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Plante C, Mohamad T, Hewa Bostanthirige D, Renaud M, Sidhu H, ElChoueiry M, Vatasescu JPS, Poirier M, Geha S, Brosseau JP. Revisiting the NPcis mouse model: A new tool to model plexiform neurofibroma. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301040. [PMID: 38900740 PMCID: PMC11189233 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurofibromatosis Type I (NF1) is a rare genetic disorder. NF1 patients frequently develop a benign tumor in peripheral nerve plexuses called plexiform neurofibroma. In the past two decades, tissue-specific Nf1 knockout mouse models were developed using commercially available tissue-specific Cre recombinase and the Nf1 flox mice to mimic neurofibroma development. However, these models develop para-spinal neurofibroma, recapitulating a rare type of neurofibroma found in NF1 patients. The NPcis mouse model developed a malignant version of neurofibroma called malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) within 3 to 6 months but intriguingly without apparent benign precursor lesion. Here, we revisited the NPcis model and discovered that about 20% display clinical signs similar to Nf1 tissue-specific knockout mice models. However, a systematic histological analysis could not explain the clinical signs we observed although we noticed lesions reminiscent of a neurofibroma in a peripheral nerve, a cutaneous neurofibroma, and para-spinal neurofibroma on rare occasions in NPcis mice. We also observed that 10% of the mice developed a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) spontaneously, coinciding with their earring tag identification. Strikingly, half of the sciatic nerves from NPcis mice developed plexiform neurofibroma within 1-6 months when intentionally injured. Thus, we provided a procedure to turn the widely used NPcis sarcoma model into a model recapitulating plexiform neurofibroma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Plante
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Teddy Mohamad
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Michel Renaud
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Harsimran Sidhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michel ElChoueiry
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Paul Sabo Vatasescu
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mikael Poirier
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sameh Geha
- Department of Pathology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Institut de recherche sur le Cancer de l`Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Brosseau
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomic, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Institut de recherche sur le Cancer de l`Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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2
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Steiner AJ, Zheng Y, Tang Y. Characterization of a rhabdomyosarcoma reveals a critical role for SMG7 in cancer cell viability and tumor growth. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10152. [PMID: 37349371 PMCID: PMC10287741 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36568-5] [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: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs) are a rare and diverse group of mesenchymal cancers plagued with aggression, poor response to systemic therapy, and high rates of recurrence. Although STSs generally have low mutational burdens, the most commonly mutated genes are tumor suppressors, which frequently acquire mutations inducing nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). This suggests that STS cells may exploit NMD to suppress these anti-cancer genes. To examine the role that the NMD factor SMG7 plays in STS, we developed an inducible knockout mouse model in the Trp53-/- background. Here, we isolated a subcutaneous STS and identified it as a rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). We report that knockout of SMG7 significantly inhibited NMD in our RMS cells, which led to the induction of NMD targets GADD45b and the tumor suppressor GAS5. The loss of NMD and upregulation of these anti-cancer genes were concomitant with the loss of RMS cell viability and inhibited tumor growth. Importantly, SMG7 was dispensable for homeostasis in our mouse embryonic fibroblasts and adult mice. Overall, our data show that the loss of SMG7 induces a strong anti-cancer effect both in vitro and in vivo. We present here the first evidence that disrupting SMG7 function may be tolerable and provide a therapeutic benefit for STS treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Steiner
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Yang Zheng
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Yi Tang
- Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
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3
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Cooper TK, Meyerholz DK, Beck AP, Delaney MA, Piersigilli A, Southard TL, Brayton CF. Research-Relevant Conditions and Pathology of Laboratory Mice, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Naked Mole Rats, and Rabbits. ILAR J 2022; 62:77-132. [PMID: 34979559 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals are valuable resources in biomedical research in investigations of biological processes, disease pathogenesis, therapeutic interventions, safety, toxicity, and carcinogenicity. Interpretation of data from animals requires knowledge not only of the processes or diseases (pathophysiology) under study but also recognition of spontaneous conditions and background lesions (pathology) that can influence or confound the study results. Species, strain/stock, sex, age, anatomy, physiology, spontaneous diseases (noninfectious and infectious), and neoplasia impact experimental results and interpretation as well as animal welfare. This review and the references selected aim to provide a pathology resource for researchers, pathologists, and veterinary personnel who strive to achieve research rigor and validity and must understand the spectrum of "normal" and expected conditions to accurately identify research-relevant experimental phenotypes as well as unusual illness, pathology, or other conditions that can compromise studies involving laboratory mice, rats, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, naked mole rats, and rabbits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy K Cooper
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - David K Meyerholz
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Amanda P Beck
- Department of Pathology, Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Martha A Delaney
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Alessandra Piersigilli
- Laboratory of Comparative Pathology and the Genetically Modified Animal Phenotyping Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Teresa L Southard
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Cory F Brayton
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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4
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Jokinen MP, Morgan DL, Price HC, Herbert RA, Saddler T, Dixon D. Immunohistochemical Characterization of Sarcomas in Trp53+/- Haploinsufficient Mice. Toxicol Pathol 2017; 45:774-785. [PMID: 29046139 DOI: 10.1177/0192623317730558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The use of immunohistochemical (IHC) staining in determining and/or confirming the cellular origin of poorly differentiated sarcomas was evaluated in this study. Sarcomatous neoplasms were evaluated in a research study conducted in 2 strains of p53+/- haploinsufficient mice. The most common neoplasms were undifferentiated sarcomas, followed by osteosarcomas and rhabdomyosarcomas (RMSs). The RMSs were poorly differentiated and appeared similar to the pleomorphic, or adult type, RMS of humans. All sarcomas stained positive by IHC for the mesenchymal cell intermediate filament vimentin. The RMSs were identified by positive IHC staining for myogenin, a transcription factor specific to skeletal muscle. Osteosarcomas were easily identifiable on hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides; no generally accepted IHC stain specific for bone is presently available. Some of the undifferentiated sarcomas contained numerous macrophages that stained positive for F4/80, a macrophage marker; the positive-staining cells were considered to be infiltrating macrophages. One-third of the neoplasms observed in this study were associated with subcutaneous implanted electronic microchips used for animal identification. Based upon histopathologic evaluation and IHC staining, it was not possible to distinguish neoplasms associated with subcutaneous microchips from neoplasms not associated with microchips.
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Jokinen
- 1 Integrated Laboratory Systems, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - D L Morgan
- 2 National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - H C Price
- 3 Alion Science and Technology, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - R A Herbert
- 2 National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - T Saddler
- 2 National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - D Dixon
- 2 National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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5
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White LA, Sexton JM, Shive HR. Histologic and Immunohistochemical Analyses of Soft Tissue Sarcomas From brca2-Mutant/tp53-Mutant Zebrafish Are Consistent With Neural Crest (Schwann Cell) Origin. Vet Pathol 2016; 54:320-327. [DOI: 10.1177/0300985816669406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish ( Danio rerio) provides a powerful model for analyzing genetic contributors to cancer. Multiple zebrafish lines with cancer-associated genetic mutations develop soft tissue sarcomas that are histologically consistent with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). The goal of this study was to determine the phenotype of soft tissue sarcomas in a brca2-mutant/ tp53-mutant zebrafish line using immunohistochemical markers that are commonly expressed in mammalian MPNST. We classified 70 soft tissue sarcomas from a brca2-mutant/ tp53-mutant zebrafish cohort as MPNST, undifferentiated sarcoma, or other tumor based on histologic features. The expression of S100, CD57, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was analyzed in nonneoplastic neural tissues and tumor specimens by immunohistochemistry. Each marker was expressed in nonneoplastic neural tissues. In MPNST, S100 and CD57 were widely expressed in neoplastic cells, with greater consistency observed for CD57 expression. In undifferentiated sarcomas, results were variable and correlated to anatomic location. Coelomic undifferentiated sarcomas often exhibited widespread CD57 expression but limited S100 expression. In comparison, ocular undifferentiated sarcomas exhibited limited expression of both CD57 and S100. Overall, CD57 and S100 expression was significantly higher in MPNST than in undifferentiated sarcomas. GFAP was not expressed in any of the tumors. This study identified commercially available antibodies that are useful for analyzing S100, CD57, and GFAP expression in zebrafish. This study further shows a correlation between degree of histologic differentiation and expression of these markers in soft tissue sarcomas from brca2-mutant/ tp53-mutant zebrafish and suggests that these cancers are derived from the neural crest with differentiation toward myelinating Schwann cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. A. White
- North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - J. M. Sexton
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - H. R. Shive
- North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, USA
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ZEB2 drives immature T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia development via enhanced tumour-initiating potential and IL-7 receptor signalling. Nat Commun 2015; 6:5794. [PMID: 25565005 PMCID: PMC4354161 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Early T-cell precursor leukaemia (ETP-ALL) is a high-risk subtype of human leukaemia that is poorly understood at the molecular level. Here we report translocations targeting the zinc finger E-box-binding transcription factor ZEB2 as a recurrent genetic lesion in immature/ETP-ALL. Using a conditional gain-of-function mouse model, we demonstrate that sustained Zeb2 expression initiates T-cell leukaemia. Moreover, Zeb2-driven mouse leukaemia exhibit some features of the human immature/ETP-ALL gene expression signature, as well as an enhanced leukaemia-initiation potential and activated Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signalling through transcriptional activation of IL7R. This study reveals ZEB2 as an oncogene in the biology of immature/ETP-ALL and paves the way towards pre-clinical studies of novel compounds for the treatment of this aggressive subtype of human T-ALL using our Zeb2-driven mouse model.
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Farhang Ghahremani M, Radaelli E, Haigh K, Bartunkova S, Haenebalcke L, Marine JC, Goossens S, Haigh JJ. Loss of autocrine endothelial-derived VEGF significantly reduces hemangiosarcoma development in conditional p53-deficient mice. Cell Cycle 2014; 13:1501-7. [PMID: 24626176 DOI: 10.4161/cc.28474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant transformation of the endothelium is rare, and hemangiosarcomas comprise only 1% of all sarcomas. For this reason and due to the lack of appropriate mouse models, the genetic mechanisms of malignant endothelial transformation are poorly understood. Here, we describe a hemangiosarcoma mouse model generated by deleting p53 specifically in the endothelial and hematopoietic lineages. This strategy led to a high incidence of hemangiosarcoma, with an average latency of 25 weeks. To study the in vivo roles of autocrine or endothelial cell autonomous VEGF signaling in the initiation and/or progression of hemangiosarcomas, we genetically deleted autocrine endothelial sources of VEGF in this mouse model. We found that loss of even a single conditional VEGF allele results in substantial rescue from endothelial cell transformation. These findings highlight the important role of threshold levels of autocrine VEGF signaling in endothelial malignancies and suggest a new approach for hemangiosarcoma treatment using targeted autocrine VEGF inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morvarid Farhang Ghahremani
- Vascular Cell Biology Unit; Department for Molecular Biomedical Research; VIB-Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology; Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium
| | - Enrico Radaelli
- Mouse & Animal Pathology Laboratory; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milano, Italy; Center for the Biology of Disease; VIB-KULeuven; Leuven, Belgium; Center for Human Genetics; Faculty of Medicine; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology; KULeuven; Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katharina Haigh
- Vascular Cell Biology Unit; Department for Molecular Biomedical Research; VIB-Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology; Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Australian Centre for Blood Diseases; Monash University; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sonia Bartunkova
- Vascular Cell Biology Unit; Department for Molecular Biomedical Research; VIB-Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology; Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lieven Haenebalcke
- Vascular Cell Biology Unit; Department for Molecular Biomedical Research; VIB-Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology; Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jean-Christophe Marine
- Center for the Biology of Disease; VIB-KULeuven; Leuven, Belgium; Center for Human Genetics; Faculty of Medicine; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology; KULeuven; Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven Goossens
- Vascular Cell Biology Unit; Department for Molecular Biomedical Research; VIB-Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology; Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Unit of Molecular and Cellular Oncology; Inflammation Research Center (IRC); VIB-Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jody J Haigh
- Vascular Cell Biology Unit; Department for Molecular Biomedical Research; VIB-Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology; Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium; Australian Centre for Blood Diseases; Monash University; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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8
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Abstract
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a common adjunct in pathology for morphologic diagnosis, research pathology, and studying the pathogenesis of the disease. Proper technique and interpretation of an immunohistochemistry assay is of utmost importance. A variety of problems, including the presence of artifacts (nonspecific background or other staining problems) and the differentiation between nonspecific and specific staining, commonly occur. It is essential that antibody quality and IHC technique be optimized. We review the histologic patterns of specific and nonspecific staining after using IHC techniques, as well as basic troubleshooting procedures, and provide some examples of nonspecific staining and other artifacts especially in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPE) of mice.
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