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Mandell JD, Diviti S, Xu M, Townsend JP. Rare Drivers at Low Prevalence with High Cancer Effects in T-Cell and B-Cell Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6589. [PMID: 38928295 PMCID: PMC11203805 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The genomic analyses of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) subtypes, particularly T-cell and B-cell lineages, have been pivotal in identifying potential therapeutic targets. Typical genomic analyses have directed attention toward the most commonly mutated genes. However, assessing the contribution of mutations to cancer phenotypes is crucial. Therefore, we estimated the cancer effects (scaled selection coefficients) for somatic substitutions in T-cell and B-cell cohorts, revealing key insights into mutation contributions. Cancer effects for well-known, frequently mutated genes like NRAS and KRAS in B-ALL were high, which underscores their importance as therapeutic targets. However, less frequently mutated genes IL7R, XBP1, and TOX also demonstrated high cancer effects, suggesting pivotal roles in the development of leukemia when present. In T-ALL, KRAS and NRAS are less frequently mutated than in B-ALL. However, their cancer effects when present are high in both subtypes. Mutations in PIK3R1 and RPL10 were not at high prevalence, yet exhibited some of the highest cancer effects in individual T-cell ALL patients. Even CDKN2A, with a low prevalence and relatively modest cancer effect, is potentially highly relevant for the epistatic effects that its mutated form exerts on other mutations. Prioritizing investigation into these moderately frequent but potentially high-impact targets not only presents novel personalized therapeutic opportunities but also enhances the understanding of disease mechanisms and advances precision therapeutics for pediatric ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D. Mandell
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA;
| | | | - Mina Xu
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA;
- Program in Genetics, Genomics, and Epigenetics, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Jeffrey P. Townsend
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA;
- Program in Genetics, Genomics, and Epigenetics, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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2
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Zhu Y, Tan H, Wang J, Zhuang H, Zhao H, Lu X. Molecular insight into T cell exhaustion in hepatocellular carcinoma. Pharmacol Res 2024; 203:107161. [PMID: 38554789 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality globally. The emergence of immunotherapy has been shown to be a promising therapeutic approach for hepatocellular carcinoma in recent years. It has been well known that T cell plays a key role in current immunotherapy. However, sustained exposure to antigenic stimulation within the tumor microenvironment may lead to T cell exhaustion, which may cause treatment ineffectiveness. Therefore, reversing T cell exhaustion has been an important issue for the clinical application of immunotherapy, and a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies surrounding T cell exhaustion and its underlying mechanisms is imperative for devising strategies to overcome the T cell exhaustion during treatment. In this review, we summarized the reported drivers of T cell exhaustion in hepatocellular carcinoma and delineate potential ways to reverse it. Additionally, we discussed the interplay among metabolic plasticity, epigenetic regulation, and transcriptional factors in exhausted T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma, and their implication for future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huabing Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology Institute, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China; Shiyan Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei Province 442000, China
| | - Jincheng Wang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Japan
| | - Haiwen Zhuang
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huanbin Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
| | - Xiaojie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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3
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Chang YS, Gills JJ, Kawabata S, Onozawa M, Della Gatta G, Ferrando AA, Aplan PD, Dennis PA. Inhibition of the NOTCH and mTOR pathways by nelfinavir as a novel treatment for T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Int J Oncol 2023; 63:128. [PMID: 37800623 PMCID: PMC10609462 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5576] [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: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‑ALL), a neoplasm derived from T cell lineage‑committed lymphoblasts, is characterized by genetic alterations that result in activation of oncogenic transcription factors and the NOTCH1 pathway activation. The NOTCH is a transmembrane receptor protein activated by γ‑secretase. γ‑secretase inhibitors (GSIs) are a NOTCH‑targeted therapy for T‑ALL. However, their clinical application has not been successful due to adverse events (primarily gastrointestinal toxicity), limited efficacy, and drug resistance caused by several mechanisms, including activation of the AKT/mTOR pathway. Nelfinavir is an human immunodeficiency virus 1 aspartic protease inhibitor and has been repurposed as an anticancer drug. It acts by inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway. Thus, it was hypothesized that nelfinavir might inhibit the NOTCH pathway via γ‑secretase inhibition and blockade of aspartic protease presenilin, which would make nelfinavir effective against NOTCH‑associated T‑ALL. The present study assessed the efficacy of nelfinavir against T‑ALL cells and investigated mechanisms of action in vitro and in preclinical treatment studies using a SCL‑LMO1 transgenic mouse model. Nelfinavir blocks presenilin 1 processing and inhibits γ‑secretase activity as well as the NOTCH1 pathway, thus suppressing T‑ALL cell viability. Additionally, microarray analysis of nelfinavir‑treated T‑ALL cells showed that nelfinavir upregulated mRNA levels of CHAC1 (glutathione‑specific γ‑glutamylcyclotransferase 1, a negative regulator of NOTCH) and sestrin 2 (SESN2; a negative regulator of mTOR). As both factors are upregulated by ER stress, this confirmed that nelfinavir induced ER stress in T‑ALL cells. Moreover, nelfinavir suppressed NOTCH1 mRNA expression in microarray analyses. These findings suggest that nelfinavir inhibited the NOTCH1 pathway by downregulating NOTCH1 mRNA expression, upregulating CHAC1 and suppressing γ‑secretase via presenilin 1 inhibition and the mTOR pathway by upregulating SESN2 via ER stress induction. Further, nelfinavir exhibited therapeutic efficacy against T‑ALL in an SCL‑LMO1 transgenic mouse model. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of nelfinavir as a novel therapeutic candidate for treatment of patients with T‑ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Soo Chang
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joell J. Gills
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shigeru Kawabata
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Masahiro Onozawa
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Giusy Della Gatta
- Institute for Cancer Genetics and Joint Centers for Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Adolfo A. Ferrando
- Institute for Cancer Genetics and Joint Centers for Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Peter D. Aplan
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Phillip A. Dennis
- Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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4
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Yeckes AR, Victor AR, Zhu Z, Narayanan M, Srinivasan B, Bruce B, Kaye J. The Tox Gene Encodes Two Proteins with Distinct and Shared Roles in Gene Regulation. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 210:1889-1898. [PMID: 37115203 PMCID: PMC10247481 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Here we report that the murine Tox gene encodes two proteins from a single mRNA, and we investigate the mechanism of production and function of these proteoforms. The annotated thymocyte selection-associated HMG-box protein (TOX) coding sequence is predicted to produce a 526-aa protein (TOXFL). However, Western blots reveal two bands. We found that the lower band consists of an N-terminally truncated variant of TOX (TOXΔN), whereas the slower-migrating band is TOXFL. The TOXΔN proteoform is alternatively translated via leaky ribosomal scanning from an evolutionarily conserved translation initiation site downstream of the annotated translation initiation site. When expressed exogenously from a cDNA in murine CD8 T cells or HEK cells, or endogenously from the murine Tox locus, both forms are translated, although the ratio of TOXFL/TOXΔN significantly varies with cellular context. This includes regulation of proteoform production during development of murine CD4 T cells in the thymus, where the positive selection of CD4+CD8+ cells and subsequent differentiation to CD4+CD8lo transitional and CD4SP cell subsets is associated with both an increase in total TOX protein and increased TOXΔN production relative to TOXFL. Finally, we found that sole expression of TOXFL had a greater effect on gene regulation during chronic stimulation of murine CD8 T cells in culture mimicking exhaustion than did TOXΔN, including uniquely regulated cell cycle and other genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyson R. Yeckes
- Research Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Aaron R. Victor
- Research Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Zheng Zhu
- Research Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Meena Narayanan
- Research Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Bharani Srinivasan
- Research Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Bethany Bruce
- Research Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Jonathan Kaye
- Research Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
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5
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Chen J, Baxi K, Lipsitt AE, Hensch NR, Wang L, Sreenivas P, Modi P, Zhao XR, Baudin A, Robledo DG, Bandyopadhyay A, Sugalski A, Challa AK, Kurmashev D, Gilbert AR, Tomlinson GE, Houghton P, Chen Y, Hayes MN, Chen EY, Libich DS, Ignatius MS. Defining function of wild-type and three patient-specific TP53 mutations in a zebrafish model of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. eLife 2023; 12:e68221. [PMID: 37266578 PMCID: PMC10322150 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68221] [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: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) and generally in sarcomas, the role of wild-type and loss- or gain-of-function TP53 mutations remains largely undefined. Eliminating mutant or restoring wild-type p53 is challenging; nevertheless, understanding p53 variant effects on tumorigenesis remains central to realizing better treatment outcomes. In ERMS, >70% of patients retain wild-type TP53, yet mutations when present are associated with worse prognosis. Employing a kRASG12D-driven ERMS tumor model and tp53 null (tp53-/-) zebrafish, we define wild-type and patient-specific TP53 mutant effects on tumorigenesis. We demonstrate that tp53 is a major suppressor of tumorigenesis, where tp53 loss expands tumor initiation from <35% to >97% of animals. Characterizing three patient-specific alleles reveals that TP53C176F partially retains wild-type p53 apoptotic activity that can be exploited, whereas TP53P153Δ and TP53Y220C encode two structurally related proteins with gain-of-function effects that predispose to head musculature ERMS. TP53P153Δ unexpectedly also predisposes to hedgehog-expressing medulloblastomas in the kRASG12D-driven ERMS-model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangfei Chen
- Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouChina
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Kunal Baxi
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Amanda E Lipsitt
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology Oncology, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Nicole Rae Hensch
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Long Wang
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Prethish Sreenivas
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Paulomi Modi
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Xiang Ru Zhao
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Antoine Baudin
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Daniel G Robledo
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Abhik Bandyopadhyay
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Aaron Sugalski
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology Oncology, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Anil K Challa
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamUnited States
| | - Dias Kurmashev
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Andrea R Gilbert
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Gail E Tomlinson
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology Oncology, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Peter Houghton
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Yidong Chen
- Department of Population Health Sciences, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Madeline N Hayes
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Eleanor Y Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - David S Libich
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Myron S Ignatius
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences CenterSan AntonioUnited States
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6
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Ma Y, Mu X, Gao R, Zhang Y, Geng Y, Chen X, Yin X, Li F, He J. Maternal exposure to dibutyl phthalate regulates MSH6 crotonylation to impair homologous recombination in fetal oocytes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131540. [PMID: 37167869 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Homologous recombination (HR) during early oogenesis repairs programmed double-strand breaks (DSBs) to ensure female fertility and offspring health. The exposure of fetal ovaries to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can cause reproductive disorders in the adulthood. The EDC dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is widely distributed in flexible plastic products, leading to ubiquitous human exposure. Here, we report that maternal exposure to DBP caused gross aberrations in meiotic prophase I of fetal oocytes, including delayed progression, impaired DNA damage response, uncoupled localization of DMC1 and RAD51, and decreased HR. However, programmed DSBs were efficiently repaired. DBP exposure negatively regulated lysine crotonylation (Kcr) of MSH6. Similar meiotic defects were observed in fetal ovaries with targeted disruption of Msh6, and mutation of K544cr of MSH6 impaired its association with Ku70, thereby promoting non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and inhibiting HR. Unlike mature F1 females, F2 female mice exhibited premature follicular activation, precocious puberty, and anxiety-like behaviors. Therefore, DBP can influence early meiotic events, and Kcr of MSH6 may regulate preferential induction of HR or NHEJ for DNA repair during meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidan Ma
- Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Xinyi Mu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Rufei Gao
- Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Yanqing Geng
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Xuemei Chen
- Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Xin Yin
- Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Fangfang Li
- Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Junlin He
- Department of Health Toxicology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China.
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7
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Zhou J, Toh SHM, Tan TK, Balan K, Lim JQ, Tan TZ, Xiong S, Jia Y, Ng SB, Peng Y, Jeyasekharan AD, Fan S, Lim ST, Ong CAJ, Ong CK, Sanda T, Chng WJ. Super-enhancer-driven TOX2 mediates oncogenesis in Natural Killer/T Cell Lymphoma. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:69. [PMID: 37032358 PMCID: PMC10084643 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01767-1] [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: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with dismal outcome. A better understanding of disease biology and key oncogenic process is necessary for the development of targeted therapy. Super-enhancers (SEs) have been shown to drive pivotal oncogenes in various malignancies. However, the landscape of SEs and SE-associated oncogenes remain elusive in NKTL. METHODS We used Nano-ChIP-seq of the active enhancer marker histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) to profile unique SEs NKTL primary tumor samples. Integrative analysis of RNA-seq and survival data further pinned down high value, novel SE oncogenes. We utilized shRNA knockdown, CRISPR-dCas9, luciferase reporter assay, ChIP-PCR to investigate the regulation of transcription factor (TF) on SE oncogenes. Multi-color immunofluorescence (mIF) staining was performed on an independent cohort of clinical samples. Various function experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of TOX2 on the malignancy of NKTL in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS SE landscape was substantially different in NKTL samples in comparison with normal tonsils. Several SEs at key transcriptional factor (TF) genes, including TOX2, TBX21(T-bet), EOMES, RUNX2, and ID2, were identified. We confirmed that TOX2 was aberrantly overexpressed in NKTL relative to normal NK cells and high expression of TOX2 was associated with worse survival. Modulation of TOX2 expression by shRNA, CRISPR-dCas9 interference of SE function impacted on cell proliferation, survival and colony formation ability of NKTL cells. Mechanistically, we found that RUNX3 regulates TOX2 transcription by binding to the active elements of its SE. Silencing TOX2 also impaired tumor formation of NKTL cells in vivo. Metastasis-associated phosphatase PRL-3 has been identified and validated as a key downstream effector of TOX2-mediated oncogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Our integrative SE profiling strategy revealed the landscape of SEs, novel targets and insights into molecular pathogenesis of NKTL. The RUNX3-TOX2-SE-TOX2-PRL-3 regulatory pathway may represent a hallmark of NKTL biology. Targeting TOX2 could be a valuable therapeutic intervene for NKTL patients and warrants further study in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbiao Zhou
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Sabrina Hui-Min Toh
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Tze King Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Kalpnaa Balan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Jing Quan Lim
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, Lymphoma Genomic Translational Research Laboratory, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore, 169610, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Genomics and Data Analytics Core (GeDaC), Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Sinan Xiong
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Yunlu Jia
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Siok-Bian Ng
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore
| | - Yanfen Peng
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Anand D Jeyasekharan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Shuangyi Fan
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore
| | - Soon Thye Lim
- Director's office, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, 168583, Singapore
- Office of Education, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
| | - Chin-Ann Johnny Ong
- Department of Sarcoma, Peritoneal and Rare Tumours (SPRinT), Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, 168583, Singapore
- Department of Sarcoma, Peritoneal and Rare Tumours (SPRinT), Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, 168583, Singapore
- Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics, Division of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, 168583, Singapore
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Surgery Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Choon Kiat Ong
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, Lymphoma Genomic Translational Research Laboratory, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore, 169610, Singapore.
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore.
| | - Takaomi Sanda
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore.
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
| | - Wee-Joo Chng
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore.
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), 14 Medical Drive, Centre for Translational Medicine, Singapore, 117599, Singapore.
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute of Singapore (NCIS), National University Health System (NUHS), 1E, Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.
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8
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Niu H, Wang H. TOX regulates T lymphocytes differentiation and its function in tumor. Front Immunol 2023; 14:990419. [PMID: 36969216 PMCID: PMC10035881 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.990419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box protein (TOX) is expressed differently at all T lymphocytes development stages. Owing to more advanced scientific and technological means, including single-cell sequencing technology, heterogeneity of T lymphocytes and TOX has gradually been revealed. Further exploration of such heterogeneity will help us comprehend the developmental stage and functional characteristics of T lymphocytes in greater detail. Emerging evidence supports its regulation not only in exhausting, but also in activating T lymphocytes, thereby verifying TOX heterogeneity. TOX can be used not only as a latent intervention target for tumor diseases and chronic infections, and a therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases, but also as a critical factor predicting the drug response and overall survival of patients with malignant tumors.
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9
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IL-15 Prevents the Development of T-ALL from Aberrant Thymocytes with Impaired DNA Repair Functions and Increased NOTCH1 Activation. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030671. [PMID: 36765626 PMCID: PMC9913776 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030671] [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: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that NOD.Scid mice lacking interleukin-15 (IL-15), or IL-15 receptor alpha-chain, develop T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). To understand the mechanisms by which IL-15 signaling controls T-ALL development, we studied the thymocyte developmental events in IL-15-deficient Scid mice from NOD and C57BL/6 genetic backgrounds. Both kinds of mice develop T-ALL characterized by circulating TCR-negative cells expressing CD4, CD8 or both. Analyses of thymocytes in NOD.Scid.Il15-/- mice prior to T-ALL development revealed discernible changes within the CD4-CD8- double-negative (DN) thymocyte developmental stages and increased frequencies of CD4+CD8+ double-positive cells with a high proportion of TCR-negative CD4+ and CD8+ cells. The DN cells also showed elevated expressions of CXCR4 and CD117, molecules implicated in the expansion of DN thymocytes. T-ALL cell lines and primary leukemic cells from IL-15-deficient NOD.Scid and C57BL/6.Scid mice displayed increased NOTCH1 activation that was inhibited by NOTCH1 inhibitors and blockers of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Primary leukemic cells from NOD.Scid.Il15-/- mice survived and expanded when cultured with MS5 thymic stromal cells expressing Delta-like ligand 4 and supplemented with IL-7 and FLT3 ligand. These findings suggest that IL-15 signaling in the thymus controls T-ALL development from aberrant thymocytes with an impaired DNA repair capacity and increased NOTCH1 activation.
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10
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The N-Myc-responsive lncRNA MILIP promotes DNA double-strand break repair through non-homologous end joining. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2208904119. [PMID: 36445966 PMCID: PMC9894261 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208904119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The protooncoprotein N-Myc, which is overexpressed in approximately 25% of neuroblastomas as the consequence of MYCN gene amplification, has long been postulated to regulate DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in neuroblastoma cells, but experimental evidence of this function is presently scant. Here, we show that N-Myc transcriptionally activates the long noncoding RNA MILIP to promote nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) DNA repair through facilitating Ku70-Ku80 heterodimerization in neuroblastoma cells. High MILIP expression was associated with poor outcome and appeared as an independent prognostic factor in neuroblastoma patients. Knockdown of MILIP reduced neuroblastoma cell viability through the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation, retarded neuroblastoma xenograft growth, and sensitized neuroblastoma cells to DNA-damaging therapeutics. The effect of MILIP knockdown was associated with the accumulation of DNA DSBs in neuroblastoma cells largely due to decreased activity of the NHEJ DNA repair pathway. Mechanistical investigations revealed that binding of MILIP to Ku70 and Ku80 increased their heterodimerization, and this was required for MILIP-mediated promotion of NHEJ DNA repair. Disrupting the interaction between MILIP and Ku70 or Ku80 increased DNA DSBs and reduced cell viability with therapeutic potential revealed where targeting MILIP using Gapmers cooperated with the DNA-damaging drug cisplatin to inhibit neuroblastoma growth in vivo. Collectively, our findings identify MILIP as an N-Myc downstream effector critical for activation of the NHEJ DNA repair pathway in neuroblastoma cells, with practical implications of MILIP targeting, alone and in combination with DNA-damaging therapeutics, for neuroblastoma treatment.
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11
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Laukkanen S, Veloso A, Yan C, Oksa L, Alpert EJ, Do D, Hyvärinen N, McCarthy K, Adhikari A, Yang Q, Iyer S, Garcia SP, Pello A, Ruokoranta T, Moisio S, Adhikari S, Yoder JA, Gallagher K, Whelton L, Allen JR, Jin AH, Loontiens S, Heinäniemi M, Kelliher M, Heckman CA, Lohi O, Langenau DM. Therapeutic targeting of LCK tyrosine kinase and mTOR signaling in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood 2022; 140:1891-1906. [PMID: 35544598 PMCID: PMC10082361 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021015106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapse and refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) has a poor prognosis, and new combination therapies are sorely needed. Here, we used an ex vivo high-throughput screening platform to identify drug combinations that kill zebrafish T-ALL and then validated top drug combinations for preclinical efficacy in human disease. This work uncovered potent drug synergies between AKT/mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1) inhibitors and the general tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib. Importantly, these same drug combinations effectively killed a subset of relapse and dexamethasone-resistant zebrafish T-ALL. Clinical trials are currently underway using the combination of mTORC1 inhibitor temsirolimus and dasatinib in other pediatric cancer indications, leading us to prioritize this therapy for preclinical testing. This combination effectively curbed T-ALL growth in human cell lines and primary human T-ALL and was well tolerated and effective in suppressing leukemia growth in patient-derived xenografts (PDX) grown in mice. Mechanistically, dasatinib inhibited phosphorylation and activation of the lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) to blunt the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway, and when complexed with mTORC1 inhibition, induced potent T-ALL cell killing through reducing MCL-1 protein expression. In total, our work uncovered unexpected roles for the LCK kinase and its regulation of downstream TCR signaling in suppressing apoptosis and driving continued leukemia growth. Analysis of a wide array of primary human T-ALLs and PDXs grown in mice suggest that combination of temsirolimus and dasatinib treatment will be efficacious for a large fraction of human T-ALLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Laukkanen
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Alexandra Veloso
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Chuan Yan
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Laura Oksa
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Eric J. Alpert
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Daniel Do
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Noora Hyvärinen
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Karin McCarthy
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Abhinav Adhikari
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Qiqi Yang
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Sowmya Iyer
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Sara P. Garcia
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Annukka Pello
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tanja Ruokoranta
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sanni Moisio
- The Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sadiksha Adhikari
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jeffrey A. Yoder
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, Comparative Medicine Institute, and Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Kayleigh Gallagher
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
| | - Lauren Whelton
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - James R. Allen
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Alex H. Jin
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Siebe Loontiens
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent and Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Merja Heinäniemi
- The Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Michelle Kelliher
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
| | - Caroline A. Heckman
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Lohi
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Tampere University Hospital, Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - David M. Langenau
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
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12
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Urbańska Z, Lejman M, Taha J, Madzio J, Ostrowska K, Miarka-Walczyk K, Wypyszczak K, Styka B, Jakubowska J, Sędek Ł, Szczepański T, Stańczak M, Fendler W, Młynarski W, Pastorczak A. The kinetics of blast clearance are associated with copy number alterations in childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Neoplasia 2022; 35:100840. [PMID: 36288679 PMCID: PMC9593738 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2022.100840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed the pattern of whole-genome copy number alterations (CNAs) and their association with the kinetics of blast clearance during the induction treatment among 195 pediatric patients with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) who displayed intermediate or high levels of minimal residual disease (MRD). Using unsupervised hierarchical clustering of CNAs > 5 Mbp, we dissected three clusters of leukemic samples with distinct kinetics of blast clearance [A - early slow responders (n=105), B - patients with persistent leukemia (n=24), C - fast responders with the low but detectable disease at the end of induction (n=66)] that corresponded with the patients' clinical features, the microdeletion profile,the presence of gene fusions and patients survival. Low incidence of large CNAs and chromosomal numerical aberrations occurred in cluster A which included ALL samples showing recurrent microdeletions within the genes encoding transcription factors (i.e., IKZF1, PAX5, ETV6, and ERG), DNA repair genes (XRCC3 and TOX), or harboring chromothriptic pattern of CNAs. Low hyperdiploid karyotype with trisomy 8 or hypodiploidy was predominantly observed in cluster B. Whereas cluster C included almost exclusively high-hyperdiploid ALL samples with concomitant mutations in RAS pathway genes. The pattern of CNAs influences the kinetics of leukemic cell clearance and selected aberrations affecting DNA repair genes may contribute to BCP-ALL chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzanna Urbańska
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Monika Lejman
- Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Joanna Taha
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Joanna Madzio
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Kinga Ostrowska
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Kamila Wypyszczak
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Borys Styka
- Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Justyna Jakubowska
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Łukasz Sędek
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
| | - Tomasz Szczepański
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
| | - Marcin Stańczak
- Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Wojciech Fendler
- Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wojciech Młynarski
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Agata Pastorczak
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
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13
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Zhou J, Lei N, Tian W, Guo R, Chen M, Qiu L, Wu F, Li Y, Chang L. Recent progress of the tumor microenvironmental metabolism in cervical cancer radioresistance. Front Oncol 2022; 12:999643. [PMID: 36313645 PMCID: PMC9597614 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.999643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is widely used as an indispensable treatment option for cervical cancer patients. However, radioresistance always occurs and has become a big obstacle to treatment efficacy. The reason for radioresistance is mainly attributed to the high repair ability of tumor cells that overcome the DNA damage caused by radiotherapy, and the increased self-healing ability of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Accumulating findings have demonstrated that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is closely related to cervical cancer radioresistance in many aspects, especially in the metabolic processes. In this review, we discuss radiotherapy in cervical cancer radioresistance, and focus on recent research progress of the TME metabolism that affects radioresistance in cervical cancer. Understanding the mechanism of metabolism in cervical cancer radioresistance may help identify useful therapeutic targets for developing novel therapy, overcome radioresistance and improve the efficacy of radiotherapy in clinics and quality of life of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junying Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ningjing Lei
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wanjia Tian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruixia Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mengyu Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Luojie Qiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fengling Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yong Li
- Cancer Care Centre, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW, Australia
- St George and Sutherland Clinical Campuses, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - Lei Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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14
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Han J, Wan M, Ma Z, He P. The TOX subfamily: all-round players in the immune system. Clin Exp Immunol 2022; 208:268-280. [PMID: 35485425 PMCID: PMC9226143 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxac037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The thymocyte selection-related HMG box protein (TOX) subfamily comprises evolutionarily conserved DNA-binding proteins, and is expressed in certain immune cell subsets and plays key roles in the development of CD4+ T cells, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, and in CD8+ T-cell exhaustion. Although its roles in CD4+ T and natural killer (NK) cells have been extensively studied, recent findings have demonstrated previously unknown roles for TOX in the development of ILCs, Tfh cells, as well as CD8+ T-cell exhaustion; however, the molecular mechanism underlying TOX regulation of these immune cells remains to be elucidated. In this review, we discuss recent studies on the influence of TOX on the development of various immune cells and CD8+ T-cell exhaustion and the roles of specific TOX family members in the immune system. Moreover, this review suggests candidate regulatory targets for cell therapy and immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Han
- Central Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Minjie Wan
- Central Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.,Department of Hepatology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zhanchuan Ma
- Central Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Ping He
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
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15
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Oliveira ML, Veloso A, Garcia EG, Iyer S, Pereira C, Barreto VM, Langenau DM, Barata JT. Mutant IL7R collaborates with MYC to induce T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 2022; 36:1533-1540. [PMID: 35581375 PMCID: PMC9162918 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01590-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive pediatric cancer. Amongst the wide array of driver mutations, 10% of T-ALL patients display gain-of-function mutations in the IL-7 receptor α chain (IL-7Rα, encoded by IL7R), which occur in different molecular subtypes of this disease. However, it is still unclear whether IL-7R mutational activation is sufficient to transform T-cell precursors. Also, which genes cooperate with IL7R to drive leukemogenesis remain poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that mutant IL7R alone is capable of inducing T-ALL with long-latency in stable transgenic zebrafish and transformation is associated with MYC transcriptional activation. Additionally, we find that mutant IL7R collaborates with Myc to induce early onset T-ALL in transgenic zebrafish, supporting a model where these pathways collaborate to drive leukemogenesis. T-ALLs co-expressing mutant IL7R and Myc activate STAT5 and AKT pathways, harbor reduced numbers of apoptotic cells and remake tumors in transplanted zebrafish faster than T-ALLs expressing Myc alone. Moreover, limiting-dilution cell transplantation experiments reveal that activated IL-7R signaling increases the overall frequency of leukemia propagating cells. Our work highlights a synergy between mutant IL7R and Myc in inducing T-ALL and demonstrates that mutant IL7R enriches for leukemia propagating potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana L Oliveira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Veloso
- Molecular Pathology Unit, MGH Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- MGH Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, MGH, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Elaine G Garcia
- Molecular Pathology Unit, MGH Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- MGH Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, MGH, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Sowmya Iyer
- Molecular Pathology Unit, MGH Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- MGH Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, MGH, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Clara Pereira
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Vasco M Barreto
- DNA Breaks Laboratory, CEDOC - Chronic Diseases Research Center, NOVA Medical School - Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - David M Langenau
- Molecular Pathology Unit, MGH Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
- MGH Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, MGH, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - João T Barata
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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16
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Yoshino S, Suzuki HI. The molecular understanding of super-enhancer dysregulation in cancer. NAGOYA JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE 2022; 84:216-229. [PMID: 35967935 PMCID: PMC9350580 DOI: 10.18999/nagjms.84.2.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities in the regulation of gene expression are associated with various pathological conditions. Among the distal regulatory elements in the genome, the activation of target genes by enhancers plays a central role in the formation of cell type-specific gene expression patterns. Super-enhancers are a subclass of enhancers that frequently contain multiple enhancer-like elements and are characterized by dense binding of master transcription factors and Mediator complexes and high signals of active histone marks. Super-enhancers have been studied in detail as important regulatory regions that control cell identity and contribute to the pathogenesis of diverse diseases. In cancer, super-enhancers have multifaceted roles by activating various oncogenes and other cancer-related genes and shaping characteristic gene expression patterns in cancer cells. Alterations in super-enhancer activities in cancer involve multiple mechanisms, including the dysregulation of transcription factors and the super-enhancer-associated genomic abnormalities. The study of super-enhancers could contribute to the identification of effective biomarkers and the development of cancer therapeutics targeting transcriptional addiction. In this review, we summarize the roles of super-enhancers in cancer biology, with a particular focus on hematopoietic malignancies, in which multiple super-enhancer alteration mechanisms have been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiko Yoshino
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi I. Suzuki
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
,Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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17
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Chaudhary O, Trotta D, Wang K, Wang X, Chu X, Bradley C, Okulicz J, Maves RC, Kronmann K, Schofield CM, Blaylock JM, Deng Y, Schalper KA, Kaech SM, Agan B, Ganesan A, Emu B. Patients with HIV-associated cancers have evidence of increased T cell dysfunction and exhaustion prior to cancer diagnosis. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004564. [PMID: 35470232 PMCID: PMC9039380 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People living with HIV (PLWH) have increased risk of developing cancers after controlling traditional risk factors and viral suppression. This study explores whether T cells can serve as a marker of risk for cancer among HIV-infected virally suppressed patients. METHODS A nested case control study design was pursued with 17 cancer cases and 73 controls (PLWH without cancer)ouidentified among the US Military HIV Natural History Study cohort, and were matched for CD4 + count, duration of HIV infection, and viral suppression. Cells were obtained from PLWH on an average of 12 months prior to clinical cancer diagnosis. Expression of inhibitory receptors (PD-1, CD160, CD244, Lag-3, and TIGIT), and transcription factors (T-bet, Eomesodermin, TCF-1, and (TOX) was measured on CD8 +T cells from that early time point. RESULTS We found that cases have increased expression of PD-1 +CD160+CD244+ ('triple positive') on total and effector CD8 + compared with controls (p=0.02). Furthermore, CD8 +T cells that were both PD-1 +CD160+CD244+ and T-betdimEomeshi were significantly elevated in cases at time point before cancer detection, compared with controls without cancer (p=0.008). This was driven by the finding that transcriptional factor profile of cells was altered in cancers compared with controls. Triple-positive cells were noted to retain the ability for cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion mediated by expression of CD160 and PD-1, respectively. However, triple-positive cells demonstrated high expression of TOX-1, a transcription factor associated with T cell exhaustion. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we have found a subset of dysfunctional CD8 +T cells, PD-1 +CD160+CD244+T-betdimEomeshi, that is elevated 12 months before cancer diagnosis, suggesting that peripheral T cell alterations may serve as a biomarker of increased cancer risk among PLWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkar Chaudhary
- Internal Medicine; Infectious Disease, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Diane Trotta
- Flow Cytometry Facility, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kaicheng Wang
- School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Xun Wang
- Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases and Critical Care, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Xiuping Chu
- Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases and Critical Care, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Chip Bradley
- Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases and Critical Care, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jason Okulicz
- Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ryan C Maves
- Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases and Critical Care, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Karl Kronmann
- Internal Medicine, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
| | - Christina M Schofield
- Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Jason M Blaylock
- Internal Medicine, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yanhong Deng
- School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kurt A Schalper
- Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Susan M Kaech
- Departments of Immunobiology, Salk Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Brian Agan
- Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases and Critical Care, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Anuradha Ganesan
- Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Internal Medicine, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Brinda Emu
- Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA,Internal Medicine; Infectious Diseases, VA Connecticut Healthcare System - West Haven Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
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18
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Liu T, Long Q, Li L, Gan H, Hu X, Long H, Yang L, Pang P, Wang S, Deng W. The NRF2-dependent transcriptional axis, XRCC5/hTERT drives tumor progression and 5-Fu insensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2022; 24:249-261. [PMID: 35071747 PMCID: PMC8762376 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is highly expressed in many tumors and is essential for tumorigenesis and metastasis in multiple cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its high expression level in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. In this study, we identified X-ray repair cross-complementing 5 (XRCC5), a novel hTERT promoter-binding protein in HCC cells, using biotin-streptavidin-agarose pull-down assay. We found that XRCC5 was highly expressed in HCC cells, in which it transcriptionally upregulated hTERT. Functionally, the transgenic expression of XRCC5 promoted HCC progression and 5-fluorouracil resistance, whereas short hairpin RNA knockdown of XRCC5 had converse effects in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, hTERT overexpression reversed XRCC5 knockdown- or 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu)-mediated HCC inhibition. Mechanistically, nuclear-factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) interacted with XRCC5, which in turn upregulated hTERT. However, the upregulation was insignificant when NRF2 was reduced, suggesting that the XRCC5-mediated hTERT expression was NRF2 dependent. The HCC patients with high expression levels of XRCC5 and hTERT had shorter overall survival times compared with those with low XRCC5 and hTERT levels in their tumor tissues. Collectively, our study demonstrates the molecular mechanisms of the XRCC5/NRF2/hTERT signaling in HCC metastasis, which will aid in the identification of novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianze Liu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
- The Cancer Center of The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Qian Long
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Luting Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Hairun Gan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Xinyan Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Haoyu Long
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Lukun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000 China
| | - Pengfei Pang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Corresponding author Pengfei Pang, MD, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Zhuhai 519000, China.
| | - Siyang Wang
- The Cancer Center of The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Corresponding author Siyang Wang, MD, The Cancer Center of The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China.
| | - Wuguo Deng
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
- Corresponding author Wuguo Deng, PhD, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China.
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19
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Huang S, Liang C, Zhao Y, Deng T, Tan J, Zha X, Li Y, Chen S. Increased TOX expression concurrent with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 expression in T cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia. CYTOMETRY. PART B, CLINICAL CYTOMETRY 2022; 102:143-152. [PMID: 34913594 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.b.22049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND T cell dysregulation is a common event in leukemia. Recent findings have indicated that aberrant expression of immune checkpoint proteins may be associated with disease relapse and progression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). TOX, a transcription factor in the HMG-box protein superfamily, was found to be a potential target for immunotherapy not only in solid tumors but also in hematological malignancies. However, little is known about TOX expression and co-expression with immune checkpoint proteins or the exhausted phenotype in the T cell subsets in AML. Thus, in this study, we analyzed TOX expression and co-expression with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 in T cells. METHODS TOX expression and co-expression with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 in CD3+, CD4+, regulatory T (Treg), and CD8+ T cells were analyzed by multi-color fluorescent flow cytometry in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) samples from patients with de novo AML and AML in complete remission (CR) and healthy individuals (HIs). RESULTS A significantly increased percentage of TOX+CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells was found in PB from patients with de novo AML in comparison with HIs. Double-positive TOX+CD244+, TOX+PD-1+, and TOX+Tim-3+ T cells markedly increased in the CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cell populations in de novo AML patients compared with HIs, and similar trends were demonstrated for TOX+Tim-3+CD3+/CD4+/CD8+ T cells in de novo AML compared with AML-CR patients. In addition, the number of TOX+, TOX+PD-1+, and TOX+Tim-3+Treg cells significantly increased in de novo AML patients compared with HIs, and TOX+PD-1+Treg cells were higher in de novo AML compared with AML-CR patients. Moreover, TOX positively correlated with Tim-3 expression in CD8+ and Treg cells, and a positive correlation between the expression of TOX+ CD4+ and CD244+CD4+ T cells was found. Furthermore, an increased percentage of TOX+Tim-3+ T cells in BM was also found in de novo AML patients compared with HIs. CONCLUSIONS Increased TOX concurrent with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 in T cells may contribute to T cell exhaustion and impair their function in AML. Such exhausted T cells may be partially revised when AML patients achieve CR after chemotherapy. TOX may be considered a potential target for reversing T cell exhaustion and improving T cell function in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxin Huang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chaofeng Liang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujie Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tairan Deng
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxiong Tan
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianfeng Zha
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Gallerani G, Rossi T, Valgiusti M, Angeli D, Fici P, De Fanti S, Bandini E, Cocchi C, Frassineti GL, Bonafè M, Fabbri F. CNA Profiling of Single CTCs in Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer Patients during Therapy Highlights Unexplored Molecular Pathways. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:6369. [PMID: 34944989 PMCID: PMC8699413 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13246369] [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: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Here, we monitored the evolution of CTCs spread in 11 patients affected by locally advanced EC who were undergoing therapy. METHODS In this perspective study, we designed multiple blood biopsies from individual patients: before and after neoadjuvant chemo-radio therapy and after surgery. We developed a multi-target array, named Grab-all assay, to estimate CTCs for their epithelial (EpCAM/E-Cadherin/Cytokeratins) and mesenchymal/stem (N-Cadherin/CD44v6/ABCG2) phenotypes. Identified CTCs were isolated as single cells by DEPArray, subjected to whole genome amplification, and copy number aberration (CNA) profiles were determined. Through bioinformatic analysis, we assessed the genomic imbalance of single CTCs, investigated specific focal copy number changes previously reported in EC and aberrant pathways using enrichment analysis. RESULTS Longitudinal monitoring allowed the identification of CTCs in at least one time-point per patient. Through single cell CNA analysis, we revealed that CTCs showed significantly dynamic genomic imbalance during treatment. Individual CTCs from relapsed patients displayed a higher degree of genomic imbalance relative to disease-free patients' groups. Genomic aberrations previously reported in EC occurred mostly in post-neoadjuvant therapy CTCs. In-depth analysis showed that networks enrichment in all time-point CTCs were inherent to innate immune system. Transcription/gene regulation, post-transcriptional and epigenetic modifications were uniquely affected in CTCs of relapsed patients. CONCLUSIONS Our data add clues to the comprehension of the role of CTCs in EC aggressiveness: chromosomal aberrations on genes related to innate immune system behave as relevant to the onset of CTC-status, whilst pathways of transcription/gene regulation, post-transcriptional and epigenetic modifications seem linked to patients' outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Gallerani
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (T.R.); (P.F.); (E.B.); (C.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Tania Rossi
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (T.R.); (P.F.); (E.B.); (C.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Martina Valgiusti
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (M.V.); (G.L.F.)
| | - Davide Angeli
- Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy;
| | - Pietro Fici
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (T.R.); (P.F.); (E.B.); (C.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Sara De Fanti
- Interdepartmental Centre “Alma Mater Research Institute on Global Challenges and Climate Change (Alma Climate)”, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Erika Bandini
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (T.R.); (P.F.); (E.B.); (C.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Claudia Cocchi
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (T.R.); (P.F.); (E.B.); (C.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Giovanni Luca Frassineti
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (M.V.); (G.L.F.)
| | - Massimiliano Bonafè
- Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Francesco Fabbri
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (T.R.); (P.F.); (E.B.); (C.C.); (F.F.)
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21
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Sharma NK, Sarode SC, Sarode GS, Patil S. CD8 + T cell dysfunction by TOX intoxication: a protumorigenic event in the tumor microenvironment. Future Oncol 2021; 17:5129-5134. [PMID: 34845935 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2020-0532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests the role of cellular components in achieving antitumor to protumor microenvironments. Among the various types of cells within the tumor niche, the state of CD8+ T cells apparently changes from cytotoxic T effector cells and memory T cells to exhausted CD8+ T cells. These changes in the phenotype of CD8+ T cells promote the protumor microenvironment. Recently, comprehensive experimental data delineated the role of thymocyte selection-associated high-mobility group-box protein (TOX), which regulates the transcriptional process and epigenetic remodeling, with implications in tumor and chronic viral infections. This perspective summarizes the molecular mechanisms that link CD8+ T cells, TOX, and transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming as well as future directions for determining new avenues of cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilesh Kumar Sharma
- Cancer & Translational Research Lab, Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune 411033, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sachin C Sarode
- Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Dr. D.Y. Patil Dental College & Hospital, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Sant-Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri, Pune 411018, India
| | - Gargi S Sarode
- Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Dr. D.Y. Patil Dental College & Hospital, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Sant-Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri, Pune 411018, India
| | - Shankargouda Patil
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery & Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
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22
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Liang C, Zhao Y, Chen C, Huang S, Deng T, Zeng X, Tan J, Zha X, Chen S, Li Y. Higher TOX Genes Expression Is Associated With Poor Overall Survival for Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Oncol 2021; 11:740642. [PMID: 34692519 PMCID: PMC8532529 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.740642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymocyte selection-associated HMG box (TOX) is a transcription factor that belongs to the high mobility group box (HMG-box) superfamily, which includes four subfamily members: TOX, TOX2, TOX3, and TOX4. TOX is related to the formation of multiple malignancies and contributes to CD8+ T cell exhaustion in solid tumors. However, little is known about the role of TOX genes in hematological malignancies. In this study, we explored the prognostic value of TOX genes from 40 patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in a training cohort and validated the results using transcriptome data from 167 de novo AML patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In the training cohort, higher expression of TOX and TOX4 was detected in the AML samples, whereas lower TOX3 expression was found. Moreover, both the training and validation results indicated that higher TOX2, TOX3, and TOX4 expression of AML patients (3-year OS: 0% vs. 37%, P = 0.036; 3-year OS: 4% vs. 61%, P < 0.001; 3-year OS: 0% vs. 32%, P = 0.010) and the AML patients with highly co-expressed TOX, TOX2, TOX4 genes (3-year OS: 0% vs. 25% vs. 75%, P = 0.001) were associated with poor overall survival (OS). Interestingly, TOX2 was positively correlated with CTLA-4, PD-1, TIGIT, and PDL-2 (rs = 0.43, P = 0.006; rs = 0.43, P = 0.006; rs = 0.56, P < 0.001; rs = 0.54, P < 0.001). In conclusion, higher expression of TOX genes was associated with poor OS for AML patients, which was related to the up-regulation of immune checkpoint genes. These data might provide novel predictors for AML outcome and direction for further investigation of the possibility of using TOX genes in novel targeted therapies for AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofeng Liang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujie Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cunte Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuxin Huang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tairan Deng
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangbo Zeng
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxiong Tan
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianfeng Zha
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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23
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NFAT transcription factors are essential and redundant actors for leukemia initiating potential in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254184. [PMID: 34234374 PMCID: PMC8263285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254184] [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: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive malignancy with few available targeted therapies. We previously reported that the phosphatase calcineurin (Cn) is required for LIC (leukemia Initiating Capacity) potential of T-ALL pointing to Cn as an interesting therapeutic target. Calcineurin inhibitors have however unwanted side effect. NFAT transcription factors play crucial roles downstream of calcineurin during thymocyte development, T cell differentiation, activation and anergy. Here we elucidate NFAT functional relevance in T-ALL. Using murine T-ALL models in which Nfat genes can be inactivated either singly or in combination, we show that NFATs are required for T-ALL LIC potential and essential to survival, proliferation and migration of T-ALL cells. We also demonstrate that Nfat genes are functionally redundant in T-ALL and identified a node of genes commonly deregulated upon Cn or NFAT inactivation, which may serve as future candidate targets for T-ALL.
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24
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Yang M, Huang Q, Li C, Jiang Z, Sun J, Wang Z, Liang R, Li D, Li B, Zhao H. TOX Acts as a Tumor Suppressor by Inhibiting mTOR Signaling in Colorectal Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:647540. [PMID: 33897695 PMCID: PMC8062716 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.647540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The treatment and prognosis of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) remain a challenging clinical research focus. Here, we describe a new CRC tumor suppressor and potential therapeutic target: thymocyte selection associated high mobility group box (TOX) protein. The expression of TOX was lower in CRC than para-CRC. With the increase of tumor stage, TOX expression decreased, indicating the presence of TOX relates to better overall survival (OS). TOX suppressed the mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) signaling to inhibit cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and change the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. In addition, TOX promoted apoptosis. As tumor mutation burden and tumor microenvironment play vital roles in the occurrence and development of tumors, we analyzed the TOX expression in the immune microenvironment of CRC. The high TOX expression was negatively correlated with TumorPurity. Moreover, it was positively related to ImmuneScore, StromalScore, microsatellite instability (MSI) status, and Consensus Molecular Subtypes (CMS) 3 typing. Based on gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), the reduced expression of TOX activated mTOR. We found rapamycin, a mTOR inhibitor, partly inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in shTOX HCT116 cells. Lastly, TOX suppressed tumorigenesis and lung metastasis of CRC in vivo. Rapamycin alone or combined with PD1 inhibitor is more effective than PD1 inhibitor alone in a tumor model. Taken together, these findings highlight the tumor-suppressive role of TOX in CRC, especially in MSI CRC, and provide valuable information that rapamycin alone or combined with PD1 inhibitor has therapeutic potential in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdi Yang
- Department of Internal Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianru Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Changcan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiyuan Jiang
- Department of Internal Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Internal Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiyu Wang
- Department of Internal Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Liang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Li
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research, Guanghua Integrative Medicine Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Internal Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
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25
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Liang C, Huang S, Zhao Y, Chen S, Li Y. TOX as a potential target for immunotherapy in lymphocytic malignancies. Biomark Res 2021; 9:20. [PMID: 33743809 PMCID: PMC7981945 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-021-00275-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
TOX (thymocyte selection-associated HMG BOX) is a member of a family of transcriptional factors that contain the highly conserved high mobility group box (HMG-box) region. Increasing studies have shown that TOX is involved in maintaining tumors and promoting T cell exhaustion. In this review, we summarized the biological functions of TOX and its contribution as related to lymphocytic malignancies. We also discussed the potential role of TOX as an immune biomarker and target in immunotherapy for hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofeng Liang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.,Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Shuxin Huang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yujie Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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26
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Abstract
Zebrafish are rapidly becoming a leading model organism for cancer research. The genetic pathways driving cancer are highly conserved between zebrafish and humans, and the ability to easily manipulate the zebrafish genome to rapidly generate transgenic animals makes zebrafish an excellent model organism. Transgenic zebrafish containing complex, patient-relevant genotypes have been used to model many cancer types. Here we present a comprehensive review of transgenic zebrafish cancer models as a resource to the field and highlight important areas of cancer biology that have yet to be studied in the fish. The ability to image cancer cells and niche biology in an endogenous tumor makes zebrafish an indispensable model organism in which we can further understand the mechanisms that drive tumorigenesis and screen for potential new cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia M. McConnell
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02138, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Haley R. Noonan
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02138, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Leonard I. Zon
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02138, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02138, USA
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Cheng H, Ma K, Zhang L, Li G. The tumor microenvironment shapes the molecular characteristics of exhausted CD8 + T cells. Cancer Lett 2021; 506:55-66. [PMID: 33662493 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The persistent antigen stimulation during chronic infections and cancer results in CD8+ T cell exhaustion. The exhausted T (Tex) cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are characterized by increased expression of multiple co-inhibitory receptors simultaneously, progressive loss of effector function, poor proliferation and self-renewal capacity, and dysregulated metabolic activity. Emerging insights into molecular mechanisms underlying T cell exhaustion have proposed potential approaches to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy via restoring the effector function of Tex cells. In this review, we summarize the fundamental characteristics (e.g., inhibitory receptors and transcriptional factors) regarding Tex cell differentiation and discuss in particular how those exhaustion features are acquired and shaped by key factors within the TME. Additionally, we discuss the progress and limitations of current cancer immunotherapeutic strategies targeting Tex cells in clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcheng Cheng
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kaili Ma
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China
| | - Lianjun Zhang
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China.
| | - Guideng Li
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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HIV-1 Latency and Viral Reservoirs: Existing Reversal Approaches and Potential Technologies, Targets, and Pathways Involved in HIV Latency Studies. Cells 2021; 10:cells10020475. [PMID: 33672138 PMCID: PMC7926981 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Eradication of latent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a global health challenge. Reactivation of HIV latency and killing of virus-infected cells, the so-called "kick and kill" or "shock and kill" approaches, are a popular strategy for HIV cure. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) halts HIV replication by targeting multiple steps in the HIV life cycle, including viral entry, integration, replication, and production, it cannot get rid of the occult provirus incorporated into the host-cell genome. These latent proviruses are replication-competent and can rebound in cases of ART interruption or cessation. In general, a very small population of cells harbor provirus, serve as reservoirs in ART-controlled HIV subjects, and are capable of expressing little to no HIV RNA or proteins. Beyond the canonical resting memory CD4+ T cells, HIV reservoirs also exist within tissue macrophages, myeloid cells, brain microglial cells, gut epithelial cells, and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Despite a lack of active viral production, latently HIV-infected subjects continue to exhibit aberrant cellular signaling and metabolic dysfunction, leading to minor to major cellular and systemic complications or comorbidities. These include genomic DNA damage; telomere attrition; mitochondrial dysfunction; premature aging; and lymphocytic, cardiac, renal, hepatic, or pulmonary dysfunctions. Therefore, the arcane machineries involved in HIV latency and its reversal warrant further studies to identify the cryptic mechanisms of HIV reservoir formation and clearance. In this review, we discuss several molecules and signaling pathways, some of which have dual roles in maintaining or reversing HIV latency and reservoirs, and describe some evolving strategies and possible approaches to eliminate viral reservoirs and, ultimately, cure/eradicate HIV infection.
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Huang S, Liang C, Zhao Y, Deng T, Tan J, Lu Y, Liu S, Li Y, Chen S. Increased TOX expression concurrent with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 in T cells from patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol 2021; 18:143-149. [PMID: 33608984 DOI: 10.1111/ajco.13545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
AIM To characterize immune suppression in lymphoma, thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box protein (TOX) expression and co-expression with programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1), T cell immunoglobulin mucin-domain-containing-3 (Tim-3), and CD244 in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory T (Treg) cells from patients with lymphomas were analyzed. METHODS TOX expression and co-expression with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 in CD3+, CD4+, Treg, and CD8+ T cells were analyzed by multi-color fluorescent flow cytometry using peripheral blood (PB) from 13 newly diagnosed, untreated lymphoma patients, and 11 healthy individuals. RESULTS An increased percentage of TOX+ CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells was found in PB from patients with B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) in comparison with healthy controls. Moreover, TOX+PD-1+ and TOX+Tim-3+ double-positive T cells increased among the CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+T cell populations in the B-NHL group. There was apparent heterogeneity in TOX expression and co-expression with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 in CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells in different lymphoma patients. In addition, the percentage of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T cells (Treg) among the CD3+ and CD4+ T cells significantly increased, and the number of TOX+ and TOX+PD-1+ Treg cells also significantly increased in the B-NHL group. CONCLUSIONS Higher expression of TOX concurrent with PD-1, Tim-3, and CD244 in T cells from patients with B-NHL may contribute to T cell exhaustion and impair their special anti-tumor T cell activity. TOX may be considered a potential target for reversing T cell exhaustion and improving T cell function in hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxin Huang
- Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chaofeng Liang
- Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujie Zhao
- Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tairan Deng
- Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxiong Tan
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhong Lu
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sichu Liu
- Lymphoma Division, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Hnízda A, Tesina P, Nguyen TB, Kukačka Z, Kater L, Chaplin AK, Beckmann R, Ascher DB, Novák P, Blundell TL. SAP domain forms a flexible part of DNA aperture in Ku70/80. FEBS J 2021; 288:4382-4393. [PMID: 33511782 PMCID: PMC8653891 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) is a DNA repair mechanism that religates double-strand DNA breaks to maintain genomic integrity during the entire cell cycle. The Ku70/80 complex recognizes DNA breaks and serves as an essential hub for recruitment of NHEJ components. Here, we describe intramolecular interactions of the Ku70 C-terminal domain, known as the SAP domain. Using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, mass spectrometric analysis of intermolecular cross-linking and molecular modelling simulations, we captured variable positions of the SAP domain depending on DNA binding. The first position was localized at the DNA aperture in the Ku70/80 apo form but was not observed in the DNA-bound state. The second position, which was observed in both apo and DNA-bound states, was found below the DNA aperture, close to the helical arm of Ku70. The localization of the SAP domain in the DNA aperture suggests a function as a flexible entry gate for broken DNA. DATABASES: EM maps have been deposited in EMDB (EMD-11933). Coordinates have been deposited in Protein Data Bank (PDB 7AXZ). Other data are available from corresponding authors upon a request.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleš Hnízda
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Petr Tesina
- Gene Center and Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Germany
| | - Thanh-Binh Nguyen
- Computational and Systems Biology, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Computational Biology and Clinical Informatics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Zdeněk Kukačka
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lukas Kater
- Gene Center and Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Germany
| | - Amanda K Chaplin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Roland Beckmann
- Gene Center and Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Germany
| | - David B Ascher
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Computational and Systems Biology, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Computational Biology and Clinical Informatics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Petr Novák
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tom L Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Guo L, Li X, Liu R, Chen Y, Ren C, Du S. TOX correlates with prognosis, immune infiltration, and T cells exhaustion in lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer Med 2020; 9:6694-6709. [PMID: 32700817 PMCID: PMC7520261 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thymocyte selection‐associated high mobility group box (TOX) plays a crucial role on the development of innate immunity and tumor microenvironment. This study aims to explore the prognostic potential of TOX and comprehensively analyze the correlations between TOX, immune infiltration, and T cells function in diverse cancers particularly lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods TIMER was used to analyze TOX expression in different cancers. Potential prognostic value of TOX was evaluated by the PrognoScan, Kaplan‐Meier Plotter, and GEPIA2. The relationships between TOX, immune infiltration, and related gene marker sets were analyzed by TIMER and GEPIA2. Single‐cell RNA‐seq for T cells in LUAD was analyzed to further investigate the correlations between TOX expression and different T cells populations. Results TOX downregulates in most of the cancer types and correlates with poor prognosis in LUAD. TOX shows significant impacts on survival of LUAD with early stage, ever‐smoking, or low‐TMB status. Increased TOX expression positively correlates with high immune infiltration levels in most of the immune cells and functional T cells including exhausted T cells. Moreover, multiple key genes of exhausted T cells comprising PD‐1, TIM‐3, TIGHT, and CXCL13 have remarkable interaction with TOX. Specifically, TOX is observed with high enrichment in exhausted CD4+ and CD8+ T cells populations in single‐cell RNA‐seq analysis for LUAD. Conclusion TOX is a prognosis‐related biomarker for multiple cancer types especially LUAD. Increased TOX expression significantly increase immune infiltration levels in most of the immune cells comprising CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, mast cells, and functional T cells. Moreover, we verified that TOX highly correlates with exhausted T cells and is probable a critical regulator promoted T cells exhaustion in LUAD. Detection of TOX expression could help to predict prognosis and regulating TOX expression in exhausted T cells may offer a novel strategy in maximizing immunotherapy efficacy for LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longbin Guo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuanzi Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rongping Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yulei Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Ren
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shasha Du
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Su S, Raouf B, He X, Cai N, Li X, Yu J, Li J, Yu F, Wang M, Tang Y. Genome Wide Analysis for Growth at Two Growth Stages in A New Fast-Growing Common Carp Strain (Cyprinus carpio L.). Sci Rep 2020; 10:7259. [PMID: 32350307 PMCID: PMC7190712 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64037-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to identify candidate genes or loci associated with growth performance of the newly established common carp strain, Xinlong, we conducted a genome-wide association analysis using 2b-RAD technology on 123 individuals. We constructed two sets of libraries associated with growth-related parameters (weight, length, width and depth) measured at two different grow-out stages. Among the 413,059 SNPs identified using SOAP SNP calling, 147,131 were tested for GWAS after quality filtering. Finally, 39 overlapping SNPs, assigned to four genomic locations, were associated with growth traits in two stages. These loci were assigned to functional classes related to immune response, response to stress, neurogenesis, cholesterol metabolism and development, and proliferation and differentiation of cells. By overlapping results of Plink and EMMAX analyses, we identified three genes: TOX, PLK2 and CD163 (both methods P < 0.05). Our study results could be used for marker-assisted selection to further improve the growth of the Xinlong strain, and illustrate that largely different sets of genes drive the growth of carp in the early and late grow-out stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengyan Su
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, PR China. .,Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China.
| | - Bouzoualegh Raouf
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, PR China.,Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China
| | - Xinjin He
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, PR China.,College of Animal science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, PR China
| | - Nana Cai
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, PR China
| | - Xinyuan Li
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China
| | - Juhua Yu
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China
| | - JianLin Li
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China
| | - Fan Yu
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China
| | - Meiyao Wang
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China
| | - Yongkai Tang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, PR China. .,Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, PR China.
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Park G, Burroughs-Garcia J, Foster CA, Hasan A, Borga C, Frazer JK. Zebrafish B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: new findings in an old model. Oncotarget 2020; 11:1292-1305. [PMID: 32341750 PMCID: PMC7170496 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric, and ninth most common adult, cancer. ALL can develop in either B or T lymphocytes, but B-lineage ALL (B-ALL) exceeds T-ALL clinically. As for other cancers, animal models allow study of the molecular mechanisms driving ALL. Several zebrafish (Danio rerio) T-ALL models have been reported, but until recently, robust D. rerio B-ALL models were not described. Then, D. rerio B-ALL was discovered in two related zebrafish transgenic lines; both were already known to develop T-ALL. Here, we report new B-ALL findings in one of these models, fish expressing transgenic human MYC (hMYC). We describe B-ALL incidence in a large cohort of hMYC fish, and show B-ALL in two new lines where T-ALL does not interfere with B-ALL detection. We also demonstrate B-ALL responses to steroid and radiation treatments, which effect ALL remissions, but are usually followed by prompt relapses. Finally, we report gene expression in zebrafish B lymphocytes and B-ALL, in both bulk samples and single B- and T-ALL cells. Using these gene expression profiles, we compare differences between the two new D. rerio B-ALL models, which are both driven by transgenic mammalian MYC oncoproteins. Collectively, these new data expand the utility of this new vertebrate B-ALL model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilseung Park
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jessica Burroughs-Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Clay A Foster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Ameera Hasan
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Chiara Borga
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - J Kimble Frazer
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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Casey MJ, Stewart RA. Pediatric Cancer Models in Zebrafish. Trends Cancer 2020; 6:407-418. [PMID: 32348736 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric cancer is a leading cause of death in children and adolescents. Improvements in pediatric cancer treatment that include the alleviation of long-term adverse effects require a deeper understanding of the genetic, epigenetic, and developmental factors driving these cancers. Here, we review how the unique attributes of the zebrafish model system in embryology, imaging, and scalability have been used to identify new mechanisms of tumor initiation, progression, and relapse and for drug discovery. We focus on zebrafish models of leukemias, neural tumors and sarcomas - the most common and difficult childhood cancers to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattie J Casey
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Rodney A Stewart
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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Molecular profiling of TOX-deficient neoplastic cells in cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Arch Dermatol Res 2019; 312:513-525. [PMID: 31676945 PMCID: PMC7354281 DOI: 10.1007/s00403-019-02000-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a rare but potentially devastating primary cutaneous lymphoma. CTCL is characterized by localization of neoplastic T lymphocytes to the skin, with mycosis fungoides (MF) and its leukemic form, Sézary syndrome (SS) being the most common variants. Thymocyte selection-associated high-mobility group box (TOX) gene has been found to be highly expressed in MF and SS. It is reported that higher expression levels of TOX in patients will increase risks of disease progression and poor prognosis. However, the molecular events leading to these abnormalities have not been well understood. To better understand the molecular mechanism underlying TOX-mediated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CTCL, and to identify DEGs pathways triggered after knockdown of TOX gene in the CTCL cell line Hut78, we employed two shRNA-mediated lentiviruses to knock down TOX gene in the skin lymphoma cell line HuT78. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) analysis was applied to analyze DEGs, DEGs GO and their corresponding pathways. Knockdown of TOX can induce upregulation of 547 genes and downregulation of 649 genes, respectively. HOXC9 was the most significant downregulated gene. Most DEGs are enriched in malignancies and relate to the Wnt and mTOR signaling pathways, and therefore they can regulate cellular processes and induce different biological regulation. Transcriptome analysis of DEGs after knockdown of TOX in our study provides insights into the mechanism of TOX in CTCL and suggests candidate targets for therapy of CTCL.
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Fan HN, Chen W, Peng SQ, Chen XY, Zhang R, Liang R, Liu H, Zhu JS, Zhang J. Sanguinarine inhibits the tumorigenesis of gastric cancer by regulating the TOX/DNA-PKcs/ KU70/80 pathway. Pathol Res Pract 2019; 215:152677. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2019.152677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Vanheer L, Song J, De Geest N, Janiszewski A, Talon I, Provenzano C, Oh T, Chappell J, Pasque V. Tox4 modulates cell fate reprogramming. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.232223. [PMID: 31519808 PMCID: PMC6826012 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.232223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming to induced pluripotency induces the switch of somatic cell identity to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, the mediators and mechanisms of reprogramming remain largely unclear. To elucidate the mediators and mechanisms of reprogramming, we used a siRNA-mediated knockdown approach for selected candidate genes during the conversion of somatic cells into iPSCs. We identified Tox4 as a novel factor that modulates cell fate through an assay that determined the efficiency of iPSC reprogramming. We found that Tox4 is needed early in reprogramming to efficiently generate early reprogramming intermediates, irrespective of the reprogramming conditions used. Tox4 enables proper exogenous reprogramming factor expression, and the closing and opening of putative somatic and pluripotency enhancers early during reprogramming, respectively. We show that the TOX4 protein assembles into a high molecular form. Moreover, Tox4 is also required for the efficient conversion of fibroblasts towards the neuronal fate, suggesting a broader role of Tox4 in modulating cell fate. Our study reveals Tox4 as a novel transcriptional modulator of cell fate that mediates reprogramming from the somatic state to the pluripotent and neuronal fate.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Vanheer
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Juan Song
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natalie De Geest
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adrian Janiszewski
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Irene Talon
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caterina Provenzano
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Taeho Oh
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joel Chappell
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vincent Pasque
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Wang X, He Q, Shen H, Xia A, Tian W, Yu W, Sun B. TOX promotes the exhaustion of antitumor CD8 + T cells by preventing PD1 degradation in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2019; 71:731-741. [PMID: 31173813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box protein (TOX) plays a vital role in T cell development and differentiation, however, its role in T cell exhaustion was unexplored. Here, we aim to investigate the role of TOX in regulating the antitumor effect of CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS Fully functional, partially and severely exhausted tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells were sorted by flow cytometry and subjected to transcriptome sequencing analysis. Upregulated TOX expression was validated by flow cytometry. The antitumor function of CD8+ T cells with TOX downregulation or overexpression was studied in a mouse HCC model and HCC patient-derived xenograft mouse model. Transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed in TOX-overexpressing and control CD8+ T cells. The mechanism underlying the TOX-mediated regulation of PD1 expression was studied by laser confocal detection, immune co-precipitation and flow cytometer. RESULTS TOX was upregulated in exhausted CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. TOX downregulation in CD8+ T cells inhibited tumor growth, increased CD8+ T cell infiltration, alleviated CD8+ T cell exhaustion and improved the anti-PD1 response of CD8+ T cells. The mechanism behind this involved the binding of TOX to PD1 in the cytoplasm, which facilitated the endocytic recycling of PD1, thus maintaining abundant PD1 expression at the cell surface. High expression of TOX in peripheral CD8+ T cells correlated with poorer anti-PD1 responses and prognosis. CONCLUSIONS TOX promotes CD8+ T cell exhaustion in hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating endocytic recycling of PD1. Downregulating TOX expression in CD8+ T cells exerts synergistic effects with anti-PD1 therapy, highlighting a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. LAY SUMMARY Abundant TOX expression in CD8+ T cells impairs their antitumor function in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mechanically, TOX reduces PD1 degradation and promotes PD1 translocation to the cell surface in CD8+ T cells, thus maintaining high PD1 expression at the cell surface. Downregulating TOX expression improves the antitumor function of CD8+ T cells, which shows the synergetic role of anti-PD1 therapy, highlighting a promising strategy for enhancement of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China; Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166 Nanjing, China
| | - Qifeng He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China; Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166 Nanjing, China
| | - Haiyuan Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166 Nanjing, China
| | - Anliang Xia
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China; Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166 Nanjing, China
| | - Wenfang Tian
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiwei Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China; Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Beicheng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 211166 Nanjing, China.
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Konantz M, Schürch C, Hanns P, Müller JS, Sauteur L, Lengerke C. Modeling hematopoietic disorders in zebrafish. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:12/9/dmm040360. [PMID: 31519693 PMCID: PMC6765189 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.040360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish offer a powerful vertebrate model for studies of development and disease. The major advantages of this model include the possibilities of conducting reverse and forward genetic screens and of observing cellular processes by in vivo imaging of single cells. Moreover, pathways regulating blood development are highly conserved between zebrafish and mammals, and several discoveries made in fish were later translated to murine and human models. This review and accompanying poster provide an overview of zebrafish hematopoiesis and discuss the existing zebrafish models of blood disorders, such as myeloid and lymphoid malignancies, bone marrow failure syndromes and immunodeficiencies, with a focus on how these models were generated and how they can be applied for translational research. Summary: This At A Glance article and poster summarize the last 20 years of research in zebrafish models for hematopoietic disorders, highlighting how these models were created and are being applied for translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Konantz
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Schürch
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Pauline Hanns
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Joëlle S Müller
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Sauteur
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Lengerke
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland.,Division of Hematology, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
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40
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Abstract
Alterations in DNA damage response (DDR) pathways are hallmarks of cancer. Incorrect repair of DNA lesions often leads to genomic instability. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a core component of the DNA repair system, is activated to enhance the homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway upon DNA double-strand breaks. Although ATM signaling has been widely studied in different types of cancer, its research is still lacking compared with other DDR-involved molecules such as PARP and ATR. There is still a vast research opportunity for the development of ATM inhibitors as anticancer agents. Here, we focus on the recent findings of ATM signaling in DNA repair of cancer. Previous studies have identified several partners of ATM, some of which promote ATM signaling, while others have the opposite effect. ATM inhibitors, including KU-55933, KU-60019, KU-59403, CP-466722, AZ31, AZ32, AZD0156, and AZD1390, have been evaluated for their antitumor effects. It has been revealed that ATM inhibition increases a cancer cell's sensitivity to radiotherapy. Moreover, the combination with PARP or ATR inhibitors has synergistic lethality in some cancers. Of note, among these ATM inhibitors, AZD0156 and AZD1390 achieve potent and highly selective ATM kinase inhibition and have an excellent ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Currently, AZD0156 and AZD1390 are under investigation in phase I clinical trials. Taken together, targeting ATM may be a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Hence, further development of ATM inhibitors is urgently needed in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Hua Jin
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Youn Oh
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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41
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Yan C, Brunson DC, Tang Q, Do D, Iftimia NA, Moore JC, Hayes MN, Welker AM, Garcia EG, Dubash TD, Hong X, Drapkin BJ, Myers DT, Phat S, Volorio A, Marvin DL, Ligorio M, Dershowitz L, McCarthy KM, Karabacak MN, Fletcher JA, Sgroi DC, Iafrate JA, Maheswaran S, Dyson NJ, Haber DA, Rawls JF, Langenau DM. Visualizing Engrafted Human Cancer and Therapy Responses in Immunodeficient Zebrafish. Cell 2019; 177:1903-1914.e14. [PMID: 31031007 PMCID: PMC6570580 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Xenograft cell transplantation into immunodeficient mice has become the gold standard for assessing pre-clinical efficacy of cancer drugs, yet direct visualization of single-cell phenotypes is difficult. Here, we report an optically-clear prkdc-/-, il2rga-/- zebrafish that lacks adaptive and natural killer immune cells, can engraft a wide array of human cancers at 37°C, and permits the dynamic visualization of single engrafted cells. For example, photoconversion cell-lineage tracing identified migratory and proliferative cell states in human rhabdomyosarcoma, a pediatric cancer of muscle. Additional experiments identified the preclinical efficacy of combination olaparib PARP inhibitor and temozolomide DNA-damaging agent as an effective therapy for rhabdomyosarcoma and visualized therapeutic responses using a four-color FUCCI cell-cycle fluorescent reporter. These experiments identified that combination treatment arrested rhabdomyosarcoma cells in the G2 cell cycle prior to induction of apoptosis. Finally, patient-derived xenografts could be engrafted into our model, opening new avenues for developing personalized therapeutic approaches in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Yan
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dalton C Brunson
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA
| | - Qin Tang
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA
| | - Daniel Do
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA
| | - Nicolae A Iftimia
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - John C Moore
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Madeline N Hayes
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Alessandra M Welker
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Elaine G Garcia
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Taronish D Dubash
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Xin Hong
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Benjamin J Drapkin
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - David T Myers
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Sarah Phat
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Angela Volorio
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Dieuwke L Marvin
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Matteo Ligorio
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Lyle Dershowitz
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Karin M McCarthy
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Murat N Karabacak
- Shriners Hospitals for Children-Boston, MA 02114, USA; Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jonathan A Fletcher
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dennis C Sgroi
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - John A Iafrate
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Shyamala Maheswaran
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Nick J Dyson
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Daniel A Haber
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bethesda, MD 20815, USA
| | - John F Rawls
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - David M Langenau
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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42
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Cagan RL, Zon LI, White RM. Modeling Cancer with Flies and Fish. Dev Cell 2019; 49:317-324. [PMID: 31063751 PMCID: PMC6506185 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancer has joined heart disease as the leading source of mortality in the US. In an era of organoids, patient-derived xenografts, and organs on a chip, model organisms continue to thrive with a combination of powerful genetic tools, rapid pace of discovery, and affordability. Model organisms enable the analysis of both the tumor and its associated microenvironment, aspects that are particularly relevant to our understanding of metastasis and drug resistance. In this Perspective, we explore some of the strengths of fruit flies and zebrafish for addressing fundamental cancer questions and how these two organisms can contribute to identifying promising therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross L Cagan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Richard M White
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
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43
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Multicomponent assemblies in DNA-double-strand break repair by NHEJ. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 55:154-160. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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44
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Fernando TM, Marullo R, Pera Gresely B, Phillip JM, Yang SN, Lundell-Smith G, Torregroza I, Ahn H, Evans T, Győrffy B, Privé GG, Hirano M, Melnick AM, Cerchietti L. BCL6 Evolved to Enable Stress Tolerance in Vertebrates and Is Broadly Required by Cancer Cells to Adapt to Stress. Cancer Discov 2019; 9:662-679. [PMID: 30777872 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-17-1444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Several lines of evidence link the canonical oncogene BCL6 to stress response. Here we demonstrate that BCL6 evolved in vertebrates as a component of the HSF1-driven stress response, which has been co-opted by the immune system to support germinal center formation and may have been decisive in the convergent evolution of humoral immunity in jawless and jawed vertebrates. We find that the highly conserved BTB corepressor binding site of BCL6 mediates stress adaptation across vertebrates. We demonstrate that pan-cancer cells hijack this stress tolerance mechanism to aberrantly express BCL6. Targeting the BCL6 BTB domain in cancer cells induces apoptosis and increases susceptibility to repeated doses of cytotoxic therapy. The chemosensitization effect upon BCL6 BTB inhibition is dependent on the derepression of TOX, implicating modulation of DNA repair as a downstream mechanism. Collectively, these data suggest a form of adaptive nononcogene addiction rooted in the natural selection of BCL6 during vertebrate evolution. SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrate that HSF1 drives BCL6 expression to enable stress tolerance in vertebrates. We identify an HSF1-BCL6-TOX stress axis that is required by cancer cells to tolerate exposure to cytotoxic agents and points toward BCL6-targeted therapy as a way to more effectively kill a wide variety of solid tumors.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 565.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tharu M Fernando
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.,Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Rossella Marullo
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Benet Pera Gresely
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jude M Phillip
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Shao Ning Yang
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Haelee Ahn
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Todd Evans
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Balázs Győrffy
- MTA TTK Lendület Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Budapest, Hungary.,Semmelweis University 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gilbert G Privé
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Masayuki Hirano
- Emory Vaccine Center and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ari M Melnick
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York. .,Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Leandro Cerchietti
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
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45
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Zebrafish disease models in hematology: Highlights on biological and translational impact. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2018; 1865:620-633. [PMID: 30593895 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has proven to be a versatile and reliable in vivo experimental model to study human hematopoiesis and hematological malignancies. As vertebrates, zebrafish has significant anatomical and biological similarities to humans, including the hematopoietic system. The powerful genome editing and genome-wide forward genetic screening tools have generated models that recapitulate human malignant hematopoietic pathologies in zebrafish and unravel cellular mechanisms involved in these diseases. Moreover, the use of zebrafish models in large-scale chemical screens has allowed the identification of new molecular targets and the design of alternative therapies. In this review we summarize the recent achievements in hematological research that highlight the power of the zebrafish model for discovery of new therapeutic molecules. We believe that the model is ready to give an immediate translational impact into the clinic.
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46
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Tan TK, Zhang C, Sanda T. Oncogenic transcriptional program driven by TAL1 in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Int J Hematol 2018; 109:5-17. [PMID: 30145780 DOI: 10.1007/s12185-018-2518-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
TAL1/SCL is a prime example of an oncogenic transcription factor that is abnormally expressed in acute leukemia due to the replacement of regulator elements. This gene has also been recognized as an essential regulator of hematopoiesis. TAL1 expression is strictly regulated in a lineage- and stage-specific manner. Such precise control is crucial for the switching of the transcriptional program. The misexpression of TAL1 in immature thymocytes leads to a widespread series of orchestrated downstream events that affect several different cellular machineries, resulting in a lethal consequence, namely T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In this article, we will discuss the transcriptional regulatory network and downstream target genes, including protein-coding genes and non-coding RNAs, controlled by TAL1 in normal hematopoiesis and T-cell leukemogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tze King Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Drive, #12-01, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Chujing Zhang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Drive, #12-01, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Takaomi Sanda
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Drive, #12-01, Singapore, 117599, Singapore. .,Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore.
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47
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Borga C, Park G, Foster C, Burroughs-Garcia J, Marchesin M, Shah R, Hasan A, Ahmed ST, Bresolin S, Batchelor L, Scordino T, Miles RR, Te Kronnie G, Regens JL, Frazer JK. Simultaneous B and T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias in zebrafish driven by transgenic MYC: implications for oncogenesis and lymphopoiesis. Leukemia 2018; 33:333-347. [PMID: 30111845 PMCID: PMC6365377 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-018-0226-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Precursor-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer, but there are no useful zebrafish pre-B ALL models. We describe the first highly- penetrant zebrafish pre-B ALL, driven by human MYC. Leukemias express B lymphoblast-specific genes and are distinct from T cell ALL (T-ALL)—which these fish also develop. Zebrafish pre-B ALL shares in vivo features and expression profiles with human pre-B ALL, and these profiles differ from zebrafish T-ALL or normal B and T cells. These animals also exhibit aberrant lymphocyte development. As the only robust zebrafish pre-B ALL model and only example where T-ALL also develops, this model can reveal differences between MYC-driven pre-B vs. T-ALL and be exploited to discover novel pre-B ALL therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Borga
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Gilseung Park
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Clay Foster
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Jessica Burroughs-Garcia
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Matteo Marchesin
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Rikin Shah
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Ameera Hasan
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Syed T Ahmed
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Silvia Bresolin
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Padua, Padua, 35128, Italy
| | - Lance Batchelor
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Teresa Scordino
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Rodney R Miles
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah and ARUP Institute for Clinical & Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
| | - Geertruy Te Kronnie
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Padua, Padua, 35128, Italy
| | - James L Regens
- Center for Intelligence and National Security, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - J Kimble Frazer
- Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
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48
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Cell of origin dictates aggression and stem cell number in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 2018; 32:1860-1865. [PMID: 29749398 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-018-0130-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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