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Vayani OR, Kaufman ME, Moore K, Chennakesavalu M, TerHaar R, Chaves G, Chlenski A, He C, Cohn SL, Applebaum MA. Adrenergic and mesenchymal signatures are identifiable in cell-free DNA and correlate with metastatic disease burden in children with neuroblastoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.30.554943. [PMID: 37693610 PMCID: PMC10491182 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.30.554943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Background Cell free DNA (cfDNA) profiles of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), an epigenetic marker of open chromatin and active gene expression, are correlated with metastatic disease burden in patients with neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma tumors are comprised of adrenergic (ADRN) and mesenchymal (MES) cells, and the relative abundance of each in tumor biopsies has prognostic implications. We hypothesized that ADRN and MES specific signatures could be quantified in cfDNA 5-hmC profiles and would augment the detection of metastatic burden in patients with neuroblastoma. Methods We previously performed an integrative analysis to identify ADRN and MES specific genes (n=373 and n=159, respectively). Purified DNA from cell lines was serial diluted with healthy donor cfDNA. Using Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA), ADRN and MES signatures were optimized. We then quantified signature scores, and our prior neuroblastoma signature, in cfDNA from 84 samples from 46 high-risk patients including 21 patients with serial samples. Results Samples from patients with higher metastatic burden had increased GSVA scores for both ADRN and MES gene signatures (p < 0.001). While ADRN and MES signature scores tracked together in serially collected samples, we identified instances of patients with increases in either MES or ADRN score at relapse. Conclusions While it is feasible to identify ADRN and MES signatures using 5-hmC profiles of cfDNA from neuroblastoma patients and correlate these signatures to metastatic burden, additional data are needed to determine the optimal strategies for clinical implementation. Prospective evaluation in larger cohorts is ongoing.
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Pilgrim AA, Jonus HC, Ho A, Cole AC, Shim J, Goldsmith KC. The yes-associated protein (YAP) is associated with resistance to anti-GD2 immunotherapy in neuroblastoma through downregulation of ST8SIA1. Oncoimmunology 2023; 12:2240678. [PMID: 37554309 PMCID: PMC10405770 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2240678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma often relapse with chemotherapy-resistant, incurable disease. Relapsed neuroblastomas harbor chemo-resistant mesenchymal tumor cells and increased expression/activity of the transcriptional co-regulator, the Yes-Associated Protein (YAP). Patients with relapsed neuroblastoma are often treated with immunotherapy such as the anti-GD2 antibody, dinutuximab, in combination with chemotherapy. We have previously shown that YAP mediates both chemotherapy and MEK inhibitor resistance in relapsed RAS mutated neuroblastoma and so posited that YAP might also be involved in anti-GD2 antibody resistance. We now show that YAP genetic inhibition significantly enhances sensitivity of mesenchymal neuroblastomas to dinutuximab and gamma delta (γδ) T cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, YAP inhibition induces increased GD2 cell surface expression through upregulation of ST8SIA1, the gene encoding GD3 synthase and the rate-limiting enzyme in GD2 biosynthesis. The mechanism of ST8SIA1 suppression by YAP is independent of PRRX1 expression, a mesenchymal master transcription factor, suggesting YAP may be the downstream effector of mesenchymal GD2 resistance. These results therefore identify YAP as a therapeutic target to augment GD2 immunotherapy responses in patients with neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeiye A. Pilgrim
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hunter C. Jonus
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Andrew Ho
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anna C. Cole
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jenny Shim
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kelly C. Goldsmith
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
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Verteporfin-induced proteotoxicity impairs cell homeostasis and survival in neuroblastoma subtypes independent of YAP/TAZ expression. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3760. [PMID: 36882436 PMCID: PMC9992669 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29796-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a highly aggressive extracranial solid tumor in children. Due to its heterogeneity, NB remains a therapeutic challenge. Several oncogenic factors, including the Hippo effectors YAP/TAZ, are associated with NB tumorigenesis. Verteporfin (VPF) is an FDA-approved drug shown to directly inhibit YAP/TAZ activity. Our study aimed to investigate VPF's potential as a therapeutic agent in NB. We show that VPF selectively and efficiently impairs the viability of YAP/TAZ-expressing NB GI-ME-N and SK-N-AS cells, but not of non-malignant fibroblasts. To investigate whether VPF-mediated NB cell killing is YAP-dependent, we tested VPF potency in CRISPR-mediated YAP/TAZ knock-out GI-ME-N cells, and BE(2)-M17 NB cells (a MYCN-amplified, predominantly YAP-negative NB subtype). Our data shows that VPF-mediated NB cell killing is not dependent on YAP expression. Moreover, we determined that the formation of higher molecular weight (HMW) complexes is an early and shared VPF-induced cytotoxic mechanism in both YAP-positive and YAP-negative NB models. The accumulation of HMW complexes, involving STAT3, GM130 and COX IV proteins, impaired cell homeostasis and triggered cell stress and cell death mechanisms. Altogether, our study shows significant in vitro and in vivo VPF-induced suppression of NB growth, making VPF a potential therapeutic candidate against NB.
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Wang H, Chen Y, Yuan Q, Chen L, Dai P, Li X. HRK inhibits colorectal cancer cells proliferation by suppressing the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1053510. [PMID: 36568155 PMCID: PMC9769574 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1053510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As one of the most common malignant tumor, colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to have a high incidence and mortality rate. HRK belongs to the BCL-2 protein family, which has been shown to have antitumor effects in prostate cancer. However, its role in colorectal cancer is not yet known. Methods In this study, we verified the expression levels of HRK in colorectal cancer tissues by public database search as well as immunohistochemistry. Next, we analyzed HRK expression levels in CRC tissues,adjacent non-cancerous tissues, cell lines and normal intestinal epithelial cells by qPCR and Western blotting. CCK-8 proliferation assays, transwell assays, wound healing assays, colony assays and flow cytometry were performed to clarified the effect of HRK on CRC cells. Western blotting and rescue experiments were used to determine the role of HRK in regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Results HRK expression was lower in CRC tissues and cell lines. Gain and loss of function experiments showed that HRK decreased proliferation, invasion and migration of CRC cells. Low expression of HRK inhibited CRC cell apoptosis as well as activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, rapamycin inhibits the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and reverses HRK-induced alterations in cell biological functions. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that HRK is lowly expressed in colorectal cancer tissues. And for the first time, HRK was shown to promote apoptosis and inhibit proliferation of colorectal cancer cells by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. HRK represents a potential target for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujia Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qinzi Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixia Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peiling Dai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuenong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Xuenong Li,
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Ning L, Shim J, Tomov ML, Liu R, Mehta R, Mingee A, Hwang B, Jin L, Mantalaris A, Xu C, Mahmoudi M, Goldsmith KC, Serpooshan V. A 3D Bioprinted in vitro Model of Neuroblastoma Recapitulates Dynamic Tumor-Endothelial Cell Interactions Contributing to Solid Tumor Aggressive Behavior. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2200244. [PMID: 35644929 PMCID: PMC9376856 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial tumor in children resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. A deeper understanding of the NB tumor microenvironment (TME) remains an area of active research but there is a lack of reliable and biomimetic experimental models. This study utilizes a 3D bioprinting approach, in combination with NB spheroids, to create an in vitro vascular model of NB for exploring the tumor function within an endothelialized microenvironment. A gelatin methacryloyl (gelMA) bioink is used to create multi-channel cubic tumor analogues with high printing fidelity and mechanical tunability. Human-derived NB spheroids and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are incorporated into the biomanufactured gelMA and cocultured under static versus dynamic conditions, demonstrating high levels of survival and growth. Quantification of NB-EC integration and tumor cell migration suggested an increased aggressive behavior of NB when cultured in bioprinted endothelialized models, when cocultured with HUVECs, and also as a result of dynamic culture. This model also allowed for the assessment of metabolic, cytokine, and gene expression profiles of NB spheroids under varying TME conditions. These results establish a high throughput research enabling platform to study the TME-mediated cellular-molecular mechanisms of tumor growth, aggression, and response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqun Ning
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Jenny Shim
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders CenterChildren's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30342USA
- Children's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Martin L. Tomov
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Riya Mehta
- Department of BiologyEmory UniversityAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Andrew Mingee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Boeun Hwang
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Linqi Jin
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Athanasios Mantalaris
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Chunhui Xu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Morteza Mahmoudi
- Department of Radiology and Precision Health ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
| | - Kelly C. Goldsmith
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders CenterChildren's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30342USA
- Children's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Vahid Serpooshan
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
- Children's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30322USA
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A novel endoplasmic stress mediator, Kelch domain containing 7B (KLHDC7B), increased Harakiri (HRK) in the SubAB-induced apoptosis signaling pathway. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:360. [PMID: 34799565 PMCID: PMC8605022 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00753-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Locus for Enterocyte Effacement (LEE)-positive Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) contributes to many global foodborne diseases, with infection characterized by severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloody diarrhea. The incidence of LEE-negative STEC-mediated disease is also increasing globally. Subtilase cytotoxin (SubAB) is released by some LEE-negative STEC strains. It cleaves BiP, which is a chaperone protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), thereby causing apoptosis induced by ER stress. To date, the apoptotic signaling pathway mediated by SubAB has not been identified. In the current study, RNA-seq analysis showed that SubAB significantly induced the expression of Kelch domain containing 7B (KLHDC7B). We explored the role of KLHDC7B in the SubAB-induced apoptotic pathway. SubAB-induced KLHDC7B mRNA expression was increased after 12 h of incubation of toxin with HeLa cells. KLHDC7B expression was downregulated by knockdown of PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), CEBP homologous protein (CHOP), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), and CEBP β (CEBPB). KLHDC7B knockdown suppressed SubAB-stimulated CHOP expression, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, and cytotoxicity. The over-expressed KLHDC7B was localized to the nucleus and cytosolic fractions. Next, we used RNA-seq to analyze the effect of KLHDC7B knockdown on apoptosis induced by SubAB, and found that the gene encoding for the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein, Harakiri (HRK), was upregulated in SubAB-treated control cells. However, this effect was not observed in SubAB-treated KLHDC7B-knockdown cells. Therefore, we identified the pathway through which SubAB-induced KLHDC7B regulates HRK expression, which is essential for apoptosis in toxin-mediated ER stress.
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Shim J, Goldsmith KC. A New Player in Neuroblastoma: YAP and Its Role in the Neuroblastoma Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184650. [PMID: 34572875 PMCID: PMC8472533 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial pediatric solid tumor that accounts for more than 15% of childhood cancer-related deaths. High risk neuroblastomas that recur during or after intense multimodal therapy have a <5% chance at a second sustained remission or cure. The solid tumor microenvironment (TME) has been increasingly recognized to play a critical role in cancer progression and resistance to therapy, including in neuroblastoma. The Yes-Associated Protein (YAP) in the Hippo pathway can regulate cancer proliferation, tumor initiation, and therapy response in many cancer types and as such, its role in the TME has gained interest. In this review, we focus on YAP and its role in neuroblastoma and further describe its demonstrated and potential effects on the neuroblastoma TME. We also discuss the therapeutic strategies for inhibiting YAP in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Shim
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Kelly C. Goldsmith
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-404-727-2655
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