an Mdm2 haploinsufficient transgenic animal model of neuroblastoma. In Mdm2(+/-)MYCN transgenics, tumor latency and animal survival are remarkably extended, whereas tumor incidence and growth are reduced. Analysis of the Mdm2/p53 pathway reveals remarkable p53 stabilization counter-balanced by epigenetic silencing of the p19(Arf) gene in the Mdm2 haploinsufficient tumors. In human neuroblastoma xenograft models, conditional small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of MDM2 in cells expressing wild-type p53 dramatically suppresses tumor growth in a p53-dependent manner. In summary, we provided evidence for a crucial role for direct inhibition of p53 by MDM2 and suppression of the p19(ARF)/p53 axis in neuroblastoma tumorigenesis, supporting the development of therapies targeting these pathways.
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