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Wang C, Tan J, Jin Y, Li Z, Yang J, Jia Y, Xia Y, Gong B, Dong Q, Zhao Q. A mitochondria-related genes associated neuroblastoma signature - based on bulk and single-cell transcriptome sequencing data analysis, and experimental validation. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1415736. [PMID: 38962012 PMCID: PMC11220120 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1415736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroblastoma (NB), characterized by its marked heterogeneity, is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children. The status and functionality of mitochondria are crucial in regulating NB cell behavior. While the significance of mitochondria-related genes (MRGs) in NB is still missing in key knowledge. Materials and methods This study leverages consensus clustering and machine learning algorithms to construct and validate an MRGs-related signature in NB. Single-cell data analysis and experimental validation were employed to characterize the pivotal role of FEN1 within NB cells. Results MRGs facilitated the classification of NB patients into 2 distinct clusters with considerable differences. The constructed MRGs-related signature and its quantitative indicators, mtScore and mtRisk, effectively characterize the MRGs-related patient clusters. Notably, the MRGs-related signature outperformed MYCN in predicting NB patient prognosis and was adept at representing the tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor cell stemness, and sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic agents Cisplatin, Topotecan, and Irinotecan. FEN1, identified as the most contributory gene within the MRGs-related signature, was found to play a crucial role in the communication between NB cells and the TME, and in the developmental trajectory of NB cells. Experimental validations confirmed FEN1's significant influence on NB cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and invasiveness. Conclusion The MRGs-related signature developed in this study offers a novel predictive tool for assessing NB patient prognosis, immune infiltration, stemness, and chemotherapeutic sensitivity. Our findings unveil the critical function of FEN1 in NB, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyu Wang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiaxiong Tan
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Yan Jin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Zongyang Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiaxing Yang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Yubin Jia
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuren Xia
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Baocheng Gong
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiuping Dong
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
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2
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Hakobyan M, Binder H, Arakelyan A. Pan-cancer analysis of telomere maintenance mechanisms. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107392. [PMID: 38763334 PMCID: PMC11225560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107392] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, protective caps at chromosome ends, maintain genomic stability and control cell lifespan. Dysregulated telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) are cancer hallmarks, enabling unchecked cell proliferation. We conducted a pan-cancer evaluation of TMM using RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas for 33 different cancer types and analyzed the activities of telomerase-dependent (TEL) and alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) TMM pathways in detail. To further characterize the TMM profiles, we categorized the tumors based on their ALT and TEL TMM pathway activities into five major phenotypes: ALT high TEL low, ALT low TEL low, ALT middle TEL middle, ALT high TEL high, and ALT low TEL high. These phenotypes refer to variations in telomere maintenance strategies, shedding light on the heterogeneous nature of telomere regulation in cancer. Moreover, we investigated the clinical implications of TMM phenotypes by examining their associations with clinical characteristics and patient outcomes. Specific TMM profiles were linked to specific survival patterns, emphasizing the potential of TMM profiling as a prognostic indicator and aiding in personalized cancer treatment strategies. Gene ontology analysis of the TMM phenotypes unveiled enriched biological processes associated with cell cycle regulation (both TEL and ALT), DNA replication (TEL), and chromosome dynamics (ALT) showing that telomere maintenance is tightly intertwined with cellular processes governing proliferation and genomic stability. Overall, our study provides an overview of the complexity of transcriptional regulation of telomere maintenance mechanisms in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meline Hakobyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology NAS RA, Yerevan, Armenia.
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Armenian Bioinformatics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology NAS RA, Yerevan, Armenia
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3
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Vercouillie N, Ren Z, Terras E, Lammens T. Long Non-Coding RNAs in Neuroblastoma: Pathogenesis, Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5690. [PMID: 38891878 PMCID: PMC11171840 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common malignant extracranial solid tumor of childhood. Recent studies involving the application of advanced high-throughput "omics" techniques have revealed numerous genomic alterations, including aberrant coding-gene transcript levels and dysfunctional pathways, that drive the onset, growth, progression, and treatment resistance of neuroblastoma. Research conducted in the past decade has shown that long non-coding RNAs, once thought to be transcriptomic noise, play key roles in cancer development. With the recent and continuing increase in the amount of evidence for the underlying roles of long non-coding RNAs in neuroblastoma, the potential clinical implications of these RNAs cannot be ignored. In this review, we discuss their biological mechanisms of action in the context of the central driving mechanisms of neuroblastoma, focusing on potential contributions to the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of this disease. We also aim to provide a clear, integrated picture of future research opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Vercouillie
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (N.V.); (Z.R.); (E.T.)
| | - Zhiyao Ren
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (N.V.); (Z.R.); (E.T.)
- Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eva Terras
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (N.V.); (Z.R.); (E.T.)
- Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tim Lammens
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (N.V.); (Z.R.); (E.T.)
- Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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4
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Vaid R, Thombare K, Mendez A, Burgos-Panadero R, Djos A, Jachimowicz D, Lundberg K, Bartenhagen C, Kumar N, Tümmler C, Sihlbom C, Fransson S, Johnsen J, Kogner P, Martinsson T, Fischer M, Mondal T. METTL3 drives telomere targeting of TERRA lncRNA through m6A-dependent R-loop formation: a therapeutic target for ALT-positive neuroblastoma. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2648-2671. [PMID: 38180812 PMCID: PMC10954483 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomerase-negative tumors maintain telomere length by alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), but the underlying mechanism behind ALT remains poorly understood. A proportion of aggressive neuroblastoma (NB), particularly relapsed tumors, are positive for ALT (ALT+), suggesting that a better dissection of the ALT mechanism could lead to novel therapeutic opportunities. TERRA, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) derived from telomere ends, localizes to telomeres in a R-loop-dependent manner and plays a crucial role in telomere maintenance. Here we present evidence that RNA modification at the N6 position of internal adenosine (m6A) in TERRA by the methyltransferase METTL3 is essential for telomere maintenance in ALT+ cells, and the loss of TERRA m6A/METTL3 results in telomere damage. We observed that m6A modification is abundant in R-loop enriched TERRA, and the m6A-mediated recruitment of hnRNPA2B1 to TERRA is critical for R-loop formation. Our findings suggest that m6A drives telomere targeting of TERRA via R-loops, and this m6A-mediated R-loop formation could be a widespread mechanism employed by other chromatin-interacting lncRNAs. Furthermore, treatment of ALT+ NB cells with a METTL3 inhibitor resulted in compromised telomere targeting of TERRA and accumulation of DNA damage at telomeres, indicating that METTL3 inhibition may represent a therapeutic approach for ALT+ NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Vaid
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ketan Thombare
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Akram Mendez
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Rebeca Burgos-Panadero
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anna Djos
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Daniel Jachimowicz
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Kristina Ihrmark Lundberg
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christoph Bartenhagen
- Department of Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Navinder Kumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Conny Tümmler
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carina Sihlbom
- Proteomics Core Facility, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Susanne Fransson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - John Inge Johnsen
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per Kogner
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, and Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tommy Martinsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Matthias Fischer
- Department of Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tanmoy Mondal
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, 41345 Sweden
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5
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Yu Y, Zhang M, Yao X, Guan X, Jia C, Chu P, Zhang R, Yang Y, Jin Y, Wang H, Ni X, He L, Guo Y. Translational practice of fluorescence in situ hybridisation to identify neuroblastic tumours with TERT rearrangements. J Pathol Clin Res 2023; 9:475-487. [PMID: 37608330 PMCID: PMC10556277 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Recently, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene rearrangements have been identified in neuroblastoma (NB), the typical pathological type of neuroblastic tumours (NTs); however, the prevalence of TERT rearrangements in other types of NT remains unknown. This study aimed to develop a practical method for detecting TERT defects and to evaluate the clinical relevance of TERT rearrangements as a biomarker for NT prognosis. A TERT break-apart probe for fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) was designed, optimised, and applied to assess the genomic status of TERT in Chinese children with NTs at the Beijing Children's Hospital from 2016 to 2019. Clinical, histological, and genetic characteristics of TERT-rearranged NTs were further addressed. Genomic TERT rearrangements could be effectively detected by FISH and were mutually exclusive with MYCN amplification. TERT rearrangements were identified in 6.0% (38/633) of NTs overall, but 12.4% (31/250) in high-risk patients. TERT rearrangements identified a subtype of aggressive NTs with the characteristics of Stage 3/4, high-risk category, over 18 months old, and presenting all histological subtypes of NB and ganglioneuroblastoma nodular. Moreover, TERT rearrangements were significantly associated with elevated TERT expression levels and decreased survival chances. Multivariable analysis confirmed that it was an independent prognostic marker for NTs. FISH is an easily applicable method for evaluating TERT defects, which define a subgroup of NTs with unfavourable prognosis. TERT rearrangements would contribute to characterising NT molecular signatures in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbo Yu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Xingfeng Yao
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Xiaoxing Guan
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Chao Jia
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Ping Chu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Ruqian Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Yeran Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Yaqiong Jin
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Huanmin Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Xin Ni
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
- Biobank for Clinical Data and Samples in Pediatrics, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Lejian He
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Yongli Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
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6
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He E, Shi B, Liu Z, Chang K, Zhao H, Zhao W, Cui H. Identification of the molecular subtypes and construction of risk models in neuroblastoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11790. [PMID: 37479876 PMCID: PMC10362029 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35401-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The heterogeneity of neuroblastoma directly affects the prognosis of patients. Individualization of patient treatment to improve prognosis is a clinical challenge at this stage and the aim of this study is to characterize different patient populations. To achieve this, immune-related cell cycle genes, identified in the GSE45547 dataset using WGCNA, were used to classify cases from multiple datasets (GSE45547, GSE49710, GSE73517, GES120559, E-MTAB-8248, and TARGET) into subgroups by consensus clustering. ESTIMATES, CIBERSORT and ssGSEA were used to assess the immune status of the patients. And a 7-gene risk model was constructed based on differentially expressed genes between subtypes using randomForestSRC and LASSO. Enrichment analysis was used to demonstrate the biological characteristics between different groups. Key genes were screened using randomForest to construct neural network and validated. Finally, drug sensitivity was assessed in the GSCA and CellMiner databases. We classified the 1811 patients into two subtypes based on immune-related cell cycle genes. The two subtypes (Cluster1 and Cluster2) exhibited distinct clinical features, immune levels, chromosomal instability and prognosis. The same significant differences were demonstrated between the high-risk and low-risk groups. Through our analysis, we identified neuroblastoma subtypes with unique characteristics and established risk models which will improve our understanding of neuroblastoma heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enyang He
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Bowen Shi
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ziyu Liu
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kaili Chang
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Graduate School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hailan Zhao
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Basic Medical Sciences School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Basic Medical Sciences School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hualei Cui
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
- Tianjin Children's Hospital, Tianjin, China.
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7
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Ahmad MH, Ghosh B, Rizvi MA, Ali M, Kaur L, Mondal AC. Neural crest cells development and neuroblastoma progression: Role of Wnt signaling. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:306-328. [PMID: 36502519 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common heterogeneous extracranial cancers in infancy that arises from neural crest (NC) cells of the sympathetic nervous system. The Wnt signaling pathway, both canonical and noncanonical pathway, is a highly conserved signaling pathway that regulates the development and differentiation of the NC cells during embryogenesis. Reports suggest that aberrant activation of Wnt ligands/receptors in Wnt signaling pathways promote progression and relapse of NB. Wnt signaling pathways regulate NC induction and migration in a similar manner; it regulates proliferation and metastasis of NB. Inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway or its ligands/receptors induces apoptosis and abrogates proliferation and tumorigenicity in all major types of NB cells. Here, we comprehensively discuss the Wnt signaling pathway and its mechanisms in regulating the development of NC and NB pathogenesis. This review highlights the implications of aberrant Wnt signaling in the context of etiology, progression, and relapse of NB. We have also described emerging strategies for Wnt-based therapies against the progression of NB that will provide new insights into the development of Wnt-based therapeutic strategies for NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Hilal Ahmad
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.,Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Balaram Ghosh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Midnapore Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal, Medinipur, India
| | - Moshahid Alam Rizvi
- Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Mansoor Ali
- School of Life Sciences, Cancer Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Loveleena Kaur
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Srinagar, India
| | - Amal Chandra Mondal
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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8
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Yang J, Han L, Sha Y, Jin Y, Li Z, Gong B, Li J, Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhao Q. A novel ganglioside-related risk signature can reveal the distinct immune landscape of neuroblastoma and predict the immunotherapeutic response. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1061814. [PMID: 36605200 PMCID: PMC9807785 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1061814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Gangliosides play an essential role in cancer development and progression. However, the involvement of gangliosides in the prognosis and tumor microenvironment (TME) of neuroblastoma is not entirely understood. Methods Consensus clustering analysis was performed to identify ganglioside-mediated molecular subtypes. LASSO-Cox analysis was conducted to identify independent prognostic genes, and a novel risk signature was constructed. The risk signature was validated internally and externally. We further explored the independent prognosis value, immune landscape, drug susceptibility, and tumor dedifferentiation of the risk signature. The role of the signature gene B3GALT4 in neuroblastoma was explored in vitro. Results Seventeen ganglioside-related genes were differentially expressed between INSS stage 4 and other stages, and two ganglioside-related clusters with distinct prognoses were identified. A novel risk signature integrating ten ganglioside-related prognostic genes was established. Across the train set and external validation sets, the risk signature presented high predictive accuracy and discrimination. The risk signature was an independent prognostic factor and constructed a nomogram combining multiple clinical characteristics. In the high-score group, the deficiency in antigen processing and presenting machinery, lack of immune cell infiltration, and escaping NK cells contributed substantially to immune escape. The low-score group was more responsive to immune checkpoint blockade therapy, while the high-score group showed substantial sensitivity to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs. Besides, the risk score was significantly positively correlated with the stemness index and reduced considerably in all-trans retinoic acid-treated neuroblastoma cell lines, indicating high dedifferentiation in the high-score group. Additionally, neuroblastoma cells with downregulation of B3GALT4 present with increased proliferation, invasion, and metastasis abilities in vitro. Conclusion The novel ganglioside-related risk signature highlights the role of ganglioside in neuroblastoma prognosis and immune landscape and helps optimize chemotherapy and immunotherapy for neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Yang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Han
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Department of Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Core, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yongliang Sha
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Yan Jin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhongyuan Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Baocheng Gong
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Yangyang Wang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
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Fischer-Mertens J, Otte F, Roderwieser A, Rosswog C, Kahlert Y, Werr L, Hellmann AM, Berding M, Chiu B, Bartenhagen C, Fischer M. Telomerase-targeting compounds Imetelstat and 6-thio-dG act synergistically with chemotherapy in high-risk neuroblastoma models. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:991-1003. [PMID: 35953764 PMCID: PMC9579108 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00702-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of high-risk neuroblastomas harbor telomerase activity, and telomerase-interacting compounds, such as 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine (6-thio-dG), have been found to impair the growth of telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cell lines. It has remained unclear, however, how such drugs can be combined with other compounds used in current treatment concepts for neuroblastoma patients. METHODS Growth-inhibitory effects of varying concentrations of 6-thio-dG in combination with etoposide, doxorubicin or ceritinib were determined in eight telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cell lines with distinct genetic backgrounds. Tumor growth inhibition of subcutaneous xenografts from three different cell lines was assessed upon treatment with 6-thio-dG, the competitive telomerase inhibitor imetelstat, etoposide, or combinations of these compounds. RESULTS Robust synergistic anti-tumor effects were observed for combinations of 6-thio-dG and etoposide or doxorubicin, but not for 6-thio-dG and ceritinib, in telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro. Treatment of mouse xenografts with combinations of 6-thio-dG and etoposide significantly attenuated tumor growth and improved mouse survival over etoposide alone in two of three cell line models. Treatment of xenograft tumors by imetelstat monotherapy decreased telomerase activity by roughly 50% and significantly improved survival over control in all three models, whereas treatment with imetelstat plus etoposide led to enhanced survival over etoposide monotherapy in one model. Mechanistically, the synergistic effect was found to be due to both increased apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. CONCLUSION Our study indicates that telomerase is an actionable target in telomerase-positive neuroblastoma, and demonstrates that combination therapies including telomerase-interacting compounds may improve the efficacy of established cytotoxic drugs. Targeting telomerase may thus represent a therapeutic option in high-risk neuroblastoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Fischer-Mertens
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Felix Otte
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andrea Roderwieser
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Carolina Rosswog
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Yvonne Kahlert
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lisa Werr
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Hellmann
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maya Berding
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Bill Chiu
- Pediatric Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christoph Bartenhagen
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Fischer
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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10
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Tian XM, Xiang B, Yu YH, Li Q, Zhang ZX, Zhanghuang C, Jin LM, Wang JK, Mi T, Chen ML, Liu F, Wei GH. A novel cuproptosis-related subtypes and gene signature associates with immunophenotype and predicts prognosis accurately in neuroblastoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:999849. [PMID: 36211401 PMCID: PMC9540510 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.999849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most frequent solid tumor in pediatrics, which accounts for roughly 15% of cancer-related mortality in children. NB exhibited genetic, morphologic, and clinical heterogeneity, which limited the efficacy of available therapeutic approaches. Recently, a new term 'cuproptosis' has been used to denote a unique biological process triggered by the action of copper. In this instance, selectively inducing copper death is likely to successfully overcome the limitations of conventional anticancer drugs. However, there is still a gap regarding the role of cuproptosis in cancer, especially in pediatric neuroblastoma. Methods We characterized the specific expression of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in NB samples based on publicly available mRNA expression profile data. Consensus clustering and Lasso-Cox regression analysis were applied for CRGs in three independent cohorts. ESTIMATE and Xcell algorithm was utilized to visualize TME score and immune cell subpopulations' relative abundances. Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score was used to predict tumor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. To decipher the underlying mechanism, GSVA was applied to explore enriched pathways associated with cuproptosis signature and Connectivity map (CMap) analysis for drug exploration. Finally, qPCR verified the expression levels of risk-genes in NB cell lines. In addition, PDHA1 was screened and further validated by immunofluorescence in human clinical samples and loss-of-function assays. Results We initially classified NB patients according to CRGs and identified two cuproptosis-related subtypes that were associated with prognosis and immunophenotype. After this, a cuproptosis-related prognostic model was constructed and validated by LASSO regression in three independent cohorts. This model can accurately predict prognosis, immune infiltration, and immunotherapy responses. These genes also showed differential expression in various characteristic groups of all three datasets and NB cell lines. Loss-of-function experiments indicated that PDHA1 silencing significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion, in turn, promoted cell cycle arrest at the S phase and apoptosis of NB cells. Conclusions Taken together, this study may shed light on new research areas for NB patients from the cuproptosis perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Mao Tian
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Bin Xiang
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi-Hang Yu
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhao-Xia Zhang
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Chenghao Zhanghuang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Li-Ming Jin
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-Kui Wang
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Tao Mi
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Mei-Lin Chen
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Guang-Hui Wei
- Department of Urology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing, China
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11
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de Lima MF, Freitas MO, Hamedani MK, Rangel-Pozzo A, Zhu XD, Mai S. Consecutive Inhibition of Telomerase and Alternative Lengthening Pathway Promotes Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cell Death. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2299. [PMID: 36140400 PMCID: PMC9496562 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance is key during cancer development. Malignant cells can either use telomerase or an alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) pathway to maintain their telomere length. In Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL), the presence of telomerase activation is established. The activation of ALT has been reported recently. Our data confirm this notion describing co-localization of the phosphorylated form of telomeric repeat-binding factor 1 (pT371-TRF1) with ALT-associated promyelocytic leukemia bodies. Surprisingly, to our knowledge, there are no published studies targeting both telomere maintenance pathways in HL. Consequently, we investigated, for the first time, the effects of both telomerase and ALT inhibition on HL cell viability: We inhibited telomerase and/or ALT, given either individually, simultaneously, or consecutively. We report that the inhibition of telomerase using BIBR1532 followed by ALT inhibition, using trabectedin, caused a decrease of greater than 90% in cell viability in three patient-derived HL cell lines. Our results suggest that HL cells are most vulnerable to the consecutive inhibition of telomerase followed by ALT inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Fabiao de Lima
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
| | - Monique Oliveira Freitas
- Genetic Service, Institute of Paediatrics and Puericulture Martagão Gesteira (IPPMG), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-912, Brazil
| | - Mohammad K. Hamedani
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
| | - Aline Rangel-Pozzo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
| | - Xu-Dong Zhu
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Sabine Mai
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
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12
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Yu EY, Cheung NKV, Lue NF. Connecting telomere maintenance and regulation to the developmental origin and differentiation states of neuroblastoma tumor cells. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:117. [PMID: 36030273 PMCID: PMC9420296 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01337-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A cardinal feature that distinguishes clinically high-risk neuroblastoma from low-risk tumors is telomere maintenance. Specifically, neuroblastoma tumors with either active telomerase or alternative lengthening of telomeres exhibit aggressive growth characteristics that lead to poor outcomes, whereas tumors without telomere maintenance can be managed with observation or minimal treatment. Even though the need for cancer cells to maintain telomere DNA-in order to sustain cell proliferation-is well established, recent studies suggest that the neural crest origin of neuroblastoma may enforce unique relationships between telomeres and tumor malignancy. Specifically in neuroblastoma, telomere structure and telomerase activity are correlated with the adrenergic/mesenchymal differentiation states, and manipulating telomerase activity can trigger tumor cell differentiation. Both findings may reflect features of normal neural crest development. This review summarizes recent advances in the characterization of telomere structure and telomere maintenance mechanisms in neuroblastoma and discusses the findings in the context of relevant literature on telomeres during embryonic and neural development. Understanding the canonical and non-canonical roles of telomere maintenance in neuroblastoma could reveal vulnerabilities for telomere-directed therapies with potential applications to other pediatric malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Young Yu
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, W. R. Hearst Microbiology Research Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Nai-Kong V Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Neal F Lue
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, W. R. Hearst Microbiology Research Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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13
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Bird N, Scobie N, Palmer A, Ludwinski D. To transplant, or not to transplant? That is the question. A patient advocate evaluation of autologous stem cell transplant in neuroblastoma. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29663. [PMID: 35373890 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has been a mainstay of high-risk neuroblastoma treatment for several decades, demonstrating improvements in event-free survival but with risks of serious or even life-threatening acute toxicities, severe long-term adverse health effects for survivors, and ongoing contention regarding overall survival benefit. The merits of ASCT in the modern era of immunotherapy are a source of debate among parents, advocates, and some physicians. Here we examine evidence for and against ASCT, explore parent attitudes and their turmoil over decision-making, and strongly encourage international research consortia to develop a coordinated strategy to accelerate progress toward a future that avoids the routine use of ASCT in high-risk neuroblastoma.
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14
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Krenitsky A, Klager S, Hatch L, Sarriera-Lazaro C, Chen PL, Seminario-Vidal L. Update in Diagnosis and Management of Primary Cutaneous B-Cell Lymphomas. Am J Clin Dermatol 2022; 23:689-706. [PMID: 35854102 DOI: 10.1007/s40257-022-00704-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Primary cutaneous lymphomas are a rare group of diseases, with an estimated incidence of 0.5-1 case per 100,000 people per year. Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (pCBCLs) represent 25-30% of all primary cutaneous lymphomas. There are three main subtypes of pCBCL: primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma, primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma, and primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type. Cutaneous B-cell lymphomas have a broad spectrum of clinical presentations, which makes diagnostic and therapeutic strategies challenging. To date, treatment recommendations for cutaneous B-cell lymphomas have been largely based on small retrospective studies and institutional experience. Recently, the pharmacotherapeutic landscape has expanded to include drugs that may modify the underlying disease pathology of pCBCLs, representing new therapeutic modalities for this rare group of diseases. Novel therapies used for other systemic B-cell lymphomas show promise for the treatment of pCBCLs and are being increasingly considered. These new therapies are divided into five main groups: monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, small-molecule inhibitors, bispecific T-cell engaging, and chimeric antigen receptor T cell. In this review, we discuss the clinical, histopathological, molecular, and cytogenetic features of the most common pCBCL subtypes with a focus on current and innovative therapeutic developments in their management. These emerging treatment strategies for B-cell lymphomas and cutaneous B-cell lymphomas may represent novel first-line options for the management of these rare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Krenitsky
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida, 13320 USF Laurel Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| | - Skylar Klager
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida, 13320 USF Laurel Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Leigh Hatch
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida, 13320 USF Laurel Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | - Pei Ling Chen
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
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15
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Wieczorek A, Stefanowicz J, Hennig M, Adamkiewicz-Drozynska E, Stypinska M, Dembowska-Baginska B, Gamrot Z, Woszczyk M, Geisler J, Szczepanski T, Skoczen S, Ussowicz M, Pogorzala M, Janczar S, Balwierz W. Isolated central nervous system relapses in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma -clinical presentation and prognosis: experience of the Polish Paediatric Solid Tumours Study Group. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:701. [PMID: 35752779 PMCID: PMC9233790 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09776-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although isolated central nervous system (CNS) relapses are rare, they may become a serious clinical problem in intensively treated patients with high-risk neuroblastoma (NBL). The aim of this study is the presentation and assessment of the incidence and clinical course of isolated CNS relapses. Retrospective analysis involved 848 NBL patients treated from 2001 to 2019 at 8 centres of the Polish Paediatric Solid Tumours Study Group (PPSTSG). Group characteristics at diagnosis, treatment and patterns of relapse were analysed. Observation was completed in December 2020. We analysed 286 high risk patients, including 16 infants. Isolated CNS relapse, defined as the presence of a tumour in brain parenchyma or leptomeningeal involvement, was found in 13 patients (4.5%; 8.4% of all relapses), all of whom were stage 4 at diagnosis. Isolated CNS relapses seem to be more common in young patients with stage 4 MYCN amplified NBL, and in this group they may occur early during first line therapy. The only or the first symptom may be bleeding into the CNS, especially in younger children, even without a clear relapse picture on imaging, or the relapse may be clinically asymptomatic and found during routine screening. Although the incidence of isolated CNS relapses is not statistically significantly higher in patients after immunotherapy, their occurrence should be carefully monitored, especially in intensively treated infants, with potential disruption of the brain-blood barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Wieczorek
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Joanna Stefanowicz
- Department of Paediatrics, Haematology and Oncology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Marcin Hennig
- Department of Paediatrics, Haematology and Oncology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | | | - Marzena Stypinska
- Department of Oncology, The Children Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Zuzanna Gamrot
- Unit of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, City Hospital, Chorzow, Poland
| | - Mariola Woszczyk
- Unit of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, City Hospital, Chorzow, Poland
| | - Julia Geisler
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
| | - Tomasz Szczepanski
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
| | - Szymon Skoczen
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marek Ussowicz
- Department and Clinic of Paediatric Oncology, Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Monika Pogorzala
- Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Szymon Janczar
- Department of Paediatrics, Oncology and Haematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Walentyna Balwierz
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland
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Abstract
Neuroblastomas are tumours of sympathetic origin, with a heterogeneous clinical course ranging from localized or spontaneously regressing to widely metastatic disease. Neuroblastomas recapitulate many of the features of sympathoadrenal development, which have been directly targeted to improve the survival outcomes in patients with high-risk disease. Over the past few decades, improvements in the 5-year survival of patients with metastatic neuroblastomas, from <20% to >50%, have resulted from clinical trials incorporating high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation, differentiating agents and immunotherapy with anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies. The next generation of trials are designed to improve the initial response rates in patients with high-risk neuroblastomas via the addition of immunotherapies, targeted therapies (such as ALK inhibitors) and radiopharmaceuticals to standard induction regimens. Other trials are focused on testing precision medicine strategies for patients with relapsed and/or refractory disease, enhancing the antitumour immune response and improving the effectiveness of maintenance regimens, in order to prolong disease remission. In this Review, we describe advances in delineating the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma and in identifying the drivers of high-risk disease. We then discuss how this knowledge has informed improvements in risk stratification, risk-adapted therapy and the development of novel therapies.
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Ben Amar D, Thoinet K, Villalard B, Imbaud O, Costechareyre C, Jarrosson L, Reynaud F, Novion Ducassou J, Couté Y, Brunet JF, Combaret V, Corradini N, Delloye-Bourgeois C, Castellani V. Environmental cues from neural crest derivatives act as metastatic triggers in an embryonic neuroblastoma model. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2549. [PMID: 35538114 PMCID: PMC9091272 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30237-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic malignant transformation is concomitant to organogenesis, often affecting multipotent and migratory progenitors. While lineage relationships between malignant cells and their physiological counterparts are extensively investigated, the contribution of exogenous embryonic signals is not fully known. Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood malignancy of the peripheral nervous system arising from the embryonic trunk neural crest (NC) and characterized by heterogeneous and interconvertible tumor cell identities. Here, using experimental models mimicking the embryonic context coupled to proteomic and transcriptomic analyses, we show that signals released by embryonic sympathetic ganglia, including Olfactomedin-1, induce NB cells to shift from a noradrenergic to mesenchymal identity, and to activate a gene program promoting NB metastatic onset and dissemination. From this gene program, we extract a core signature specifically shared by metastatic cancers with NC origin. This reveals non-cell autonomous embryonic contributions regulating the plasticity of NB identities and setting pro-dissemination gene programs common to NC-derived cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dounia Ben Amar
- University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, NeuroMyoGene Institute, 69008, Lyon, France, 8 avenue Rockefeller
| | - Karine Thoinet
- University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, NeuroMyoGene Institute, 69008, Lyon, France, 8 avenue Rockefeller
| | - Benjamin Villalard
- University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, NeuroMyoGene Institute, 69008, Lyon, France, 8 avenue Rockefeller
| | - Olivier Imbaud
- University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, NeuroMyoGene Institute, 69008, Lyon, France, 8 avenue Rockefeller
| | | | | | - Florie Reynaud
- University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, NeuroMyoGene Institute, 69008, Lyon, France, 8 avenue Rockefeller
| | - Julia Novion Ducassou
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, UMR BioSanté U1292, CNRS, CEA, FR2048 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Yohann Couté
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, UMR BioSanté U1292, CNRS, CEA, FR2048 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Jean-François Brunet
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Inserm, CNRS, École normale supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Combaret
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Léon Bérard Centre, Lyon, France
| | - Nadège Corradini
- Departments of Oncology and Clinical Research, Centre Léon Berard and Institut d'Hématologie et d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Lyon, France
| | - Céline Delloye-Bourgeois
- University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, NeuroMyoGene Institute, 69008, Lyon, France, 8 avenue Rockefeller.
| | - Valérie Castellani
- University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, NeuroMyoGene Institute, 69008, Lyon, France, 8 avenue Rockefeller.
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18
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Akter J, Kamijo T. How Do Telomere Abnormalities Regulate the Biology of Neuroblastoma? Biomolecules 2021; 11:1112. [PMID: 34439779 PMCID: PMC8392161 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance plays important roles in genome stability and cell proliferation. Tumor cells acquire replicative immortality by activating a telomere-maintenance mechanism (TMM), either telomerase, a reverse transcriptase, or the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism. Recent advances in the genetic and molecular characterization of TMM revealed that telomerase activation and ALT define distinct neuroblastoma (NB) subgroups with adverse outcomes, and represent promising therapeutic targets in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB), an aggressive childhood solid tumor that accounts for 15% of all pediatric-cancer deaths. Patients with HRNB frequently present with widely metastatic disease, with tumors harboring recurrent genetic aberrations (MYCN amplification, TERT rearrangements, and ATRX mutations), which are mutually exclusive and capable of promoting TMM. This review provides recent insights into our understanding of TMM in NB tumors, and highlights emerging therapeutic strategies as potential treatments for telomerase- and ALT-positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesmin Akter
- Saitama Cancer Center, Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama 362-0806, Japan;
| | - Takehiko Kamijo
- Saitama Cancer Center, Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama 362-0806, Japan;
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Department of Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 362-0806, Japan
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19
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MacKenzie D, Watters AK, To JT, Young MW, Muratori J, Wilkoff MH, Abraham RG, Plummer MM, Zhang D. ALT Positivity in Human Cancers: Prevalence and Clinical Insights. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2384. [PMID: 34069193 PMCID: PMC8156225 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many exciting advances in cancer-related telomere biology have been made in the past decade. Of these recent advances, great progress has also been made with respect to the Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) pathway. Along with a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of this unique telomere maintenance pathway, many studies have also evaluated ALT activity in various cancer subtypes. We first briefly review and assess a variety of commonly used ALT biomarkers. Then, we provide both an update on ALT-positive (ALT+) tumor prevalence as well as a systematic clinical assessment of the presently studied ALT+ malignancies. Additionally, we discuss the pathogenetic alterations in ALT+ cancers, for example, the mutation status of ATRX and DAXX, and their correlations with the activation of the ALT pathway. Finally, we highlight important ALT+ clinical associations within each cancer subtype and subdivisions within, as well as their prognoses. We hope this alternative perspective will allow scientists, clinicians, and drug developers to have greater insight into the ALT cancers so that together, we may develop more efficacious treatments and improved management strategies to meet the urgent needs of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria M. Plummer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (D.M.J.); (A.K.W.); (J.T.T.); (M.W.Y.); (J.M.); (M.H.W.); (R.G.A.)
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (D.M.J.); (A.K.W.); (J.T.T.); (M.W.Y.); (J.M.); (M.H.W.); (R.G.A.)
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20
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Hartlieb SA, Sieverling L, Nadler-Holly M, Ziehm M, Toprak UH, Herrmann C, Ishaque N, Okonechnikov K, Gartlgruber M, Park YG, Wecht EM, Savelyeva L, Henrich KO, Rosswog C, Fischer M, Hero B, Jones DTW, Pfaff E, Witt O, Pfister SM, Volckmann R, Koster J, Kiesel K, Rippe K, Taschner-Mandl S, Ambros P, Brors B, Selbach M, Feuerbach L, Westermann F. Alternative lengthening of telomeres in childhood neuroblastoma from genome to proteome. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1269. [PMID: 33627664 PMCID: PMC7904810 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21247-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance by telomerase activation or alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a major determinant of poor outcome in neuroblastoma. Here, we screen for ALT in primary and relapsed neuroblastomas (n = 760) and characterize its features using multi-omics profiling. ALT-positive tumors are molecularly distinct from other neuroblastoma subtypes and enriched in a population-based clinical sequencing study cohort for relapsed cases. They display reduced ATRX/DAXX complex abundance, due to either ATRX mutations (55%) or low protein expression. The heterochromatic histone mark H3K9me3 recognized by ATRX is enriched at the telomeres of ALT-positive tumors. Notably, we find a high frequency of telomeric repeat loci with a neuroblastoma ALT-specific hotspot on chr1q42.2 and loss of the adjacent chromosomal segment forming a neo-telomere. ALT-positive neuroblastomas proliferate slowly, which is reflected by a protracted clinical course of disease. Nevertheless, children with an ALT-positive neuroblastoma have dismal outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine A Hartlieb
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lina Sieverling
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michal Nadler-Holly
- Proteome Dynamics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Ziehm
- Proteome Dynamics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Umut H Toprak
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carl Herrmann
- Health Data Science Unit, Medical Faculty Heidelberg and BioQuant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Naveed Ishaque
- Digital Health Centre, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Konstantin Okonechnikov
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Moritz Gartlgruber
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Young-Gyu Park
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elisa Maria Wecht
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Larissa Savelyeva
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai-Oliver Henrich
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carolina Rosswog
- Department of Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Fischer
- Department of Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Barbara Hero
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - David T W Jones
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elke Pfaff
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olaf Witt
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan M Pfister
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard Volckmann
- Department of Oncogenomics Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Koster
- Department of Oncogenomics Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Katharina Kiesel
- Chromatin Networks, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and BioQuant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karsten Rippe
- Chromatin Networks, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and BioQuant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Peter Ambros
- CCRI, St Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benedikt Brors
- Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Selbach
- Proteome Dynamics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Feuerbach
- Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Westermann
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Neuroblastoma Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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21
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Ackermann S, Fischer M. Telomere Maintenance in Pediatric Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E5836. [PMID: 31757062 PMCID: PMC6928840 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20235836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of biological age and a risk factor for age-related diseases and cancer. Substantial progress has been made in recent decades in understanding the complex molecular relationships in this research field. However, the majority of telomere studies have been conducted in adults. The data on telomere dynamics in pediatric cancers is limited, and interpretation can be challenging, especially in cases where results are contrasting to those in adult entities. This review describes recent advances in the molecular characterization of structure and function of telomeres, regulation of telomerase activity in cancer pathogenesis in general, and highlights the key advances that have expanded our views on telomere biology in pediatric cancer, with special emphasis on the central role of telomere maintenance in neuroblastoma. Furthermore, open questions in the field of telomere maintenance research are discussed in the context of recently published literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Ackermann
- Department of Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children’s Hospital of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Straße 21, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Fischer
- Department of Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children’s Hospital of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Straße 21, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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