1
|
Özay B, Tükel EY, Ayna Duran G, Kiraz Y. Identification of potential inhibitors for drug resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia through differentially expressed gene analysis and in silico screening. Anal Biochem 2024; 694:115619. [PMID: 39025197 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2024.115619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a disease of lymphocyte origin predominantly diagnosed in children. While its 5-year survival rate is high, resistance to chemotherapy drugs is still an obstacle. Our aim is to determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to Asparaginase, Daunorubicin, Prednisolone, and Vincristine resistance and identify potential inhibitors via docking. Three datasets were accessed from the Gene Expression Omnibus database; GSE635, GSE19143, and GSE22529. The microarray data was analyzed using R4.2.0 and Bioconductor packages, and pathway and protein-protein interaction analysis were performed. We identified 1294 upregulated DEGs, with 12 genes consistently upregulated in all four resistant groups. KEGG analysis revealed an association with the PI3K-Akt pathway. Among DEGs, 33 hub genes including MDM2 and USP7 were pinpointed. Within common genes, CLDN9 and HS3ST3A1 were subjected to molecular docking against 3556 molecules. Following ADMET analysis, three drugs emerged as potential inhibitors: Flunarizine, Talniflumate, and Eltrombopag. Molecular dynamics analysis for HS3ST3A1 indicated all candidates had the potential to overcome drug resistance, Eltrombopag displaying particularly promising results. This study promotes a further understanding of drug resistance in ALL, introducing novel genes for consideration in diagnostic screening. It also presents potential inhibitor candidates to tackle drug resistance through repurposing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Başak Özay
- İzmir University of Economics, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, 35330, Balçova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ezgi Yağmur Tükel
- İzmir University of Economics, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, 35330, Balçova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gizem Ayna Duran
- İzmir University of Economics, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 35330, Balçova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Yağmur Kiraz
- İzmir University of Economics, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, 35330, Balçova, Izmir, Turkey.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Thompson J, Thompson G, White D, Yeung D. Judicious use of precise fluorescence in situ hybridisation panels guided by population prevalence may assist pragmatic detection of clinically targetable Philadelphia chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukaemia fusions: a systematic review. Pathology 2024:S0031-3025(24)00227-7. [PMID: 39304495 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2024.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Diagnosis of Philadelphia chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (Ph-like ALL) in the real-world remains challenging because of definitional complexities, the diverse diagnostic techniques available and the cost, expertise and time involved. We summarise evidence for diagnosis of clinically important Ph-like ALL related genomic lesions using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) targeting only clinically important and actionable lesions, an accessible and cost-effective diagnostic technique. Electronic databases were interrogated using broad MeSH terms for articles reporting a detailed FISH strategy for diagnosis of Ph-like ALL published since 2014, yielding 653 full text articles and abstracts. We searched the National Library of Medicine Databases including PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane and relevant abstracts. We included studies with a primary aim of determining the utility of FISH for Ph-like ALL diagnosis and studies with broader aims demonstrating Ph-like ALL diagnostic algorithms which partially involved FISH. Nineteen studies met inclusion criteria. Evidence for FISH to detect CRLF2 rearrangements in Ph-like ALL is strongly established and evidence for FISH to detect non-CRLF2 lesions is evolving rapidly. We documented 1620 cases of non-CRLF2 Ph-like lesions diagnosed by FISH. Confirmatory side-by-side methods were applied in six studies (246 samples), four of which demonstrated 100% concordance of FISH results with alternative methods, while two studies demonstrated over 70% sensitivity and specificity. Additional studies demonstrated wide utilisation of FISH in Ph-like ALL classification across diverse geographies and ethnicities, with contrasting prevalence, implicating a need for targeted FISH strategies. In real-world cohorts, it may be clinically useful to prioritise limited early FISH in B-cell ALL (B-ALL) diagnostic algorithms to identify Ph-like abnormalities that respond to locally available kinase inhibitors to promote and prioritise broad access to effective targeted treatment. Additional studies are required to provide adequately powered validations and verifications of targeted Ph-like FISH panels to confirm sensitivity and specificity against side-by-side gold standard methods, and to define optimal local approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jane Thompson
- South Australian Medical Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | | | - Deborah White
- South Australian Medical Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - David Yeung
- South Australian Medical Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pourhassan H, Murphy L, Aldoss I. Glucocorticoid Therapy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Navigating Short-Term and Long-Term Effects and Optimal Regimen Selection. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 2024; 19:175-185. [PMID: 38867099 DOI: 10.1007/s11899-024-00735-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Glucocorticoids are a mainstay in acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment and lack of early response is predictive for overall disease prognosis. Given the vital position of glucocorticoids and well known long and short-term side effects associated with differing glucocorticoids, we aim to highlight the wide breadth of historical and more contemporary data to describe the current landscape of glucocorticoid use in this arena. RECENT FINDINGS Emerging studies aim to overcome issues such as steroid resistance and to optimize the antileukemic effects of glucocorticoids while aiming to mitigate the risks and side effects associated with their exposure. Glucocorticoids have and likely always will be a fundamental component of acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment and understanding how to navigate short- and long-term effects and how to optimize regimens is at the heart of continued treatment success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hoda Pourhassan
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Lindsey Murphy
- Department of Pediatrics, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Ibrahim Aldoss
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ehm PAH, Horn S, Hoffer K, Kriegs M, Horn M, Giehler S, Nalaskowski M, Rehbach C, Horstmann MA, Jücker M. Ikaros sets the threshold for negative B-cell selection by regulation of the signaling strength of the AKT pathway. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:360. [PMID: 38992657 PMCID: PMC11241878 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01732-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory phosphatases, such as the inositol-5-phosphatase SHIP1 could potentially contribute to B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) by raising the threshold for activation of the autoimmunity checkpoint, allowing malignant cells with strong oncogenic B-cell receptor signaling to escape negative selection. Here, we show that SHIP1 is differentially expressed across B-ALL subtypes and that high versus low SHIP1 expression is associated with specific B-ALL subgroups. In particular, we found high SHIP1 expression in both, Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive and ETV6-RUNX1-rearranged B-ALL cells. As demonstrated by targeted knockdown of SHIP1 by RNA interference, proliferation of B-ALL cells in vitro and their tumorigenic spread in vivo depended in part on SHIP1 expression. We investigated the regulation of SHIP1, as an important antagonist of the AKT signaling pathway, by the B-cell-specific transcription factor Ikaros. Targeted restoration of Ikaros and pharmacological inhibition of the antagonistic casein kinase 2, led to a strong reduction in SHIP1 expression and at the same time to a significant inhibition of AKT activation and cell growth. Importantly, the tumor suppressive function of Ikaros was enhanced by a SHIP1-dependent additive effect. Furthermore, our study shows that all three AKT isoforms contribute to the pro-mitogenic and anti-apoptotic signaling in B-ALL cells. Conversely, hyperactivation of a single AKT isoform is sufficient to induce negative selection by increased oxidative stress. In summary, our study demonstrates the regulatory function of Ikaros on SHIP1 expression in B-ALL and highlights the relevance of sustained SHIP1 expression to prevent cells with hyperactivated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling from undergoing negative selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A H Ehm
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, Center for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.
| | - Stefan Horn
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Konstantin Hoffer
- UCCH Kinomics Core Facility, University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Malte Kriegs
- UCCH Kinomics Core Facility, University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Michael Horn
- University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Susanne Giehler
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, Center for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Marcus Nalaskowski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, Center for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Christoph Rehbach
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, Center for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
- Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin A Horstmann
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Manfred Jücker
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, Center for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cheng J, Svoronos N, Pan M, Smith S, Vatsayan A, Jacobsohn D, Wistinghausen B. Philadelphia chromosome-like B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia and disseminated juvenile xanthogranulomatosis with shared KRAS mutation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30963. [PMID: 38523244 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Jinjun Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Nikolaos Svoronos
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Miao Pan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Shelby Smith
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Anant Vatsayan
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - David Jacobsohn
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Birte Wistinghausen
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bell HL, Blair HJ, Jepson Gosling SJ, Galler M, Astley D, Moorman AV, Heidenreich O, Veal GJ, van Delft FW, Lunec J, Irving JAE. Combination p53 activation and BCL-x L/BCL-2 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy in high-risk and relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 2024; 38:1223-1235. [PMID: 38600316 PMCID: PMC11147763 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02241-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Due to the rarity of TP53 mutations in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), p53 re-activation by antagonism of the p53-MDM2 interaction represents a potential therapeutic strategy for the majority of ALL. Here, we demonstrate the potent antileukemic activity of the MDM2 antagonist idasanutlin in high-risk and relapsed ex vivo coculture models of TP53 wildtype ALL (n = 40). Insufficient clinical responses to monotherapy MDM2 inhibitors in other cancers prompted us to explore optimal drugs for combination therapy. Utilizing high-throughput combination screening of 1971 FDA-approved and clinically advanced compounds, we identified BCL-xL/BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax as the most promising idasanutlin combination partner. The idasanutlin-navitoclax combination was synergistically lethal to prognostically-poor, primary-derived and primary patient blasts in ex vivo coculture, and reduced leukemia burden in two very high-risk ALL xenograft models at drug concentrations safely attained in patients; in fact, the navitoclax plasma concentrations were equivalent to those attained in contemporary "low-dose" navitoclax clinical trials. We demonstrate a preferential engagement of cell death over G1 cell cycle arrest, mechanistically implicating MCL-1-binding pro-apoptotic sensitizer NOXA. The proposed combination of two clinical-stage compounds independently under clinical evaluation for ALL is of high clinical relevance and warrants consideration for the treatment of patients with high-risk and relapsed ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hayden L Bell
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Helen J Blair
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Samantha J Jepson Gosling
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Martin Galler
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Astley
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Anthony V Moorman
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Olaf Heidenreich
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Gareth J Veal
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Frederik W van Delft
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - John Lunec
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Julie A E Irving
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jeha S. Relapsed/Refractory T- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - Current Options and Future Directions. Indian J Pediatr 2024; 91:168-175. [PMID: 37642889 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-023-04745-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy in children. The T-cell subtype (T-ALL) accounts for 10-15% of pediatric ALL cases and has been historically associated with outcomes inferior to those of B-cell ALL (B-ALL). The prognosis of T-ALL has significantly improved with contemporary intensive pediatric regimens. However, most children with relapsed T-ALL have dismal outcomes and fewer therapeutic salvage options than those available for B-ALL. After demonstrating efficacy in relapsed T-ALL, nelarabine is being increasingly incorporated into frontline T-ALL regimens. The development of genomic sequencing has led to the identification of new T-ALL subgroups and potential targeted therapeutic approaches which could improve patients' outcomes and reduce the toxicity associated with current therapy. Immunotherapy and cellular therapy regimens are also under early investigation in T-cell malignancies. This review outlines the clinical and biological characteristics of T-ALL and provides an overview of novel treatment options for refractory and relapsed T-ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sima Jeha
- Departments of Global Pediatric Medicine and Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38103, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhou Y, Wang L, Sun LR, Zhang L, Wang HM, Liu XT, Yang F, Wu KL, Liang YL, Zhao BB, Zhuang Y, Fu JQ, Song C, Li Y, Wang LZ, Xu HJ, Gu Y, van den Anker J, Ju XL, Zhu XF, Zhao W. Individualized Use of 6-Mercaptopurine in Chinese Children with ALL: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:213-220. [PMID: 37753808 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3061] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Continuous 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) dose titration is necessary because of its narrow therapeutic index and frequently encountered dose-limiting hematopoietic toxicity. However, evidence-based guidelines for gene-based 6-MP dosing have not been established for Chinese children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This multicenter, randomized, open-label, active-controlled clinical trial randomly assigned Chinese children with low- or intermediate-risk ALL in a 1:1 ratio to receive TPMT-NUDT15 gene-based dosing of 6-MP (N = 44, 10 to 50 mg/m2 /day) or standard dosing (N = 44, 50 mg/m2 /day) during maintenance therapy. The primary end point was the incidence of 6-MP myelosuppression in both groups. Secondary end points included frequencies of 6-MP hepatotoxicity, duration of myelosuppression and leukopenia, event-free survival, and steady-state concentrations of active metabolites (6-thioguaninenucleotides and 6-methylmercaptopurine nucleotides) in erythrocytes. A 2.2-fold decrease in myelosuppression, the primary end point, was observed in the gene-based-dose group using ~ 50% of the standard initial 6-MP dose (odds ratio, 0.26, 95% confidence interval, 0.11 to 0.64, P = 0.003). Patients in the gene-based-dose group had a significantly lower risk of developing thiopurine-induced myelosuppression and leukopenia (P = 0.015 and P = 0.022, respectively). No significant differences were observed in the secondary end points of the incidence of hepatotoxicity and steady-state concentrations of active metabolites in erythrocytes between the two groups. TPMT- and NUDT15-based dosing of 6-MP will significantly contribute toward further reducing the incidence of leukopenia in Chinese children with ALL. This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrial.gov as #NCT04228393.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), NMPA Key Laboratory for Clinical Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Li-Rong Sun
- Department of Pediatrics Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong-Mei Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong, First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Xi-Ting Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), NMPA Key Laboratory for Clinical Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), NMPA Key Laboratory for Clinical Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ke-Liang Wu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), NMPA Key Laboratory for Clinical Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yu-Li Liang
- Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Bei-Bei Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Yong Zhuang
- Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jin-Qiu Fu
- Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chao Song
- The State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Ling-Zhen Wang
- Department of Pediatrics Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hui-Juan Xu
- Department of Pediatrics Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yan Gu
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong, First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - John van den Anker
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pharmacology & Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Paediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xiu-Li Ju
- Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiao-Fan Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), NMPA Key Laboratory for Clinical Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Clinical Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Imataki O, Fujita H, Uemura M. Negative Impact of Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin on CD33-Positive Early T-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case Report. Case Rep Oncol 2024; 17:256-261. [PMID: 38362442 PMCID: PMC10869147 DOI: 10.1159/000536424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL) is a rare subtype of T-cell leukemia that phenotypically expresses mature T-cell markers and immature myeloid markers such as CD33. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) is a novel agent for the CD33 molecular targeting antibody conjugated to the cytotoxic agent calicheamicin. GO is anticipated to be effective against ETP-ALL. In vivo studies promise antileukemic effects in cell lines; however, clinical reports to support this research are lacking. We treated a patient who suffered from CD33-positive ETP-ALL using GO. Case Presentation We treated an 81-year-old man who suffered from ETP-ALL. The patient's leukemia expressed T cell and myeloid markers including cyCD3, CD5, CD7, CD33, and HLA-DR. Initially, the patient was treated using a standard chemotherapy regimen for acute lymphoblastic leukemia comprising cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, vincristine, l-asparaginase, and prednisolone. The induction chemotherapy produced the expected complete hematological response; however, bone marrow blasts remained. Following consolidation chemotherapy, the patient maintained a full hematological response. Thereafter, we changed the consolidation regimen to nelarabine, which did not reduce bone marrow blasts effectively. After two courses of nelarabine therapy, we finally used GO at an 8 mg/m2 weekly dose after confirming that CD33 expression was still positive in the patient's residual leukemic cells. GO was ineffective in treating the patient's leukemia, and peripheral blasts increased 30 days following treatment. The patient died 81 days after initiating GO therapy. Conclusion This is the first clinical case of GO having a negative impact on ETP-ALL. Because the GO resistance mechanism for ETP-ALL has not been fully elucidated, treatment modification should be considered to achieve optimal clinical efficacy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Imataki
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Japan
| | - Haruyuki Fujita
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Japan
| | - Makiko Uemura
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lorentzian AC, Rever J, Ergin EK, Guo M, Akella NM, Rolf N, James Lim C, Reid GSD, Maxwell CA, Lange PF. Targetable lesions and proteomes predict therapy sensitivity through disease evolution in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7161. [PMID: 37989729 PMCID: PMC10663560 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42701-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) genomes show that relapses often arise from subclonal outgrowths. However, the impact of clonal evolution on the actionable proteome and response to targeted therapy is not known. Here, we present a comprehensive retrospective analysis of paired ALL diagnosis and relapsed specimen. Targeted next generation sequencing and proteome analysis indicate persistence of actionable genome variants and stable proteomes through disease progression. Paired viably-frozen biopsies show high correlation of drug response to variant-targeted therapies but in vitro selectivity is low. Proteome analysis prioritizes PARP1 as a pan-ALL target candidate needed for survival following cellular stress; diagnostic and relapsed ALL samples demonstrate robust sensitivity to treatment with two PARP1/2 inhibitors. Together, these findings support initiating prospective precision oncology approaches at ALL diagnosis and emphasize the need to incorporate proteome analysis to prospectively determine tumor sensitivities, which are likely to be retained at disease relapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C Lorentzian
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jenna Rever
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Enes K Ergin
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Meiyun Guo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Neha M Akella
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nina Rolf
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - C James Lim
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Gregor S D Reid
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Christopher A Maxwell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Philipp F Lange
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Salimi A, Schemionek‐Reinders M, Huber M, Vieri M, Patterson JB, Alten J, Brümmendorf TH, Kharabi Masouleh B, Appelmann I. XBP1 promotes NRAS G12D pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukaemia through IL-7 receptor signalling and provides a therapeutic vulnerability for oncogenic RAS. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:3363-3377. [PMID: 37753803 PMCID: PMC10623536 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17904] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Activating point mutations of the RAS gene act as driver mutations for a subset of precursor-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (pre-B ALL) and represent an ambitious target for therapeutic approaches. The X box-binding protein 1 (XBP1), a key regulator of the unfolded protein response (UPR), is critical for pre-B ALL cell survival, and high expression of XBP1 confers poor prognosis in ALL patients. However, the mechanism of XBP1 activation has not yet been elucidated in RAS mutated pre-B ALL. Here, we demonstrate that XBP1 acts as a downstream linchpin of the IL-7 receptor signalling pathway and that pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of XBP1 selectively abrogates IL-7 receptor signalling via inhibition of its downstream effectors, JAK1 and STAT5. We show that XBP1 supports malignant cell growth of pre-B NRASG12D ALL cells and that genetic loss of XBP1 consequently leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Our findings reveal that active XBP1 prevents the cytotoxic effects of a dual PI3K/mTOR pathway inhibitor (BEZ235) in pre-B NRASG12D ALL cells. This implies targeting XBP1 in combination with BEZ235 as a promising new targeted strategy against the oncogenic RAS in NRASG12D -mutated pre-B ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Azam Salimi
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical FacultyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging CenterEberhard Karls University TübingenTübingenGermany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies"TübingenGermany
| | - Mirle Schemionek‐Reinders
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical FacultyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Michael Huber
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular ImmunologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Margherita Vieri
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical FacultyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | | | - Julia Alten
- Department of PediatricsUniversity Medical Centre Schleswig‐HolsteinKielGermany
| | - Tim H. Brümmendorf
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical FacultyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Behzad Kharabi Masouleh
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical FacultyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Iris Appelmann
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical FacultyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bell HL, Blair HJ, Singh M, Moorman AV, Heidenreich O, van Delft FW, Lunec J, Irving JAE. Targeting WEE1 kinase as a p53-independent therapeutic strategy in high-risk and relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:202. [PMID: 37715172 PMCID: PMC10502974 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03057-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Outcomes for patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are poor and there is a need for novel therapies to improve outcomes. Targeted inhibition of WEE1 with small-molecule inhibitor adavosertib (AZD1775) has emerged as a therapeutic strategy to sensitize cancer cells to DNA-damaging chemotherapeutics, particularly in the context of TP53-mutated tumors. However, WEE1 inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with high-risk and relapsed ALL, including those with TP53 mutations, has not been definitively evaluated. METHODS Anti-leukemic effects of adavosertib were investigated using a relapsed TP53 isogenic cell model system, primary patient, and patient-derived ALL samples (n = 27) in an ex vivo co-culture model system with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Combination effects with drugs currently used for relapsed ALL were quantified by Excess over Bliss analyses. Investigations for alterations of cell cycle and apoptosis as well as related proteins were examined by flow cytometry and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS Our study demonstrates the potent anti-leukemic activity of the clinically advanced WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib in a large majority (n = 18/27) of high-risk and relapsed ALL specimens at lower than clinically attainable concentrations, independent of TP53 mutation status. We show that treatment with adavosertib results in S-phase disruption even in the absence of DNA-damaging agents and that premature mitotic entry is not a prerequisite for its anti-leukemic effects. We further demonstrate that WEE1 inhibition additively and synergistically enhances the anti-leukemic effects of multiple conventional chemotherapeutics used in the relapsed ALL treatment setting. Particularly, we demonstrate the highly synergistic and cytotoxic combination of adavosertib with the nucleoside analog cytarabine and provide mechanistic insights into the combinational activity, showing preferential engagement of apoptotic cell death over cell cycle arrest. Our findings strongly support in vivo interrogation of adavosertib with cytarabine in xenograft models of relapsed and high-risk ALL. CONCLUSIONS Together, our data emphasize the functional importance of WEE1 in relapsed ALL cells and show WEE1 as a promising p53-independent therapeutic target for the improved treatment of high-risk and relapsed ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hayden L Bell
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translation and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer,, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Helen J Blair
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translation and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer,, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Mankaran Singh
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translation and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer,, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Anthony V Moorman
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translation and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer,, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Olaf Heidenreich
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translation and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer,, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frederik W van Delft
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translation and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer,, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - John Lunec
- Bioscience Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Julie A E Irving
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Translation and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer,, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lang Y, Lyu Y, Tan Y, Hu Z. Progress in construction of mouse models to investigate the pathogenesis and immune therapy of human hematological malignancy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1195194. [PMID: 37646021 PMCID: PMC10461088 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1195194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematological malignancy is a disease arisen by complicate reasons that seriously endangers human health. The research on its pathogenesis and therapies depends on the usage of animal models. Conventional animal model cannot faithfully mirror some characteristics of human features due to the evolutionary divergence, whereas the mouse models hosting human hematological malignancy are more and more applied in basic as well as translational investigations in recent years. According to the construction methods, they can be divided into different types (e.g. cell-derived xenograft (CDX) and patient-derived xenograft model (PDX) model) that have diverse characteristics and application values. In addition, a variety of strategies have been developed to improve human hematological malignant cell engraftment and differentiation in vivo. Moreover, the humanized mouse model with both functional human immune system and autologous human hematological malignancy provides a unique tool for the evaluation of the efficacy of novel immunotherapeutic drugs/approaches. Herein, we first review the evolution of the mouse model of human hematological malignancy; Then, we analyze the characteristics of different types of models and summarize the ways to improve the models; Finally, the way and value of humanized mouse model of human immune system in the immunotherapy of human hematological malignancy are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Lang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Dermatology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanan Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yehui Tan
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zheng Hu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Rowland L, Smart B, Brown A, Dettorre GM, Gocho Y, Hunt J, Yang W, Yoshimura S, Reyes N, Du G, John A, Maxwell D, Stock W, Kornblau S, Relling MV, Inaba H, Pui CH, Bourquin JP, Karol SE, Mullighan CG, Evans WE, Yang JJ, Crews KR. Ex vivo Drug Sensitivity Imaging-based Platform for Primary Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells. Bio Protoc 2023; 13:e4731. [PMID: 37575398 PMCID: PMC10415213 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells to chemotherapy, whether present at diagnosis or acquired during treatment, is a major cause of treatment failure. Primary ALL cells are accessible for drug sensitivity testing at the time of new diagnosis or at relapse, but there are major limitations with current methods for determining drug sensitivity ex vivo. Here, we describe a functional precision medicine method using a fluorescence imaging platform to test drug sensitivity profiles of primary ALL cells. Leukemia cells are co-cultured with mesenchymal stromal cells and tested with a panel of 40 anti-leukemia drugs to determine individual patterns of drug resistance and sensitivity ("pharmacotype"). This imaging-based pharmacotyping assay addresses the limitations of prior ex vivo drug sensitivity methods by automating data analysis to produce high-throughput data while requiring fewer cells and significantly decreasing the labor-intensive time required to conduct the assay. The integration of drug sensitivity data with genomic profiling provides a basis for rational genomics-guided precision medicine. Key features Analysis of primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) blasts obtained at diagnosis from bone marrow aspirate or peripheral blood. Experiments are performed ex vivo with mesenchymal stromal cell co-culture and require four days to complete. This fluorescence imaging-based protocol enhances previous ex vivo drug sensitivity assays and improves efficiency by requiring fewer primary cells while increasing the number of drugs tested to 40. It takes approximately 2-3 h for sample preparation and processing and a 1.5-hour imaging time. Graphical overview.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Rowland
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Brandon Smart
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Anthony Brown
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Gino M. Dettorre
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Yoshihiro Gocho
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jeremy Hunt
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Wenjian Yang
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Satoshi Yoshimura
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Noemi Reyes
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Guoqing Du
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - August John
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Dylan Maxwell
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Wendy Stock
- Hematopoiesis and Hematological Malignancies Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Steven Kornblau
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mary V. Relling
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hiroto Inaba
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ching-Hon Pui
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Bourquin
- Department of Oncology and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Seth E. Karol
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Charles G. Mullighan
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - William E. Evans
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jun J. Yang
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kristine R. Crews
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Chen Z, Xin Q, Wei W, Wu Y. The pathogenesis and development of targeted drugs in acute T lymphoblastic leukaemia. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:1017-1037. [PMID: 36623836 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16029] [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: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is mainly classified into acute T- and B-lymphoblastic leukaemia according to the source of its lymphocytes, thymus and bone. Among them, the incidence of adult T-cell accounts for about 25% of adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, but the degree of malignancy is high and the treatment rate and prognosis are poor. At this stage, there are few targeted drugs and the commonly used broad-spectrum chemotherapeutic drugs have poor efficacy and many adverse drug reactions. Understanding and investigating the pathogenesis of T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is very important for further developing new targeting drugs and improving existing drugs. Dysregulated signalling pathways are the main aetiological factors of T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. They play crucial roles in promoting tumour initiation, progression, drug design and therapy responses. This is primarily because signalling pathways are indispensable for many cellular biological processes, including tumour growth, migration, invasion, metastasis and others. As a result, small molecule inhibitors targeting the major kinase components of the signalling pathway have received a lot of attention and have been developed and evaluated in preclinical models and clinical trials. Already marketed drugs are also being repurposed in combination therapies to further improve efficacy and overcome tumour cell resistance. In this review, we have aimed to examine the latest and most classical signalling pathways in the aetiology of T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and shed light on potential targets for novel therapeutic agents to act on.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoying Chen
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Qianling Xin
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Yujing Wu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang X, Wu H, Niu J, Hu Y, Zhang W, Chang J, Li L, Zhu J, Zhang C, Liu M. A novel mitochondria-related gene signature in esophageal carcinoma: prognostic, immune, and therapeutic features. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:109. [PMID: 36991225 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01030-2] [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: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) is a common and lethal malignant tumor worldwide. The mitochondrial biomarkers were useful in finding significant prognostic gene modules associated with ESCA owing to the role of mitochondria in tumorigenesis and progression. In the present work, we obtained the transcriptome expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of ESCA from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) were overlapped with 2030 mitochondria-related genes to get mitochondria-related DEGs. The univariate cox regression, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, and multivariate cox regression were sequentially used to define the risk scoring model for mitochondria-related DEGs, and its prognostic value was verified in the external datasets GSE53624. Based on the risk score, ESCA patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed to further investigate the difference between low- and high-risk groups at the gene pathway level. CIBERSORT was used to evaluate immune cell infiltration. The mutation difference between high- and low-risk groups was compared by using the R package "Maftools". Cellminer was used to assess the association between the risk scoring model and drug sensitivity. As the most important outcome of the study, a 6-gene risk scoring model (APOOL, HIGD1A, MAOB, BCAP31, SLC44A2, and CHPT1) was constructed from 306 mitochondria-related DEGs. Pathways including the "hippo signaling pathway" and "cell-cell junction" were enriched in the DEGs between high and low groups. According to CIBERSORT, samples with high-risk scores demonstrated a higher abundance of CD4+ T cells, NK cells, M0 and M2 macrophages, and a lower abundance of M1 macrophages. The immune cell marker genes were correlated with the risk score. In mutation analysis, the mutation rate of TP53 was significantly different between the high- and low-risk groups. Drugs with a strong correlation with the risk model were selected. In conclusion, we focused on the role of mitochondria-related genes in cancer development and proposed a prognostic signature for individualized integrative assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xintong Zhang
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jingjing Niu
- Department of Pathology, Xi' an Chest Hospital, Xi' an, 710100, China
| | - Yanfen Hu
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China
| | - Wentao Zhang
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jingjia Chang
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jianjun Zhu
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chunle Zhang
- Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Medical Cellular Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, 030001, Taiyuan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Toribio ML, González-García S. Notch Partners in the Long Journey of T-ALL Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:1383. [PMID: 36674902 PMCID: PMC9866461 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological disease that arises from the oncogenic transformation of developing T cells during T-lymphopoiesis. Although T-ALL prognosis has improved markedly in recent years, relapsing and refractory patients with dismal outcomes still represent a major clinical issue. Consequently, understanding the pathological mechanisms that lead to the appearance of this malignancy and developing novel and more effective targeted therapies is an urgent need. Since the discovery in 2004 that a major proportion of T-ALL patients carry activating mutations that turn NOTCH1 into an oncogene, great efforts have been made to decipher the mechanisms underlying constitutive NOTCH1 activation, with the aim of understanding how NOTCH1 dysregulation converts the physiological NOTCH1-dependent T-cell developmental program into a pathological T-cell transformation process. Several molecular players have so far been shown to cooperate with NOTCH1 in this oncogenic process, and different therapeutic strategies have been developed to specifically target NOTCH1-dependent T-ALLs. Here, we comprehensively analyze the molecular bases of the cross-talk between NOTCH1 and cooperating partners critically involved in the generation and/or maintenance and progression of T-ALL and discuss novel opportunities and therapeutic approaches that current knowledge may open for future treatment of T-ALL patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Luisa Toribio
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cousins A, Olivares O, Markert E, Manoharan A, Bubnova X, Bresolin S, Degn M, Li Z, Silvestri D, McGregor G, Tumanov S, Sumpton D, Kamphorst JJ, Michie AM, Herzyk P, Valsecchi MG, Yeoh AE, Schmiegelow K, Te Kronnie G, Gottlieb E, Halsey C. Central nervous system involvement in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is linked to upregulation of cholesterol biosynthetic pathways. Leukemia 2022; 36:2903-2907. [PMID: 36289348 PMCID: PMC9712090 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01722-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A Cousins
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - O Olivares
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - E Markert
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - A Manoharan
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - X Bubnova
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - S Bresolin
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - M Degn
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The Juliane Marie Centre, The University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Z Li
- VIVA-NUS Centre for Translational Research in Acute Leukaemia, Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - D Silvestri
- Center of Biostatistics for Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Health Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - G McGregor
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - S Tumanov
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - D Sumpton
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - J J Kamphorst
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - A M Michie
- Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - P Herzyk
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - M G Valsecchi
- Center of Biostatistics for Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Health Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - A E Yeoh
- VIVA-NUS Centre for Translational Research in Acute Leukaemia, Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- VIVA-University Children's Cancer Centre, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore, 119228, Singapore
| | - K Schmiegelow
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The Juliane Marie Centre, The University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Copenhagen and Juliane Marie Centre, the University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - G Te Kronnie
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - E Gottlieb
- The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - C Halsey
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Pearson AD, Allen C, Fangusaro J, Hutter C, Witt O, Weiner S, Reaman G, Russo M, Bandopadhayay P, Ahsan S, Barone A, Barry E, de Rojas T, Fisher M, Fox E, Bender JG, Gore L, Hargrave D, Hawkins D, Kreider B, Langseth AJ, Lesa G, Ligas F, Marotti M, Marshall LV, Nasri K, Norga K, Nysom K, Pappo A, Rossato G, Scobie N, Smith M, Stieglitz E, Weigel B, Weinstein A, Viana R, Karres D, Vassal G. Paediatric Strategy Forum for medicinal product development in mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway inhibitors: ACCELERATE in collaboration with the European Medicines Agency with participation of the Food and Drug Administration. Eur J Cancer 2022; 177:120-142. [PMID: 36335782 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
As the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway is activated in many paediatric cancers, it is an important therapeutic target. Currently, a range of targeted MAPK pathway inhibitors are being developed in adults. However, MAPK signals through many cascades and feedback loops and perturbing the MAPK pathway may have substantial influence on other pathways as well as normal development. In view of these issues, the ninth Paediatric Strategy Forum focused on MAPK inhibitors. Development of MAPK pathway inhibitors to date has been predominantly driven by adult indications such as malignant melanoma. However, these inhibitors may also target unmet needs in paediatric low-grade gliomas, high-grade gliomas, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia and several other paediatric conditions. Although MAPK inhibitors have demonstrated activity in paediatric cancer, the response rates and duration of responses needs improvement and better documentation. The rapid development and evaluation of combination approaches, based on a deep understanding of biology, is required to optimise responses and to avoid paradoxical tumour growth and other unintended consequences including severe toxicity. Better inhibitors with higher central nervous systempenetration for primary brain tumours and cancers with a propensity for central nervous system metastases need to be studied to determine if they are more effective than agents currently being used, and the optimum duration of therapy with MAPK inhibition needs to be determined. Systematic and coordinated clinical investigations to inform future treatment strategies with MAPK inhibitors, rather than use outside of clinical trials, are needed to fully assess the risks and benefits of these single agents and combination strategies in both front-line and in the refractory/relapse settings. Platform trials could address the investigation of multiple similar products and combinations. Accelerating the introduction of MAPK inhibitors into front-line paediatric studies is a priority, as is ensuring that these studies generate data appropriate for scientific and regulatory purposes. Early discussions with regulators are crucial, particularly if external controls are considered as randomised control trials in small patient populations can be challenging. Functional end-points specific to the populations in which they are studied, such as visual acuity, motor and neuro psychological function are important, as these outcomes are often more reflective of benefit for lower grade tumours (such as paediatric low-grade glioma and plexiform neurofibroma) and should be included in initial study designs for paediatric low-grade glioma. Early prospective discussions and agreements with regulators are necessary. Long-term follow-up of patients receiving MAPK inhibitors is crucial in view of their prolonged administration and the important involvement of this pathway in normal development. Further rational development, with a detailed understanding of biology of this class of products, is crucial to ensure they provide optimal benefit while minimising toxicity to children and adolescents with cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carl Allen
- Texas Children Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason Fangusaro
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA
| | - Caroline Hutter
- St. Anna Children's Hospital, Vienna, Austria; Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
| | - Olaf Witt
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Pratiti Bandopadhayay
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Broad Institute, USA; Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, USA
| | | | - Amy Barone
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Springs, USA
| | - Elly Barry
- Day One Biopharmaceuticals, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Michael Fisher
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Elizabeth Fox
- St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Lia Gore
- Children's Hospital Colorado, USA; University of Colorado, USA
| | - Darren Hargrave
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London UK
| | - Doug Hawkins
- Seattle Children's Hospital, USA; Children's Oncology Group, Seattle, USA
| | | | | | - Giovanni Lesa
- Paediatric Medicines Office, Scientific Evidence Generation Department, Human Division, European Medicines Agency (EMA), Netherlands
| | - Franca Ligas
- Paediatric Medicines Office, Scientific Evidence Generation Department, Human Division, European Medicines Agency (EMA), Netherlands
| | | | - Lynley V Marshall
- The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK; The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | | | - Koen Norga
- Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium; Paediatric Committee of the European Medicines Agency, (EMA), Netherlands; Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Alberto Pappo
- St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tennessee, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ruth Viana
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Karres
- Paediatric Medicines Office, Scientific Evidence Generation Department, Human Division, European Medicines Agency (EMA), Netherlands
| | - Gilles Vassal
- ACCELERATE, Europe; Gustave Roussy Cancer Centre, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Thastrup M, Duguid A, Mirian C, Schmiegelow K, Halsey C. Central nervous system involvement in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: challenges and solutions. Leukemia 2022; 36:2751-2768. [PMID: 36266325 PMCID: PMC9712093 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01714-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Delivery of effective anti-leukemic agents to the central nervous system (CNS) is considered essential for cure of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Current CNS-directed therapy comprises systemic therapy with good CNS-penetration accompanied by repeated intrathecal treatments up to 26 times over 2-3 years. This approach prevents most CNS relapses, but is associated with significant short and long term neurotoxicity. Despite this burdensome therapy, there have been no new drugs licensed for CNS-leukemia since the 1960s, when very limited anti-leukemic agents were available and there was no mechanistic understanding of leukemia survival in the CNS. Another major barrier to improved treatment is that we cannot accurately identify children at risk of CNS relapse, or monitor response to treatment, due to a lack of sensitive biomarkers. A paradigm shift in treating the CNS is needed. The challenges are clear - we cannot measure CNS leukemic load, trials have been unable to establish the most effective CNS treatment regimens, and non-toxic approaches for relapsed, refractory, or intolerant patients are lacking. In this review we discuss these challenges and highlight research advances aiming to provide solutions. Unlocking the potential of risk-adapted non-toxic CNS-directed therapy requires; (1) discovery of robust diagnostic, prognostic and response biomarkers for CNS-leukemia, (2) identification of novel therapeutic targets combined with associated investment in drug development and early-phase trials and (3) engineering of immunotherapies to overcome the unique challenges of the CNS microenvironment. Fortunately, research into CNS-ALL is now making progress in addressing these unmet needs: biomarkers, such as CSF-flow cytometry, are now being tested in prospective trials, novel drugs are being tested in Phase I/II trials, and immunotherapies are increasingly available to patients with CNS relapses. The future is hopeful for improved management of the CNS over the next decade.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Thastrup
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alasdair Duguid
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christian Mirian
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Proteomics Program, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kjeld Schmiegelow
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christina Halsey
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Yoo JW, Ahn A, Lee JM, Jo S, Kim S, Lee JW, Cho B, Kim Y, Kim M, Chung NG. Spectrum of Genetic Mutations in Korean Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11216298. [PMID: 36362526 PMCID: PMC9658397 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11216298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The wide application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has led to the discovery of multiple genetic alterations in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In this work, we aimed to investigate the mutational spectrum in pediatric ALL. We employed a St. Mary’s customized NGS panel comprising 67 leukemia-related genes. Samples were collected from 139 pediatric ALL patients. Eighty-five patients (61.2%) harbored at least one mutation. In B-cell ALL, the RAS pathway is the most involved pathway, and the three most frequently mutated genes were NRAS (22.4%), KRAS (19.6%), and PTPN11 (8.4%). NRAS and PTPN11 were significantly associated with a high hyperdiploidy karyotype (p = 0.018 and p < 0.001, respectively). In T-cell ALL, the three most frequently mutated genes were NOTCH1 (37.5%), FBXW7 (16.6%), and PTEN (6.2%). Several pairs of co-occurring mutations were found: NRAS with SETD, NRAS with PTPN11 in B-cell ALL (p = 0.024 and p = 0.020, respectively), and NOTCH1 with FBXW7 in T-cell ALL (p < 0.001). The most frequent newly emerged mutation in relapsed ALL was NT5C2. We procured comprehensive genetic information regarding Korean pediatric ALL using NGS technology. Our findings strengthen the current knowledge of recurrent somatic mutations in pediatric ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jae Won Yoo
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Ari Ahn
- Catholic Genetic Laboratory Center, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Jong-Mi Lee
- Catholic Genetic Laboratory Center, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Suejung Jo
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Seongkoo Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Jae Wook Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Bin Cho
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Yonggoo Kim
- Catholic Genetic Laboratory Center, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Myungshin Kim
- Catholic Genetic Laboratory Center, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.K.); (N.-G.C.); Tel.: +82-2-2258-1645 (M.K.); +82-2-2258-6188 (N.-G.C.)
| | - Nack-Gyun Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.K.); (N.-G.C.); Tel.: +82-2-2258-1645 (M.K.); +82-2-2258-6188 (N.-G.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Rehn J, Mayoh C, Heatley SL, McClure BJ, Eadie LN, Schutz C, Yeung DT, Cowley MJ, Breen J, White DL. RaScALL: Rapid (Ra) screening (Sc) of RNA-seq data for prognostically significant genomic alterations in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010300. [PMID: 36251721 PMCID: PMC9612819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) efforts in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) have identified numerous prognostically significant genomic alterations which can guide diagnostic risk stratification and treatment choices when detected early. However, integrating RNA-seq in a clinical setting requires rapid detection and accurate reporting of clinically relevant alterations. Here we present RaScALL, an implementation of the k-mer based variant detection tool km, capable of identifying more than 100 prognostically significant lesions observed in ALL, including gene fusions, single nucleotide variants and focal gene deletions. We compared genomic alterations detected by RaScALL and those reported by alignment-based de novo variant detection tools in a study cohort of 180 Australian patient samples. Results were validated using 100 patient samples from a published North American cohort. RaScALL demonstrated a high degree of accuracy for reporting subtype defining genomic alterations. Gene fusions, including difficult to detect fusions involving EPOR and DUX4, were accurately identified in 98% of reported cases in the study cohort (n = 164) and 95% of samples (n = 63) in the validation cohort. Pathogenic sequence variants were correctly identified in 75% of tested samples, including all cases involving subtype defining variants PAX5 p.P80R (n = 12) and IKZF1 p.N159Y (n = 4). Intragenic IKZF1 deletions resulting in aberrant transcript isoforms were also detectable with 98% accuracy. Importantly, the median analysis time for detection of all targeted alterations averaged 22 minutes per sample, significantly shorter than standard alignment-based approaches. The application of RaScALL enables rapid identification and reporting of previously identified genomic alterations of known clinical relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Rehn
- Blood Cancer Program, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Chelsea Mayoh
- Children’s Cancer Institute, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Susan L Heatley
- Blood Cancer Program, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Australian and New Zealand Children’s Oncology Group (ANZCHOG), Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Barbara J McClure
- Blood Cancer Program, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Laura N Eadie
- Blood Cancer Program, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Caitlin Schutz
- Blood Cancer Program, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - David T Yeung
- Blood Cancer Program, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Department of Haematology, Royal Adelaide Hospital and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Mark J Cowley
- Children’s Cancer Institute, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James Breen
- Black Ochre Data Labs, Telethon Kids Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Deborah L White
- Blood Cancer Program, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Australian and New Zealand Children’s Oncology Group (ANZCHOG), Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Genomics Health Alliance (AGHA), Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Pillai PM, Mallory N, Pierro J, Saliba J, Newman D, Hu J, Bhatla T, Raetz E, Carroll WL, Evensen NA. Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway in childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29771. [PMID: 35593589 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
RAS mutations are frequently observed in childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and previous studies have yielded conflicting results as to whether they are associated with a poor outcome. We and others have demonstrated that the mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK) pathway can be activated through epigenetic mechanisms in the absence of RAS pathway mutations. Herein, we examined whether MAPK activation, as determined by measuring phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) levels in 80 diagnostic patient samples using phosphoflow cytometry, could be used as a prognostic biomarker for pediatric B-ALL. The mean fluorescence intensity of pERK (MFI) was measured at baseline and after exogenous stimulation with or without pretreatment with the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor trametinib. Activation levels (MFI stimulated/MFI baseline) ranged from 0.76 to 4.40 (median = 1.26), and inhibition indexes (MFI stimulated/MFI trametinib stimulated) ranged from 0.439 to 5.640 (median = 1.30), with no significant difference between patients with wildtype versus mutant RAS for either. Logistic regression demonstrated that neither MAPK activation levels nor RAS mutation status at diagnosis alone or in combination was prognostic of outcome. However, 35% of RAS wildtype samples showed MAPK inhibition indexes greater than the median, thus raising the possibility that therapeutic strategies to inhibit MAPK activation may not be restricted to patients whose blasts display Ras pathway defects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi M Pillai
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicole Mallory
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joanna Pierro
- Northwell Health, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, New York, USA
| | - Jason Saliba
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daniel Newman
- Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jiyuan Hu
- Department of Population Health, Division of Biostatistics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Teena Bhatla
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of New Jersey at NBI, RWJBarnabas Health, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Elizabeth Raetz
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - William L Carroll
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nikki A Evensen
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Pilheden M, Ahlgren L, Hyrenius-Wittsten A, Gonzalez-Pena V, Sturesson H, Hansen Marquart HV, Lausen B, Castor A, Pronk CJ, Barbany G, Pokrovskaja Tamm K, Fogelstrand L, Lohi O, Norén-Nyström U, Asklin J, Chen Y, Song G, Walsh M, Ma J, Zhang J, Saal LH, Gawad C, Hagström-Andersson AK. Duplex Sequencing Uncovers Recurrent Low-frequency Cancer-associated Mutations in Infant and Childhood KMT2A-rearranged Acute Leukemia. Hemasphere 2022; 6:e785. [PMID: 36204688 PMCID: PMC9529062 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with KMT2A-gene rearrangements (KMT2A-r) have few mutations and a poor prognosis. To uncover mutations that are below the detection of standard next-generation sequencing (NGS), a combination of targeted duplex sequencing and NGS was applied on 20 infants and 7 children with KMT2A-r ALL, 5 longitudinal and 6 paired relapse samples. Of identified nonsynonymous mutations, 87 had been previously implicated in cancer and targeted genes recurrently altered in KMT2A-r leukemia and included mutations in KRAS, NRAS, FLT3, TP53, PIK3CA, PAX5, PIK3R1, and PTPN11, with infants having fewer such mutations. Of identified cancer-associated mutations, 62% were below the resolution of standard NGS. Only 33 of 87 mutations exceeded 2% of cellular prevalence and most-targeted PI3K/RAS genes (31/33) and typically KRAS/NRAS. Five patients only had low-frequency PI3K/RAS mutations without a higher-frequency signaling mutation. Further, drug-resistant clones with FLT3 D835H or NRAS G13D/G12S mutations that comprised only 0.06% to 0.34% of diagnostic cells, expanded at relapse. Finally, in longitudinal samples, the relapse clone persisted as a minor subclone from diagnosis and through treatment before expanding during the last month of disease. Together, we demonstrate that infant and childhood KMT2A-r ALL harbor low-frequency cancer-associated mutations, implying a vast subclonal genetic landscape.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mattias Pilheden
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Louise Ahlgren
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Axel Hyrenius-Wittsten
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Veronica Gonzalez-Pena
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Helena Sturesson
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Birgitte Lausen
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders Castor
- Childhood Cancer Center, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Gisela Barbany
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Linda Fogelstrand
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olli Lohi
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | | | | | | | - Guangchun Song
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michael Walsh
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jing Ma
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Lao H. Saal
- SAGA Diagnostics, Lund, Sweden
- Division of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Charles Gawad
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anna K. Hagström-Andersson
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Center for Translational Genomics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
The Promise of Single-cell Technology in Providing New Insights Into the Molecular Heterogeneity and Management of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Hemasphere 2022; 6:e734. [PMID: 35651714 PMCID: PMC9148686 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance and treatment failure in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are in part driven by tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution. Although bulk tumor genomic analyses have provided some insight into these processes, single-cell sequencing has emerged as a powerful technique to profile individual cells in unprecedented detail. Since the introduction of single-cell RNA sequencing, we now have the capability to capture not only transcriptomic, but also genomic, epigenetic, and proteomic variation between single cells separately and in combination. This rapidly evolving field has the potential to transform our understanding of the fundamental biology of pediatric ALL and guide the management of ALL patients to improve their clinical outcome. Here, we discuss the impact single-cell sequencing has had on our understanding of tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution in ALL and provide examples of how single-cell technology can be integrated into the clinic to inform treatment decisions for children with high-risk disease.
Collapse
|
26
|
Pediatric T-ALL type-1 and type-2 relapses develop along distinct pathways of clonal evolution. Leukemia 2022; 36:1759-1768. [PMID: 35585141 PMCID: PMC9252914 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01587-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying T-ALL relapse remain essentially unknown. Multilevel-omics in 38 matched pairs of initial and relapsed T-ALL revealed 18 (47%) type-1 (defined by being derived from the major ancestral clone) and 20 (53%) type-2 relapses (derived from a minor ancestral clone). In both types of relapse, we observed known and novel drivers of multidrug resistance including MDR1 and MVP, NT5C2 and JAK-STAT activators. Patients with type-1 relapses were specifically characterized by IL7R upregulation. In remarkable contrast, type-2 relapses demonstrated (1) enrichment of constitutional cancer predisposition gene mutations, (2) divergent genetic and epigenetic remodeling, and (3) enrichment of somatic hypermutator phenotypes, related to BLM, BUB1B/PMS2 and TP53 mutations. T-ALLs that later progressed to type-2 relapses exhibited a complex subclonal architecture, unexpectedly, already at the time of initial diagnosis. Deconvolution analysis of ATAC-Seq profiles showed that T-ALLs later developing into type-1 relapses resembled a predominant immature thymic T-cell population, whereas T-ALLs developing into type-2 relapses resembled a mixture of normal T-cell precursors. In sum, our analyses revealed fundamentally different mechanisms driving either type-1 or type-2 T-ALL relapse and indicate that differential capacities of disease evolution are already inherent to the molecular setup of the initial leukemia. ![]()
Collapse
|
27
|
Heatley SL, Page EC, Eadie LN, McClure BJ, Rehn J, Yeung DT, Osborn M, Revesz T, Kirby M, White DL. Case Report: Precision Medicine Target Revealed by In Vitro Modeling of Relapsed, Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia From a Child With Neurofibromatosis. Front Oncol 2022; 12:851572. [PMID: 35515133 PMCID: PMC9065550 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.851572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with neurofibromatosis have a higher risk of developing juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, but rarely develop B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Through in-vitro modeling, a novel NF1 p.L2467 frameshift (fs) mutation identified in a relapsed/refractory Ph-like B-ALL patient with neurofibromatosis demonstrated cytokine independence and increased RAS signaling, indicative of leukemic transformation. Furthermore, these cells were sensitive to the MEK inhibitors trametinib and mirdametinib. Bi-allelic NF1 loss of function may be a contributing factor to relapse and with sensitivity to MEK inhibitors, suggests a novel precision medicine target in the setting of neurofibromatosis patients with B-ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan L Heatley
- Cancer Program, Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Australian & New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Elyse C Page
- Cancer Program, Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Faculty of Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Laura N Eadie
- Cancer Program, Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Barbara J McClure
- Cancer Program, Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Rehn
- Cancer Program, Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - David T Yeung
- Cancer Program, Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Dept of Haematology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group, Richmond, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael Osborn
- Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Australian & New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group, Richmond, VIC, Australia.,Dept of Haematology & Oncology, Women's & Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Tamas Revesz
- Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Australian & New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Dept of Haematology & Oncology, Women's & Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Maria Kirby
- Australian & New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Dept of Haematology & Oncology, Women's & Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Deborah L White
- Cancer Program, Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Australian & New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Faculty of Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group, Richmond, VIC, Australia.,Australian Genomics Health Alliance, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Validation of a small molecule inhibitor of PDE6D-RAS interaction with favorable anti-leukemic effects. Blood Cancer J 2022; 12:64. [PMID: 35422065 PMCID: PMC9010429 DOI: 10.1038/s41408-022-00663-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
RAS mutations prevalent in high-risk leukemia have been linked to relapse and chemotherapy resistance. Efforts to directly target RAS proteins have been largely unsuccessful. However, since RAS-mediated transformation is dependent on signaling through the RAS-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (RAC) small GTPase, we hypothesized that targeting RAC may be an effective therapeutic approach in RAS mutated tumors. Here we describe multiple small molecules capable of inhibiting RAC activation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines. One of these, DW0254, also demonstrates promising anti-leukemic activity in RAS-mutated cells. Using chemical proteomics and biophysical methods, we identified the hydrophobic pocket of phosphodiester 6 subunit delta (PDE6D), a known RAS chaperone, as a target for this compound. Inhibition of RAS localization to the plasma membrane upon DW0254 treatment is associated with RAC inhibition through a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT-dependent mechanism. Our findings provide new insights into the importance of PDE6D-mediated transport for RAS-dependent RAC activation and leukemic cell survival.
Collapse
|
29
|
Kośmider K, Karska K, Kozakiewicz A, Lejman M, Zawitkowska J. Overcoming Steroid Resistance in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia-The State-of-the-Art Knowledge and Future Prospects. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073795. [PMID: 35409154 PMCID: PMC8999045 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy among children. Despite the enormous progress in ALL therapy, resulting in achieving a 5-year survival rate of up to 90%, the ambitious goal of reaching a 100% survival rate is still being pursued. A typical ALL treatment includes three phases: remission induction and consolidation and maintenance, preceded by a prednisone prephase. Poor prednisone response (PPR) is defined as the presence of ≥1.0 × 109 blasts/L in the peripheral blood on day eight of therapy and results in significantly frequent relapses and worse outcomes. Hence, identifying risk factors of steroid resistance and finding methods of overcoming that resistance may significantly improve patients' outcomes. A mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK-ERK) pathway seems to be a particularly attractive target, as its activation leads to steroid resistance via a phosphorylating Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death (BIM), which is crucial in the steroid-induced cell death. Several mutations causing activation of MAPK-ERK were discovered, notably the interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) pathway mutations in T-cell ALL and rat sarcoma virus (Ras) pathway mutations in precursor B-cell ALL. MAPK-ERK pathway inhibitors were demonstrated to enhance the results of dexamethasone therapy in preclinical ALL studies. This report summarizes steroids' mechanism of action, resistance to treatment, and prospects of steroids therapy in pediatric ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Kośmider
- Student Scientific Society, Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, Gębali 6, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (K.K.); (A.K.)
| | - Katarzyna Karska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, Gębali 6, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Agata Kozakiewicz
- Student Scientific Society, Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, Gębali 6, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (K.K.); (A.K.)
| | - Monika Lejman
- Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, Gębali 6, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Joanna Zawitkowska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, Gębali 6, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
姚 燕, 王 西, 赵 雪, 李 帅, 周 玉, 徐 一. Detection of RAS gene mutation and its clinical significance in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2022; 24:309-313. [PMID: 35351263 PMCID: PMC8974658 DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2109141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the mutation rate of the RAS gene and its clinical significance in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 120 children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who were admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2015 to January 2020 and underwent next-generation sequencing. The clinical and molecular features were analyzed. The impact of RAS gene mutation on the overall survival rate was evaluated in these children. RESULTS Among the 120 children, 35 (29.2%) had RAS gene mutation, 30 (25.0%) had KRAS gene mutation, and 5 (4.2%) had both NRAS and KRAS gene mutations. All NRAS mutations and 71% (25/35) of KRAS mutations were located at the 12th and 13th codons. RAS gene mutation was detected in 35 (33.3%) out of 105 children with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but it was not detected in those with acute T lymphocyte leukemia. Of all the children, 11 (9.2%) were lost to follow-up, and among the 109 children followed up, 16 (14.7%) died. The children with RAS gene mutation had a significantly lower 2-year overall survival rate than those without RAS gene mutation (P<0.05). The prognosis of children with RAS gene mutation combined with WT1 overexpression and WBC>50×109/L at diagnosis was worse (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS RAS gene mutation is commonly observed in children with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia and may have an adverse effect on prognosis.
Collapse
|
31
|
Menne T, Slade D, Savage J, Johnson S, Irving J, Kearns P, Plummer R, Shenton G, Veal GJ, Vormoor B, Vormoor J, Billingham L. Selumetinib in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed/refractory RAS-pathway mutated paediatric and adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (SeluDex): study protocol for an international, parallel-group, dose-finding with expansion phase I/II trial. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e059872. [PMID: 35246426 PMCID: PMC8900053 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Event-free survival rates at 15 years for paediatric patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) are 30%-50%, with 5-year survival for adult patients only 20%. Many patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed ALL harbour somatic RAS-signalling activation mutations. Induction therapy for ALL involves steroids, with preclinical data suggesting the combination of dexamethasone with the MEK1/2 inhibitor, selumetinib (ARRY-142886) has a synergistic anticancer effect. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The SeluDex trial is an international, parallel-group, dose-finding with expansion, phase I/II trial to assess the selumetinib/dexamethasone combination in adult and paediatric patients with relapsed/refractory, RAS pathway mutant ALL. The Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit at University of Birmingham is the UK Coordinating Centre, with national hubs in Copenhagen, Denmark; Monza, Italy; Münster, Germany; Paris, France; and Utrecht, Netherlands. Patients with morphologically proven relapsed/refractory or progressive B-cell precursor or T-cell ALL, with demonstrated RAS pathway activating mutations are eligible. Adult patients are >18 years old, ECOG <2 and paediatric <18 years old, Lansky play scale ≥60% or Karnofsky score ≥60%. Phase I primary objective is the recommended phase II dose of selumetinib as defined by occurrence/non-occurrence of dose limiting toxicities using the continual reassessment method; phase II will evaluate preliminary antileukaemic activity of the combination, as defined by morphological response 28 days post-treatment using a Bayesian approach. Target recruitment is between 26 and 42 patients (minimum 13 and maximum 21 per group), depending the number of phase I patients included in phase II. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Medical ethical committees of all the participating countries have approved the study protocol; initial (UK) ethics approval (17/YH/0123) was granted by Yorkshire & The Humber-Leeds West Research Ethics Committee. Participants are required to provide written informed consent/assent. Results will be disseminated through national and international presentations and peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ISRCTN92323261.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Menne
- Northern Center for Cancer Care, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Slade
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Cancer and Genomics Cancer, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Joshua Savage
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Cancer and Genomics Cancer, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Sarah Johnson
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Cancer and Genomics Cancer, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Julie Irving
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Pamela Kearns
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Cancer and Genomics Cancer, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ruth Plummer
- Northern Center for Cancer Care, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Geoff Shenton
- Great North Children's Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gareth J Veal
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Britta Vormoor
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Josef Vormoor
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lucinda Billingham
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Cancer and Genomics Cancer, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Xu Y, Fang H, Chen Y, Tang Y, Sun H, Kong Z, Yang F, Kirschner-Schwabe R, Zhu L, Toker A, Xiao N, Zhou BBS, Li H. The KRAS-G12D mutation induces metabolic vulnerability in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. iScience 2022; 25:103881. [PMID: 35243242 PMCID: PMC8861657 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
|
33
|
Brivio E, Baruchel A, Beishuizen A, Bourquin JP, Brown PA, Cooper T, Gore L, Kolb EA, Locatelli F, Maude SL, Mussai FJ, Vormoor-Bürger B, Vormoor J, von Stackelberg A, Zwaan CM. Targeted inhibitors and antibody immunotherapies: Novel therapies for paediatric leukaemia and lymphoma. Eur J Cancer 2022; 164:1-17. [PMID: 35121370 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite improved outcomes achieved in the last decades for children with newly diagnosed leukaemia and lymphoma, treatment of patients with refractory/relapsed disease remains a challenge. The cure rate is still unsatisfactory and often achieved at the cost of significant morbidity. Exploring treatment with novel agents should offer less toxic therapeutic options, without compromising efficacy. Bispecific and antibody-drug conjugates targeting CD19 and CD22 (blinatumomab and inotuzumab ozogamicin) play an important role in the treatment of relapsed and refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (BCP-ALL); antibodies targeting CD123 and CD38 are also under investigation for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and T-ALL, respectively. Targeted therapy with small molecules is of primary importance for specific genetic subtypes, such as BCR-ABL-positive ALL, FLT3-ITD AML and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma. KMT2A-directed targeted therapy with menin inhibitors holds promise to be of relevance in KMT2A-rearranged leukaemias, known to have dismal prognosis. Target inhibition in cellular pathways such as BCL-2, RAS, MEK, Bruton's tyrosine kinase, JAK-STAT or CDK4/CDK6 inhibition may be suitable for different diseases with common mutated pathways. Nevertheless, development and approval of new agents for paediatric cancers lags behind adult therapeutic options. New regulations were implemented to accelerate drug development for children. Considering the number of oncology medicinal products available for adults and the rarity of paediatric cancers, prioritisation based on scientific evidence and medical need, as well as international collaboration, is critical. Herein, we review the current status of drug development for children with leukaemia and lymphoma, excluding cellular therapy despite its well-known significance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Brivio
- Princess Ma´xima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Pediatric Oncology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - André Baruchel
- Hématologie-Immunologie Pédiatrique, Hoˆ pital Universitaire Robert Debré (APHP) and Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Auke Beishuizen
- Princess Ma´xima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Pediatric Oncology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jean-Pierre Bourquin
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick A Brown
- Departments of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Todd Cooper
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center/Children's Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lia Gore
- University of Colorado School of Medicine and Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, USA
| | - E Anders Kolb
- Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Nemours/Alfred I DuPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, IRCCS Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy
| | - Shannon L Maude
- Division of Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Francis J Mussai
- Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cancer Research UK Birmingham Centre, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Josef Vormoor
- Princess Ma´xima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | | | - C Michel Zwaan
- Princess Ma´xima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Pediatric Oncology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer Consortium, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Qian J, Li Z, Pei K, Li Z, Li C, Yan M, Qian M, Song Y, Zhang H, He Y. Effects of NRAS Mutations on Leukemogenesis and Targeting of Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:712484. [PMID: 35211470 PMCID: PMC8861515 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.712484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Through the advancements in recent decades, childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is gradually becoming a highly curable disease. However, the truth is there remaining relapse in ∼15% of ALL cases with dismal outcomes. RAS mutations, in particular NRAS mutations, were predominant mutations affecting relapse susceptibility. KRAS mutations targeting has been successfully exploited, while NRAS mutation targeting remains to be explored due to its complicated and compensatory mechanisms. Using targeted sequencing, we profiled RAS mutations in 333 primary and 18 relapsed ALL patients and examined their impact on ALL leukemogenesis, therapeutic potential, and treatment outcome. Cumulative analysis showed that RAS mutations were associated with a higher relapse incidence in children with ALL. In vitro cellular assays revealed that about one-third of the NRAS mutations significantly transformed Ba/F3 cells as measured by IL3-independent growth. Meanwhile, we applied a high-throughput drug screening method to characterize variable mutation-related candidate targeted agents and uncovered that leukemogenic-NRAS mutations might respond to MEK, autophagy, Akt, EGFR signaling, Polo−like Kinase, Src signaling, and TGF−β receptor inhibition depending on the mutation profile.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiabi Qian
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institute of Pediatrics, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Ministry of Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zifeng Li
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kunlin Pei
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziping Li
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunjie Li
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou, China
| | - Muxia Yan
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Maoxiang Qian
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institute of Pediatrics, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Ministry of Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanbin Song
- Department of Hematologic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingyi He
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Zheng YZ, Zheng H, Chen ZS, Hua XL, Le SH, Li J, Hu JD. [Mutational spectrum and its prognostic significance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia based on next-generation sequencing technology]. ZHONGHUA XUE YE XUE ZA ZHI = ZHONGHUA XUEYEXUE ZAZHI 2022; 43:19-25. [PMID: 35231988 PMCID: PMC8980667 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-2727.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Objective: This study analyzed the correlation between genetic mutation and prognostic significance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) . Methods: Targeted exome by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology was used to carry out molecular profiling of untreated 141 children with ALL in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from November 2016 to December 2019. Correlation of genetic features and clinical features and outcomes was analyzed. Results: Among the 141 pediatric patients with ALL, 160 somatic mutations were detected in 83 patients (58.9% ) , including 37 grade Ⅰ mutations and 123 grade Ⅱ mutations. Single nucleotide variation was the most common type of mutation. KRAS was the most common mutant gene (12.5% ) , followed by NOTCH1 (11.9% ) , and NRAS (10.6% ) . RAS pathway (KRAS, FLT3, PTPN11) , PAX5 and TP53 mutations were only detected, and NRAS mutations was mainly found in B-ALL while FBXW7 and PTEN mutations were only found, and NOTCH1 mutation was mainly detected in T-ALL. The average number of mutations detected in each child with T-ALL was significantly higher than in children with B-ALL (4.16±1.33 vs 2.04±0.92, P=0.004) . The children were divided into mutation and non-mutation groups according to the presence or absence of genetic variation. There were no statistically significant differences in sex, age, newly diagnosed white blood cell count, minimal or measurable residual disease monitoring results, expected 3-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups (P>0.05) . On the other hand, the proportion of T-ALL and fusion gene negative children in the mutant group was significantly higher than the non-mutation group (P=0.021 and 0.000, respectively) . Among the patients without fusion gene, the EFS of children with grade I mutation was significantly lower than children without grade I mutation (85.5% vs 100.0% , P=0.039) . Among children with B-ALL, the EFS of those with TP53 mutation was significantly lower than those without TP53 mutation (37.5% vs 91.2% , P<0.001) . Conclusion: Genetic variation is more common in childhood ALL and has a certain correlation with clinical phenotype and prognosis. Therefore, targeted exome by NGS can be used as an important supplement to the traditional morphology, immunology, cytogenetics, and molecular biology classification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Y Z Zheng
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - H Zheng
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Z S Chen
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - X L Hua
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - S H Le
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - J Li
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - J D Hu
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Tran TH, Tasian SK. Has Ph-like ALL Superseded Ph+ ALL as the Least Favorable Subtype? Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2021; 34:101331. [PMID: 34865703 DOI: 10.1016/j.beha.2021.101331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Philadelphia chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-like ALL) is a subset of high-risk B-ALL associated with high relapse risk and inferior clinical outcomes across the pediatric-to-adult age spectrum. Ph-like ALL is characterized by frequent IKZF1 alterations and a kinase-activated gene expression profile similar to that of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) ALL, yet lacks the canonical BCR-ABL1 rearrangement. Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies during the past decade have unraveled the genomic landscape of Ph-like ALL, revealing a diverse array of kinase-activating translocations and mutations that may be amenable to targeted therapies that have set a remarkable precision medicine paradigm for patients with Ph + ALL. Collaborative scientific efforts to identify and characterise Ph-like ALL during the past decade has directly informed current precision medicine trials investigating the therapeutic potential of tyrosine kinase inhibitor-based therapies for children, adolescents, and adults with Ph-like ALL, although the most optimal treatment paradigm for this high-risk group of patients has yet to be established. Herein, we describe the epidemiology, clinical features, and biology of Ph-like ALL, highlight challenges in implementing pragmatic and cost-effective diagnostic algorithms in the clinic, and describe the milieu of treatment strategies under active investigation that strive to decrease relapse risk and improve long-term survival for patients with Ph-like ALL as has been successfully achieved for those with Ph + ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thai Hoa Tran
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charles-Bruneau Cancer Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sarah K Tasian
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Pediatrics and Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
van der Zwet JCG, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Cordo' V, Debets DO, Smits WK, Chen Z, Dylus J, Zaman GJR, Altelaar M, Oshima K, Bornhauser B, Bourquin JP, Cools J, Ferrando AA, Vormoor J, Pieters R, Vormoor B, Meijerink JPP. MAPK-ERK is a central pathway in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia that drives steroid resistance. Leukemia 2021; 35:3394-3405. [PMID: 34007050 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01291-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
(Patho-)physiological activation of the IL7-receptor (IL7R) signaling contributes to steroid resistance in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Here, we show that activating IL7R pathway mutations and physiological IL7R signaling activate MAPK-ERK signaling, which provokes steroid resistance by phosphorylation of BIM. By mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that phosphorylated BIM is impaired in binding to BCL2, BCLXL and MCL1, shifting the apoptotic balance toward survival. Treatment with MEK inhibitors abolishes this inactivating phosphorylation of BIM and restores its interaction with anti-apoptotic BCL2-protein family members. Importantly, the MEK inhibitor selumetinib synergizes with steroids in both IL7-dependent and IL7-independent steroid resistant pediatric T-ALL PDX samples. Despite the anti-MAPK-ERK activity of ruxolitinib in IL7-induced signaling and JAK1 mutant cells, ruxolitinib only synergizes with steroid treatment in IL7-dependent steroid resistant PDX samples but not in IL7-independent steroid resistant PDX samples. Our study highlights the central role for MAPK-ERK signaling in steroid resistance in T-ALL patients, and demonstrates the broader application of MEK inhibitors over ruxolitinib to resensitize steroid-resistant T-ALL cells. These findings strongly support the enrollment of T-ALL patients in the current phase I/II SeluDex trial (NCT03705507) and contributes to the optimization and stratification of newly designed T-ALL treatment regimens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Valentina Cordo'
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Donna O Debets
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center of Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Willem K Smits
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Zhongli Chen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jelle Dylus
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, the Netherlands
| | - Guido J R Zaman
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center of Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Koichi Oshima
- Institute of Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Beat Bornhauser
- Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Pierre Bourquin
- Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Cools
- KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics & VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adolfo A Ferrando
- Institute of Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Josef Vormoor
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Britta Vormoor
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Yeung DTO, Osborn MP, White DL. B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: recent discoveries in molecular pathology, their prognostic significance, and a review of the current classification. Br J Haematol 2021; 197:13-27. [PMID: 34747016 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) remains a leading cause of non-traumatic death in children, and the majority of adults diagnosed will succumb to the disease. Recent advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics have enabled more detailed genomic analysis and a better understanding of the molecular biology of ALL. A number of recurrent genomic drivers have recently been described, which not only aid in diagnosis and prognostication, but also may offer opportunities for specific therapeutic targeting. The present review summarises B-ALL genomic pathology at diagnosis, including lesions detectable using traditional cytogenetic methods as well as those detected only through advanced molecular techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David T O Yeung
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michael P Osborn
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Deborah L White
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Wobser M, Roth S, Appenzeller S, Houben R, Schrama D, Goebeler M, Geissinger E, Rosenwald A, Maurus K. Targeted Deep Sequencing of Mycosis Fungoides Reveals Intracellular Signaling Pathways Associated with Aggressiveness and Large Cell Transformation. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5512. [PMID: 34771672 PMCID: PMC8582785 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Large-cell transformation (LCT) of mycosis fungoides (MF) has been associated with a higher risk of relapse and progression and, consequently, restricted prognosis. Its molecular pathogenesis has not been elucidated yet. MATERIALS AND METHODS In order to address molecular mechanisms of LCT, we performed hybrid capture panel-based sequencing of skin biopsies from 10 patients suffering from MF with LCT versus 17 patients without LCT including follow-up biopsies during clinical course, respectively (51 samples in total). The analyzed patients were attributed to three different groups based on the presence of LCT and clinical behavior. RESULTS While indolent MF cases without LCT did not show pathogenic driver mutations, a high rate of oncogenic alterations was detected in patients with LCT and aggressive clinical courses. Various genes of different oncogenic signaling pathways, including the MAPK and JAK-STAT signaling pathways, as well as epigenetic modifiers were affected. A high inter-individual and distinctive intra-individual mutation diversity was observed. Oncogenic RAS mutations were exclusively detected in patients with LCT. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate that LCT transition of MF is associated with increased frequency of somatic mutations in cancer-associated genes. In particular, the activation of RAS signaling-together with epigenetic dysregulation-may crucially contribute to the molecular pathogenesis of the LCT phenotype, thus conveying its adverse clinical behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Wobser
- Venereology and Allergology and Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (M.W.); (R.H.); (D.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Sabine Roth
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.R.); (A.R.)
- Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.A.); (E.G.)
| | - Silke Appenzeller
- Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.A.); (E.G.)
| | - Roland Houben
- Venereology and Allergology and Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (M.W.); (R.H.); (D.S.); (M.G.)
| | - David Schrama
- Venereology and Allergology and Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (M.W.); (R.H.); (D.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Matthias Goebeler
- Venereology and Allergology and Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (M.W.); (R.H.); (D.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Eva Geissinger
- Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.A.); (E.G.)
- Pathology Practice, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Rosenwald
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.R.); (A.R.)
- Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.A.); (E.G.)
| | - Katja Maurus
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.R.); (A.R.)
- Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (S.A.); (E.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Reactive Oxygen Species in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia: Reducing Radicals to Refine Responses. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10101616. [PMID: 34679751 PMCID: PMC8533157 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10101616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common cancer diagnosed in children and adolescents. Approximately 70% of patients survive >5-years following diagnosis, however, for those that fail upfront therapies, survival is poor. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are elevated in a range of cancers and are emerging as significant contributors to the leukaemogenesis of ALL. ROS modulate the function of signalling proteins through oxidation of cysteine residues, as well as promote genomic instability by damaging DNA, to promote chemotherapy resistance. Current therapeutic approaches exploit the pro-oxidant intracellular environment of malignant B and T lymphoblasts to cause irreversible DNA damage and cell death, however these strategies impact normal haematopoiesis and lead to long lasting side-effects. Therapies suppressing ROS production, especially those targeting ROS producing enzymes such as the NADPH oxidases (NOXs), are emerging alternatives to treat cancers and may be exploited to improve the ALL treatment. Here, we discuss the roles that ROS play in normal haematopoiesis and in ALL. We explore the molecular mechanisms underpinning overproduction of ROS in ALL, and their roles in disease progression and drug resistance. Finally, we examine strategies to target ROS production, with a specific focus on the NOX enzymes, to improve the treatment of ALL.
Collapse
|
41
|
Manzano-Muñoz A, Alcon C, Menéndez P, Ramírez M, Seyfried F, Debatin KM, Meyer LH, Samitier J, Montero J. MCL-1 Inhibition Overcomes Anti-apoptotic Adaptation to Targeted Therapies in B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:695225. [PMID: 34568318 PMCID: PMC8458912 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.695225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple targeted therapies are currently explored for pediatric and young adult B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) treatment. However, this new armamentarium of therapies faces an old problem: choosing the right treatment for each patient. The lack of predictive biomarkers is particularly worrying for pediatric patients since it impairs the implementation of new treatments in the clinic. In this study, we used the functional assay dynamic BH3 profiling (DBP) to evaluate two new treatments for BCP-ALL that could improve clinical outcome, especially for relapsed patients. We found that the MEK inhibitor trametinib and the multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib exquisitely increased apoptotic priming in an NRAS-mutant and in a KMT2A-rearranged cell line presenting a high expression of FLT3, respectively. Following these observations, we sought to study potential adaptations to these treatments. Indeed, we identified with DBP anti-apoptotic changes in the BCL-2 family after treatment, particularly involving MCL-1 - a pro-survival strategy previously observed in adult cancers. To overcome this adaptation, we employed the BH3 mimetic S63845, a specific MCL-1 inhibitor, and evaluated its sequential addition to both kinase inhibitors to overcome resistance. We observed that the metronomic combination of both drugs with S63845 was synergistic and showed an increased efficacy compared to single agents. Similar observations were made in BCP-ALL KMT2A-rearranged PDX cells in response to sunitinib, showing an analogous DBP profile to the SEM cell line. These findings demonstrate that rational sequences of targeted agents with BH3 mimetics, now extensively explored in clinical trials, may improve treatment effectiveness by overcoming anti-apoptotic adaptations in BCP-ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Albert Manzano-Muñoz
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Alcon
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Menéndez
- Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Leukemia and Immunotherapy, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute-Campus Clinic, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Ramírez
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Niño Jesús University Children’s Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Felix Seyfried
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Klaus-Michael Debatin
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lüder H. Meyer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Josep Samitier
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Physics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Joan Montero
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Biomarkers and Their Clinical Usefulness. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081118. [PMID: 34440292 PMCID: PMC8394887 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL) are immature lymphoid tumors localizing in the bone marrow, mediastinum, central nervous system, and lymphoid organs. They account for 10-15% of pediatric and about 25% of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases. It is a widely heterogeneous disease that is caused by the co-occurrence of multiple genetic abnormalities, which are acquired over time, and once accumulated, lead to full-blown leukemia. Recurrently affected genes deregulate pivotal cell processes, such as cycling (CDKN1B, RB1, TP53), signaling transduction (RAS pathway, IL7R/JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT), epigenetics (PRC2 members, PHF6), and protein translation (RPL10, CNOT3). A remarkable role is played by NOTCH1 and CDKN2A, as they are altered in more than half of the cases. The activation of the NOTCH1 signaling affects thymocyte specification and development, while CDKN2A haploinsufficiency/inactivation, promotes cell cycle progression. Among recurrently involved oncogenes, a major role is exerted by T-cell-specific transcription factors, whose deregulated expression interferes with normal thymocyte development and causes a stage-specific differentiation arrest. Hence, TAL and/or LMO deregulation is typical of T-ALL with a mature phenotype (sCD3 positive) that of TLX1, NKX2-1, or TLX3, of cortical T-ALL (CD1a positive); HOXA and MEF2C are instead over-expressed in subsets of Early T-cell Precursor (ETP; immature phenotype) and early T-ALL. Among immature T-ALL, genomic alterations, that cause BCL11B transcriptional deregulation, identify a specific genetic subgroup. Although comprehensive cytogenetic and molecular studies have shed light on the genetic background of T-ALL, biomarkers are not currently adopted in the diagnostic workup of T-ALL, and only a limited number of studies have assessed their clinical implications. In this review, we will focus on recurrent T-ALL abnormalities that define specific leukemogenic pathways and on oncogenes/oncosuppressors that can serve as diagnostic biomarkers. Moreover, we will discuss how the complex genomic profile of T-ALL can be used to address and test innovative/targeted therapeutic options.
Collapse
|
43
|
Grant AH, Ayala-Marin YM, Mohl JE, Robles-Escajeda E, Rodriguez G, Dutil J, Kirken RA. The Genomic Landscape of a Restricted ALL Cohort from Patients Residing on the U.S./Mexico Border. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18147345. [PMID: 34299796 PMCID: PMC8307122 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has identified unique biomarkers yielding new strategies in precision medicine for the treatment of Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Hispanics show marked health disparities in ALL, often absent in clinical trials or cancer research. Thus, it is unknown whether Hispanics would benefit equally from curated data currently guiding precision oncology. Using whole-exome sequencing, nine ALL patients were screened for mutations within genes known to possess diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic value. Genes mutated in Hispanic ALL patients from the borderland were mined for potentially pathogenic variants within clinically relevant genes. KRAS G12A was detected in this unique cohort and its frequency in Hispanics from the TARGET-ALL Phase II database was three-fold greater than that of non-Hispanics. STAT5B N642H was also detected with low frequency in Hispanic and non-Hispanic individuals within TARGET. Its detection within this small cohort may reflect a common event in this demographic. Such variants occurring in the MAPK and JAK/STAT pathways may be contributing to Hispanic health disparities in ALL. Notable variants in ROS1, WT1, and NOTCH2 were observed in the ALL borderland cohort, with NOTCH2 C19W occurring most frequently. Further investigations on the pathogenicity of these variants are needed to assess their relevance in ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Hernandez Grant
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.H.G.); (Y.M.A.-M.); (E.R.-E.); (G.R.)
| | - Yoshira Marie Ayala-Marin
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.H.G.); (Y.M.A.-M.); (E.R.-E.); (G.R.)
| | - Jonathon Edward Mohl
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, College of Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA;
| | - Elisa Robles-Escajeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.H.G.); (Y.M.A.-M.); (E.R.-E.); (G.R.)
| | - Georgialina Rodriguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.H.G.); (Y.M.A.-M.); (E.R.-E.); (G.R.)
| | - Julie Dutil
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology Division, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA;
| | - Robert Arthur Kirken
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.H.G.); (Y.M.A.-M.); (E.R.-E.); (G.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(915)-747-5536
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Tardif M, Souza A, Krajinovic M, Bittencourt H, Tran TH. Molecular-based and antibody-based targeted pharmacological approaches in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2021; 22:1871-1887. [PMID: 34011251 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2021.1931683] [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] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Despite the significant survival improvement in childhood acutelymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 15-20% of patients continue to relapse; outcomes following relapse remain suboptimal and have room for further improvement. Advances in genomics have shed new insights on the biology of ALL, led to the discovery of novel genomically defined ALL subtypes, refined prognostic significance and revealed new therapeutic vulnerabilities.Areas covered: In this review, the authors provide an overview of the genomic landscape of childhood ALL and highlight recent advances in molecular-based and antibody-based pharmacological approaches in the treatment of childhood ALL, from emerging preclinical evidence to published results of completed clinical trials.Expert opinion: Molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapies have expanded the horizons of ALL therapy and represent promising therapeutic avenues for high-risk and relapsed/refractory ALL. These novel therapies are now moving into frontline ALL therapy and may define new treatment paradigms that aim to further improve survival and reduce chemotherapy-related toxicities in the management of pediatric ALL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magalie Tardif
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charles-Bruneau Cancer Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Amalia Souza
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charles-Bruneau Cancer Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Maja Krajinovic
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charles-Bruneau Cancer Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Université De Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Henrique Bittencourt
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charles-Bruneau Cancer Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Université De Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Thai Hoa Tran
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charles-Bruneau Cancer Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Université De Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Huang YJ, Liu HC, Jaing TH, Wu KH, Wang SC, Yen HJ, Hsiao CC, Chen SH, Lin PC, Yeh TC, Sheen JM, Chen YC, Chang TK, Huang FL, Chao YH, Hou JY, Yang CP, Lin TH, Shih LY. RAS pathway mutation is an added-value biomarker in pediatric Philadelphia-negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with IKZF1 deletions. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2021; 68:e28899. [PMID: 33522704 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.28899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND IKZF1deletion is an unfavorable factor in Philadelphia negative (Ph -) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, the effects of IKZF1 deletions co-existing genetic alterations in Ph (-) ALL have not been extensively studied. METHODS Bone marrow samples from 368 children with Ph (-) ALL were analyzed by using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification kit for detection of gene deletions and Sanger sequencing for mutational analysis of RAS pathway genes. The outcome was analyzed on 215 patients treated with Taiwan Pediatric Oncology Group-ALL-2002 protocol. RESULTS IKZF1 deletions were present in 12.8% and IKZF1plus in 6.3% of patients. Mutations of RAS pathway genes were detected in 25.0% of IKZF1-deleted patients. The 10-year event-free survival (EFS) of IKZF1-undeleted patients was significantly better compared with IKZF1-deleted patients (80.0% vs. 47.8%, p = 0.001). Compared with outcome of patients harboring IKZF1 deletion alone, no difference in EFS was observed in patients with IKZF1plus , whereas three patients carried both IKZF1 and ERG deletions had a superior 10-year EFS (100%). The 10-year EFS of patients with any gene mutation of RAS pathway was worse than that of patients with wild-type genes (79.1% vs. 61.6%, p = 0.033). In multivariate analysis, RAS pathway mutations and IKZF1 deletion were independent predictors of inferior EFS. Co-existence of IKZF1 deletion with RAS pathway mutations had a worst 10-year EFS (11.1 ± 10.5%) and 10-year OS (53.3 ± 17.6%). CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that RAS pathway mutation is an added-value biomarker in pediatric IKZF1-deleted Ph (-) ALL patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Jung Huang
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Che Liu
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Mackay Children's Hospital and Mackay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tang-Her Jaing
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kang-Hsi Wu
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, China Medical University Children's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Chung Wang
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Changhua Christian Children's Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Ju Yen
- Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Cheng Hsiao
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chin Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Chi Yeh
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Mackay Children's Hospital and Mackay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiunn-Ming Sheen
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Chiayi, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chieh Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Te-Kau Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Fang-Liang Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hua Chao
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Yin Hou
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Mackay Children's Hospital and Mackay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Ping Yang
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Huei Lin
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Lee-Yung Shih
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Loftus JP, Yahiaoui A, Brown PA, Niswander LM, Bagashev A, Wang M, Schauf A, Tannheimer S, Tasian SK. Combinatorial efficacy of entospletinib and chemotherapy in patient-derived xenograft models of infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Haematologica 2021; 106:1067-1078. [PMID: 32414848 PMCID: PMC8018117 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2019.241729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Survival of infants with KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains dismal despite intensive chemotherapy. We observed constitutive phosphorylation of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) and associated signaling proteins in infant ALL patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model specimens and hypothesized that the SYK inhibitor entospletinib would inhibit signaling and cell growth in vitro and leukemia proliferation in vivo. We further predicted that combined entospletinib and chemotherapy could augment anti-leukemia effects. Basal kinase signaling activation and HOXA9/MEIS1 expression differed among KMT2Arearranged (KMT2A-AFF1 [n=4], KMT2A-MLLT3 [n=1], KMT2A-MLLT1 [n=4]) and non-KMT2A-rearranged [n=3] ALL specimens and stratified by genetic subgroup. Incubation of KMT2A-rearranged ALL cells in vitro with entospletinib inhibited methylcellulose colony formation and SYK pathway signaling in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo inhibition of leukemia proliferation with entospletinib monotherapy was observed in RAS-wild-type KMT2A-AFF1, KMT2A-MLLT3, and KMT2A-MLLT1 ALL PDX models with enhanced activity in combination with vincristine chemotherapy in several models. Surprisingly, entospletinib did not decrease leukemia burden in two KMT2A-AFF1 PDX models with NRAS or KRAS mutations, suggesting potential RAS-mediated resistance to SYK inhibition. As hypothesized, superior inhibition of ALL proliferation was observed in KMT2A-AFF1 PDX models treated with entospletinib and the MEK inhibitor selumetinib versus vehicle or inhibitor monotherapies (P<0.05). In summary, constitutive activation of SYK and associated signaling occurs in KMT2A-rearranged ALL with in vitro and in vivo sensitivity to entospletinib. Combination therapy with vincristine or selumetinib further enhanced treatment effects of SYK inhibition. Clinical study of entospletinib and chemotherapy or other kinase inhibitors in patients with KMT2A-rearranged leukemias may be warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Loftus
- Div of Oncology, Children Hospital and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Philadelphia, USA
| | | | - Patrick A Brown
- Johns Hopkins University and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, USA
| | - Lisa M Niswander
- Div of Oncology, Children Hospital and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Asen Bagashev
- Div of Oncology, Children Hospital and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Min Wang
- Gilead Sciences; Foster City, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Sarah K Tasian
- Div of Oncology, Children Hospital and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Philadelphia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Aldoss I, Advani AS. Have any strategies in Ph-like ALL been shown to be effective? Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2021; 34:101242. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beha.2021.101242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
|
48
|
Ney GM, Yang KB, Ng V, Liu L, Zhao M, Kuk W, Alaka L, Sampang L, Ross A, Jones MA, Jin X, McKay LM, Evarts H, Li Q. Oncogenic N-Ras Mitigates Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells. Cancer Res 2021; 81:1240-1251. [PMID: 33441311 PMCID: PMC8647627 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Leukemic relapse is believed to be driven by transformed hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) that harbor oncogenic mutations or have lost tumor suppressor function. Recent comprehensive sequencing studies have shown that mutations predicted to activate Ras signaling are highly prevalent in hematologic malignancies and, notably, in refractory and relapsed cases. To better understand what drives this clinical phenomenon, we expressed oncogenic NrasG12D within the hematopoietic system in mice and interrogated its effects on HSC survival. N-RasG12D conferred a survival benefit to HSCs and progenitors following metabolic and genotoxic stress. This effect was limited to HSCs and early progenitors and was independent of autophagy and cell proliferation. N-RasG12D-mediated HSC survival was not affected by inhibition of canonical Ras effectors such as MEK and PI3K. However, inhibition of the noncanonical Ras effector pathway protein kinase C (PKC) ameliorated the protective effects of N-RasG12D. Mechanistically, N-RasG12D lowered levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which correlated with reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels. Inhibition of PKC restored the levels of ROS to that of control HSCs and abrogated the protective effects granted by N-RasG12D. Thus, N-RasG12D activation within HSCs promotes cell survival through the mitigation of ROS, and targeting this mechanism may represent a viable strategy to induce apoptosis during malignant transformation of HSCs. SIGNIFICANCE: Targeting oncogenic N-Ras-mediated reduction of ROS in hematopoietic stem cells through inhibition of the noncanonical Ras effector PKC may serve as a novel strategy for treatment of leukemia and other Ras-mutated cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gina M Ney
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Kevin B Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Victor Ng
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Meiling Zhao
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Wun Kuk
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Lila Alaka
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Leilani Sampang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Adam Ross
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Morgan A Jones
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Xi Jin
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Laura M McKay
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Hadie Evarts
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Antić Ž, Lelieveld SH, van der Ham CG, Sonneveld E, Hoogerbrugge PM, Kuiper RP. Unravelling the Sequential Interplay of Mutational Mechanisms during Clonal Evolution in Relapsed Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020214. [PMID: 33540666 PMCID: PMC7913080 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric malignancy and is characterized by clonal heterogeneity. Genomic mutations can increase proliferative potential of leukemic cells and cause treatment resistance. However, mechanisms driving mutagenesis and clonal diversification in ALL are not fully understood. In this proof of principle study, we performed whole genome sequencing of two cases with multiple relapses in order to investigate whether groups of mutations separated in time show distinct mutational signatures. Based on mutation allele frequencies at diagnosis and subsequent relapses, we clustered mutations into groups and performed cluster-specific mutational profile analysis and de novo signature extraction. In patient 1, who experienced two relapses, the analysis unraveled a continuous interplay of aberrant activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID)/apolipoprotein B editing complex (APOBEC) activity. The associated signatures SBS2 and SBS13 were present already at diagnosis, and although emerging mutations were lost in later relapses, the process remained active throughout disease evolution. Patient 2 had three relapses. We identified episodic mutational processes at diagnosis and first relapse leading to mutations resembling ultraviolet light-driven DNA damage, and thiopurine-associated damage at first relapse. In conclusion, our data shows that investigation of mutational processes in clusters separated in time may aid in understanding the mutational mechanisms and discovery of underlying causes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Željko Antić
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (Ž.A.); (S.H.L.); (C.G.v.d.H.); (E.S.); (P.M.H.)
| | - Stefan H. Lelieveld
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (Ž.A.); (S.H.L.); (C.G.v.d.H.); (E.S.); (P.M.H.)
| | - Cédric G. van der Ham
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (Ž.A.); (S.H.L.); (C.G.v.d.H.); (E.S.); (P.M.H.)
| | - Edwin Sonneveld
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (Ž.A.); (S.H.L.); (C.G.v.d.H.); (E.S.); (P.M.H.)
- Dutch Childhood Oncology Group, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter M. Hoogerbrugge
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (Ž.A.); (S.H.L.); (C.G.v.d.H.); (E.S.); (P.M.H.)
- Dutch Childhood Oncology Group, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roland P. Kuiper
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (Ž.A.); (S.H.L.); (C.G.v.d.H.); (E.S.); (P.M.H.)
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-88-97-252-12
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Ras pathway mutations are one of the most common type of alterations in pediatric hematologic malignancies and are frequently associated with adverse outcomes. Despite ongoing efforts to use targeted treatments, there remain no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications specifically for children with Ras pathway-mutated leukemia. This review will summarize the role of Ras pathway mutations in pediatric leukemia, discuss the current state of Ras pathway inhibitors and highlight the most promising agents currently being evaluated in clinical trials. RECENT FINDINGS Efficacy using RAF and MEK inhibitors has been demonstrated across multiple solid and brain tumors, and these are now considered standard-of-care for certain tumor types in adults and children. Clinical trials are now testing these medications for the first time in pediatric hematologic disorders, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, and histiocytic disorders. Novel inhibitors of the Ras pathway, including direct RAS inhibitors, are also being tested in clinical trials across a spectrum of pediatric and adult malignancies. SUMMARY Activation of the Ras pathway is a common finding in pediatric hematologic neoplasms. Implementation of precision medicine with a goal of improving outcomes for these patients will require testing of Ras pathway inhibitors in combination with other drugs in the context of current and future clinical trials.
Collapse
|