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Patel KR, Espinoza AF, Urbicain M, Patel RH, Major A, Sarabia SF, Lopez-Terrada D, Vasudevan SA, Woodfield SE. Histopathologic and immunophenotypic characterization of patient-derived pediatric malignant hepatocellular tumor xenografts (PDXs). Pathol Res Pract 2024; 255:155163. [PMID: 38394806 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Advances in targeted therapies for pediatric hepatocellular tumors have been limited due to a paucity of clinically relevant models. Establishment and validation of intrahepatic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models would help bridging this gap. The aim of this study is to compare the histomorphologic and immunophenotypic fidelity of patient tumors and their corresponding intrahepatic PDX models. Murine PDX models were established by intrahepatic implantation of patient tumors. Pathology slides from both patients and their corresponding PDX models were reviewed and quantitatively assessed for various histologic components and immunophenotypic markers. Ten PDX models were successfully established from nine patients with pre- (n=3) and post- (n=6) chemotherapy samples; diagnosed of hepatoblastoma (n=8) and hepatocellular neoplasm, not otherwise specified (n=1). Two of nine (22.2%) patients showed ≥75% fetal component; however, the corresponding PDX models did not maintain this fetal differentiation. High grade histology was seen in three patients (33.3%) and overrepresented in six PDX models (60%). Within the subset of three PDXs that were further characterized, significant IHC concordance was seen in all 3 models for CK7, CK19, Ki-67, and p53; and 2 of 3 models for Sox9 and Beta-catenin. GPC-3 and GS showed variable to moderate concordance, while Hepar was the least concordant. Our study shows that in general, the PDX models appear to represent the higher-grade component of the original tumor and show significant concordance for Ki-67, making them appropriate tools for testing new therapies for the most aggressive, therapy-resistant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyani R Patel
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Anatomic Pathology Division, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Andres F Espinoza
- Department of General Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Martin Urbicain
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Genomic Medicine Division, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Roma H Patel
- Department of General Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Angela Major
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Anatomic Pathology Division, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Stephen F Sarabia
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Genomic Medicine Division, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dolores Lopez-Terrada
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Genomic Medicine Division, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sanjeev A Vasudevan
- Department of General Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah E Woodfield
- Department of General Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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2
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Cornet M, Brulle-Soumare L, Bisio V, Deas O, Mussini C, Guettier C, Fabre M, Pigazzi M, Judde JG, Tordjmann T, Branchereau S, Cairo S. Modelling the impact of liver regeneration on hepatoblastoma patient-derived-xenograft tumor growth. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03020-x. [PMID: 38263451 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03020-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Twenty percent of children with hepatoblastoma (HB) have lung metastasis at diagnosis. Treatment protocols recommend surgical removal of chemotherapy-refractory lung nodules, however no chronological order is established. As hepatectomy is followed by release of growth factors, it has been proposed that partial hepatectomy (PH) could boost local or distant residual tumor growth. METHODS To evaluate the impact of PH on distant tumor growth, PH was performed in mice subcutaneously implanted with a HB patient-derived xenograft (PDX). The influence of PH on tumor growth at primary site was assessed by performing PH concomitantly to HB PDXs orthotopic implantation. RESULTS Subcutaneously implanted HB PDX failed to show any influence of hepatectomy on tumor growth. Instead, intrahepatic tumor growth of one of the 4 HB PDXs implanted orthotopically was clearly enhanced. Cells derived from the hepatectomy-sensitive HB PDX exposed to hepatic growth factor (HGF) showed increased proliferation rate compared to cells derived from a hepatectomy-insensitive model, suggesting that the HGF/MET pathway could be one of the effectors of the crosstalk between liver regeneration and HB growth. CONCLUSION These results suggest that hepatectomy can contribute to HB growth in some patients, further studies will be necessary to identify biomarkers predictive of patient risk of PH-induced HB recurrence. IMPACT Key message: Cytokines and growth factors secreted following partial hepatectomy can contribute to intrahepatic tumor growth in some hepatoblastoma models. What does it add to the existing literature: It is the first article about the impact of liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy on hepatoblastoma local or distant tumoral growth in nude mice. What is the impact: It is important to identify the secreted factors that enhance tumor growth and to define biomarkers predictive of patient risk of partial hepatectomy-induced hepatoblastoma recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Cornet
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Paris-Saclay University, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France.
- XenTech, Evry-Courcouronnes, France.
| | | | - Valeria Bisio
- Institut de Recherche Saint Louis, Inserm U1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris, France
- Onco-Hematology Clinic and Lab, Women's and Children's Health department, University-Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Charlotte Mussini
- Department of Pathology, Paris-Saclay University, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Catherine Guettier
- Department of Pathology, Paris-Saclay University, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Monique Fabre
- Department of Pathology, Paris Cité University, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Martina Pigazzi
- Onco-Hematology Clinic and Lab, Women's and Children's Health department, University-Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica (IRP), Padova, Italy
| | | | - Thierry Tordjmann
- Université Paris Saclay, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, INSERM U.1193, Orsay, France
| | - Sophie Branchereau
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Paris-Saclay University, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Stefano Cairo
- XenTech, Evry-Courcouronnes, France.
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica (IRP), Padova, Italy.
- Champions Oncology, Hackensack, NJ, USA.
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3
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Fang J, Singh S, Cheng C, Natarajan S, Sheppard H, Abu-Zaid A, Durbin AD, Lee HW, Wu Q, Steele J, Connelly JP, Jin H, Chen W, Fan Y, Pruett-Miller SM, Rehg JE, Koo SC, Santiago T, Emmons J, Cairo S, Wang R, Glazer ES, Murphy AJ, Chen T, Davidoff AM, Armengol C, Easton J, Chen X, Yang J. Genome-wide mapping of cancer dependency genes and genetic modifiers of chemotherapy in high-risk hepatoblastoma. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4003. [PMID: 37414763 PMCID: PMC10326052 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39717-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A lack of relevant genetic models and cell lines hampers our understanding of hepatoblastoma pathogenesis and the development of new therapies for this neoplasm. Here, we report an improved MYC-driven hepatoblastoma-like murine model that recapitulates the pathological features of embryonal type of hepatoblastoma, with transcriptomics resembling the high-risk gene signatures of the human disease. Single-cell RNA-sequencing and spatial transcriptomics identify distinct subpopulations of hepatoblastoma cells. After deriving cell lines from the mouse model, we map cancer dependency genes using CRISPR-Cas9 screening and identify druggable targets shared with human hepatoblastoma (e.g., CDK7, CDK9, PRMT1, PRMT5). Our screen also reveals oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in hepatoblastoma that engage multiple, druggable cancer signaling pathways. Chemotherapy is critical for human hepatoblastoma treatment. A genetic mapping of doxorubicin response by CRISPR-Cas9 screening identifies modifiers whose loss-of-function synergizes with (e.g., PRKDC) or antagonizes (e.g., apoptosis genes) the effect of chemotherapy. The combination of PRKDC inhibition and doxorubicin-based chemotherapy greatly enhances therapeutic efficacy. These studies provide a set of resources including disease models suitable for identifying and validating potential therapeutic targets in human high-risk hepatoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Fang
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Shivendra Singh
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Changde Cheng
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Sivaraman Natarajan
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Heather Sheppard
- Comparative Pathology Core, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ahmed Abu-Zaid
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Adam D Durbin
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ha Won Lee
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Qiong Wu
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jacob Steele
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering (CAGE), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jon P Connelly
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering (CAGE), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hongjian Jin
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Wenan Chen
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Yiping Fan
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Shondra M Pruett-Miller
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering (CAGE), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jerold E Rehg
- Comparative Pathology Core, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Selene C Koo
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Teresa Santiago
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Joseph Emmons
- VPC Diagnostic Laboratory, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Stefano Cairo
- Champions Oncology, 1330 Piccard dr, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ruoning Wang
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disease, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Evan S Glazer
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 325, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Andrew J Murphy
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 325, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Andrew M Davidoff
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 325, Memphis, TN, USA
- St Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Carolina Armengol
- Childhood Liver Oncology Group, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Translational Program in Cancer Research (CARE), Badalona, Spain
- CIBER, Hepatic and Digestive Diseases, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Madrid, Spain
| | - John Easton
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
- St Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
- St Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
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4
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Woodfield SE, Mistretta BJ, Patel RH, Ibarra AM, Fisher KE, Sarabia SF, Gandhi I, Reuther J, Starosolski Z, Badachhape A, Epps J, Zorman B, Shah AP, Larson SR, Srivastava RK, Shi Y, Espinoza AF, Govindu SR, Whitlock RS, Holloway K, Roy A, Sumazin P, Ghaghada KB, Lopez-Terrada D, Gunaratne PH, Vasudevan SA. HepT1-derived murine models of high-risk hepatoblastoma display vascular invasion, metastasis, and circulating tumor cells. Biol Open 2022; 11:276557. [PMID: 35451474 PMCID: PMC9493725 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common pediatric primary liver malignancy, and survival for high-risk disease approaches 50%. Mouse models of HB fail to recapitulate hallmarks of high-risk disease. The aim of this work was to generate murine models that show high-risk features including multifocal tumors, vascular invasion, metastasis, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). HepT1 cells were injected into the livers or tail veins of mice, and tumor growth was monitored with magnetic resonance and bioluminescent imaging. Blood was analyzed with fluorescence-activated cell sorting to identify CTCs. Intra- and extra-hepatic tumor samples were harvested for immunohistochemistry and RNA and DNA sequencing. Cell lines were grown from tumor samples and profiled with RNA sequencing. With intrahepatic injection of HepT1 cells, 100% of animals grew liver tumors and showed vascular invasion, metastasis, and CTCs. Mutation profiling revealed genetic alterations in seven cancer-related genes, while transcriptomic analyses showed changes in gene expression with cells that invade vessels. Tail vein injection of HepT1 cells resulted in multifocal, metastatic disease. These unique models will facilitate further meaningful studies of high-risk HB. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: In this work, we developed and thoroughly characterized several unique models of hepatoblastoma derived from the HepT1 cell line that show high-risk features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Woodfield
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Brandon J Mistretta
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Roma H Patel
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Aryana M Ibarra
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kevin E Fisher
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Department of Pathology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Stephen F Sarabia
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Department of Pathology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ilavarasi Gandhi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Department of Pathology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Reuther
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Department of Pathology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zbigniew Starosolski
- Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andrew Badachhape
- Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jessica Epps
- Department of Pediatrics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Barry Zorman
- Department of Pediatrics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Aayushi P Shah
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Samuel R Larson
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rohit K Srivastava
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yan Shi
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andres F Espinoza
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Saiabhiroop R Govindu
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richard S Whitlock
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kimberly Holloway
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Angshumoy Roy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Department of Pathology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pavel Sumazin
- Department of Pediatrics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ketan B Ghaghada
- Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Dolores Lopez-Terrada
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Department of Pathology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Preethi H Gunaratne
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sanjeev A Vasudevan
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children's Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children's Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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5
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Wu PV, Rangaswami A. Current Approaches in Hepatoblastoma-New Biological Insights to Inform Therapy. Curr Oncol Rep 2022; 24:1209-1218. [PMID: 35438389 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-022-01230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW As the most common pediatric primary liver cancer with rising incidence, hepatoblastoma remains challenging to treat. Here, we review the current understanding of the biology of hepatoblastoma and discuss how recent advances may lead to new treatment modalities. RECENT FINDINGS Standard chemotherapy regimens including cisplatin, in addition to surgery, have led to high cure rates among patients with low stage hepatoblastoma; however, metastatic and relapsed disease continue to have poor outcomes. Recent genomics and functional studies in cell lines and mouse models have established a central role for the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in tumorigenesis. Targeted agents and immunotherapy approaches are emerging as potential treatment avenues. With recent gains in knowledge of the genomic and transcriptomic landscape of hepatoblastoma, new therapeutic mechanisms can now be explored to improve outcomes for metastatic and relapsed hepatoblastoma and to reduce the toxicity of current treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng V Wu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation & Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1000 Welch Rd. Suite 300, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Arun Rangaswami
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th St., 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
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6
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Bondoc A, Glaser K, Jin K, Lake C, Cairo S, Geller J, Tiao G, Aronow B. Identification of distinct tumor cell populations and key genetic mechanisms through single cell sequencing in hepatoblastoma. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1049. [PMID: 34497364 PMCID: PMC8426487 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02562-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common primary liver malignancy of childhood, and molecular investigations are limited and effective treatment options for chemoresistant disease are lacking. There is a knowledge gap in the investigation of key driver cells of HB in tumor. Here we show single cell ribonucleic acid sequencing (scRNAseq) analysis of human tumor, background liver, and patient derived xenograft (PDX) to demonstrate gene expression patterns within tumor and to identify intratumor cell subtype heterogeneity to define differing roles in pathogenesis based on intracellular signaling in pediatric HB. We have identified a driver tumor cell cluster in HB by genetic expression which can be examined to define disease mechanism and treatments. Identification of both critical mechanistic pathways combined with unique cell populations provide the basis for discovery and investigation of novel treatment strategies in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Bondoc
- Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Kathryn Glaser
- Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kang Jin
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Developmental Biology, and Pediatrics, Cincinnati, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Charissa Lake
- Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Stefano Cairo
- Research and Development Unit, XenTech, Genopole-Campus 3, Fontaine, France
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica (IRP), Corso Stati Uniti, Padua, Italy
| | - James Geller
- Division of Oncology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Gregory Tiao
- Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Bruce Aronow
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Developmental Biology, and Pediatrics, Cincinnati, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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7
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Whitlock RS, Yang T, Vasudevan SA, Woodfield SE. Animal Modeling of Pediatric Liver Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020273. [PMID: 31979130 PMCID: PMC7072332 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020273] [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: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common pediatric liver malignancy. Management of HB requires multidisciplinary efforts. The 5-year overall survival of this disease is about 80% in developed countries. Despite advances in the care of these patients, survival in recurrent or treatment-refractory disease is lower than 50%. This is due to more complex tumor biology, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-like mutations and expression of aggressive gene signatures leading to chemoresistance, vascular invasion, and metastatic spread. The current treatment protocols for pediatric liver cancer do not incorporate targeted therapies, and the ability to test these therapies is limited due to the inaccessibility of cell lines and mouse models. In this review, we discuss the current status of preclinical animal modeling in pediatric liver cancer, primarily HB. Although HB is a rare cancer, the research community has worked together to develop a range of interesting and relevant mouse models for diverse preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard S. Whitlock
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children’s Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children’s Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.S.W.); (S.A.V.)
| | - Tianyou Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Sanjeev A. Vasudevan
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children’s Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children’s Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.S.W.); (S.A.V.)
| | - Sarah E. Woodfield
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory, Texas Children’s Surgical Oncology Program, Texas Children’s Liver Tumor Program, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.S.W.); (S.A.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-832-824-4591
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8
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Tracking cellular and molecular changes in a species-specific manner during experimental tumor progression in vivo. Oncotarget 2018; 9:16149-16162. [PMID: 29662633 PMCID: PMC5882324 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma (HBL) is a pediatric liver cancer with defined molecular alterations driving its progression. Here, we describe an animal model for HBL on the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), which recapitulates relevant features of HBL in patients. Expression of classic tumor-associated proteins such as β-catenin, EpCAM and CK19 was maintained in acini-like organized tumors on CAM, as was synthesis of AFP, a tumor marker used for monitoring patient response. RNA sequencing revealed an unexpected molecular evolution of HBL cells on the CAM, with significant deregulation of more than 6,000 genes including more than half of all HOX genes. Bioinformatic analysis distinguish between tumor cell-expressed genes and chick genes, thereby shedding new light on the complex interactions taking place during HBL progression. Importantly, human tumor suppressive ribosomal genes were downregulated after implantation, whereas mitochondrial genes encoding for anti-apoptotic peptides were strongly induced in vivo. Meprin-1α expression was increased during evolution of CAM tumors and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Cisplatin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for HBL, showed significant anti-tumoral effects. Our results broaden the understanding of the molecular adaptation process of human cancer cells to the microenvironment and might help to elaborate novel therapeutic concepts for the treatment of this pediatric liver tumor.
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A Novel Cell Line Based Orthotopic Xenograft Mouse Model That Recapitulates Human Hepatoblastoma. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17751. [PMID: 29259231 PMCID: PMC5736579 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17665-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, preclinical testing of therapies for hepatoblastoma (HB) is limited to subcutaneous and intrasplenic xenograft models that do not recapitulate the hepatic tumors seen in patients. We hypothesized that injection of HB cell lines into the livers of mice would result in liver tumors that resemble their clinical counterparts. HepG2 and Huh-6 HB cell lines were injected, and tumor growth was monitored with bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Levels of human α-fetoprotein (AFP) were monitored in the serum of animals. Immunohistochemical and gene expression analyses were also completed on xenograft tumor samples. BLI signal indicative of tumor growth was seen in 55% of HepG2- and Huh-6-injected animals after a period of four to seven weeks. Increased AFP levels correlated with tumor growth. MRI showed large intrahepatic tumors with active neovascularization. HepG2 and Huh-6 xenografts showed expression of β-catenin, AFP, and Glypican-3 (GPC3). HepG2 samples displayed a consistent gene expression profile most similar to human HB tumors. Intrahepatic injection of HB cell lines leads to liver tumors in mice with growth patterns and biologic, histologic, and genetic features similar to human HB tumors. This orthotopic xenograft mouse model will enable clinically relevant testing of novel agents for HB.
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Bell D, Ranganathan S, Tao J, Monga SP. Novel Advances in Understanding of Molecular Pathogenesis of Hepatoblastoma: A Wnt/β-Catenin Perspective. Gene Expr 2017; 17:141-154. [PMID: 27938502 PMCID: PMC5311458 DOI: 10.3727/105221616x693639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma is the most common pediatric liver malignancy, typically striking children within the first 3 years of their young lives. While advances in chemotherapy and newer surgical techniques have improved survival in patients with localized disease, unfortunately, for the 25% of patients with metastasis, the overall survival remains poor. These tumors, which are thought to arise from hepatic progenitors or hepatoblasts, hence the name hepatoblastoma, can be categorized by histological subtyping based on their level of cell differentiation. Genomic and histological analysis of human tumor samples has shown exon-3 deletions or missense mutations in gene coding for β-catenin, a downstream effector of the Wnt signaling pathway, in up to 90% of hepatoblastoma cases. The current article will review key aberrations in molecular pathways that are implicated in various subtypes of hepatoblastoma with an emphasis on Wnt signaling. It will also discuss cooperation among components of pathways such as β-catenin and Yes-associated protein in cancer development. Understanding the complex network of molecular signaling in oncogenesis will undoubtedly aid in the discovery of new therapeutics to help combat hepatoblastoma.
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11
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Bortel N, Armeanu-Ebinger S, Schmid E, Kirchner B, Frank J, Kocher A, Schiborr C, Warmann S, Fuchs J, Ellerkamp V. Effects of curcumin in pediatric epithelial liver tumors: inhibition of tumor growth and alpha-fetoprotein in vitro and in vivo involving the NFkappaB- and the beta-catenin pathways. Oncotarget 2016; 6:40680-91. [PMID: 26515460 PMCID: PMC4747361 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In children with hepatocellular carcinoma (pHCC) the 5-year overall survival rate is poor. Effects of cytostatic therapies such as cisplatin and doxorubicin are limited due to chemoresistance and tumor relapse. In adult HCC, several antitumor properties are described for the use of curcumin. Curcumin is one of the best-investigated phytochemicals in complementary oncology without relevant side effects. Its use is limited by low bioavailability. Little is known about the influence of curcumin on pediatric epithelial hepatic malignancies. We investigated the effects of curcumin in combination with cisplatin on two pediatric epithelial liver tumor cell lines. As mechanisms of action inhibition of NFkappaB, beta-catenin, and decrease of cyclin D were identified. Using a mouse xenograft model we could show a significant decrease of alpha-fetoprotein after combination therapy of oral micellar curcumin and cisplatin. Significant concentrations of curcuminoids were found in blood samples, organ lysates, and tumor tissue after oral micellar curcumin administration. Micellar curcumin in combination with cisplatin can be a promising strategy for treatment of pediatric HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Bortel
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sorin Armeanu-Ebinger
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Evi Schmid
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bettina Kirchner
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jan Frank
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Division of Biofunctionality and Safety of Food, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alexa Kocher
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Division of Biofunctionality and Safety of Food, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christina Schiborr
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Division of Biofunctionality and Safety of Food, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Steven Warmann
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Fuchs
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Verena Ellerkamp
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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12
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Bissig-Choisat B, Kettlun-Leyton C, Legras XD, Zorman B, Barzi M, Chen LL, Amin MD, Huang YH, Pautler RG, Hampton OA, Prakash MM, Yang D, Borowiak M, Muzny D, Doddapaneni HV, Hu J, Shi Y, Gaber MW, Hicks MJ, Thompson PA, Lu Y, Mills GB, Finegold M, Goss JA, Parsons DW, Vasudevan SA, Sumazin P, López-Terrada D, Bissig KD. Novel patient-derived xenograft and cell line models for therapeutic testing of pediatric liver cancer. J Hepatol 2016; 65:325-33. [PMID: 27117591 PMCID: PMC5668139 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2016.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Pediatric liver cancer is a rare but serious disease whose incidence is rising, and for which the therapeutic options are limited. Development of more targeted, less toxic therapies is hindered by the lack of an experimental animal model that captures the heterogeneity and metastatic capability of these tumors. METHODS Here we established an orthotopic engraftment technique to model a series of patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) from pediatric liver cancers of all major histologic subtypes: hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular cancer and hepatocellular malignant neoplasm. We utilized standard (immuno) staining methods for histological characterization, RNA sequencing for gene expression profiling and genome sequencing for identification of druggable targets. We also adapted stem cell culturing techniques to derive two new pediatric cancer cell lines from the xenografted mice. RESULTS The patient-derived tumor xenografts recapitulated the histologic, genetic, and biological characteristics-including the metastatic behavior-of the corresponding primary tumors. Furthermore, the gene expression profiles of the two new liver cancer cell lines closely resemble those of the primary tumors. Targeted therapy of PDTX from an aggressive hepatocellular malignant neoplasm with the MEK1 inhibitor trametinib and pan-class I PI3 kinase inhibitor NVP-BKM120 resulted in significant growth inhibition, thus confirming this PDTX model as a valuable tool to study tumor biology and patient-specific therapeutic responses. CONCLUSIONS The novel metastatic xenograft model and the isogenic xenograft-derived cell lines described in this study provide reliable tools for developing mutation- and patient-specific therapies for pediatric liver cancer. LAY SUMMARY Pediatric liver cancer is a rare but serious disease and no experimental animal model currently captures the complexity and metastatic capability of these tumors. We have established a novel animal model using human tumor tissue that recapitulates the genetic and biological characteristics of this cancer. We demonstrate that our patient-derived animal model, as well as two new cell lines, are useful tools for experimental therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Bissig-Choisat
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Claudia Kettlun-Leyton
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xavier D. Legras
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Barry Zorman
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mercedes Barzi
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Leon L. Chen
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mansi D. Amin
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yung-Hsin Huang
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robia G. Pautler
- Small Animal Imaging Facility, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Oliver A. Hampton
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Masand M. Prakash
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Diane Yang
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Graduate Program Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Malgorzata Borowiak
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Graduate Program Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,McNair Medical Institute, Houston, USA
| | - Donna Muzny
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Jianhong Hu
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yan Shi
- Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Division of Abdominal Transplantation and Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Surgery, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M. Waleed Gaber
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Small Animal Imaging Facility, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA,Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M. John Hicks
- Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Yiling Lu
- Department of Systems Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gordon B. Mills
- Department of Systems Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Milton Finegold
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John A. Goss
- Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Division of Abdominal Transplantation and Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Surgery, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - D. Williams Parsons
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sanjeev A. Vasudevan
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Division of Abdominal Transplantation and Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Surgery, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pavel Sumazin
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dolores López-Terrada
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA,Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Karl-Dimiter Bissig
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Graduate Program Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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13
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Rikhi RR, Spady KK, Hoffman RI, Bateman MS, Bateman M, Howard LE. Hepatoblastoma: A Need for Cell Lines and Tissue Banks to Develop Targeted Drug Therapies. Front Pediatr 2016; 4:22. [PMID: 27047905 PMCID: PMC4800278 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2016.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Limited research exists regarding the most aggressive forms of hepatoblastoma. Cell lines of the rare subtypes of hepatoblastoma with poor prognosis are not only difficult to attain but also challenging to characterize histologically. A community-driven approach to educating parents and families, regarding the need for donated tissue, is necessary for scientists to have access to resources for murine models and drug discovery. Herein, we describe the currently available resources, existing gaps in research, and the path to move forward for uniform cure of hepatoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishi Raj Rikhi
- Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute , Beaverton, OR , USA
| | - Kimberlee K Spady
- Faculty of the 2015 Pediatric Cancer Biology Nanocourse, Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute , Fort Collins, CO , USA
| | - Ruth I Hoffman
- Faculty of the 2015 Pediatric Cancer Biology Nanocourse, Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute , Fort Collins, CO , USA
| | - Michael S Bateman
- Faculty of the 2015 Pediatric Cancer Biology Nanocourse, Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute , Fort Collins, CO , USA
| | - Max Bateman
- Faculty of the 2015 Pediatric Cancer Biology Nanocourse, Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute , Fort Collins, CO , USA
| | - Lisa Easom Howard
- Faculty of the 2015 Pediatric Cancer Biology Nanocourse, Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute , Fort Collins, CO , USA
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14
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Armeanu-Ebinger S, Hoh A, Wenz J, Fuchs J. Targeting EpCAM (CD326) for immunotherapy in hepatoblastoma. Oncoimmunology 2014; 2:e22620. [PMID: 23482411 PMCID: PMC3583930 DOI: 10.4161/onci.22620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common liver cancer in children. Recurrence of HB after chemotherapy and surgery is frequent among high-risk patients and is associated with chemoresistance. Immunotherapy may improve poor treatment outcomes in HB patients. Cytotoxic leukocytes of the innate and adaptive immune system including different populations of cytotoxic T cells play a major role in fighting developing tumors. In this setting, monoclonal antibodies may be employed to specifically direct immune responses toward tumor cells. We addressed this issue by using humanized antibodies that recognize the cell surface molecule EpCAM (CD326, overexpressed in hepatic tumor cells) to enhance immune responses against HB. EpCAM was constantly expressed on HB cells and its expression was independent of previous therapy based on the DNA-damaging agent cisplatin. Co-culture assays performed with two well-described HB cell lines and tumor tissue cultures demonstrated that tumor cell lysis by γδ T cells can be dramatically augmented by applying EpCAM-specific monoclonal antibodies. These data emphasize the value of antitumor immune responses and encourage adapting immunotherapeutic regimens to improve the outcome of high risk HB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sorin Armeanu-Ebinger
- Department of Paediatric Surgery and Urology; University Children's Hospital; Tuebingen, Germany
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15
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Lieber J, Ellerkamp V, Vogt F, Wenz J, Warmann SW, Fuchs J, Armeanu-Ebinger S. BH3-mimetic drugs prevent tumour onset in an orthotopic mouse model of hepatoblastoma. Exp Cell Res 2013; 322:217-25. [PMID: 24355809 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2013.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Revised: 12/02/2013] [Accepted: 12/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance and metastasis remain major challenges in the treatment of high-risk hepatoblastoma (HB) and require the development of alternative therapeutic strategies. Modulation of apoptosis in HB cells enhances the sensitivity of these cells towards various drugs and has been discussed to enforce treatment. We investigated the impact of apoptosis sensitisers, BH3-mimetics, on the interaction between the host and HB to reduce tumour growth and dissemination while enhancing immunity. BH3-mimetics, such as obatoclax and ABT-737, enhanced the apoptosis-inducing effect of TRAIL and TNF-α resistant HB cells (HepT1 and HUH6). Tumour cell migration was inhibited by ABT-737 and more markedly by obatoclax. In an orthotopic model of HB, tumour uptake was reduced when the cells were pretreated with low concentrations of obatoclax. Only 1 of 7 mice developed HB in the liver, compared with an incidence of 0.8 in the control group. In summary, our study showed that apoptosis sensitisers had broader effects on HB cells than expected including migration and susceptibility to cytokines in addition to the known effects on drug sensitization. Sensitising HB to apoptosis may also allow resistant HB to be targeted by immune cells and prevent tumour cell dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus Lieber
- University Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Verena Ellerkamp
- University Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Fabian Vogt
- University Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Julia Wenz
- University Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Steven W Warmann
- University Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Jörg Fuchs
- University Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Sorin Armeanu-Ebinger
- University Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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16
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Liu C, Ma Z, Hou J, Zhang H, Liu R, Wu W, Liu W, Lu Y. Germline traits of human hepatoblastoma cells associated with growth and metastasis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2013; 437:120-6. [PMID: 23800414 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.06.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Genes that are specific to germline and embryonic development can be activated in many tumors. Here, we show that germline traits that are present in human hepatoblastoma cells might be associated with the malignant behaviors of these tumor cells. In culture, single human hepatoblastoma cells differentiated into germ cell-like cells, which further developed into oocyte-like cells and formed parthenogenetic blastocyst-like structures. The germ cell-like cells and their embryonic derivatives from hepatoblastoma cells may favorably give rise to xenograft tumors with embryonal/germline traits and intrahepatic metastasis. These findings suggest that germline potential can be spontaneously activated in human hepatoblastoma cells and it might be important for tumor formation and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunfang Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
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17
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Lum DH, Matsen C, Welm AL, Welm BE. Overview of human primary tumorgraft models: comparisons with traditional oncology preclinical models and the clinical relevance and utility of primary tumorgrafts in basic and translational oncology research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; Chapter 14:Unit 14.22. [PMID: 23258598 DOI: 10.1002/0471141755.ph1422s59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory models that accurately replicate human tumor initiation and characteristics are integral to advancing knowledge in cancer research. However, comparative studies between commonly employed laboratory models and human tumors have demonstrated that some models have molecular and genomic alterations dissimilar to the cancer type they attempt to replicate. In contrast, several recent comparative studies suggest that because patient-derived tumors grown in mice maintain many of the important characteristics of the original tumor, they represent an important tool for the development of new cancer therapeutics. Detailed in this overview are the advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used cancer models for mechanistic and therapeutic research, with an emphasis on the advances made in the production and use of patient-derived tumorgrafts.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Lum
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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18
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Abstract
PURPOSE The proto-oncogene beta-catenin is linked to an abnormal activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin-pathway and shows mutations in 50-90 % of hepatoblastoma (HB). Corresponding, the recently published murine orthotopic HB model differs from the former subcutaneous model by nuclear beta-catenin distribution. As the nuclear localization of beta-catenin is considered to reflect a more aggressive tumor growth, the influence of beta-catenin inhibition on cell viability and drug-efficiency in HB cells was analyzed. METHODS Beta-catenin distribution in HB cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence. The influence of beta-catenin inhibitors Celecoxib, Etodolac, ICG001, and MET kinase inhibitor (SU11274) alone and in combination with cisplatin (CDDP) on HB cell lines (HuH6, HepT1) was evaluated by cell viability assays and BrdU incorporation. RESULTS Celecoxib and ICG001 reduced dose-dependently HB cell viability and decreased nuclear beta-catenin in cultivated HB cells. Etodolac was without influence at concentrations up to 100 μM. Combinations of Celecoxib or ICG001 with MET kinase inhibitor or CDDP resulted in additive reduction of cell viability. CONCLUSION Pharmaceutical beta-catenin inhibitors can modulate the nuclear localization of beta-catenin and reduce cell viability of HB cells in vitro. These promising effects might optimize the outcome of high-risk HB. The orthotopic HB model is a suitable basis for further in vivo studies.
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Seitz G, Armeanu-Ebinger S, Warmann S, Fuchs J. Animal models of extracranial pediatric solid tumors. Oncol Lett 2012; 4:859-864. [PMID: 23162611 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2012.852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 06/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models, including xenografts, models of metastatic invasion, syngeneic models and transgenic models, are important tools for basic research in solid pediatric tumors, while humanized animal models are useful for novel immunotherapeutical approaches. Optical and molecular imaging techniques are used for in vivo imaging and may be used in conjunction with alternative treatment approaches, including photodynamic therapy. The aim of this review is to highlight the various animal models that may be used for basic research in pediatric solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Seitz
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, University Children's Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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