1
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Ebegboni VJ, Jones TL, Brownmiller T, Zhao PX, Pehrsson EC, Sundara Rajan S, Caplen NJ. ETS1, a Target Gene of the EWSR1::FLI1 Fusion Oncoprotein, Regulates the Expression of the Focal Adhesion Protein TENSIN3. Mol Cancer Res 2024; 22:625-641. [PMID: 38588446 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-23-1090] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The mechanistic basis for the metastasis of Ewing sarcomas remains poorly understood, as these tumors harbor few mutations beyond the chromosomal translocation that initiates the disease. Instead, the epigenome of Ewing sarcoma cells reflects the regulatory state of genes associated with the DNA-binding activity of the fusion oncoproteins EWSR1::FLI1 or EWSR1::ERG. In this study, we examined the EWSR1::FLI1/ERG's repression of transcription factor genes, concentrating on those that exhibit a broader range of expression in tumors than in Ewing sarcoma cell lines. Focusing on one of these target genes, ETS1, we detected EWSR1::FLI1 binding and an H3K27me3-repressive mark at this locus. Depletion of EWSR1::FLI1 results in ETS1's binding of promoter regions, substantially altering the transcriptome of Ewing sarcoma cells, including the upregulation of the gene encoding TENSIN3 (TNS3), a focal adhesion protein. Ewing sarcoma cell lines expressing ETS1 (CRISPRa) exhibited increased TNS3 expression and enhanced movement compared with control cells. Visualization of control Ewing sarcoma cells showed a distributed vinculin signal and a network-like organization of F-actin; in contrast, ETS1-activated Ewing sarcoma cells showed an accumulation of vinculin and F-actin toward the plasma membrane. Interestingly, the phenotype of ETS1-activated Ewing sarcoma cell lines depleted of TNS3 resembled the phenotype of the control cells. Critically, these findings have clinical relevance as TNS3 expression in Ewing sarcoma tumors positively correlates with that of ETS1. Implications: ETS1's transcriptional regulation of the gene encoding the focal adhesion protein TENSIN3 in Ewing sarcoma cells promotes cell movement, a critical step in the evolution of metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vernon Justice Ebegboni
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tamara L Jones
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tayvia Brownmiller
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Patrick X Zhao
- Omics Bioinformatics Facility, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Erica C Pehrsson
- Omics Bioinformatics Facility, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Soumya Sundara Rajan
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Natasha J Caplen
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
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2
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Tejeda-Muñoz N, Mei KC. Wnt signaling in cell adhesion, development, and colon cancer. IUBMB Life 2024; 76:383-396. [PMID: 38230869 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2806] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Wnt signaling is essential for embryonic development, influencing processes such as axis formation, cell proliferation and differentiation, cell fate decisions, and axon guidance. It also plays a role in maintaining tissue homeostasis in adult organisms. The loss of normal cell polarity and adhesion caused by Wnt signaling activation is a fundamental step for tumor progression and metastasis. Activating the canonical Wnt pathway is a driving force in many human cancers, especially colorectal, hepatocellular, and mammary carcinomas. Wnt causes the stabilization and nuclear transport of newly synthesized transcriptional regulator β-catenin. The generally accepted view is that the canonical effects of Wnt growth factors are caused by the transcription of β-catenin target genes. Here, we review recent findings that indicate Wnt is a regulator of many other cellular physiological activities, such as macropinocytosis, endosome trafficking, protein stability, focal adhesions, and lysosomal activity. Some of these regulatory responses occur within minutes and do not require new protein synthesis, indicating that there is much more to Wnt beyond the well-established transcriptional role of β-catenin. The main conclusion that emerges from these studies is that in basal cell conditions, the activity of the key protein kinase GSK3, which is inhibited by Wnt pathway activation, normally represses the actin machinery that orchestrates macropinocytosis with implications in cancer. These contributions expand our understanding of the multifaceted roles of Wnt signaling in cellular processes, development, and cancer, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nydia Tejeda-Muñoz
- Department of Oncology Science, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Kuo-Ching Mei
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, Johnson City, New York, USA
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3
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De Feo A, Manfredi M, Mancarella C, Maqueda JJ, De Giorgis V, Pignochino Y, Sciandra M, Cristalli C, Donadelli M, Scotlandi K. CD99 Modulates the Proteomic Landscape of Ewing Sarcoma Cells and Related Extracellular Vesicles. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1588. [PMID: 38338867 PMCID: PMC10855178 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031588] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is an aggressive pediatric bone tumor characterized by unmet clinical needs and an incompletely understood epigenetic heterogeneity. Here, we considered CD99, a major surface molecule hallmark of EWS malignancy. Fluctuations in CD99 expression strongly impair cell dissemination, differentiation, and death. CD99 is also loaded within extracellular vesicles (EVs), and the delivery of CD99-positive or CD99-negative EVs dynamically exerts oncogenic or oncosuppressive functions to recipient cells, respectively. We undertook mass spectrometry and functional annotation analysis to investigate the consequences of CD99 silencing on the proteomic landscape of EWS cells and related EVs. Our data demonstrate that (i) the decrease in CD99 leads to major changes in the proteomic profile of EWS cells and EVs; (ii) intracellular and extracellular compartments display two distinct signatures of differentially expressed proteins; (iii) proteomic changes converge to the modulation of cell migration and immune-modulation biological processes; and (iv) CD99-silenced cells and related EVs are characterized by a migration-suppressive, pro-immunostimulatory proteomic profile. Overall, our data provide a novel source of CD99-associated protein biomarkers to be considered for further validation as mediators of EWS malignancy and as EWS disease liquid biopsy markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra De Feo
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (C.M.); (J.J.M.); (M.S.); (C.C.)
| | - Marcello Manfredi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy; (M.M.); (V.D.G.)
| | - Caterina Mancarella
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (C.M.); (J.J.M.); (M.S.); (C.C.)
| | - Joaquín J. Maqueda
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (C.M.); (J.J.M.); (M.S.); (C.C.)
| | - Veronica De Giorgis
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy; (M.M.); (V.D.G.)
| | - Ymera Pignochino
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy;
- Sarcoma Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Turin, Italy
| | - Marika Sciandra
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (C.M.); (J.J.M.); (M.S.); (C.C.)
| | - Camilla Cristalli
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (C.M.); (J.J.M.); (M.S.); (C.C.)
| | - Massimo Donadelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Katia Scotlandi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.F.); (C.M.); (J.J.M.); (M.S.); (C.C.)
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4
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Ebegboni VJ, Jones TL, Brownmiller T, Zhao PX, Pehrsson EC, Rajan SS, Caplen NJ. ETS1, a target gene of the EWSR1::FLI1 fusion oncoprotein, regulates the expression of the focal adhesion protein TENSIN3. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.21.572864. [PMID: 38187702 PMCID: PMC10769395 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The mechanistic basis for the metastasis of Ewing sarcomas remains poorly understood, as these tumors harbor few mutations beyond the chromosomal translocation that initiates the disease. Instead, the epigenome of Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cells reflects the regulatory state of genes associated with the DNA binding activity of the fusion oncoproteins EWSR1::FLI1 or EWSR1::ERG. In this study, we examined the EWSR1::FLI1/ERG's repression of transcription factor genes, concentrating on those that exhibit a broader range of expression in tumors than in EWS cell lines. Focusing on one of these target genes, ETS1, we detected EWSR1::FLI1 binding and an H3K27me3 repressive mark at this locus. Depletion of EWSR1::FLI1 results in ETS1's binding of promoter regions, substantially altering the transcriptome of EWS cells, including the upregulation of the gene encoding TENSIN3 (TNS3), a focal adhesion protein. EWS cell lines expressing ETS1 (CRISPRa) exhibited increased TNS3 expression and enhanced movement compared to control cells. The cytoskeleton of control cells and ETS1-activated EWS cell lines also differed. Specifically, control cells exhibited a distributed vinculin signal and a network-like organization of F-actin. In contrast, ETS1-activated EWS cells showed an accumulation of vinculin and F-actin towards the plasma membrane. Interestingly, the phenotype of ETS1-activated EWS cell lines depleted of TNS3 resembled the phenotype of the control cells. Critically, these findings have clinical relevance as TNS3 expression in EWS tumors positively correlates with that of ETS1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vernon Justice Ebegboni
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tamara L Jones
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tayvia Brownmiller
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Patrick X Zhao
- Omics Bioinformatics Facility, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Erica C Pehrsson
- Omics Bioinformatics Facility, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Soumya Sundara Rajan
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Natasha J Caplen
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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5
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Tejeda-Munoz N, Azbazdar Y, Monka J, Binder G, Dayrit A, Ayala R, O'Brien N, De Robertis EM. The PMA phorbol ester tumor promoter increases canonical Wnt signaling via macropinocytosis. eLife 2023; 12:RP89141. [PMID: 37902809 PMCID: PMC10615368 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the Wnt pathway lies at the core of many human cancers. Wnt and macropinocytosis are often active in the same processes, and understanding how Wnt signaling and membrane trafficking cooperate should improve our understanding of embryonic development and cancer. Here, we show that a macropinocytosis activator, the tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), enhances Wnt signaling. Experiments using the Xenopus embryo as an in vivo model showed marked cooperation between the PMA phorbol ester and Wnt signaling, which was blocked by inhibitors of macropinocytosis, Rac1 activity, and lysosome acidification. Human colorectal cancer tissue arrays and xenografts in mice showed a correlation of cancer progression with increased macropinocytosis/multivesicular body/lysosome markers and decreased GSK3 levels. The crosstalk between canonical Wnt, focal adhesions, lysosomes, and macropinocytosis suggests possible therapeutic targets for cancer progression in Wnt-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nydia Tejeda-Munoz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Oncology Science, Health Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science CenterOklahoma CityUnited States
| | - Yagmur Azbazdar
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Julia Monka
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Grace Binder
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Alex Dayrit
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Raul Ayala
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Neil O'Brien
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Edward M De Robertis
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
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6
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Yasir M, Park J, Chun W. EWS/FLI1 Characterization, Activation, Repression, Target Genes and Therapeutic Opportunities in Ewing Sarcoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15173. [PMID: 37894854 PMCID: PMC10607184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015173] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite their clonal origins, tumors eventually develop into complex communities made up of phenotypically different cell subpopulations, according to mounting evidence. Tumor cell-intrinsic programming and signals from geographically and temporally changing microenvironments both contribute to this variability. Furthermore, the mutational load is typically lacking in childhood malignancies of adult cancers, and they still exhibit high cellular heterogeneity levels largely mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Ewing sarcomas represent highly aggressive malignancies affecting both bone and soft tissue, primarily afflicting adolescents. Unfortunately, the outlook for patients facing relapsed or metastatic disease is grim. These tumors are primarily fueled by a distinctive fusion event involving an FET protein and an ETS family transcription factor, with the most prevalent fusion being EWS/FLI1. Despite originating from a common driver mutation, Ewing sarcoma cells display significant variations in transcriptional activity, both within and among tumors. Recent research has pinpointed distinct fusion protein activities as a principal source of this heterogeneity, resulting in markedly diverse cellular phenotypes. In this review, we aim to characterize the role of the EWS/FLI fusion protein in Ewing sarcoma by exploring its general mechanism of activation and elucidating its implications for tumor heterogeneity. Additionally, we delve into potential therapeutic opportunities to target this aberrant fusion protein in the context of Ewing sarcoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wanjoo Chun
- Department of Pharmacology, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea; (M.Y.); (J.P.)
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7
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Dupuy M, Lamoureux F, Mullard M, Postec A, Regnier L, Baud’huin M, Georges S, Brounais-Le Royer B, Ory B, Rédini F, Verrecchia F. Ewing sarcoma from molecular biology to the clinic. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1248753. [PMID: 37752913 PMCID: PMC10518617 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1248753] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In Europe, with an incidence of 7.5 cases per million, Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common primary malignant bone tumor in children, adolescents and young adults, after osteosarcoma. Since the 1980s, conventional treatment has been based on the use of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents combined with surgical resection of the tumor when possible. These treatments have increased the patient survival rate to 70% for localized forms, which drops drastically to less than 30% when patients are resistant to chemotherapy or when pulmonary metastases are present at diagnosis. However, the lack of improvement in these survival rates over the last decades points to the urgent need for new therapies. Genetically, ES is characterized by a chromosomal translocation between a member of the FET family and a member of the ETS family. In 85% of cases, the chromosomal translocation found is (11; 22) (q24; q12), between the EWS RNA-binding protein and the FLI1 transcription factor, leading to the EWS-FLI1 fusion protein. This chimeric protein acts as an oncogenic factor playing a crucial role in the development of ES. This review provides a non-exhaustive overview of ES from a clinical and biological point of view, describing its main clinical, cellular and molecular aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryne Dupuy
- Nantes Université, Inserm UMR 1307, CNRS UMR 6075, CRCI2NA, Université d'Angers, Nantes, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Franck Verrecchia
- Nantes Université, Inserm UMR 1307, CNRS UMR 6075, CRCI2NA, Université d'Angers, Nantes, France
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8
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Mancarella C, Giusti V, Caldoni G, Laginestra MA, Parra A, Toracchio L, Giordano G, Roncuzzi L, Piazzi M, Blalock W, Columbaro M, De Feo A, Scotlandi K. Extracellular vesicle-associated IGF2BP3 tunes Ewing sarcoma cell migration and affects PI3K/Akt pathway in neighboring cells. Cancer Gene Ther 2023; 30:1285-1295. [PMID: 37353558 PMCID: PMC10501906 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00637-8] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a challenging pediatric cancer characterized by vast intra-tumor heterogeneity. We evaluated the RNA-binding protein IGF2BP3, whose high expression correlates with a poor prognosis and an elevated tendency of metastases, as a possible soluble mediator of inter-cellular communication in EWS. Our data demonstrate that (i) IGF2BP3 is detected in cell supernatants, and it is released inside extracellular vesicles (EVs); (ii) EVs from IGF2BP3-positive or IGF2BP3-negative EWS cells reciprocally affect cell migration but not the proliferation of EWS recipient cells; (iii) EVs derived from IGF2BP3-silenced cells have a distinct miRNA cargo profile and inhibit the PI3K/Akt pathway in recipient cells; (iv) the 11 common differentially expressed miRNAs associated with IGF2BP3-positive and IGF2BP3-negative EVs correctly group IGF2BP3-positive and IGF2BP3-negative clinical tissue specimens. Overall, our data suggest that IGF2BP3 can participate in the modulation of phenotypic heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Mancarella
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Veronica Giusti
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Caldoni
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Parra
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lisa Toracchio
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Giordano
- Sarcoma Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO, IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Laura Roncuzzi
- Biomedical Science and Technologies and Nanobiotechnology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Manuela Piazzi
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - William Blalock
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marta Columbaro
- Piattaforma di Microscopia Elettronica, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra De Feo
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Katia Scotlandi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
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9
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Tejeda-Muñoz N, Azbazdar Y, Monka J, Binder G, Dayrit A, Ayala R, O’Brien N, De Robertis EM. The PMA Phorbol Ester Tumor Promoter Increases Canonical Wnt Signaling Via Macropinocytosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.02.543509. [PMID: 37333286 PMCID: PMC10274750 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.02.543509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Activation of the Wnt pathway lies at the core of many human cancers. Wnt and macropinocytosis are often active in the same processes, and understanding how Wnt signaling and membrane trafficking cooperate should improve our understanding of embryonic development and cancer. Here we show that a macropinocytosis activator, the tumor promoter Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), enhances Wnt signaling. Experiments using the Xenopus embryo as an in vivo model showed marked cooperation between the PMA phorbol ester and Wnt signaling, which was blocked by inhibitors of macropinocytosis, Rac1 activity, and lysosome acidification. Human colorectal cancer tissue arrays and xenografts in mice showed a correlation of cancer progression with increased macropinocytosis/multivesicular body/lysosome markers and decreased GSK3 levels. The crosstalk between canonical Wnt, focal adhesions, lysosomes, and macropinocytosis suggests possible therapeutic targets for cancer progression in Wnt-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nydia Tejeda-Muñoz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1662, USA
- Department of Oncology Science, Health Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Yagmur Azbazdar
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1662, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Julia Monka
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1662, USA
| | - Grace Binder
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1662, USA
| | - Alex Dayrit
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1662, USA
| | - Raul Ayala
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
| | - Neil O’Brien
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
| | - Edward M. De Robertis
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1662, USA
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10
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Hughes CJ, Fields KM, Danis EP, Hsu JY, Neelakantan D, Vincent MY, Gustafson AL, Oliphant MJ, Sreekanth V, Zaberezhnyy V, Costello JC, Jedlicka P, Ford HL. SIX1 and EWS/FLI1 co-regulate an anti-metastatic gene network in Ewing Sarcoma. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4357. [PMID: 37468459 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39945-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (ES), which is characterized by the presence of oncogenic fusion proteins such as EWS/FLI1, is an aggressive pediatric malignancy with a high rate of early dissemination and poor outcome after distant spread. Here we demonstrate that the SIX1 homeoprotein, which enhances metastasis in most tumor types, suppresses ES metastasis by co-regulating EWS/FLI1 target genes. Like EWS/FLI1, SIX1 promotes cell growth/transformation, yet dramatically inhibits migration and invasion, as well as metastasis in vivo. We show that EWS/FLI1 promotes SIX1 protein expression, and that the two proteins share genome-wide binding profiles and transcriptional regulatory targets, including many metastasis-associated genes such as integrins, which they co-regulate. We further show that SIX1 downregulation of integrins is critical to its ability to inhibit invasion, a key characteristic of metastatic cells. These data demonstrate an unexpected anti-metastatic function for SIX1, through coordinate gene regulation with the key oncoprotein in ES, EWS/FLI1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor J Hughes
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Pharmacology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kaiah M Fields
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Etienne P Danis
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jessica Y Hsu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Deepika Neelakantan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Melanie Y Vincent
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Vigeo Therapeutics, 85 Bolton St, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
| | - Annika L Gustafson
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Michael J Oliphant
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Integrative Physiology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Varsha Sreekanth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Vadym Zaberezhnyy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - James C Costello
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Pharmacology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Paul Jedlicka
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Heide L Ford
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Pharmacology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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11
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ETV6 dependency in Ewing sarcoma by antagonism of EWS-FLI1-mediated enhancer activation. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:298-308. [PMID: 36658219 PMCID: PMC10101761 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-01060-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The EWS-FLI1 fusion oncoprotein deregulates transcription to initiate the paediatric cancer Ewing sarcoma. Here we used a domain-focused CRISPR screen to implicate the transcriptional repressor ETV6 as a unique dependency in this tumour. Using biochemical assays and epigenomics, we show that ETV6 competes with EWS-FLI1 for binding to select DNA elements enriched for short GGAA repeat sequences. Upon inactivating ETV6, EWS-FLI1 overtakes and hyper-activates these cis-elements to promote mesenchymal differentiation, with SOX11 being a key downstream target. We show that squelching of ETV6 with a dominant-interfering peptide phenocopies these effects and suppresses Ewing sarcoma growth in vivo. These findings reveal targeting of ETV6 as a strategy for neutralizing the EWS-FLI1 oncoprotein by reprogramming of genomic occupancy.
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12
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Wang S, Huo X, Yang Y, Mo Y, Kollipara RK, Kittler R. Ablation of EWS-FLI1 by USP9X inhibition suppresses cancer cell growth in Ewing sarcoma. Cancer Lett 2023; 552:215984. [PMID: 36330954 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The neomorphic transcription factor EWS-FLI1 is a key driver of Ewing sarcoma. Ablation of EWS-FLI1 may present a promising therapeutic strategy for this malignancy. Here we found that the deubiquitinase, ubiquitin specific peptidase 9 X-linked (USP9X) stabilizes EWS-FLI1 protein expression in Ewing sarcoma. We show that USP9X binds the ETS domain of EWS-FLI1 in Ewing sarcoma cells and deubiquitinates EWS-FLI1 and that USP9X and EWS-FLI1 protein expression is correlated in clinical Ewing sarcoma specimens. We found that treatment of Ewing sarcoma cells with the USP9X inhibitor WP1130 mediates rapid EWS-FLI1 degradation in vitro and in vivo which coincides with reduced growth of Ewing sarcoma cells and tumors. Our results suggest that USP9X might be a potential therapeutic target to mediate EWS-FLI1 depletion in Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Wang
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xiaofang Huo
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yiping Yang
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Yingxi Mo
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Rahul K Kollipara
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ralf Kittler
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA; Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA.
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13
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Apfelbaum AA, Wrenn ED, Lawlor ER. The importance of fusion protein activity in Ewing sarcoma and the cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate it: A review. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1044707. [PMID: 36505823 PMCID: PMC9727305 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1044707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence shows that despite clonal origins tumors eventually become complex communities comprised of phenotypically distinct cell subpopulations. This heterogeneity arises from both tumor cell intrinsic programs and signals from spatially and temporally dynamic microenvironments. While pediatric cancers usually lack the mutational burden of adult cancers, they still exhibit high levels of cellular heterogeneity that are largely mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Ewing sarcomas are aggressive bone and soft tissue malignancies with peak incidence in adolescence and the prognosis for patients with relapsed and metastatic disease is dismal. Ewing sarcomas are driven by a single pathognomonic fusion between a FET protein and an ETS family transcription factor, the most common of which is EWS::FLI1. Despite sharing a single driver mutation, Ewing sarcoma cells demonstrate a high degree of transcriptional heterogeneity both between and within tumors. Recent studies have identified differential fusion protein activity as a key source of this heterogeneity which leads to profoundly different cellular phenotypes. Paradoxically, increased invasive and metastatic potential is associated with lower EWS::FLI1 activity. Here, we review what is currently understood about EWS::FLI1 activity, the cell autonomous and tumor microenvironmental factors that regulate it, and the downstream consequences of these activity states on tumor progression. We specifically highlight how transcription factor regulation, signaling pathway modulation, and the extracellular matrix intersect to create a complex network of tumor cell phenotypes. We propose that elucidation of the mechanisms by which these essential elements interact will enable the development of novel therapeutic approaches that are designed to target this complexity and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
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14
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Weiss KR, Bailey KM. A Druggable Rheostat for Ewing Sarcoma? Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:4360-4362. [PMID: 35921177 PMCID: PMC9588653 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-1794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The posterior HOXD enhancer is an EWSR1::FLI1-dependent regulator of HOXD13 expression in Ewing sarcoma. HOXD13 expression promotes a mesenchymal cell state. Through antagonistic transcriptional programs, EWSR1::FLI1 and HOXD13 serve as master regulators of Ewing cell plasticity. Targeting Ewing cells as they exist in/transition between mesenchymal states is a priority. See related article by Apfelbaum et al., p. 4466.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt R. Weiss
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kelly M. Bailey
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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15
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Apfelbaum AA, Wu F, Hawkins AG, Magnuson B, Jiménez JA, Taylor SD, Wrenn ED, Waltner O, Pfaltzgraff ER, Song JY, Hall C, Wellik DM, Ljungman M, Furlan SN, Ryan RJ, Sarthy JF, Lawlor ER. EWS::FLI1 and HOXD13 Control Tumor Cell Plasticity in Ewing Sarcoma. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:4466-4478. [PMID: 35653119 PMCID: PMC9588607 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-0384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Propagation of Ewing sarcoma requires precise regulation of EWS::FLI1 transcriptional activity. Determining the mechanisms of fusion regulation will advance our understanding of tumor progression. Here we investigated whether HOXD13, a developmental transcription factor that promotes Ewing sarcoma metastatic phenotypes, influences EWS::FLI1 transcriptional activity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Existing tumor and cell line datasets were used to define EWS::FLI1 binding sites and transcriptional targets. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and CRISPR interference were employed to identify enhancers. CUT&RUN and RNA sequencing defined binding sites and transcriptional targets of HOXD13. Transcriptional states were investigated using bulk and single-cell transcriptomic data from cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, and patient tumors. Mesenchymal phenotypes were assessed by gene set enrichment, flow cytometry, and migration assays. RESULTS We found that EWS::FLI1 creates a de novo GGAA microsatellite enhancer in a developmentally conserved regulatory region of the HOXD locus. Knockdown of HOXD13 led to widespread changes in expression of developmental gene programs and EWS::FLI1 targets. HOXD13 binding was enriched at established EWS::FLI1 binding sites where it influenced expression of EWS::FLI1-activated genes. More strikingly, HOXD13 bound and activated EWS::FLI1-repressed genes, leading to adoption of mesenchymal and migratory cell states that are normally suppressed by the fusion. Single-cell analysis confirmed that direct transcriptional antagonism between HOXD13-mediated gene activation and EWS::FLI1-dependent gene repression defines the state of Ewing sarcoma cells along a mesenchymal axis. CONCLUSIONS Ewing sarcoma tumors are comprised of tumor cells that exist along a mesenchymal transcriptional continuum. The identity of cells along this continuum is, in large part, determined by the competing activities of EWS::FLI1 and HOXD13. See related commentary by Weiss and Bailey, p. 4360.
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Affiliation(s)
- April A. Apfelbaum
- Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA,Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Feinan Wu
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Allegra G. Hawkins
- Childhood Cancer Data Lab Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian Magnuson
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Jiménez
- Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sean D. Taylor
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Emma D. Wrenn
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Olivia Waltner
- Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | | | - Jane Y. Song
- Immunology Discovery, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Cody Hall
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Deneen M. Wellik
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53705
| | - Mats Ljungman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Scott N. Furlan
- Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Russell J.H. Ryan
- Immunology Discovery, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Jay F. Sarthy
- Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Elizabeth R. Lawlor
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.,Correspondence: Elizabeth R. Lawlor MD, PhD, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Olive Lab, 1100 Olive Way, Suite 100 Seattle, WA 98101,
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16
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Regulation of Metastasis in Ewing Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194902. [PMID: 36230825 PMCID: PMC9563756 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a type of bone and soft tissue tumor in children and adolescents. Over 85% of cases are caused by the expression of fusion protein EWSR1-FLI1 generated by chromosome translocation. Acting as a potent chimeric oncoprotein, EWSR1-FLI1 binds to chromatin, changes the epigenetic states, and thus alters the expression of a large set of genes. Several studies have revealed that the expression level of EWSR1-FLI1 is variable and dynamic within and across different EwS cell lines and primary tumors, leading to tumoral heterogeneity. Cells with high EWSR1-FLI1 expression (EWSR1-FLI1-high) proliferate in an exponential manner, whereas cells with low EWSR1-FLI1 expression (EWSR1-FLI1-low) tend to have a strong propensity to migrate, invade, and metastasize. Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The continuous evolution of EwS research has revealed some of the molecular underpinnings of this dissemination process. In this review, we discuss the molecular signatures that contribute to metastasis.
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17
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Kitagawa T, Kobayashi D, Baron B, Okita H, Miyamoto T, Takai R, Paudel D, Ohta T, Asaoka Y, Tokunaga M, Nakagawa K, Furutani-Seiki M, Araki N, Kuramitsu Y, Kobayashi M. AT-hook DNA-binding motif-containing protein one knockdown downregulates EWS-FLI1 transcriptional activity in Ewing's sarcoma cells. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269077. [PMID: 36194562 PMCID: PMC9531837 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common bone malignancy in children or young adults and is caused by an oncogenic transcription factor by a chromosomal translocation between the EWSR1 gene and the ETS transcription factor family. However, the transcriptional mechanism of EWS-ETS fusion proteins is still unclear. To identify the transcriptional complexes of EWS-ETS fusion transcription factors, we applied a proximal labeling system called BioID in Ewing's sarcoma cells. We identified AHDC1 as a proximal protein of EWS-ETS fusion proteins. AHDC1 knockdown showed a reduced cell growth and transcriptional activity of EWS-FLI1. AHDC1 knockdown also reduced BRD4 and BRG1 protein levels, both known as interacting proteins of EWS-FLI1. Our results suggest that AHDC1 supports cell growth through EWS-FLI1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Kitagawa
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Daiki Kobayashi
- Department of Omics and Systems Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- Department of Tumor Genetics and Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto-Shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Byron Baron
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Hajime Okita
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinano, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Miyamoto
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Rie Takai
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Durga Paudel
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Tohru Ohta
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yoichi Asaoka
- Department of Systems Biochemistry in Pathology and Regeneration, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Masayuki Tokunaga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Koji Nakagawa
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Makoto Furutani-Seiki
- Department of Systems Biochemistry in Pathology and Regeneration, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Norie Araki
- Department of Tumor Genetics and Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto-Shi, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kuramitsu
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Masanobu Kobayashi
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
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18
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Construction of a Prognosis-Related Gene Signature by Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis in Ewing Sarcoma. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:8798624. [PMID: 35126643 PMCID: PMC8814720 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8798624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common pediatric bone tumor with a high rate of metastasis, high recurrence, and low survival rate. Therefore, the identification of new biomarkers which can improve the prognosis of ES patients is urgently needed. Methods Here, GSE17679 dataset was downloaded from GEO databases. WGCNA method was used to identify one module associating with OVS (overall vital survival) and event. cytoHubba was used to screen out 50 hub genes from the module genes. Then, GSE17679 dataset was randomly divided into train cohort and test cohort. Next, univariate Cox analysis, LASSO regression analysis, and multivariate Cox analysis were conducted on 50 hub genes combined with train cohort data to select pivotal genes. Finally, an optimal 7-gene-based risk assessment model was established, which was verified by test cohort, entire GSE17679, and two independent datasets (GSE63157 and TCGA-SARC). Results The results of the functional enrichment analysis revealed that the OVS and event-associated module were mainly enriched in the protein transcription, cell proliferation, and cell-cycle control. And the train cohort was divided into high-risk and low-risk subgroups based on the median risk score; the results showed that the survival of the low-risk subgroup was significantly longer than high-risk. ROC analysis revealed that AUC values of 1, 3, and 5-year survival were 0.85, 0.94, and 0.88, and Kaplan-Meier analysis also revealed that P value < 0.0001, indicating that this model was accurate, which was also verified in the test, entire cohort, and two independent datasets (GSE63157 and TCGA-SARC). Then, we performed a comprehensive analysis (differential expression analysis, correlation analysis and survival analysis) of seven pivotal genes, and found that four genes (NCAPG, KIF4A, NUF2 and CDC20) plays a more crucial role in the prognosis of ES. Conclusion Taken together, this study established an optimal 7-gene-based risk assessment model and identified 4 potential therapeutic targets, to improve the prognosis of ES patients.
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19
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Flores G, Grohar PJ. One oncogene, several vulnerabilities: EWS/FLI targeted therapies for Ewing sarcoma. J Bone Oncol 2021; 31:100404. [PMID: 34976713 PMCID: PMC8686064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbo.2021.100404] [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: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
EWS/FLI is the defining mutation of Ewing sarcoma. This oncogene drives malignant transformation and progression and occurs in a genetic background characterized by few other recurrent cooperating mutations. In addition, the tumor is absolutely dependent on the continued expression of EWS/FLI to maintain the malignant phenotype. However, EWS/FLI is a transcription factor and therefore a challenging drug target. The difficulty of directly targeting EWS/FLI stems from unique features of this fusion protein as well as the network of interacting proteins required to execute the transcriptional program. This network includes interacting proteins as well as upstream and downstream effectors that together reprogram the epigenome and transcriptome. While the vast number of proteins involved in this process challenge the development of a highly specific inhibitors, they also yield numerous therapeutic opportunities. In this report, we will review how this vast EWS-FLI transcriptional network has been exploited over the last two decades to identify compounds that directly target EWS/FLI and/or associated vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Flores
- Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, USA
| | - Patrick J Grohar
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, 3501 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, USA
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20
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Opposing transcriptional programs of KLF5 and AR emerge during therapy for advanced prostate cancer. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6377. [PMID: 34737261 PMCID: PMC8568894 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26612-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocrine therapies for prostate cancer inhibit the androgen receptor (AR) transcription factor. In most cases, AR activity resumes during therapy and drives progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, therapy can also promote lineage plasticity and select for AR-independent phenotypes that are uniformly lethal. Here, we demonstrate the stem cell transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) is low or absent in prostate cancers prior to endocrine therapy, but induced in a subset of CRPC, including CRPC displaying lineage plasticity. KLF5 and AR physically interact on chromatin and drive opposing transcriptional programs, with KLF5 promoting cellular migration, anchorage-independent growth, and basal epithelial cell phenotypes. We identify ERBB2 as a point of transcriptional convergence displaying activation by KLF5 and repression by AR. ERBB2 inhibitors preferentially block KLF5-driven oncogenic phenotypes. These findings implicate KLF5 as an oncogene that can be upregulated in CRPC to oppose AR activities and promote lineage plasticity.
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21
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Boone MA, Taslim C, Crow JC, Selich-Anderson J, Watson M, Heppner P, Hamill J, Wood AC, Lessnick SL, Winstanley M. Identification of a Novel FUS/ETV4 Fusion and Comparative Analysis with Other Ewing Sarcoma Fusion Proteins. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:1795-1801. [PMID: 34465585 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a pediatric bone cancer defined by a chromosomal translocation fusing one of the FET family members to an ETS transcription factor. There have been seven reported chromosomal translocations, with the most recent reported over a decade ago. We now report a novel FET/ETS translocation involving FUS and ETV4 detected in a patient with Ewing sarcoma. Here, we characterized FUS/ETV4 by performing genomic localization and transcriptional regulatory studies on numerous FET/ETS fusions in a Ewing sarcoma cellular model. Through this comparative analysis, we demonstrate significant similarities across these fusions, and in doing so, validate FUS/ETV4 as a bona fide Ewing sarcoma translocation. This study presents the first genomic comparison of Ewing sarcoma-associated translocations and reveals that the FET/ETS fusions share highly similar, but not identical, genomic localization and transcriptional regulation patterns. These data strengthen the notion that FET/ETS fusions are key drivers of, and thus pathognomonic for, Ewing sarcoma. IMPLICATIONS: Identification and initial characterization of the novel Ewing sarcoma fusion, FUS/ETV4, expands the family of Ewing fusions and extends the diagnostic possibilities for this aggressive tumor of adolescents and young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megann A Boone
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Cenny Taslim
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jesse C Crow
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Julia Selich-Anderson
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Mike Watson
- LabPLUS, Auckland City Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter Heppner
- Starship Children's Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - James Hamill
- Starship Children's Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew C Wood
- Starship Children's Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
- University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Stephen L Lessnick
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Mark Winstanley
- Starship Children's Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
- University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand
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22
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Saulnier O, Guedri-Idjouadiene K, Aynaud MM, Chakraborty A, Bruyr J, Pineau J, O'Grady T, Mirabeau O, Grossetête S, Galvan B, Claes M, Al Oula Hassoun Z, Sadacca B, Laud K, Zaïdi S, Surdez D, Baulande S, Rambout X, Tirode F, Dutertre M, Delattre O, Dequiedt F. ERG transcription factors have a splicing regulatory function involving RBFOX2 that is altered in the EWS-FLI1 oncogenic fusion. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:5038-5056. [PMID: 34009296 PMCID: PMC8136815 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
ERG family proteins (ERG, FLI1 and FEV) are a subfamily of ETS transcription factors with key roles in physiology and development. In Ewing sarcoma, the oncogenic fusion protein EWS-FLI1 regulates both transcription and alternative splicing of pre-messenger RNAs. However, whether wild-type ERG family proteins might regulate splicing is unknown. Here, we show that wild-type ERG proteins associate with spliceosomal components, are found on nascent RNAs, and induce alternative splicing when recruited onto a reporter minigene. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that ERG and FLI1 regulate large numbers of alternative spliced exons (ASEs) enriched with RBFOX2 motifs and co-regulated by this splicing factor. ERG and FLI1 are associated with RBFOX2 via their conserved carboxy-terminal domain, which is present in EWS-FLI1. Accordingly, EWS-FLI1 is also associated with RBFOX2 and regulates ASEs enriched in RBFOX2 motifs. However, in contrast to wild-type ERG and FLI1, EWS-FLI1 often antagonizes RBFOX2 effects on exon inclusion. In particular, EWS-FLI1 reduces RBFOX2 binding to the ADD3 pre-mRNA, thus increasing its long isoform, which represses the mesenchymal phenotype of Ewing sarcoma cells. Our findings reveal a RBFOX2-mediated splicing regulatory function of wild-type ERG family proteins, that is altered in EWS-FLI1 and contributes to the Ewing sarcoma cell phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Saulnier
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France.,Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Katia Guedri-Idjouadiene
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marie-Ming Aynaud
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alina Chakraborty
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, F-91405 Orsay, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, F-91405 Orsay, France.,Équipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Jonathan Bruyr
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
| | - Joséphine Pineau
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tina O'Grady
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
| | - Olivier Mirabeau
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Grossetête
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Bartimée Galvan
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
| | - Margaux Claes
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
| | - Zahra Al Oula Hassoun
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Sadacca
- INSERM U932, RT2Lab Team, Translational Research Department, PSL Research University, Institut Curie, F-75005 Paris, France.,CNRS UMR5219, Institut de Mathématiques de Toulouse; Université de Toulouse; F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Karine Laud
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sakina Zaïdi
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Didier Surdez
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Baulande
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, NGS Platform, 26 rue d'Ulm, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Xavier Rambout
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
| | - Franck Tirode
- Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon University, Lyon, France
| | - Martin Dutertre
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, F-91405 Orsay, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, INSERM U1278, F-91405 Orsay, France.,Équipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Olivier Delattre
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Franck Dequiedt
- University of Liège, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), Liège, Belgium.,University of Liège, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Liège, Belgium
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23
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Surdez D, Zaidi S, Grossetête S, Laud-Duval K, Ferre AS, Mous L, Vourc'h T, Tirode F, Pierron G, Raynal V, Baulande S, Brunet E, Hill V, Delattre O. STAG2 mutations alter CTCF-anchored loop extrusion, reduce cis-regulatory interactions and EWSR1-FLI1 activity in Ewing sarcoma. Cancer Cell 2021; 39:810-826.e9. [PMID: 33930311 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
STAG2, a cohesin family gene, is among the most recurrently mutated genes in cancer. STAG2 loss of function (LOF) is associated with aggressive behavior in Ewing sarcoma, a childhood cancer driven by aberrant transcription induced by the EWSR1-FLI1 fusion oncogene. Here, using isogenic Ewing cells, we show that, while STAG2 LOF profoundly changes the transcriptome, it does not significantly impact EWSR1-FLI1, CTCF/cohesin, or acetylated H3K27 DNA binding patterns. In contrast, it strongly alters the anchored dynamic loop extrusion process at boundary CTCF sites and dramatically decreases promoter-enhancer interactions, particularly affecting the expression of genes regulated by EWSR1-FLI1 at GGAA microsatellite neo-enhancers. Down-modulation of cis-mediated EWSR1-FLI1 activity, observed in STAG2-LOF conditions, is associated with enhanced migration and invasion properties of Ewing cells previously observed in EWSR1-FLI1low cells. Our study illuminates a process whereby STAG2-LOF fine-tunes the activity of an oncogenic transcription factor through altered CTCF-anchored loop extrusion and cis-mediated enhancer mechanisms.
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MESH Headings
- Bone Neoplasms/genetics
- Bone Neoplasms/mortality
- Bone Neoplasms/pathology
- CCCTC-Binding Factor/chemistry
- CCCTC-Binding Factor/genetics
- CCCTC-Binding Factor/metabolism
- Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics
- Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Movement/genetics
- Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/metabolism
- Enhancer Elements, Genetic
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Histones/metabolism
- Humans
- Loss of Function Mutation
- Lysine/metabolism
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Sarcoma, Ewing/genetics
- Sarcoma, Ewing/mortality
- Sarcoma, Ewing/pathology
- Cohesins
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Surdez
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Sakina Zaidi
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Grossetête
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Karine Laud-Duval
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Anna Sole Ferre
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genome Dynamics in the Immune System, Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer and Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lieke Mous
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thomas Vourc'h
- UMR 168, Biology Inspired Physics at Mesoscales, PSL Research University, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Franck Tirode
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS 5286, INSERM U1052, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Gaelle Pierron
- Unité de Génétique Somatique, Service d'oncogénétique, Institut Curie, Centre Hospitalier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Virginie Raynal
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France; Institut Curie Genomics of Excellence (ICGex) Platform, PSL Université, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Baulande
- Institut Curie Genomics of Excellence (ICGex) Platform, PSL Université, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Erika Brunet
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genome Dynamics in the Immune System, Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer and Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Véronique Hill
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Delattre
- INSERM U830, Équipe Labellisée LNCC, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, SIREDO Oncology Centre, Institut Curie Research Centre, 75005 Paris, France; Unité de Génétique Somatique, Service d'oncogénétique, Institut Curie, Centre Hospitalier, 75005 Paris, France.
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24
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Ahmed NS, Harrell LM, Wieland DR, Lay MA, Thompson VF, Schwartz JC. Fusion protein EWS-FLI1 is incorporated into a protein granule in cells. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 27:rna.078827.121. [PMID: 34035145 PMCID: PMC8284321 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078827.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is driven by fusion proteins containing a low complexity (LC) domain that is intrinsically disordered and a powerful transcriptional regulator. The most common fusion protein found in Ewing sarcoma, EWS-FLI1, takes its LC domain from the RNA-binding protein EWSR1 (Ewing Sarcoma RNA-binding protein 1) and a DNA-binding domain from the transcription factor FLI1 (Friend Leukemia Virus Integration 1). EWS-FLI1 can bind RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) and self-assemble through its low-complexity (LC) domain. The ability of RNA-binding proteins like EWSR1 to self-assemble or phase separate in cells has raised questions about the contribution of this process to EWS-FLI1 activity. We examined EWSR1 and EWS-FLI1 activity in Ewing sarcoma cells by siRNA-mediated knockdown and RNA-seq analysis. More transcripts were affected by the EWSR1 knockdown than expected and these included many EWS-FLI1 regulated genes. We reevaluated physical interactions between EWS-FLI1, EWSR1, and RNA Pol II, and employed a cross-linking based strategy to investigate protein assemblies associated with the proteins. The LC domain of EWS-FLI1 was required for the assemblies observed to form in cells. These results offer new insights into a protein assembly that may enable EWS-FLI1 to bind its wide network of protein partners and contribute to regulation of gene expression in Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasiha S Ahmed
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719
| | - Lucas M Harrell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719
| | - Daniel R Wieland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719
| | - Michelle A Lay
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719
| | - Valery F Thompson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719
| | - Jacob C Schwartz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719
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25
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Analysis of Migration and Invasion in Ewing Sarcoma. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 33326101 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1020-6_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The metastasis is a complex, well-orchestrated process, which includes migration from the primary tumor and invasion into secondary locations as main features. In Ewing sarcoma, metastasis is the main determinant of malignancy, with ~30% of patients presenting with metastatic disease at diagnosis. Therefore, analyzing migration and invasion in different experimental settings in vitro is key to understanding this disease. Among the variety of possible techniques to study migration, this chapter described the methods of wound healing (migration in 2D) and transwell (migration through a porous membrane in response to a given stimulus). Additionally, this chapter includes a variation of the transwell protocol that allows for the analysis of cell invasion through a gel matrix in response to stimulus.
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26
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YAP/TAZ inhibition reduces metastatic potential of Ewing sarcoma cells. Oncogenesis 2021; 10:2. [PMID: 33419969 PMCID: PMC7794350 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-020-00294-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a highly metastatic bone cancer characterized by the ETS fusion oncoprotein EWS-FLI1. EwS cells are phenotypically highly plastic and switch between functionally distinct cell states dependent on EWS-FLI1 fluctuations. Whereas EWS-FLI1high cells proliferate, EWS-FLI1low cells are migratory and invasive. Recently, we reported activation of MRTFB and TEAD, effectors of RhoA and Hippo signalling, upon low EWS-FLI1, orchestrating key steps of the EwS migratory gene expression program. TEAD and its co-activators YAP and TAZ are commonly overexpressed in cancer, providing attractive therapeutic targets. We find TAZ levels to increase in the migratory EWS-FLI1low state and to associate with adverse prognosis in EwS patients. We tested the effects of the potent YAP/TAZ/TEAD complex inhibitor verteporfin on EwS cell migration in vitro and on metastasis in vivo. Verteporfin suppressed expression of EWS-FLI1 regulated cytoskeletal genes involved in actin signalling to the extracellular matrix, effectively blocked F-actin and focal-adhesion assembly and inhibited EwS cell migration at submicromolar concentrations. In a mouse EwS xenograft model, verteporfin treatment reduced relapses at the surgical site and delayed lung metastasis. These data suggest that YAP/TAZ pathway inhibition may prevent EwS cell dissemination and metastasis, justifying further preclinical development of YAP/TAZ inhibitors for EwS treatment.
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27
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Sundara Rajan S, Ludwig KR, Hall KL, Jones TL, Caplen NJ. Cancer biology functional genomics: From small RNAs to big dreams. Mol Carcinog 2020; 59:1343-1361. [PMID: 33043516 PMCID: PMC7702050 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The year 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the first publications reporting the discovery of the gene silencing mechanism, RNA interference (RNAi) in mammalian cells. Along with the many studies that delineated the proteins and substrates that form the RNAi pathway, this finding changed our understanding of the posttranscriptional regulation of mammalian gene expression. Furthermore, the development of methods that exploited the RNAi pathway began the technological revolution that eventually enabled the interrogation of mammalian gene function-from a single gene to the whole genome-in only a few days. The needs of the cancer research community have driven much of this progress. In this perspective, we highlight milestones in the development and application of RNAi-based methods to study carcinogenesis. We discuss how RNAi-based functional genetic analysis of exemplar tumor suppressors and oncogenes furthered our understanding of cancer initiation and progression and explore how such studies formed the basis of genome-wide scale efforts to identify cancer or cancer-type specific vulnerabilities, including studies conducted in vivo. Furthermore, we examine how RNAi technologies have revealed new cancer-relevant molecular targets and the implications for cancer of the first RNAi-based drugs. Finally, we discuss the future of functional genetic analysis, highlighting the increasing availability of complementary approaches to analyze cancer gene function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Sundara Rajan
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics BranchCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Katelyn R. Ludwig
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics BranchCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Katherine L. Hall
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics BranchCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Tamara L. Jones
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics BranchCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Natasha J. Caplen
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics BranchCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
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28
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McCann TS, Parrish JK, Hsieh J, Sechler M, Sobral LM, Self C, Jones KL, Goodspeed A, Costello JC, Jedlicka P. KDM5A and PHF2 positively control expression of pro-metastatic genes repressed by EWS/Fli1, and promote growth and metastatic properties in Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2020; 11:3818-3831. [PMID: 33196691 PMCID: PMC7597412 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive malignant neoplasm with high propensity for metastasis and poor clinical outcomes. The EWS/Fli1 oncofusion is the disease driver in > 90% of cases, but presents a difficult therapeutic target. Moreover, EWS/Fli1 plays a complex role in disease progression, with inhibitory effects on critical steps of metastasis. Like many other pediatric cancers, Ewing sarcoma is a disease marked by epigenetic dysregulation. Epigenetic mechanisms present alternative targeting opportunities, but their contributions to Ewing sarcoma metastasis and disease progression remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the epigenetic regulators KDM5A and PHF2 promote growth and metastatic properties in Ewing sarcoma, and, strikingly, activate expression many pro-metastatic genes repressed by EWS/Fli1. These genes include L1CAM, which is associated with adverse outcomes in Ewing sarcoma, and promotes migratory and invasive properties. KDM5A and PHF2 retain their growth promoting effects in more metastatically potent EWS/Fli1low cells, and PHF2 promotes both invasion and L1CAM expression in this cell population. Furthermore, KDM5A and PHF2 each contribute to the increased metastatic potency of EWS/Fli1low cells in vivo. Together, these studies identify KDM5A and PHF2 as novel disease-promoting factors, and potential new targets, in Ewing sarcoma, including the more metastatically potent EWS/Fli1low cell population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler S McCann
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Janet K Parrish
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Joseph Hsieh
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Marybeth Sechler
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lays M Sobral
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Chelsea Self
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrew Goodspeed
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - James C Costello
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Paul Jedlicka
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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29
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Inactivation of ICAM1 inhibits metastasis and improves the prognosis of Ewing's sarcoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2020; 147:393-401. [PMID: 33104883 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-020-03431-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is a kind of malignant tumor, which often occurs in the long bone, pelvis, and other bone tissues, as well as some soft tissues. It often occurs in children and adolescents, second only to osteosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. In the past 30 years, little progress has been made on the genomic mechanism of ES metastasis. METHODS The gene expression sequence of ES metastasis samples was compared with that of primary tumor samples to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, we annotated the gene functions and enriched pathways of DEGs. Additionally, the protein and protein interaction network were constructed to screen key genes that can lead to the metastasis in ES. Then, cell and molecular biology experiments were conducted to verify the results obtained from the bioinformatics analysis. Finally, we assessed the correlation of expression between the key genes EWSR and FLI1, and conducted a survival analysis of ICAM1. RESULTS Our study revealed 153 DEGs. Of these, 82 (53.59%) were upregulated and the remaining 71 (46.41%) were downregulated. The bioinformatics analysis showed that ICAM1 was the key gene leading to the invasion and metastasis of ES. Through cell biology and molecular biology experiments, inactivation of ICAM1 inhibited the metastasis of ES cells. The survival and correlation analyses showed that ICAM1 was a risk factor in patients with ES, and that ICAM1 expression was correlated with EWSR and FLI1 expression. CONCLUSION Our study shows that inactivation of ICAM1 inhibits metastasis and improves the prognosis of ES. Additionally, our findings provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of metastatic ES, a basis for an accurate diagnosis, and therapeutic targets for ES patients.
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30
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Lin Z, Fan Z, Zhang X, Wan J, Liu T. Cellular plasticity and drug resistance in sarcoma. Life Sci 2020; 263:118589. [PMID: 33069737 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Sarcomas, originating from mesenchymal progenitor stem cells, are a group of rare malignant tumors with poor prognosis. Wide surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are the most common sarcoma treatments. However, sarcomas' response rates to chemotherapy are quite low and sarcoma cells can have intrinsic or acquired resistance after treatment with chemotherapeutics drugs, leading to the development of multi-drug resistance (MDR). Cancer cellular plasticity plays pivotal roles in cancer initiation, progression, therapy resistance and cancer relapse. Moreover, cancer cellular plasticity can be regulated by a multitude of factors, such as genetic and epigenetic alterations, tumor microenvironment (TME) or selective pressure imposed by treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated that cellular plasticity is involved in sarcoma progression and chemoresistance. It's essential to understand the molecular mechanisms of cellular plasticity as well as its roles in sarcoma progression and drug resistance. Therefore, this review focuses on the regulatory mechanisms and pathological roles of these diverse cellular plasticity programs in sarcoma. Additionally, we propose cellular plasticity as novel therapeutic targets to reduce sarcoma drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengjun Lin
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China.
| | - Zhihua Fan
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China
| | - Xianghong Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jia Wan
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tang Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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31
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Srivastava S, Nataraj NB, Sekar A, Ghosh S, Bornstein C, Drago-Garcia D, Roth L, Romaniello D, Marrocco I, David E, Gilad Y, Lauriola M, Rotkopf R, Kimchi A, Haga Y, Tsutsumi Y, Mirabeau O, Surdez D, Zinovyev A, Delattre O, Kovar H, Amit I, Yarden Y. ETS Proteins Bind with Glucocorticoid Receptors: Relevance for Treatment of Ewing Sarcoma. Cell Rep 2020; 29:104-117.e4. [PMID: 31577941 PMCID: PMC6899513 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) acts as a ubiquitous cortisol-dependent transcription factor (TF). To identify co-factors, we used protein-fragment complementation assays and found that GR recognizes FLI1 and additional ETS family proteins, TFs relaying proliferation and/or migration signals. Following steroid-dependent translocation of FLI1 and GR to the nucleus, the FLI1-specific domain (FLS) binds with GR and strongly enhances GR's transcriptional activity. This interaction has functional consequences in Ewing sarcoma (ES), childhood and adolescence bone malignancies driven by fusions between EWSR1 and FLI1. In vitro, GR knockdown inhibited the migration and proliferation of ES cells, and in animal models, antagonizing GR (or lowering cortisol) retarded both tumor growth and metastasis from bone to lung. Taken together, our findings offer mechanistic rationale for repurposing GR-targeting drugs for the treatment of patients with ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Srivastava
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | | | - Arunachalam Sekar
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Soma Ghosh
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Chamutal Bornstein
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Diana Drago-Garcia
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Lee Roth
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Donatella Romaniello
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Ilaria Marrocco
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Eyal David
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Yuval Gilad
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Mattia Lauriola
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ron Rotkopf
- Department of Biological Services, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Adi Kimchi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Yuya Haga
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuo Tsutsumi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan; Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Japan
| | - Olivier Mirabeau
- PSL Research University, "Genetics and Biology of Cancers" Unit, INSERM U830 and Unité Génétique Somatique (UGS), Institut Curie Centre Hospitalier, Paris, France
| | - Didier Surdez
- PSL Research University, "Genetics and Biology of Cancers" Unit, INSERM U830 and Unité Génétique Somatique (UGS), Institut Curie Centre Hospitalier, Paris, France
| | - Andrei Zinovyev
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM U900, Mines ParisTech, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Delattre
- PSL Research University, "Genetics and Biology of Cancers" Unit, INSERM U830 and Unité Génétique Somatique (UGS), Institut Curie Centre Hospitalier, Paris, France
| | - Heinrich Kovar
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung and Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ido Amit
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Yosef Yarden
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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32
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Sobral LM, Hicks HM, Parrish JK, McCann TS, Hsieh J, Goodspeed A, Costello JC, Black JC, Jedlicka P. KDM3A/Ets1 epigenetic axis contributes to PAX3/FOXO1-driven and independent disease-promoting gene expression in fusion-positive Rhabdomyosarcoma. Mol Oncol 2020; 14:2471-2486. [PMID: 32697014 PMCID: PMC7530783 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12769] [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: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children and young adults. RMS exists as two major disease subtypes, oncofusion-negative RMS (FN-RMS) and oncofusion-positive RMS (FP-RMS). FP-RMS is characterized by recurrent PAX3/7-FOXO1 driver oncofusions and is a biologically and clinically aggressive disease. Recent studies have revealed FP-RMS to have a strong epigenetic basis. Epigenetic mechanisms represent potential new therapeutic vulnerabilities in FP-RMS, but their complex details remain to be defined. We previously identified a new disease-promoting epigenetic axis in RMS, involving the chromatin factor KDM3A and the Ets1 transcription factor. In the present study, we define the KDM3A and Ets1 FP-RMS transcriptomes and show that these interface with the recently characterized PAX3/FOXO1-driven gene expression program. KDM3A and Ets1 positively control numerous known and candidate novel PAX3/FOXO1-induced RMS-promoting genes, including subsets under control of PAX3/FOXO1-associated superenhancers (SE), such as MEST. Interestingly, KDM3A and Ets1 also positively control a number of known and candidate novel FP-RMS-promoting, but not PAX3/FOXO1-dependent, genes. Epistatically, Ets1 is downstream of, and exerts disease-promoting effects similar to, both KDM3A and PAX3/FOXO1. MEST also manifests disease-promoting properties in FP-RMS, and KDM3A and Ets1 each impacts activation of the PAX3/FOXO1-associated MEST SE. Taken together, our studies show that the KDM3A/Ets1 epigenetic axis plays an important role in disease promotion in FP-RMS, and provide insight into potential new ways to target aggressive phenotypes in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lays M Sobral
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Hannah M Hicks
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Janet K Parrish
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tyler S McCann
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Joseph Hsieh
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrew Goodspeed
- Department of Pharmacology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - James C Costello
- Department of Pharmacology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Joshua C Black
- Department of Pharmacology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Paul Jedlicka
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
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33
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Hawkins AG, Pedersen EA, Treichel S, Temprine K, Sperring C, Read JA, Magnuson B, Chugh R, Lawlor ER. Wnt/β-catenin-activated Ewing sarcoma cells promote the angiogenic switch. JCI Insight 2020; 5:135188. [PMID: 32544094 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.135188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling is active in small subpopulations of Ewing sarcoma cells, and these cells display a more metastatic phenotype, in part due to antagonism of EWS-FLI1-dependent transcriptional activity. Importantly, these β-catenin-activated Ewing sarcoma cells also alter secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. We thus hypothesized that, in addition to cell-autonomous mechanisms, Wnt/β-catenin-active tumor cells might contribute to disease progression by altering the tumor microenvironment (TME). Analysis of transcriptomic data from primary patient biopsies and from β-catenin-active versus -nonactive tumor cells identified angiogenic switch genes as being highly and reproducibly upregulated in the context of β-catenin activation. In addition, in silico and in vitro analyses, along with chorioallantoic membrane assays, demonstrated that β-catenin-activated Ewing cells secreted factors that promote angiogenesis. In particular, activation of canonical Wnt signaling leads Ewing sarcoma cells to upregulate expression and secretion of proangiogenic ECM proteins, collectively termed the angiomatrix. Significantly, our data show that induction of the angiomatrix by Wnt-responsive tumor cells is indirect and is mediated by TGF-β. Mechanistically, Wnt/β-catenin signaling antagonizes EWS-FLI1-dependent repression of TGF-β receptor type 2, thereby sensitizing tumor cells to TGF-β ligands. Together, these findings suggest that Wnt/β-catenin-active tumor cells can contribute to Ewing sarcoma progression by promoting angiogenesis in the local TME.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rashmi Chugh
- Rogel Cancer Center, and.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Lawlor
- Department of Pediatrics.,Department of Pathology.,Rogel Cancer Center, and
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Luo W, Xu C, Phillips S, Gardenswartz A, Rosenblum JM, Ayello J, Lessnick SL, Hao HX, Cairo MS. Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 1A regulates cell cycle progression in Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2020; 11:1691-1704. [PMID: 32477459 PMCID: PMC7233808 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a malignant pediatric bone and soft tissue tumor. Patients with metastatic ES have a dismal outcome which has not been improved in decades. The major challenge in the treatment of metastatic ES is the lack of specific targets and rational combinatorial therapy. We recently found that protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 1A (PPP1R1A) is specifically highly expressed in ES and promotes tumor growth and metastasis in ES. In the current investigation, we show that PPP1R1A regulates ES cell cycle progression in G1/S phase by down-regulating cell cycle inhibitors p21Cip1 and p27Kip1, which leads to retinoblastoma (Rb) protein hyperphosphorylation. In addition, we show that PPP1R1A promotes normal transcription of histone genes during cell cycle progression. Importantly, we demonstrate a synergistic/additive effect of the combinatorial therapy of PPP1R1A and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) inhibition on decreasing ES cell proliferation and migration in vitro and limiting xenograft tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Taken together, our findings suggest a role of PPP1R1A as an ES specific cell cycle modulator and that simultaneous targeting of PPP1R1A and IGF-1R pathways is a promising specific and effective strategy to treat both primary and metastatic ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Changxin Xu
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Phillips
- Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Janet Ayello
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | | | - Huai-Xiang Hao
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mitchell S Cairo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
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35
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El Beaino M, Liu J, Wasylishen AR, Pourebrahim R, Migut A, Bessellieu BJ, Huang K, Lin PP. Loss of Stag2 cooperates with EWS-FLI1 to transform murine Mesenchymal stem cells. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:3. [PMID: 31898537 PMCID: PMC6941350 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-019-6465-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ewing sarcoma is a malignancy of primitive cells, possibly of mesenchymal origin. It is probable that genetic perturbations other than EWS-FLI1 cooperate with it to produce the tumor. Sequencing studies identified STAG2 mutations in approximately 15% of cases in humans. In the present study, we hypothesize that loss of Stag2 cooperates with EWS-FLI1 in generating sarcomas derived from murine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). METHODS Mice bearing an inducible EWS-FLI1 transgene were crossed to p53-/- mice in pure C57/Bl6 background. MSCs were derived from the bone marrow of the mice. EWS-FLI1 induction and Stag2 knockdown were achieved in vitro by adenovirus-Cre and shRNA-bearing pGIPZ lentiviral infection, respectively. The cells were then treated with ionizing radiation to 10 Gy. Anchorage independent growth in vitro was assessed by soft agar assays. Cellular migration and invasion were evaluated by transwell assays. Cells were injected with Matrigel intramuscularly into C57/Bl6 mice to test for tumor formation. RESULTS Primary murine MSCs with the genotype EWS-FLI1 p53-/- were resistant to transformation and did not form tumors in syngeneic mice without irradiation. Stag2 inhibition increased the efficiency and speed of sarcoma formation significantly in irradiated EWS-FLI1 p53-/- MSCs. The efficiency of tumor formation was 91% for cells in mice injected with Stag2-repressed cells and 22% for mice receiving cells without Stag2 inhibition (p < .001). Stag2 knockdown reduced survival of mice in Kaplan-Meier analysis (p < .001). It also increased MSC migration and invasion in vitro but did not affect proliferation rate or aneuploidy. CONCLUSION Loss of Stag2 has a synergistic effect with EWS-FLI1 in the production of sarcomas from murine MSCs, but the mechanism may not relate to increased proliferation or chromosomal instability. Primary murine MSCs are resistant to transformation, and the combination of p53 null mutation, EWS-FLI1, and Stag2 inhibition does not confer immediate conversion of MSCs to sarcomas. Irradiation is necessary in this model, suggesting that perturbations of other genes beside Stag2 and p53 are likely to be essential in the development of EWS-FLI1-driven sarcomas from MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc El Beaino
- Department of Orthopaedic Oncology - Unit 1448, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jiayong Liu
- Department of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 52 Fu-Cheng Road, Hai-Dian District, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Amanda R Wasylishen
- Department of Genetics - Unit 1010, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Rasoul Pourebrahim
- Department of Leukemia - Unit 428, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Agata Migut
- Department of Orthopaedic Oncology - Unit 1448, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Bryan J Bessellieu
- Department of Orthopaedic Oncology - Unit 1448, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ke Huang
- Department of Orthopaedic Oncology - Unit 1448, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Patrick P Lin
- Department of Orthopaedic Oncology - Unit 1448, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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36
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Steinestel K, Trautmann M, Jansen EP, Dirksen U, Rehkämper J, Mikesch JH, Gerke JS, Orth MF, Sannino G, Arteaga MF, Rossig C, Wardelmann E, Grünewald TGP, Hartmann W. Focal adhesion kinase confers pro-migratory and antiapoptotic properties and is a potential therapeutic target in Ewing sarcoma. Mol Oncol 2019; 14:248-260. [PMID: 31811703 PMCID: PMC6998388 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenesis of Ewing sarcoma (EwS), the second most common malignant bone tumor of childhood and adolescence, is dependent on the expression of chimeric EWSR1‐ETS fusion oncogenes, most often EWSR1‐FLI1 (E/F). E/F expression leads to dysregulation of focal adhesions (FAs) enhancing the migratory capacity of EwS cells. Here, we show that, in EwS cell lines and tissue samples, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is expressed and phosphorylated at Y397 in an E/F‐dependent way involving Ezrin. Employing different EwS cell lines as in vitro models, we found that key malignant properties of E/F are mediated via substrate‐independent autophosphorylation of FAK on Y397. This phosphorylation results in enhanced FA formation, Rho‐dependent cell migration, and impaired caspase‐3‐mediated apoptosis in vitro. Conversely, treatment with the FAK inhibitor 15 (1,2,4,5‐benzenetetraamine tetrahydrochloride (Y15) enhanced caspase‐mediated apoptosis and EwS cell migration, independent from the respective EWSR1‐ETS fusion type, mimicking an anoikis‐like phenotype and paralleling the effects of FAK siRNA knockdown. Our findings were confirmed in vivo using an avian chorioallantoic membrane model and provide a first rationale for the therapeutic use of FAK inhibitors to impair metastatic dissemination of EwS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Steinestel
- Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Germany.,Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Ulm, Germany
| | - Marcel Trautmann
- Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Germany.,Division of Translational Pathology, Gerhard-Domagk-Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Germany
| | - Esther-Pia Jansen
- Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Germany
| | - Uta Dirksen
- Pediatrics III, West German Cancer Centre, University Hospital Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Rehkämper
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Julia S Gerke
- Max Eder Research Group for Pediatric Sarcoma Biology, Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Martin F Orth
- Max Eder Research Group for Pediatric Sarcoma Biology, Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Giuseppina Sannino
- Max Eder Research Group for Pediatric Sarcoma Biology, Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Rossig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, Germany
| | - Eva Wardelmann
- Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas G P Grünewald
- Max Eder Research Group for Pediatric Sarcoma Biology, Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hartmann
- Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Germany.,Division of Translational Pathology, Gerhard-Domagk-Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Germany
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Romswinkel A, Infanger M, Dietz C, Strube F, Kraus A. The Role of C-X-C Chemokine Receptor Type 4 (CXCR4) in Cell Adherence and Spheroid Formation of Human Ewing's Sarcoma Cells under Simulated Microgravity. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20236073. [PMID: 31810195 PMCID: PMC6929163 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20236073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied the behavior of Ewing's Sarcoma cells of the line A673 under simulated microgravity (s-µg). These cells express two prominent markers-the oncogene EWS/FLI1 and the chemokine receptor CXCR4, which is used as a target of treatment in several types of cancer. The cells were exposed to s-µg in a random-positioning machine (RPM) for 24 h in the absence and presence of the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100. Then, their morphology and cytoskeleton were examined. The expression of selected mutually interacting genes was measured by qRT-PCR and protein accumulation was determined by western blotting. After 24 h incubation on the RPM, a splitting of the A673 cell population in adherent and spheroid cells was observed. Compared to 1 g control cells, EWS/FLI1 was significantly upregulated in the adherent cells and in the spheroids, while CXCR4 and CD44 expression were significantly enhanced in spheroids only. Transcription of CAV-1 was upregulated and DKK2 and VEGF-A were down-regulated in both, adherent in spheroid cells, respectively. Regarding, protein accumulation EWS/FLI1 was enhanced in adherent cells only, but CD44 decreased in spheroids and adherent cells. Inhibition of CXCR4 did not change spheroid count, or structure. Under s-µg, the tumor marker EWS/FLI1 is intensified, while targeting CXCR4, which influences adhesion proteins, did not affect spheroid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Armin Kraus
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-391-67-15599; Fax: +49-391-67-15588
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Deng X, Yi X, Deng J, Zou Y, Wang S, Shan W, Liu P, Zhang Z, Chen L, Hao L. ROCK2 promotes osteosarcoma growth and metastasis by modifying PFKFB3 ubiquitination and degradation. Exp Cell Res 2019; 385:111689. [PMID: 31678169 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2019.111689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) are widely involved in cell biological activities and play a key role in controlling various cell phenomena. However, the underlying mechanisms connecting ROCK2 and PFKFB3 in osteosarcoma growth and metastasis are poorly understood. In this study, we explored and analysed the role and molecular mechanism of ROCK2 and PFKFB3 in osteosarcoma. We analysed ROCK2 and PFKFB3 protein expression in 51 surgical specimens from osteosarcoma patients and determined the correlation between ROCK2 and PFKFB3. In addition, we used Transwell and wound-healing assays to detect cell invasion and migration and CCK8 and EdU assays to assess cell proliferation. Herein, we confirmed that ROCK2 and PFKFB3 proteins were significantly upregulated in osteosarcoma compared with adjacent normal tissues. Further studies revealed that knockdown of ROCK2 significantly decreased the expression levels of PFKFB3; moreover, growth and metastasis were decreased in shROCK2 osteosarcoma cells. Additionally, upregulation of PFKFB3 rescued the decreased proliferation and metastasis induced by ROCK2 knockdown, whereas knockdown of PFKFB3 decreased ROCK2-enhanced osteosarcoma proliferation and metastasis. These results suggest that PFKFB3 is essential for ROCK2-mediated proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells. Mechanistically, ROCK2 stabilizes PFKFB3 expression by modifying its ubiquitination and degradation. Taken together, our results link two drivers of proliferation and metastasis in osteosarcoma and identify a novel pathway for PFKFB3 regulation. Thus, we provide new evidence of the biological and clinical significance of PFKFB3 as a potential biomarker for osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqiang Deng
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xuan Yi
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jianyong Deng
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yeqin Zou
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Shanshan Wang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wenhao Shan
- Department of Orthopedics, Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Leifeng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
| | - Liang Hao
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
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39
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Wang B, Li J, Li X, Ou Y. Identifying prognosis and metastasis-associated genes associated with Ewing sarcoma by weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:3527-3536. [PMID: 31516570 PMCID: PMC6732955 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a highly malignant pediatric tumor with a low survival rate and a high rate of metastasis. However, there have been limited reports on the exploration of new biomarkers of ES. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify the potential hub genes associated with overall vital survival (OVS) and metastasis in ES. Traditional methods for identifying differentially expressed genes lack the in-depth information of mechanistic studies. In this study, a weighted co-expression network for ES was constructed through weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify co-expression modules associated with clinical phenotypes. The hub genes in the metastasis- and OVS-related co-expression modules were extracted, and the association between the hub genes and patient OVS was verified in another independent Gene Expression Omnibus dataset. Functional annotations and protein-protein interaction analysis of co-expression modules were also used to understand the potential regulatory mechanisms. The results of the functional enrichment analysis revealed that the OVS-associated module was mainly enriched in the cell cycle and immune response, and the metastasis-associated module was enriched in metabolism. A total of four genes (proteasome subunit α4, L1 cell adhesion molecule, serine/threonine kinase receptor-associated protein and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) in the OVS-related module and two genes (calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit γ2 and γ-aminobutyric acid type B receptor subunit 2) in the metastasis-related module were selected as hub genes. Further research on the hub genes identified in the present study may contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of ES metastasis and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Yunsheng Ou
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
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40
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Bailey KM, Julian CM, Klinghoffer AN, Bernard H, Lucas PC, McAllister-Lucas LM. EWS-FLI1 low Ewing sarcoma cells demonstrate decreased susceptibility to T-cell-mediated tumor cell apoptosis. Oncotarget 2019; 10:3385-3399. [PMID: 31164960 PMCID: PMC6534359 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic and relapsed Ewing sarcoma typically afflicts the adolescent population and is largely fatal. These bone tumors are most commonly driven by the fusion oncoprotein EWS-FLI1. Ewing tumors demonstrate significant intra-tumoral heterogeneity, and individual tumor cells can express highly variable and dynamic levels of EWS-FLI1. Recent studies revealed that the EWS-FLI1 oncoprotein level (high versus low expression) greatly influences the behavior of Ewing tumor cells. As compared to cells with high EWS-FLI1, Ewing cells in the EWS-FLI1 low state demonstrate an increased propensity for metastasis. In light of these observations, we sought to determine how tumor cell EWS-FLI1 level influences the anti-tumor cell immune response. Since ICAM-1, which can promote tumor cell/T-cell interaction and T-cell activation, is highly expressed on EWS-FLI1 low cells, we hypothesized that EWS-FLI1 low cells would be more susceptible to T-cell mediated tumor cell apoptosis as compared to cells with high EWS-FLI1. Unexpectedly, we found that EWS-FLI1 low cells are more resistant to T-cell mediated apoptosis than EWS-FLI1 high cells. We investigated the potential mechanisms by which EWS-FLI1 level might influence the T-cell anti-tumor response, and discovered that low EWS-FLI1 expression results in upregulation of PD-L1 and PD-L2, both important ligands for the PD-1 immune checkpoint receptor on T-cells. We demonstrated that blocking PD-1 results in a greater increase of T-cell mediated killing of EWS-FLI1 low tumor cells as compared to cells with higher EWS-FLI1 expression. Our studies suggest that Ewing cells in the EWS-FLI1 low expression state may serve as a niche of tumor immune-evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Bailey
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Claire M Julian
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Ariel N Klinghoffer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Heather Bernard
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Peter C Lucas
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Linda M McAllister-Lucas
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
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41
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Chramiec A, Vunjak-Novakovic G. Tissue engineered models of healthy and malignant human bone marrow. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2019; 140:78-92. [PMID: 31002835 PMCID: PMC6663611 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Tissue engineering is becoming increasingly successful in providing in vitro models of human tissues that can be used for ex vivo recapitulation of functional tissues as well as predictive testing of drug efficacy and safety. From simple tissue models to microphysiological platforms comprising multiple tissue types connected by vascular perfusion, these "tissues on a chip" are emerging as a fast track application for tissue engineering, with great potential for modeling diseases and supporting the development of new drugs and therapeutic targets. We focus here on tissue engineering of the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell compartment and the malignancies that can develop in the human bone marrow. Our overall goal is to demonstrate the utility and interconnectedness of improvements in bioengineering methods developed in one area of bone marrow studies for the remaining, seemingly disparate, bone marrow fields.
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42
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MiR-708-5p is inversely associated with EWS/FLI1 Ewing sarcoma but does not represent a prognostic predictor. Cancer Genet 2019; 230:21-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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43
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Pishas KI, Lessnick SL. Ewing sarcoma resistance to SP-2509 is not mediated through KDM1A/LSD1 mutation. Oncotarget 2018; 9:36413-36429. [PMID: 30559927 PMCID: PMC6284858 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is the second most common solid bone malignancy diagnosed in pediatric and young adolescent populations. Despite global co-operative efforts, outcomes for patients with relapsed and refractory disease remains obstinately poor. It has become increasingly clear that disruption of the epigenome as a result of alterations in epigenetic regulators, plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis. As such, this study investigated Ewing sarcoma mechanisms of acquired resistance to the small molecule reversible lysine specific demethylase (LSD1/KDM1A) inhibitor SP-2509. Surprisingly, whole exome sequencing analysis of our generated A673 SP-2509 drug resistant cell line revealed an absence of mutations in KDM1A. Compared to parental counterparts, SP-2509 drug resistant cells demonstrated decreased anchorage independent growth capacity, enhanced sensitivity to the HDAC inhibitors vorinostat/entinostat and a distinct transcriptional profile that was enriched for extracellular matrix proteins. SP-2509 drug resistant cells also exhibited elevated expression levels of the multi-drug resistance genes ABCB1, ABCC3, and ABBC5 and decreased expression of the transcriptional repressor RCOR1/CoREST. Following several months of SP-2509 withdrawal, low level SP-2509 resistance was still apparent (6.3 fold increase in IC50), with drug resistant cell populations maintaining their distinct transcriptional profile. Furthermore, compared to parental cells, washout drug resistant lines displayed equal sensitivity to the standard Ewing sarcoma chemotherapeutic agent's vincristine and doxorubicin. Together these findings indicate that resistance to SP-2509 is not fully reversible or driven by direct mutation in KDM1A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen I Pishas
- Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Stephen L Lessnick
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.,Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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44
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Mutz CN, Schwentner R, Aryee DNT, Bouchard EDJ, Mejia EM, Hatch GM, Kauer MO, Katschnig AM, Ban J, Garten A, Alonso J, Banerji V, Kovar H. EWS-FLI1 confers exquisite sensitivity to NAMPT inhibition in Ewing sarcoma cells. Oncotarget 2018; 8:24679-24693. [PMID: 28160567 PMCID: PMC5421879 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is the second most common bone cancer in children and adolescents with a high metastatic potential. EwS development is driven by a specific chromosomal translocation resulting in the generation of a chimeric EWS-ETS transcription factor, most frequently EWS-FLI1. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a key metabolite of energy metabolism involved in cellular redox reactions, DNA repair, and in the maintenance of genomic stability. This study describes targeting nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), the rate-limiting enzyme of NAD synthesis, by FK866 in EwS cells. Here we report that blocking NAMPT leads to exhaustive NAD depletion in EwS cells, followed by a metabolic collapse and cell death. Using conditional EWS-FLI1 knockdown by doxycycline-inducible shRNA revealed that EWS-FLI1 depletion significantly reduces the sensitivity of EwS cells to NAMPT inhibition. Consistent with this finding, a comparison of 7 EwS cell lines of different genotypes with 5 Non-EwS cell lines and mesenchymal stem cells revealed significantly higher FK866 sensitivity of EWS-ETS positive EwS cells, with IC50 values mostly below 1nM. Taken together, our data reveal evidence of an important role of the NAMPT-mediated NAD salvage pathway in the energy homeostasis of EwS cells and suggest NAMPT inhibition as a potential new treatment approach for Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia N Mutz
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Vienna, Austria
| | - Raphaela Schwentner
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dave N T Aryee
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eric D J Bouchard
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Research Institute in Oncology and Hematology (RIOH), CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Edgard M Mejia
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Grant M Hatch
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Center for Research and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, University of Manitoba, DREAM Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Maximilian O Kauer
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna M Katschnig
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jozef Ban
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Vienna, Austria
| | - Antje Garten
- Center for Pediatric Research Leipzig, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Javier Alonso
- Unidad de Tumores Sólidos Infantiles, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, ISCIII, Ctra, Madrid, Spain
| | - Versha Banerji
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Research Institute in Oncology and Hematology (RIOH), CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Heinrich Kovar
- Children's Cancer Research Institute Vienna, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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45
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In silico and in vitro drug screening identifies new therapeutic approaches for Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2018; 8:4079-4095. [PMID: 27863422 PMCID: PMC5354814 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The long-term overall survival of Ewing sarcoma (EWS) patients remains poor; less than 30% of patients with metastatic or recurrent disease survive despite aggressive combinations of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. To identify new therapeutic options, we employed a multi-pronged approach using in silico predictions of drug activity via an integrated bioinformatics approach in parallel with an in vitro screen of FDA-approved drugs. Twenty-seven drugs and forty-six drugs were identified, respectively, to have anti-proliferative effects for EWS, including several classes of drugs in both screening approaches. Among these drugs, 30 were extensively validated as mono-therapeutic agents and 9 in 14 various combinations in vitro. Two drugs, auranofin, a thioredoxin reductase inhibitor, and ganetespib, an HSP90 inhibitor, were predicted to have anti-cancer activities in silico and were confirmed active across a panel of genetically diverse EWS cells. When given in combination, the survival rate in vivo was superior compared to auranofin or ganetespib alone. Importantly, extensive formulations, dose tolerance, and pharmacokinetics studies demonstrated that auranofin requires alternative delivery routes to achieve therapeutically effective levels of the gold compound. These combined screening approaches provide a rapid means to identify new treatment options for patients with a rare and often-fatal disease.
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46
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Li Y, Shao G, Zhang M, Zhu F, Zhao B, He C, Zhang Z. miR-124 represses the mesenchymal features and suppresses metastasis in Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2018; 8:10274-10286. [PMID: 28055964 PMCID: PMC5354658 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the most powerful predictor of poor outcome of Ewing sarcoma (ES). Thus, identification of new molecules involved in tumor metastasis is of crucial importance to reduce morbidity and mortality of this devastating disease. In this study, we found that miR-124, a highly conserved miRNA, was suppressed in ES tissues and might be associated with tumor metastasis through suppressing its mesenchymal features. Overexpression of miR-124 suppressed the invasion of ES cells in vitro and tumor metastasis in vivo, which might be achieved through suppressing its mesenchymal features, as overexpression of miR-124 could repress the mesenchymal genes expression, and inhibit cell differentiation to mesenchymal lineages in ES cells. However, when SLUG was experimentally restored in these cells, mesenchymal features including suppressed expression of mesenchymal genes and decreased invasive ability were observed. We also found that cyclin D2 (CCND2) was a novel target gene of miR-124, and was directly involved in miR-124-mediated suppressive effects on cell growth. Lastly, we found that treatment with 5-Aza-CdR restored the expression of miR-124, accompanied with suppressed cell proliferation, invasion and mesenchymal features of ES cells, which demonstrated that hypermethylation might be involved in the regulation of miR-124 expression. Collectively, our data suggest that hypermethylation-mediated suppression of miR-124 might be involved in the tumor initiation and metastasis through suppressing the mesenchymal features of ES cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Gaohai Shao
- Department of Orthopedics, the Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Minghua Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, the Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Fengchen Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics, the Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics, the Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Chao He
- Department of Orthopedics, the Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Zhongzu Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, the Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, PR China
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47
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Choo S, Wang P, Newbury R, Roberts W, Yang J. Reactivation of TWIST1 contributes to Ewing sarcoma metastasis. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2018; 65:10.1002/pbc.26721. [PMID: 28873262 PMCID: PMC5759052 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.26721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ewing sarcoma is a cancer of bone and soft tissue. Despite aggressive treatment, survival remains poor, particularly in patients with metastatic disease. Failure to treat Ewing sarcoma is due to the lack of understanding of the molecular pathways that regulate metastasis. In addition, no molecular prognostic markers have been identified for Ewing sarcoma to risk stratify patients. PROCEDURE Ewing sarcoma patients were divided into high or low Twist1 gene expression and survival curves were generated using the R2 microarray-based Genomic Analysis platform (http://r2.amc.nl). Tumors from Ewing sarcoma patients were also evaluated for TWIST1 expression by immunohistochemistry. Ewing sarcoma xenografts were established to evaluate the role of TWIST1 in metastasis. The effects of Twist1 on migration and invasion were evaluated using migration and invasion assays in A673 and RDES cells. RESULTS Twist1 expression was a negative prognostic marker for overall survival in a public Ewing sarcoma patient data set based on Twist1 mRNA levels and in patient tumor samples based on Twist1 immunohistochemistry. TWIST1 is detected in significantly higher percentage of patients with metastatic diseases than localized disease. Using Ewing sarcoma tumor xenografts in mice, we found that suppressing TWIST1 levels suppressed metastasis without affecting primary tumor development. Knockdown of Twist1 inhibited the migration and invasion capability, while overexpression of Twist1 promoted migration and invasion in Ewing sarcoma cells. CONCLUSION These results suggest that TWIST1 promotes metastasis in Ewing sarcoma and could be used as a prognostic marker for treatment stratification; however, further validation is required in a larger cohort of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Choo
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Robert Newbury
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Department of Pathology, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - William Roberts
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Jing Yang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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48
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Passacantilli I, Frisone P, De Paola E, Fidaleo M, Paronetto MP. hnRNPM guides an alternative splicing program in response to inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in Ewing sarcoma cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:12270-12284. [PMID: 29036465 PMCID: PMC5716164 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcomas (ES) are biologically aggressive tumors of bone and soft tissues for which no cure is currently available. Most ES patients do not respond to chemotherapeutic treatments or acquire resistance. Since the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis is often deregulated in ES, its inhibition offers therapeutic perspective for these aggressive tumors. Herein, by using splicing sensitive arrays, we have uncovered an extensive splicing program activated upon inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway by BEZ235. Bioinformatics analyses identified hnRNPM as a key factor in this response. HnRNPM motifs were significantly enriched in introns flanking the regulated exons and proximity of binding represented a key determinant for hnRNPM-dependent splicing regulation. Knockdown of hnRNPM expression abolished a subset of BEZ235-induced splicing changes that contained hnRNPM binding sites, enhanced BEZ235 cytotoxicity and limited the clonogenicity of ES cells. Importantly, hnRNPM up-regulation correlates with poor outcome in sarcoma patients. These findings uncover an hnRNPM-dependent alternative splicing program set in motion by inhibition of the mTOR/AKT/PI3K pathway in ES cells that limits therapeutic efficacy of pharmacologic inhibitors, suggesting that combined inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and hnRNPM activity may represent a novel approach for ES treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Passacantilli
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Frisone
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa De Paola
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.,University of Rome 'Foro Italico', Piazza Lauro de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Fidaleo
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Paola Paronetto
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.,University of Rome 'Foro Italico', Piazza Lauro de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
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49
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Tanner JM, Bensard C, Wei P, Krah NM, Schell JC, Gardiner J, Schiffman J, Lessnick SL, Rutter J. EWS/FLI is a Master Regulator of Metabolic Reprogramming in Ewing Sarcoma. Mol Cancer Res 2017; 15:1517-1530. [PMID: 28720588 PMCID: PMC5668171 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-17-0182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a bone malignancy driven by a translocation event resulting in the fusion protein EWS/FLI1 (EF). EF functions as an aberrant and oncogenic transcription factor that misregulates the expression of thousands of genes. Previous work has focused principally on determining important transcriptional targets of EF, as well as characterizing important regulatory partnerships in EF-dependent transcriptional programs. Less is known, however, about EF-dependent metabolic changes or their role in Ewing sarcoma biology. Therefore, the metabolic effects of silencing EF in Ewing sarcoma cells were determined. Metabolomic analyses revealed distinct separation of metabolic profiles in EF-knockdown versus control-knockdown cells. Mitochondrial stress tests demonstrated that knockdown of EF increased respiratory as well as glycolytic functions. Enzymes and metabolites in several metabolic pathways were altered, including de novo serine synthesis and elements of one-carbon metabolism. Furthermore, phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) was found to be highly expressed in Ewing sarcoma and correlated with worse patient survival. PHGDH knockdown or pharmacologic inhibition in vitro caused impaired proliferation and cell death. Interestingly, PHGDH modulation also led to elevated histone expression and methylation. These studies demonstrate that the translocation-derived fusion protein EF is a master regulator of metabolic reprogramming in Ewing sarcoma, diverting metabolites toward biosynthesis. As such, these data suggest that the metabolic aberrations induced by EF are important contributors to the oncogenic biology of these tumors.Implications: This previously unexplored role of EWS/FLI1-driven metabolic changes expands the understanding of Ewing sarcoma biology, and has potential to significantly inform development of therapeutic strategies. Mol Cancer Res; 15(11); 1517-30. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Tanner
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Claire Bensard
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Peng Wei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Nathan M Krah
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - John C Schell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jamie Gardiner
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Joshua Schiffman
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Stephen L Lessnick
- Center for Childhood Cancer & Blood Diseases, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jared Rutter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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50
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Grünewald TGP. [Functional genomics of Ewing sarcoma]. DER PATHOLOGE 2017; 38:198-201. [PMID: 28849372 DOI: 10.1007/s00292-017-0332-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a highly aggressive bone or soft-tissue tumor mostly occurring in children and adolescents. Conventional multi-modal therapies are associated with considerable acute and chronic toxicity. Thus, more effective and in particular less toxic therapeutic strategies are urgently required. Despite the fact that Ewing sarcoma is characterized by specific EWSR1-ETS gene fusions, the resulting fusion oncoproteins are not suitable for targeted therapy due to their low immunogenicity and the ubiquitous expression of their constituents. However, functional genomics revealed several EWSR1-ETS target genes, which are only minimally expressed in normal tissues, and which could serve as surrogate-targets for (immuno-)therapeutic approaches. Moreover, functional genomic analyses yielded first mechanistic explanations for the relatively high incidence of Ewing sarcoma in Europeans, and first studies are exploring the value of circulating free DNA and/or exosomal mRNA of EWSR1-ETS fusion oncogenes as minimal-residual-disease markers in Ewing sarcoma. This review summarizes key contributions to these aspects and gives a perspective on their medical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- T G P Grünewald
- Max-Eder Nachwuchsgruppe für Pädiatrische Sarkombiologie, Pathologisches Institut, Medizinische Fakultät, LMU München, Thalkirchner Str. 36, 80337, München, Deutschland.
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