1
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Wani AK, Singh R, Akhtar N, Prakash A, Nepovimova E, Oleksak P, Chrienova Z, Alomar S, Chopra C, Kuca K. Targeted Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Axis: Potential for Sarcoma Therapy. Mini Rev Med Chem 2024; 24:1496-1520. [PMID: 38265369 DOI: 10.2174/0113895575270904231129062137] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Sarcoma is a heterogeneous group of malignancies often resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/ protein kinase B /mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway has emerged as a critical cancer target due to its central role in regulating key cellular processes such as cell growth, proliferation, survival, and metabolism. Dysregulation of this pathway has been implicated in the development and progression of bone sarcomas (BS) and soft tissue sarcomas (STS). PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors have shown promising preclinical and clinical activity in various cancers. These agents can inhibit the activation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR, thereby reducing the downstream signaling events that promote tumor growth and survival. In addition, PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors have been shown to enhance the efficacy of other anticancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The different types of PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors vary in their specificity, potency, and side effect profiles and may be effective depending on the specific sarcoma type and stage. The molecular targeting of PI3K/Akt/mToR pathway using drugs, phytochemicals, nanomaterials (NMs), and microbe-derived molecules as Pan-PI3K inhibitors, selective PI3K inhibitors, and dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors have been delineated. While there are still challenges to be addressed, the preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that these inhibitors may significantly improve patient outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the potential of these inhibitors as sarcoma therapeutics and to continue developing more selective and effective agents to meet the clinical needs of sarcoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atif Khurshid Wani
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Reena Singh
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Nahid Akhtar
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Ajit Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Patrik Oleksak
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Zofia Chrienova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Suliman Alomar
- King Saud University, Zoology Department, College of Science, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Chirag Chopra
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (144411), Punjab, India
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Králové, Czechia
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2
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Freed DM, Sommer J, Punturi N. Emerging target discovery and drug repurposing opportunities in chordoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1009193. [PMID: 36387127 PMCID: PMC9647139 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1009193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of effective and personalized treatment options for patients with rare cancers like chordoma is hampered by numerous challenges. Biomarker-guided repurposing of therapies approved in other indications remains the fastest path to redefining the treatment paradigm, but chordoma's low mutation burden limits the impact of genomics in target discovery and precision oncology efforts. As our knowledge of oncogenic mechanisms across various malignancies has matured, it's become increasingly clear that numerous properties of tumors transcend their genomes - leading to new and uncharted frontiers of therapeutic opportunity. In this review, we discuss how the implementation of cutting-edge tools and approaches is opening new windows into chordoma's vulnerabilities. We also note how a convergence of emerging observations in chordoma and other cancers is leading to the identification and evaluation of new therapeutic hypotheses for this rare cancer.
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3
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Al Shihabi A, Davarifar A, Nguyen HTL, Tavanaie N, Nelson SD, Yanagawa J, Federman N, Bernthal N, Hornicek F, Soragni A. Personalized chordoma organoids for drug discovery studies. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl3674. [PMID: 35171675 PMCID: PMC8849332 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl3674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Chordomas are rare tumors of notochordal origin, most commonly arising in the sacrum or skull base. Chordomas are considered insensitive to conventional chemotherapy, and their rarity complicates running timely and adequately powered trials to identify effective treatments. Therefore, there is a need for discovery of novel therapeutic approaches. Patient-derived organoids can accelerate drug discovery and development studies and predict patient responses to therapy. In this proof-of-concept study, we successfully established organoids from seven chordoma tumor samples obtained from five patients presenting with tumors in different sites and stages of disease. The organoids recapitulated features of the original parent tumors and inter- as well as intrapatient heterogeneity. High-throughput screenings performed on the organoids highlighted targeted agents such as PI3K/mTOR, EGFR, and JAK2/STAT3 inhibitors among the most effective molecules. Pathway analysis underscored how the NF-κB and IGF-1R pathways are sensitive to perturbations and potential targets to pursue for combination therapy of chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Al Shihabi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ardalan Davarifar
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Huyen Thi Lam Nguyen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nasrin Tavanaie
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Scott D. Nelson
- Department of Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jane Yanagawa
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Noah Federman
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Bernthal
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Francis Hornicek
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alice Soragni
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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4
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Xiao D, Huang Y, Huang S, Zhuang J, Chen P, Wang Y, Zhang L. Targeted delivery of cancer drug paclitaxel to chordomas tumor cells via an RNA nanoparticle harboring an EGFR aptamer. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 212:112366. [PMID: 35144131 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Paclitaxel has been extensively used in clinics for cancer treatment. However, its limited solubility in aqueous solution and high occurrence of side effects have also been widely reported. In this study, we constructed a biocompatible RNA nanoparticle delivery system (3WJ-EGFRapt) that includes 3WJ (3-way junction) nanoparticle with a size of 4.85 ± 0.59 nm as a backbone and an EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) aptamer for specific targeting to chordomas cells, which owns the encapsulation ability of drug paclitaxel (PTX) for cancer therapy. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry results confirmed 3WJ-EGFRapt nanoparticle exhibited excellent specific targeting to chordomas cell U-CH2 which is an EGFR(+) cell line; while the 3WJ nanoparticle lose the targeted ability. Both of the two nanoparticles own no sensitivity to lung cancer cell H520 which is an EGFR(-) cell line. Moreover, the 3WJ-EGFRapt nanoparticle encapsulated drug PTX could enhance the inhibition efficiency of chordomas tumor cells U-CH2 as compared to free PTX alone. This work demonstrates that RNA-3WJ constructed with a targeting aptamer provides a compromising targeted drug delivery ability on chordomas cells for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Yongxiong Huang
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Shuaihao Huang
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Jianxiong Zhuang
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - P Chen
- Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China; Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, Canada
| | - Yi Wang
- Nanopeptide (Qingdao) Biotechnology LTD, Qingdao, Shandong 266000, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, Canada.
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5
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Long C, Li G, Zhang C, Jiang T, Li Y, Duan X, Zhong G. B7-H3 as a Target for CAR-T Cell Therapy in Skull Base Chordoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:659662. [PMID: 34868903 PMCID: PMC8634710 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.659662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective chordomas are rare bone tumors with few therapeutic options. Skull base and sacrum are the two most common origin sites. Immunotherapies are emerging as the most promising approaches to fight various cancers. This study tends to identify new cell surface targets for immunotherapeutic options of skull base chordomas. Methods we profiled 45 skull base chordoma clinical samples by immunohistochemistry for the expression of six CAR-Targets (PD-L1, B7-H3, B7-H4, VISTA, HER2 and HER3). In addition, we generated B7-H3 targeted CAR-T-cells and evaluated their antitumor activities in vitro. Results We found that B7-H3 was positively stained in 7 out of 45 (16%) chordoma samples and established an expression hierarchy for these antigens (B7-H3 > HER3 > PD-L1 > HER2 = VISTA = B7-H4). We then generated a B7-H3 targeted CAR vector and demonstrated that B7-H3-CAR-T-cells recognized antigen positive cells and exhibited significant antitumor effects, including suppression of tumor spheroid formation, CAR-T-cell activation and cytokine secretion. Conclusions Our results support B7-H3 might serve as a promising target for CAR-T-cell therapies against chordomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Long
- Orthopedics Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gaowei Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chengyun Zhang
- Orthopedics Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Orthopedics Department, Xiandai Hospital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanjun Li
- Orthopedics Department, Fukang Hospital of Tibet, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Duan
- Orthopedics Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gang Zhong
- Orthopedics Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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6
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Hoke AT, Padget MR, Fabian KP, Nandal A, Gallia GL, Bilusic M, Soon-Shiong P, Hodge JW, London NR. Combinatorial Natural Killer Cell-based Immunotherapy Approaches Selectively Target Chordoma Cancer Stem Cells. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 1:127-139. [PMID: 35765577 PMCID: PMC9236084 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-21-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare tumor derived from notochord remnants that has a propensity to recur and metastasize despite conventional multimodal treatment. Cancer stem cells (CSC) are implicated in chordoma's resistant and recurrent behavior; thus strategies that target CSCs are of particular interest. Using in vitro cytotoxicity models, we demonstrated that anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (N-601) and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (cetuximab) antibodies enhanced lysis of chordoma cells by healthy donor and chordoma patient NK cells through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Treatment of NK cells with an IL-15 superagonist complex (N-803) increased their cytotoxicity against chordoma cells, which was further enhanced by treatment with N-601 and/or cetuximab. PD-L1-targeted chimeric antigen receptor NK cells (PD-L1 t-haNKs) were also effective against chordoma cells. CSCs were preferentially vulnerable to NK cell killing in the presence of N-601 and N-803. Flow cytometric analysis of a chordoma CSC population showed that CSCs expressed significantly more NK activating ligand B7-H6 and PD-L1 than non-CSCs, thus explaining a potential mechanism of selective targeting. These data suggest that chordoma may be effectively targeted by combinatorial NK cell-mediated immunotherapeutic approaches and that the efficacy of these approaches in chordoma and other CSC-driven tumor types should be investigated further in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin T.K. Hoke
- Sinonasal and Skull Base Tumor Program, National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Michelle R. Padget
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kellsye P. Fabian
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Anjali Nandal
- Sinonasal and Skull Base Tumor Program, National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gary L. Gallia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Marijo Bilusic
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - James W. Hodge
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nyall R. London
- Sinonasal and Skull Base Tumor Program, National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Corresponding Author: Nyall R. London Jr., Sinonasal and Skull Base Tumor Program, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders (NIDCD), NIH, 10 Center Drive Room #7N256, Bethesda, MD USA 20892-2320. Phone: 301-402-4216; E-mail:
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7
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Zhao T, Siu IM, Williamson T, Zhang H, Ji C, Burger PC, Connis N, Ruzevick J, Xia M, Cottone L, Flanagan AM, Hann CL, Gallia GL. AZD8055 enhances in vivo efficacy of afatinib in chordomas. J Pathol 2021; 255:72-83. [PMID: 34124783 DOI: 10.1002/path.5739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Chordomas are primary bone tumors that arise in the cranial base, mobile spine, and sacrococcygeal region, affecting patients of all ages. Currently, there are no approved agents for chordoma patients. Here, we evaluated the anti-tumor efficacy of small molecule inhibitors that target oncogenic pathways in chordoma, as single agents and in combination, to identify novel therapeutic approaches with the greatest translational potential. A panel of small molecule compounds was screened in vivo against patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of chordoma, and potentially synergistic combinations were further evaluated using chordoma cell lines and xenograft models. Among the tested agents, inhibitors of EGFR (BIBX 1382, erlotinib, and afatinib), c-MET (crizotinib), and mTOR (AZD8055) significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo but did not induce tumor regression. Co-inhibition of EGFR and c-MET using erlotinib and crizotinib synergistically reduced cell viability in chordoma cell lines but did not result in enhanced in vivo activity. Co-inhibition of EGFR and mTOR pathways using afatinib and AZD8055 synergistically reduced cell viability in chordoma cell lines. Importantly, this dual inhibition completely suppressed tumor growth in vivo, showing improved tumor control. Together, these data demonstrate that individual inhibitors of EGFR, c-MET, and mTOR pathways suppress chordoma growth both in vitro and in vivo. mTOR inhibition increased the efficacy of EGFR inhibition on chordoma growth in several preclinical models. The insights gained from our study potentially provide a novel combination therapeutic strategy for patients with chordoma. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianna Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - I-Mei Siu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tara Williamson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Haoyu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chenchen Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter C Burger
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nick Connis
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Ruzevick
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Menghang Xia
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lucia Cottone
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Adrienne M Flanagan
- Department of Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Histopathology Department, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Christine L Hann
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gary L Gallia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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8
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Yang C, Sun J, Yong L, Liang C, Liu T, Xu Y, Yang J, Liu X. Deficiency of PTEN and CDKN2A Tumor-Suppressor Genes in Conventional and Chondroid Chordomas: Molecular Characteristics and Clinical Relevance. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:4649-4663. [PMID: 32547095 PMCID: PMC7259488 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s252990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chordoma is a malignant tumor predominantly involving the skull base and vertebral column. This study aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics of PTEN and CDKN2A in conventional and chondroid chordomas and their correlation with clinical prognosis. Materials and Methods A total of 42 patients were enrolled, including 26 patients with conventional chordoma and 16 patients with chondroid chordoma. Clinicopathological profiles and tissue specimens were collected. Gene sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed to identify genetic alterations in the PTEN and CDKN2A genes. Immunohistochemical staining was used for semiquantitative evaluation of PTEN and CDKN2A expression. Results Gene sequencing revealed an intron SNP (c.80–96A>G) and a missense mutation (c.10G>A; p.Gly4Arg) in the PTEN gene and a missense mutation (c.442G>A; p.Ala148Thr) in the CDKN2A gene. Loss of the PTEN locus was identified in 25 (59.5%) cases, and loss of the CDKN2A locus was found in 28 (66.7%) cases. There was no significant correlation between progression-free survival (PFS)/overall survival (OS) and loss of PTEN or CDKN2A. The patients with lower PTEN expression showed significantly shorter PFS and OS than those with higher expression, while there was no significant difference in PFS or OS between patients with lower CDKN2A expression and those with higher CDKN2A expression. Conclusion Our findings delineated the genetic landscape and expression of PTEN and CDKN2A in chordomas. PTEN expression may serve as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for chordomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlong Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianjun Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Yong
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Tie Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, People's Republic of China
| | - Yulun Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoguang Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
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9
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D'Agati G, Cabello EM, Frontzek K, Rushing EJ, Klemm R, Robinson MD, White RM, Mosimann C, Burger A. Active receptor tyrosine kinases, but not Brachyury, are sufficient to trigger chordoma in zebrafish. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm.039545. [PMID: 31221659 PMCID: PMC6679381 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.039545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The aberrant activation of developmental processes triggers diverse cancer types. Chordoma is a rare, aggressive tumor arising from transformed notochord remnants. Several potentially oncogenic factors have been found to be deregulated in chordoma, yet causation remains uncertain. In particular, sustained expression of TBXT – encoding the notochord regulator protein brachyury – is hypothesized as a key driver of chordoma, yet experimental evidence is absent. Here, we employ a zebrafish chordoma model to identify the notochord-transforming potential of implicated genes in vivo. We find that Brachyury, including a form with augmented transcriptional activity, is insufficient to initiate notochord hyperplasia. In contrast, the chordoma-implicated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) EGFR and Kdr/VEGFR2 are sufficient to transform notochord cells. Aberrant activation of RTK/Ras signaling attenuates processes required for notochord differentiation, including the unfolded protein response and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways. Our results provide the first in vivo evidence against a tumor-initiating potential of Brachyury in the notochord, and imply activated RTK signaling as a possible initiating event in chordoma. Furthermore, our work points at modulating endoplasmic reticulum and protein stress pathways as possible therapeutic avenues against chordoma. Summary: An injection-based chordoma model in zebrafish shows that the hypothesized chordoma oncogene brachyury is insufficient, whereas EGFR and VEGFR2 are sufficient, to trigger notochord hyperplasia in our model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca D'Agati
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elena María Cabello
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Karl Frontzek
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zürich, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth J Rushing
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zürich, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Robin Klemm
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mark D Robinson
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.,SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Richard M White
- Cancer Biology & Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Christian Mosimann
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Alexa Burger
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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10
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Zhao K, Li X, Chen X, Zhu Q, Yin F, Ruan Q, Xia J, Niu Z. RETRACTED: Inhibition of miR-140-3p or miR-155-5p by antagomir treatment sensitize chordoma cells to chemotherapy drug treatment by increasing PTEN expression. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 854:298-306. [PMID: 30980798 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).
This article has been retracted at the request of the authors and the Editor-in-Chief as the validity of the data cannot be guaranteed. The journal was initially contacted by the corresponding author to report that, when the authors verified post publication PTEN as their former target of miR-140-3p, they found that treatment with miR-140-3p or miR-155-5p antagomir increased PTEN protein levels in patient-derived chordoma cells without having a significant effect on the malignancy of the tumor cells.
The journal further requested the author to provide more information about their post publication findings with regard to this article. However, the author was not able to fulfil this request.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunchi Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, PR China
| | - Xuefeng Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, PR China
| | - Xinxin Chen
- Department of Nursing, Changchun Obstetrics-Gynecology Hospital, Changchun, 130042, PR China
| | - Qingsan Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, PR China.
| | - Fei Yin
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, PR China
| | - Qing Ruan
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, PR China
| | - Jidong Xia
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, PR China
| | - Zefeng Niu
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, PR China
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11
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Liang C, Ma Y, Yong L, Yang C, Wang P, Liu X, Zhu B, Zhou H, Liu X, Liu Z. Y-box binding protein-1 promotes tumorigenesis and progression via the epidermal growth factor receptor/AKT pathway in spinal chordoma. Cancer Sci 2018; 110:166-179. [PMID: 30426615 PMCID: PMC6317961 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordomas are rare bone tumors with a poor prognosis and no approved targeted therapy. Y‐box binding protein‐1 (YBX1) promotes tumor growth, invasion and drug resistance. However, the role of YBX1 in chordoma is unclear. In this study, we examined the expression of YBX1 using immunohistochemistry and found that YBX1 was significantly upregulated in 32 chordoma tissues compared to distant normal tissues. In addition, YBX1 upregulation was associated with surrounding tissue invasion, recurrence and poor prognosis. Biological function studies demonstrated that YBX1 promoted cell proliferation and invasion, accelerated G1/S phase transition, and inhibited apoptosis. Further investigation revealed that YBX1 enhanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) transcription by directly binding to its promoter in chordoma cells. YBX1 regulated protein expression of p‐EGFR, p‐AKT and its downstream target genes that influenced cell apoptosis, cell cycle transition and cell invasion. YBX1 activated the EGFR/AKT pathway in chordoma and YBX1‐induced elevated expression of key molecules in the EGFR/AKT pathway were downregulated by EGFR and AKT pathway inhibitors. These in vitro results were further confirmed by in vivo data. These data showed that YBX1 promoted tumorigenesis and progression in spinal chordoma via the EGFR/AKT pathway. YBX1 might serve as a prognostic and predictive biomarker, as well as a rational therapeutic target, for chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liang
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yunlong Ma
- Center for Pain Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Yong
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chenlong Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Center for Pain Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoguang Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongjun Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
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12
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Du J, Xu L, Cui Y, Liu Z, Su Y, Li G. Benign notochordal cell tumour: clinicopathology and molecular profiling of 13 cases. J Clin Pathol 2018; 72:66-74. [DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2018-205441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AimsTo study the clinicopathological and molecular features of benign notochordal cell tumours (BNCTs) and their differential diagnosis from chordoma.Methods13 cases of BNCT were investigated. The genome-wide copy number imbalances were performed using Oncoscan CNV array in three cases and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/chromosome 7 enumeration probe (CEP7), LSI1p36/1q21, LSI19p13/19q13, CEP3/CEP12 and Telvysion 6 P was performed in 13 cases.ResultsAll 13 BNCTs were symptomatic and eight cases showed a close relationship with the bones of the skull base. The important histological character for differential diagnosis with chordoma was the absence of extracellular matrix and eosinophil cells and the presence of vacuoles in most tumour cells. Immunohistochemical staining of AE1/AE3, vimentin, epithelial membrane antigen, S-100 and brachyury (100% each) were positive in BNCTs. Gain of chromosome 7 occurred in 10 cases (76.9%), gain of 1p in four (30.8%), gain of 1q in five (38.5%), gain of 19p and 19q in five (38.5%), gain of chromosome 12 in 11 cases (84.6%), gain of 6p in eight (61.5%) and gain of chromosome 3 in four cases (30.8%).ConclusionsIn contrast to chordoma, chromosome gain or normal copy number was more common while chromosome loss was infrequent in BNCTs. This may be a differential diagnosis clue for chordoma and may be an important characteristic in the progression of notochordal cell tumours.
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13
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Magnaghi P, Salom B, Cozzi L, Amboldi N, Ballinari D, Tamborini E, Gasparri F, Montagnoli A, Raddrizzani L, Somaschini A, Bosotti R, Orrenius C, Bozzi F, Pilotti S, Galvani A, Sommer J, Stacchiotti S, Isacchi A. Afatinib Is a New Therapeutic Approach in Chordoma with a Unique Ability to Target EGFR and Brachyury. Mol Cancer Ther 2017; 17:603-613. [DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-17-0324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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14
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Jäger D, Lechel A, Tharehalli U, Seeling C, Möller P, Barth TFE, Mellert K. U-CH17P, -M and -S, a new cell culture system for tumor diversity and progression in chordoma. Int J Cancer 2017; 142:1369-1378. [PMID: 29148152 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare bone tumor with a known intrinsic heterogeneity. Here, we address this tumor heterogeneity in a new cell culture model for tumor diversity and progression in chordoma. The three cell lines U-CH17P, U-CH17M, and U-CH17S were established from a primary sacral chordoma and its derived metastases, a soft tissue and a skin metastasis, respectively. The lesions had divergent differentiation patterns which are conserved in the derived cell lines making them a suitable in vitro model for the analysis of tumorigenesis in chordoma. A common feature of the three cell lines is the expression of typical chordoma markers, such as Brachyury, vimentin, cytokeratins, EMA and S100 protein. A comparison of the genomic aberrations by array comparative genomic hybridization of the cell lines and the corresponding parental tumor tissues revealed that the precursor cells of U-CH17P, U-CH17M and U-CH17S were already present in the primary tumor. Therefore, we show that clonal diversity of this chordoma exists in the primary tumor and that not all of these subclones tend to metastasize. All cell lines had a CDKN2A loss. A comparison of the gene expression profiles of the cell lines revealed significant differences in the expression of several genes like MAGEC2 and SEMA6A known to be associated with the tendency to metastasize or proliferation and migration. Since the underlying mechanisms of tumor progression in chordoma are still largely unclear, the three U-CH17 cell lines are a suitable in vitro model for elucidating chordoma oncobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Jäger
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - A Lechel
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - U Tharehalli
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - C Seeling
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - P Möller
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - T F E Barth
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - K Mellert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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15
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Bosotti R, Magnaghi P, Di Bella S, Cozzi L, Cusi C, Bozzi F, Beltrami N, Carapezza G, Ballinari D, Amboldi N, Lupi R, Somaschini A, Raddrizzani L, Salom B, Galvani A, Stacchiotti S, Tamborini E, Isacchi A. Establishment and genomic characterization of the new chordoma cell line Chor-IN-1. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9226. [PMID: 28835717 PMCID: PMC5569021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10044-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordomas are rare, slowly growing tumors with high medical need, arising in the axial skeleton from notochord remnants. The transcription factor "brachyury" represents a distinctive molecular marker and a key oncogenic driver of chordomas. Tyrosine kinase receptors are also expressed, but so far kinase inhibitors have not shown clear clinical efficacy in chordoma patients. The need for effective therapies is extremely high, but the paucity of established chordoma cell lines has limited preclinical research. Here we describe the isolation of the new Chor-IN-1 cell line from a recurrent sacral chordoma and its characterization as compared to other chordoma cell lines. Chor-IN-1 displays genomic identity to the tumor of origin and has morphological features, growth characteristics and chromosomal abnormalities typical of chordoma, with expression of brachyury and other relevant biomarkers. Chor-IN-1 gene variants, copy number alterations and kinome gene expression were analyzed in comparison to other four chordoma cell lines, generating large scale DNA and mRNA genomic data that can be exploited for the identification of novel pharmacological targets and candidate predictive biomarkers of drug sensitivity in chordoma. The establishment of this new, well characterized chordoma cell line provides a useful tool for the identification of drugs active in chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paola Magnaghi
- Oncology, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Nerviano, (MI), Italy
| | | | - Liviana Cozzi
- Oncology, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Nerviano, (MI), Italy
| | - Carlo Cusi
- Oncology, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Nerviano, (MI), Italy
| | - Fabio Bozzi
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Nadia Amboldi
- Oncology, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Nerviano, (MI), Italy
| | - Rosita Lupi
- Oncology, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Nerviano, (MI), Italy
| | | | | | - Barbara Salom
- Oncology, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Nerviano, (MI), Italy
| | - Arturo Galvani
- Oncology, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Nerviano, (MI), Italy
| | | | - Elena Tamborini
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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16
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Yamaguchi T, Imada H, Iida S, Szuhai K. Notochordal Tumors: An Update on Molecular Pathology with Therapeutic Implications. Surg Pathol Clin 2017; 10:637-656. [PMID: 28797506 DOI: 10.1016/j.path.2017.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent molecular investigations of chordoma show common expression of various receptor tyrosine kinases and activation of downstream signaling pathways contributing to tumor growth and progression. The transcription factor brachyury (also known as T) is important in notochord differentiation, and germline duplication of the gene is often found in familial chordomas. Nuclear expression of brachyury is consistent in chordoma and in benign notochordal cell tumor. Based on the molecular evidence, targeting of several kinds of molecular agents has been attempted for the treatment of uncontrolled chordomas and achieved partial response or stable condition in many cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takehiko Yamaguchi
- Department of Pathology, Koshigaya Hospital, Dokkyo Medical University, 2-1-50 Minami-Koshigaya, Koshigaya, Saitama 343-8555, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Imada
- Department of Pathology, Koshigaya Hospital, Dokkyo Medical University, 2-1-50 Minami-Koshigaya, Koshigaya, Saitama 343-8555, Japan
| | - Shun Iida
- Department of Pathology, Koshigaya Hospital, Dokkyo Medical University, 2-1-50 Minami-Koshigaya, Koshigaya, Saitama 343-8555, Japan
| | - Karoly Szuhai
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box: 9600, Post Zone: R-01-P, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
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17
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Jäger D, Barth TFE, Brüderlein S, Scheuerle A, Rinner B, von Witzleben A, Lechel A, Meyer P, Mayer-Steinacker R, Baer AV, Schultheiss M, Wirtz CR, Möller P, Mellert K. HOXA7, HOXA9, and HOXA10 are differentially expressed in clival and sacral chordomas. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2032. [PMID: 28515451 PMCID: PMC5435709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02174-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordomas are rare tumours of the bone arising along the spine from clivus to sacrum. We compared three chordoma cell lines of the clivus region including the newly established clivus chordoma cell line, U-CH14, with nine chordoma cell lines originating from sacral primaries by morphology, on genomic and expression levels and with patient samples from our chordoma tissue bank. Clinically, chordomas of the clivus were generally smaller in size at presentation and patients with sacral chordomas had more metastases and more often recurrent disease. All chordoma cell lines had a typical physaliphorous morphology and expressed brachyury, S100-protein and cytokeratin. By expression analyses we detected differentially expressed genes in the clivus derived cell lines as compared to the sacral cell lines. Among these were HOXA7, HOXA9, and HOXA10 known to be important for the development of the anterior-posterior body axis. These results were confirmed by qPCR. Immunohistologically, clivus chordomas had no or very low levels of HOXA10 protein while sacral chordomas showed a strong nuclear positivity in all samples analysed. This differential expression of HOX genes in chordomas of the clivus and sacrum suggests an oncofetal mechanism in gene regulation linked to the anatomic site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Jäger
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Beate Rinner
- Division of Biomedical Research, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - André Lechel
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Patrick Meyer
- Department of Dermatology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter Möller
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Kevin Mellert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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18
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Genetic aberrations and molecular biology of skull base chordoma and chondrosarcoma. Brain Tumor Pathol 2017; 34:78-90. [PMID: 28432450 DOI: 10.1007/s10014-017-0283-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chordomas and chondrosarcomas are two major malignant bone neoplasms located at the skull base. These tumors are rarely metastatic, but can be locally invasive and resistant to conventional chemotherapies and radiotherapies. Accordingly, therapeutic approaches for the treatment of these tumors can be difficult. Additionally, their location at the skull base makes them problematic. Although accurate diagnosis of these tumors is important because of their distinct prognoses, distinguishing between these tumor types is difficult due to overlapping radiological and histopathological findings. However, recent accumulation of molecular and genetic studies, including extracranial location analysis, has provided us clues for accurate diagnosis. In this report, we review the genetic aberrations and molecular biology of these two tumor types. Among the abundant genetic features of these tumors, brachyury immunohistochemistry and direct sequencing of IDH1/2 are simple and useful techniques that can be used to distinguish between these tumors. Although it is still unclear why these tumors, which have such distinct genetic backgrounds, show similar histopathological findings, comparison of their genetic backgrounds could provide essential information.
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19
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Clinical Decision Making: Integrating Advances in the Molecular Understanding of Spine Tumors. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2016; 41 Suppl 20:S171-S177. [PMID: 27488298 DOI: 10.1097/brs.0000000000001836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Literature review. OBJECTIVE To describe advancements in molecular techniques, biomarkers, technology, and targeted therapeutics and the potential these modalities hold to predict treatment paradigms, clinical outcomes, and/or survival in patients diagnosed with primary spinal column tumors. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Advances in molecular technologies and techniques have influenced the prevention, diagnosis, and overall management of patients diagnosed with cancer. Assessment of genomic, proteomic alterations, epigenetic, and posttranslational modifications as well as developments in diagnostic modalities and targeted therapeutics, although the best studied in nonspinal metastatic disease, have led to increased understanding of spine oncology that is expected to improve patient outcomes. In this manuscript, the technological advancements that are expected to change the landscape of spinal oncology are discussed with a focus on how these technologies will aid in clinical decision-making for patients diagnosed with primary spinal tumors. METHODS A review of the literature was performed focusing on studies that integrated next-generation sequencing, circulating tumor cells/circulating tumor DNA, advances in imaging modalities and/or radiotherapy in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. RESULTS We discuss genetic and epigenetic drivers, aberrations in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, and emerging therapeutic strategies that include receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, immunotherapy strategies, and vaccine-based cancer prevention strategies. CONCLUSION The wide range of approaches currently in use and the emerging technologies yet to be fully realized will allow for better development of rationale therapeutics to improve patient outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE N/A.
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20
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Scheipl S, Barnard M, Cottone L, Jorgensen M, Drewry DH, Zuercher WJ, Turlais F, Ye H, Leite AP, Smith JA, Leithner A, Möller P, Brüderlein S, Guppy N, Amary F, Tirabosco R, Strauss SJ, Pillay N, Flanagan AM. EGFR inhibitors identified as a potential treatment for chordoma in a focused compound screen. J Pathol 2016; 239:320-34. [PMID: 27102572 PMCID: PMC4922416 DOI: 10.1002/path.4729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare malignant bone tumour with a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. We undertook a focused compound screen (FCS) against 1097 compounds on three well-characterized chordoma cell lines; 154 compounds were selected from the single concentration screen (1 µm), based on their growth-inhibitory effect. Their half-maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) values were determined in chordoma cells and normal fibroblasts. Twenty-seven of these compounds displayed chordoma selective cell kill and 21/27 (78%) were found to be EGFR/ERBB family inhibitors. EGFR inhibitors in clinical development were then studied on an extended cell line panel of seven chordoma cell lines, four of which were sensitive to EGFR inhibition. Sapitinib (AstraZeneca) emerged as the lead compound, followed by gefitinib (AstraZeneca) and erlotinib (Roche/Genentech). The compounds were shown to induce apoptosis in the sensitive cell lines and suppressed phospho-EGFR and its downstream pathways in a dose-dependent manner. Analysis of substituent patterns suggested that EGFR-inhibitors with small aniline substituents in the 4-position of the quinazoline ring were more effective than inhibitors with large substituents in that position. Sapitinib showed significantly reduced tumour growth in two xenograft mouse models (U-CH1 xenograft and a patient-derived xenograft, SF8894). One of the resistant cell lines (U-CH2) was shown to express high levels of phospho-MET, a known bypass signalling pathway to EGFR. Neither amplifications (EGFR, ERBB2, MET) nor mutations in EGFR, ERBB2, ERBB4, PIK3CA, BRAF, NRAS, KRAS, PTEN, MET or other cancer gene hotspots were detected in the cell lines. Our findings are consistent with the reported (p-)EGFR expression in the majority of clinical samples, and provide evidence for exploring the efficacy of EGFR inhibitors in the treatment of patients with chordoma and studying possible resistance mechanisms to these compounds in vitro and in vivo. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Scheipl
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Department of Orthopaedics and Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Michelle Barnard
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research Technology Discovery Laboratories, Cambridge, UK
- CRUK-MedImmune Alliance Laboratory, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lucia Cottone
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | | | - David H Drewry
- GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- SGC-UNC, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William J Zuercher
- GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- SGC-UNC, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Fabrice Turlais
- Cancer Research Technology Discovery Laboratories, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hongtao Ye
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Ana P Leite
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - James A Smith
- Cancer Research Technology Discovery Laboratories, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andreas Leithner
- Department of Orthopaedics and Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | | | | | - Naomi Guppy
- University College London Advanced Diagnostics, London, UK
| | - Fernanda Amary
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Roberto Tirabosco
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | | | - Nischalan Pillay
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
| | - Adrienne M Flanagan
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK
- University College London Advanced Diagnostics, London, UK
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21
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Sun X, Hornicek F, Schwab JH. Chordoma: an update on the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 2016; 8:344-52. [PMID: 26493697 DOI: 10.1007/s12178-015-9311-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare low-grade primary malignant skeletal tumor, which is presumed to derive from notochord remnants. The pathogenesis of chordoma has not been fully elucidated. However, recent advances in the molecular biology studies have identified brachyury underlying the initiation and progression of chordoma cells. More efforts have been made on accumulating evidence of the notochordal origin of chordoma, discovering signaling pathways and identifying crucial targets in chordomagenesis. In this review, we summarize the most recent research findings and focus on the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Sun
- Section of Orthopedic Oncology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 355 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Francis Hornicek
- Section of Orthopedic Oncology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 355 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Joseph H Schwab
- Section of Orthopedic Oncology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 355 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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22
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von Witzleben A, Goerttler LT, Marienfeld R, Barth H, Lechel A, Mellert K, Böhm M, Kornmann M, Mayer-Steinacker R, von Baer A, Schultheiss M, Flanagan AM, Möller P, Brüderlein S, Barth TF. Preclinical Characterization of Novel Chordoma Cell Systems and Their Targeting by Pharmocological Inhibitors of the CDK4/6 Cell-Cycle Pathway. Cancer Res 2015; 75:3823-31. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-3270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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23
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Houessinon A, Boone M, Constans JM, Toussaint P, Chauffert B. Sustained response of a clivus chordoma to erlotinib after imatinib failure. Case Rep Oncol 2015; 8:25-9. [PMID: 25762924 PMCID: PMC4342859 DOI: 10.1159/000371843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare malignant axial tumour that develops from embryonic remnants of the notochord. Surgery and irradiation are the standard initial treatment. However, local recurrence is frequent and cytotoxic chemotherapy is inefficient. Transient activity of imatinib, a platelet-derived growth factor receptor inhibitor, was described in a phase II study. Activity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors (erlotinib, gefitinib) has also been shown in a few recent case reports. We describe a 68-year-old female in whom clivus chordoma recurred after surgery and radiotherapy. The tumour progressed despite imatinib treatment. A partial and sustained response (28+ months) was obtained using erlotinib, an EGFR inhibitor. Erlotinib should be evaluated in a prospective trial investigating new potential therapies against recurrent chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mathieu Boone
- University Hospital, Department of Oncology CHU, Amiens, France
| | | | | | - Bruno Chauffert
- University Hospital, Department of Oncology CHU, Amiens, France
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24
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Scheil-Bertram S. [Novel molecular aspects of chordomas]. DER PATHOLOGE 2014; 35 Suppl 2:237-41. [PMID: 25394972 DOI: 10.1007/s00292-014-1986-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Chordomas are rare and slowly growing malignant bone tumors which mostly occur in adults. These bone tumors are characterized by epithelial and mesenchymal aspects. It is suggested that they arise from remnants of the notochord because they are found along the axial skeleton (e.g. clival, spinal and sacrococcygeal locations). It appears that cytogenetic aberrations are not randomly found in this tumor group. Loss of chromosomal material (e.g. 1p, 3p, 10q, 13q and 14q) is more frequently found than gain of material (e.g. 7q, especially 7q33). Several studies demonstrated brachyury expression (T; 6q27) as a possible candidate gene in the oncogenesis of chordomas (e.g. knock down in the chordoma cell line U-CH1). So far therapy consists of complete resection and irradiation, e.g. with carbon ions. Targeting therapy is not yet established in routine protocols but phase II studies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors have shown partial response of tumors and, in some studies stabilization of the disease has been described.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Scheil-Bertram
- Institut für Pathologie und Zytologie, Dr. Horst Schmidt Klinik GmbH, Ludwig-Erhard-Str. 100, 65199, Wiesbaden, Deutschland,
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25
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Wang H, Yang Q, Fu Z, Zuo D, Hua Y, Cai Z. ErbB receptors as prognostic and therapeutic drug targets in bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Cancer Invest 2014; 32:533-42. [PMID: 25347730 DOI: 10.3109/07357907.2014.964409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
ErbB receptors have been intensely studied to understand their importance in cancer biology and as therapeutic targets, and many ErbB inhibitors are now used in the clinical setting. A large number of studies have been conducted to examine the expression of ErbB family members in bone and soft tissue sarcomas, including osteosarcomas, synovial sarcomas, Ewing sarcomas, rhabdomyosarcomas, and so on. Nevertheless, the clinical implications of ErbB receptors remain elusive. To illustrate the potential of ErbB family members as prognostic and therapeutic drug targets in bone and soft tissue sarcomas, we summarized the molecular evidence and observations from clinical and basic trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongsheng Wang
- 1Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai 1st People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
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Asklund T, Sandström M, Shahidi S, Riklund K, Henriksson R. Durable stabilization of three chordoma cases by bevacizumab and erlotinib. Acta Oncol 2014; 53:980-4. [PMID: 24456503 DOI: 10.3109/0284186x.2013.878472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T Asklund
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
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27
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George B, Bresson D, Bouazza S, Froelich S, Mandonnet E, Hamdi S, Orabi M, Polivka M, Cazorla A, Adle-Biassette H, Guichard JP, Duet M, Gayat E, Vallée F, Canova CH, Riet F, Bolle S, Calugaru V, Dendale R, Mazeron JJ, Feuvret L, Boissier E, Vignot S, Puget S, Sainte-Rose C, Beccaria K. [Chordoma]. Neurochirurgie 2014; 60:63-140. [PMID: 24856008 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuchi.2014.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Revised: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSES To review in the literature, all the epidemiological, clinical, radiological, histological and therapeutic data regarding chordomas as well as various notochordal entities: ecchordosis physaliphora, intradural and intraparenchymatous chordomas, benign notochordal cell tumors, parachordomas and extra-axial chordomas. To identify different types of chordomas, including familial forms, associations with tuberous sclerosis, Ollier's disease and Maffucci's syndrome, forms with metastasis and seeding. To assess the recent data regarding molecular biology and progress in targeted therapy. To compare the different types of radiotherapy, especially protontherapy and their therapeutic effects. To review the largest series of chordomas in their different localizations (skull base, sacrum and mobile spine) from the literature. MATERIALS The series of 136 chordomas treated and followed up over 20 years (1972-2012) in the department of neurosurgery at Lariboisière hospital is reviewed. It includes: 58 chordomas of the skull base, 47 of the craniocervical junction, 23 of the cervical spine and 8 from the lombosacral region. Similarly, 31 chordomas in children (less than 18 years of age), observed in the departments of neurosurgery of les Enfants-Malades and Lariboisière hospitals, are presented. They were observed between 1976 and 2010 and were located intracranially (n=22 including 13 with cervical extension), 4 at the craniocervical junction level and 5 in the cervical spine. METHODS In the entire Lariboisière series and in the different groups of localization, different parameters were analyzed: the delay of diagnosis, of follow-up, of occurrence of metastasis, recurrence and death, the number of primary patients and patients referred to us after progression or recurrence and the number of deaths, recurrences and metastases. The influence of the quality of resection (total, subtotal and partial) on the prognosis is also presented. Kaplan-Meier actuarial curves of overall survival and disease free survival were performed in the entire series, including the different groups of localization based on the following 4 parameters: age, primary and secondary patients, quality of resection and protontherapy. In the pediatric series, a similar analysis was carried-out but was limited by the small number of patients in the subgroups. RESULTS In the Lariboisière series, the mean delay of diagnosis is 10 months and the mean follow-up is 80 months in each group. The delay before recurrence, metastasis and death is always better for the skull base chordomas and worse for those of the craniocervical junction, which have similar results to those of the cervical spine. Similar figures were observed as regards the number of deaths, metastases and recurrences. Quality of resection is the major factor of prognosis with 20.5 % of deaths and 28 % of recurrences after total resection as compared to 52.5 % and 47.5 % after subtotal resection. This is still more obvious in the group of skull base chordomas. Adding protontherapy to a total resection can still improve the results but there is no change after subtotal resection. The actuarial curve of overall survival shows a clear cut in the slope with some chordomas having a fast evolution towards recurrence and death in less than 4 years and others having a long survival of sometimes more than 20 years. Also, age has no influence on the prognosis. In primary patients, disease free survival is better than in secondary patients but not in overall survival. Protontherapy only improves the overall survival in the entire series and in the skull base group. Total resection improves both the overall and disease free survival in each group. Finally, the adjunct of protontherapy after total resection is clearly demonstrated. In the pediatric series, the median follow-up is 5.7 years. Overall survival and disease free survival are respectively 63 % and 54.3 %. Factors of prognosis are the histological type (atypical forms), localization (worse for the cervical spine and better for the clivus) and again it will depend on the quality of resection. CONCLUSIONS Many different pathologies derived from the notochord can be observed: some are remnants, some may be precursors of chordomas and some have similar features but are probably not genuine chordomas. To-day, immuno-histological studies should permit to differentiate them from real chordomas. Improving knowledge of molecular biology raises hopes for complementary treatments but to date the quality of surgical resection is still the main factor of prognosis. Complementary protontherapy seems useful, especially in skull base chordomas, which have better overall results than those of the craniocervical junction and of the cervical spine. However, we are still lacking an intrinsic marker of evolution to differentiate the slow growing chordomas with an indolent evolution from aggressive types leading rapidly to recurrence and death on which more aggressive treatments should be applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- B George
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France.
| | - D Bresson
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - S Bouazza
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - S Froelich
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - E Mandonnet
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - S Hamdi
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - M Orabi
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - M Polivka
- Service d'anatomopathologie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - A Cazorla
- Service d'anatomopathologie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - H Adle-Biassette
- Service d'anatomopathologie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - J-P Guichard
- Service de neuroradiologie, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - M Duet
- Service de médecine nucléaire, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - E Gayat
- Service d'anesthésie-réanimation, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - F Vallée
- Service d'anesthésie-réanimation, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France
| | - C-H Canova
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - F Riet
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - S Bolle
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - V Calugaru
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - R Dendale
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - J-J Mazeron
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - L Feuvret
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - E Boissier
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - S Vignot
- Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, institut Gustave-Roussy, institut Curie, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - S Puget
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Necker, 149, rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris, France
| | - C Sainte-Rose
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Necker, 149, rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris, France
| | - K Beccaria
- Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital Necker, 149, rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris, France
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Zhang Y, Schiff D, Park D, Abounader R. MicroRNA-608 and microRNA-34a regulate chordoma malignancy by targeting EGFR, Bcl-xL and MET. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91546. [PMID: 24621885 PMCID: PMC3951453 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordomas are rare malignant tumors that originate from the notochord remnants and occur in the skull base, spine and sacrum. Due to a very limited understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of chordoma, there are no adjuvant and molecular therapies besides surgical resection and radiation therapy. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding regulatory RNA molecules with critical roles in cancer. The role of miRNAs in chordomas is mostly unknown. We uncover microRNA-608 (miR-608) and microRNA-34a (miR-34a) as novel tumor suppressive microRNAs that regulate malignancy in chordoma. We find that miR-608 and miR-34a expressions are downregulated in human chordoma cell lines and primary cells at least partially via alteration of their genes' copy numbers. We identify the commonly deregulated oncogenes EGFR and Bcl-xL as direct targets of miR-608 and the receptor tyrosine kinase MET as direct target of miR-34a. We show that EGFR and MET activations promote chordoma cell proliferation and invasion and that pharmacological inhibition of EGFR and MET inhibits chordoma cell proliferation and survival. We demonstrate that restoration of miR-608 and miR-34a inhibits cell proliferation and invasion and induces apoptosis in chordoma cells. We find that miR-34a inversely correlates with MET expression and miR-608 inversely correlates with EGFR expression in chordoma cells. These findings demonstrate for the first time that miR-608 and miR-34a regulate chordoma malignancy by regulating EGFR, MET and Bcl-xL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Departments of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (YZ); (RA)
| | - David Schiff
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Deric Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Roger Abounader
- Departments of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (YZ); (RA)
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Scheil-Bertram S, Kappler R, von Baer A, Hartwig E, Sarkar M, Serra M, Brüderlein S, Westhoff B, Melzner I, Bassaly B, Herms J, Hugo HH, Schulte M, Möller P. Molecular profiling of chordoma. Int J Oncol 2014; 44:1041-55. [PMID: 24452533 PMCID: PMC3977807 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2014.2268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular basis of chordoma is still poorly understood, particularly with respect to differentially expressed genes involved in the primary origin of chordoma. In this study, therefore, we compared the transcriptional expression profile of one sacral chordoma recurrence, two chordoma cell lines (U-CH1 and U-CH2) and one chondrosarcoma cell line (U-CS2) with vertebral disc using a high-density oligonucleotide array. The expression of 65 genes whose mRNA levels differed significantly (p<0.001; ≥6-fold change) between chordoma and control (vertebral disc) was identified. Genes with increased expression in chordoma compared to control and chondrosarcoma were most frequently located on chromosomes 2 (11%), 5 (8%), 1 and 7 (each 6%), whereas interphase cytogenetics of 33 chordomas demonstrated gains of chromosomal material most prevalent on 7q (42%), 12q (21%), 17q (21%), 20q (27%) and 22q (21%). The microarray data were confirmed for selected genes by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. As in other studies, we showed the expression of brachyury. We demonstrate the expression of new potential candidates for chordoma tumorigenesis, such as CD24, ECRG4, RARRES2, IGFBP2, RAP1, HAI2, RAB38, osteopontin, GalNAc-T3, VAMP8 and others. Thus, we identified and validated a set of interesting candidate genes whose differential expression likely plays a role in chordoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roland Kappler
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandra von Baer
- Department of Orthopedic Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospitals of Ulm, Germany
| | - Erich Hartwig
- Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Ev. Diakonissenanstalt, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Michael Sarkar
- Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Karl-Olga-Krankenhaus, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Massimo Serra
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Orthopedic Rizzoli Institute, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Ingo Melzner
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospitals of Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Jochen Herms
- Department of Translational Brain Research, DZNE (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases) and Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Michael Schulte
- Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, Diakoniekrankenhaus, Rotenburg (Wümme), Germany
| | - Peter Möller
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospitals of Ulm, Germany
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30
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Burger A, Vasilyev A, Tomar R, Selig MK, Nielsen GP, Peterson RT, Drummond IA, Haber DA. A zebrafish model of chordoma initiated by notochord-driven expression of HRASV12. Dis Model Mech 2013; 7:907-13. [PMID: 24311731 PMCID: PMC4073279 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.013128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chordoma is a malignant tumor thought to arise from remnants of the embryonic notochord, with its origin in the bones of the axial skeleton. Surgical resection is the standard treatment, usually in combination with radiation therapy, but neither chemotherapeutic nor targeted therapeutic approaches have demonstrated success. No animal model and only few chordoma cell lines are available for preclinical drug testing, and, although no druggable genetic drivers have been identified, activation of EGFR and downstream AKT-PI3K pathways have been described. Here, we report a zebrafish model of chordoma, based on stable transgene-driven expression of HRASV12 in notochord cells during development. Extensive intra-notochordal tumor formation is evident within days of transgene expression, ultimately leading to larval death. The zebrafish tumors share characteristics of human chordoma as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. The mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin, which has some demonstrated activity in a chordoma cell line, delays the onset of tumor formation in our zebrafish model, and improves survival of tumor-bearing fish. Consequently, the HRASV12-driven zebrafish model of chordoma could enable high-throughput screening of potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of this refractory cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Burger
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Aleksandr Vasilyev
- Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Department of Biomedical Sciences, NYIT COM, Old Westbury, New York, NY 11568, USA
| | - Ritu Tomar
- Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Martin K Selig
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - G Petur Nielsen
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Randall T Peterson
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Iain A Drummond
- Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Daniel A Haber
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
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31
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Siu IM, Ruzevick J, Zhao Q, Connis N, Jiao Y, Bettegowda C, Xia X, Burger PC, Hann CL, Gallia GL. Erlotinib inhibits growth of a patient-derived chordoma xenograft. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78895. [PMID: 24260133 PMCID: PMC3829812 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chordomas are rare primary bone tumors that occur along the neuraxis. Primary treatment is surgery, often followed by radiotherapy. Treatment options for patients with recurrence are limited and, notably, there are no FDA approved therapeutic agents. Development of therapeutic options has been limited by the paucity of preclinical model systems. We have established and previously reported the initial characterization of the first patient-derived chordoma xenograft model. In this study, we further characterize this model and demonstrate that it continues to resemble the original patient tumor histologically and immunohistochemically, maintains nuclear expression of brachyury, and is highly concordant with the original patient tumor by whole genome genotyping. Pathway analysis of this xenograft demonstrates activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In vitro studies demonstrate that two small molecule inhibitors of EGFR, erlotinib and gefitinib, inhibit proliferation of the chordoma cell line U-CH 1. We further demonstrate that erlotinib significantly inhibits chordoma growth in vivo. Evaluation of tumors post-treatment reveals that erlotinib reduces phosphorylation of EGFR. This is the first demonstration of antitumor activity in a patient-derived chordoma xenograft model and these findings support further evaluation of EGFR inhibitors in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Mei Siu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jacob Ruzevick
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nick Connis
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yuchen Jiao
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Chetan Bettegowda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Xuewei Xia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Gulin Medical College, Guilin, China
| | - Peter C. Burger
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christine L. Hann
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gary L. Gallia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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32
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Trucco MM, Awad O, Wilky BA, Goldstein SD, Huang R, Walker RL, Shah P, Katuri V, Gul N, Zhu YJ, McCarthy EF, Paz-Priel I, Meltzer PS, Austin CP, Xia M, Loeb DM. A novel chordoma xenograft allows in vivo drug testing and reveals the importance of NF-κB signaling in chordoma biology. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79950. [PMID: 24223206 PMCID: PMC3819300 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare primary bone malignancy that arises in the skull base, spine and sacrum and originates from remnants of the notochord. These tumors are typically resistant to conventional chemotherapy, and to date there are no FDA-approved agents to treat chordoma. The lack of in vivo models of chordoma has impeded the development of new therapies for this tumor. Primary tumor from a sacral chordoma was xenografted into NOD/SCID/IL-2R γ-null mice. The xenograft is serially transplantable and was characterized by both gene expression analysis and whole genome SNP genotyping. The NIH Chemical Genomics Center performed high-throughput screening of 2,816 compounds using two established chordoma cell lines, U-CH1 and U-CH2B. The screen yielded several compounds that showed activity and two, sunitinib and bortezomib, were tested in the xenograft. Both agents slowed the growth of the xenograft tumor. Sensitivity to an inhibitor of IκB, as well as inhibition of an NF-κB gene expression signature demonstrated the importance of NF-κB signaling for chordoma growth. This serially transplantable chordoma xenograft is thus a practical model to study chordomas and perform in vivo preclinical drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo M. Trucco
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ola Awad
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Breelyn A. Wilky
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Seth D. Goldstein
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ruili Huang
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robert L. Walker
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Preeti Shah
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Varalakshmi Katuri
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Naheed Gul
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yuelin J. Zhu
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Edward F. McCarthy
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ido Paz-Priel
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Paul S. Meltzer
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christopher P. Austin
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Menghang Xia
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - David M. Loeb
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Nelson AC, Pillay N, Henderson S, Presneau N, Tirabosco R, Halai D, Berisha F, Flicek P, Stemple DL, Stern CD, Wardle FC, Flanagan AM. An integrated functional genomics approach identifies the regulatory network directed by brachyury (T) in chordoma. J Pathol 2012; 228:274-85. [PMID: 22847733 PMCID: PMC6089345 DOI: 10.1002/path.4082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Revised: 06/16/2012] [Accepted: 07/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare malignant tumour of bone, the molecular marker of which is the expression of the transcription factor, brachyury. Having recently demonstrated that silencing brachyury induces growth arrest in a chordoma cell line, we now seek to identify its downstream target genes. Here we use an integrated functional genomics approach involving shRNA-mediated brachyury knockdown, gene expression microarray, ChIP-seq experiments, and bioinformatics analysis to achieve this goal. We confirm that the T-box binding motif of human brachyury is identical to that found in mouse, Xenopus, and zebrafish development, and that brachyury acts primarily as an activator of transcription. Using human chordoma samples for validation purposes, we show that brachyury binds 99 direct targets and indirectly influences the expression of 64 other genes, thereby acting as a master regulator of an elaborate oncogenic transcriptional network encompassing diverse signalling pathways including components of the cell cycle, and extracellular matrix components. Given the wide repertoire of its active binding and the relative specific localization of brachyury to the tumour cells, we propose that an RNA interference-based gene therapy approach is a plausible therapeutic avenue worthy of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Nelson
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt’s House, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Nischalan Pillay
- Cancer Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4LP, UK
| | | | - Nadège Presneau
- Cancer Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Roberto Tirabosco
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4LP, UK
| | - Dina Halai
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4LP, UK
| | - Fitim Berisha
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4LP, UK
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Derek L Stemple
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Claudio D Stern
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Fiona C Wardle
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt’s House, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Adrienne M Flanagan
- Cancer Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4LP, UK
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