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Vempuluru VS, Maniar A, Bakal K, Kaliki S. Role of MYCN in retinoblastoma: A review of current literature. Surv Ophthalmol 2024:S0039-6257(24)00055-9. [PMID: 38796108 DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2024.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Chromosomal abnormalities that involve the MYCN gene are rare; however, it is one of the most commonly mutated genes in retinoblastoma (RB) after the RB1 gene. MYCN is amplified in approximately 1-9 % of all RB tumors. It plays a role in RB oncogenesis via many mechanisms, including synergism with RB1 deletion, positive feedback with MDM2, upregulation of cell cycle regulating genes, upregulation of miRNA, and upregulation of glucose metabolism. MYCN amplifications are not mutually exclusive and can occur even in the presence of RB1 gene mutations. Clinically, RB1+/+MYCNA tumors present as sporadic, unilateral, advanced tumors in very young children and tend to follow an aggressive course. Magnetic resonance imaging features include peripheral tumor location, placoid configuration, retinal folding, tumor-associated hemorrhage, and anterior chamber enhancement. Genetic testing for MYCNA is especially recommended in patients with unilateral RB where genetic blood testing and tumor tissue show a lack of RB1 mutation. MYCN-targeted therapies are evolving and hold promise for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijitha S Vempuluru
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad 500034, India
| | - Arpita Maniar
- Duke Eye Center, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Komal Bakal
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad 500034, India
| | - Swathi Kaliki
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad 500034, India.
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2
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Steen EA, Basilaia M, Kim W, Getz T, Gustafson JL, Zage PE. Targeting the RET tyrosine kinase in neuroblastoma: A review and application of a novel selective drug design strategy. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 216:115751. [PMID: 37595672 PMCID: PMC10911250 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115751] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The RET (REarranged during Transfection) gene, which encodes for a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase, is an established oncogene associated with the etiology and progression of multiple types of cancer. Oncogenic RET mutations and rearrangements resulting in gene fusions have been identified in many adult cancers, including medullary and papillary thyroid cancers, lung adenocarcinomas, colon and breast cancers, and many others. While genetic RET aberrations are much less common in pediatric solid tumors, increased RET expression has been shown to be associated with poor prognosis in children with solid tumors such as neuroblastoma, prompting an interest in RET inhibition as a form of therapy for these children. A number of kinase inhibitors currently in use for patients with cancer have RET inhibitory activity, but these inhibitors also display activity against other kinases, resulting in unwanted side effects and limiting their safety and efficacy. Recent efforts have been focused on developing more specific RET inhibitors, but due to high levels of conservation between kinase binding pockets, specificity remains a drug design challenge. Here, we review the background of RET as a potential therapeutic target in neuroblastoma tumors and the results of recent preclinical studies and clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of RET inhibition in adults and children. We also present a novel approach to drug discovery leveraging the chemical phenomenon of atropisomerism to develop specific RET inhibitors and present preliminary data demonstrating the efficacy of a novel RET inhibitor against neuroblastoma tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica A Steen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Mariam Basilaia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - William Kim
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Taelor Getz
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Jeffrey L Gustafson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
| | - Peter E Zage
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA; Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA.
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3
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Guan J, Borenäs M, Xiong J, Lai WY, Palmer RH, Hallberg B. IGF1R Contributes to Cell Proliferation in ALK-Mutated Neuroblastoma with Preference for Activating the PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathway. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4252. [PMID: 37686528 PMCID: PMC10563084 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) by activating point mutation or amplification drives 5-12% of neuroblastoma (NB). Previous work has identified the involvement of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) in a wide range of cancers. We show here that many NB cell lines exhibit IGF1R activity, and that IGF1R inhibition led to decreased cell proliferation to varying degrees in ALK-driven NB cells. Furthermore, combined inhibition of ALK and IGF1R resulted in synergistic anti-proliferation effects, in particular in ALK-mutated NB cells. Mechanistically, both ALK and IGF1R contribute significantly to the activation of downstream PI3K-AKT and RAS-MAPK signaling pathways in ALK-mutated NB cells. However, these two RTKs employ a differential repertoire of adaptor proteins to mediate downstream signaling effects. We show here that ALK signaling led to activation of the RAS-MAPK pathway by preferentially phosphorylating the adaptor proteins GAB1, GAB2, and FRS2, while IGF1R signaling preferentially phosphorylated IRS2, promoting activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway. Together, these findings reveal a potentially important role of the IGF1R RTK in ALK-mutated NB and that co-targeting of ALK and IGF1R may be advantageous in clinical treatment of ALK-mutated NB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikui Guan
- Institute of Pediatric Medicine, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Marcus Borenäs
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Junfeng Xiong
- Institute of Pediatric Medicine, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Wei-Yun Lai
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Ruth H. Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden (R.H.P.); (B.H.)
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4
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Zhang A, Zhang S. Clinicopathological significance of vasculogenic mimicry and fetal hemoglobin expression in peripheral neuroblastic tumors in children. Am J Transl Res 2023; 15:4687-4698. [PMID: 37560203 PMCID: PMC10408510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is present in a variety of malignant tumors, and is related to the degree of malignancy. Neuroblastoma (NB) can induce the expression of fetal hemoglobin (HB-F). The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological significance of the number of VMs and tumor cell expression of HB-F in children with peripheral neuroblastic tumors (pNTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected tissue samples and clinical data from 101 children with pNTs; prepared serial sections of tissue wax blocks for hematoxylin and eosin staining, CD31/periodic acid-Schiff double staining, and HB-F immunohistochemical staining; and analyzed the experimental results. RESULTS There were significant differences in the number of VMs and HB-F expression in tumor cells according to the pathological classification of pNTs (P<0.001, collectively). Poorly differentiated NB had a median of 137 VMs and 25.5% HB-F expression. Differentiating NB had a median of 90.5 VMs and 8.5% HB-F expression. Ganglioneuroblastoma intermixed had a median of 6.0 VMs and 1.0% HB-F expression. Ganglioneuromas had no VM and a median of 0% HB-F expression. The number of VMs and the expression of HB-F were significantly higher in the poor prognosis group than the good prognosis group (P<0.001, collectively). There was a strong positive correlation between the number of VMs and HB-F expression in pNTs (r=0.891, P<0.001). CONCLUSION We confirmed VM and HB-F expression in pNTs. The number of VMs and HB-F expression were higher in poorly differentiated tumors. The number of VMs and level of HB-F expression in pNTs might be related to the prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aihua Zhang
- Graduate School, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical CenterTianjin, China
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5
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Krchniakova M, Paukovcekova S, Chlapek P, Neradil J, Skoda J, Veselska R. Thiosemicarbazones and selected tyrosine kinase inhibitors synergize in pediatric solid tumors: NDRG1 upregulation and impaired prosurvival signaling in neuroblastoma cells. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:976955. [PMID: 36160437 PMCID: PMC9490180 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.976955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are frequently used in combined therapy to enhance treatment efficacy and overcome drug resistance. The present study analyzed the effects of three inhibitors, sunitinib, gefitinib, and lapatinib, combined with iron-chelating agents, di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) or di-2-pyridylketone-4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC). Simultaneous administration of the drugs consistently resulted in synergistic and/or additive activities against the cell lines derived from the most frequent types of pediatric solid tumors. The results of a detailed analysis of cell signaling in the neuroblastoma cell lines revealed that TKIs inhibited the phosphorylation of the corresponding receptor tyrosine kinases, and thiosemicarbazones downregulated the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, leading to a strong induction of apoptosis. Marked upregulation of the metastasis suppressor N-myc downstream regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), which is known to be activated and upregulated by thiosemicarbazones in adult cancers, was also detected in thiosemicarbazone-treated neuroblastoma cells. Importantly, these effects were more pronounced in the cells treated with drug combinations, especially with the combinations of lapatinib with thiosemicarbazones. Therefore, these results provide a rationale for novel strategies combining iron-chelating agents with TKIs in therapy of pediatric solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Krchniakova
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Silvia Paukovcekova
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Petr Chlapek
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jakub Neradil
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jan Skoda
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jan Skoda, ; Renata Veselska,
| | - Renata Veselska
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jan Skoda, ; Renata Veselska,
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6
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Wu Z, Peng Y, Xiong L, Wang J, Li Z, Ning K, Deng M, Wang N, Wei W, Li Z, Dong P, Yu C, Zhou F, Zhang Z. Role of Sam68 in Sunitinib induced renal cell carcinoma apoptosis. Cancer Med 2022; 11:3674-3686. [PMID: 35476809 PMCID: PMC9554455 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sunitinib is one of the first‐line targeted drugs for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with dual effects of antiangiogensis and proapoptosis. Sam68 (Src‐associated in mitosis, 68 KDa), is found being involved in cell apoptosis. This article reveals that Sam68 impacts the sensitivity to sunitinib by mediating the apoptosis of RCC cells. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the Sam68 expression levels in sunitinib sensitive tumor tissues were markedly higher than those in sunitinib resistant tumor tissues. Sunitinib induced RCC cell apoptosis in a concentration‐dependent manner and inhibited the expression of total and phosphorylated Sam68 (p‐Sam68). Downregulation of Sam68 expression inhibited RCC cell apoptosis induced by sunitinib. While upregulation of Sam68 expression could enhance apoptosis induced by sunitinib. Xenograft models showed that tumors in the Sam68‐knockdown group did not shrink as much as those in the control group after treatment with sunitinib for 4 weeks. Together, our results suggest that Sam68 expression is associated with the sensitivity of ccRCC patients to sunitinib. Sam68 may promote cell apoptosis induced by sunitinib, and the Sam68 expression level may be a biomarker for predicting sunitinib sensitivity in ccRCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeshen Wu
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Yulu Peng
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Longbin Xiong
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Kang Ning
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Minhua Deng
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Wensu Wei
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Zhiyong Li
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Pei Dong
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Chunping Yu
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Fangjian Zhou
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
| | - Zhiling Zhang
- Department of Urology Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China Guangzhou China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou China
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7
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Konovalov N, Timonin S, Asyutin D, Raevskiy M, Sorokin M, Buzdin A, Kaprovoy S. Transcriptomic Portraits and Molecular Pathway Activation Features of Adult Spinal Intramedullary Astrocytomas. Front Oncol 2022; 12:837570. [PMID: 35387112 PMCID: PMC8978956 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.837570] [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: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we report 31 spinal intramedullary astrocytoma (SIA) RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) profiles for 25 adult patients with documented clinical annotations. To our knowledge, this is the first clinically annotated RNA-seq dataset of spinal astrocytomas derived from the intradural intramedullary compartment. We compared these tumor profiles with the previous healthy central nervous system (CNS) RNA-seq data for spinal cord and brain and identified SIA-specific gene sets and molecular pathways. Our findings suggest a trend for SIA-upregulated pathways governing interactions with the immune cells and downregulated pathways for the neuronal functioning in the context of normal CNS activity. In two patient tumor biosamples, we identified diagnostic KIAA1549-BRAF fusion oncogenes, and we also found 16 new SIA-associated fusion transcripts. In addition, we bioinformatically simulated activities of targeted cancer drugs in SIA samples and predicted that several tyrosine kinase inhibitory drugs and thalidomide analogs could be potentially effective as second-line treatment agents to aid in the prevention of SIA recurrence and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mikhail Raevskiy
- Omicsway Corp., Walnut, CA, United States.,Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia.,Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia.,I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maxim Sorokin
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia.,Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia.,I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton Buzdin
- Omicsway Corp., Walnut, CA, United States.,Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia.,Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia.,I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.,Oncobox Ltd., Moscow, Russia
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8
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Wong RLY, Wong MRE, Kuick CH, Saffari SE, Wong MK, Tan SH, Merchant K, Chang KTE, Thangavelu M, Periyasamy G, Chen ZX, Iyer P, Tan EEK, Soh SY, Iyer NG, Fan Q, Loh AHP. Integrated Genomic Profiling and Drug Screening of Patient-Derived Cultures Identifies Individualized Copy Number-Dependent Susceptibilities Involving PI3K Pathway and 17q Genes in Neuroblastoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:709525. [PMID: 34722256 PMCID: PMC8551924 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.709525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the commonest extracranial pediatric malignancy. With few recurrent single nucleotide variations (SNVs), mutation-based precision oncology approaches have limited utility, but its frequent and heterogenous copy number variations (CNVs) could represent genomic dependencies that may be exploited for personalized therapy. Patient-derived cell culture (PDC) models can facilitate rapid testing of multiple agents to determine such individualized drug-responses. Thus, to study the relationship between individual genomic aberrations and therapeutic susceptibilities, we integrated comprehensive genomic profiling of neuroblastoma tumors with drug screening of corresponding PDCs against 418 targeted inhibitors. We quantified the strength of association between copy number and cytotoxicity, and validated significantly correlated gene-drug pairs in public data and using machine learning models. Somatic mutations were infrequent (3.1 per case), but copy number losses in 1p (31%) and 11q (38%), and gains in 17q (69%) were prevalent. Critically, in-vitro cytotoxicity significantly correlated only with CNVs, but not SNVs. Among 1278 significantly correlated gene-drug pairs, copy number of GNA13 and DNA damage response genes CBL, DNMT3A, and PPM1D were most significantly correlated with cytotoxicity; the drugs most commonly associated with these genes were PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PIK-75, and CDK inhibitors P276-00, SNS-032, AT7519, flavopiridol and dinaciclib. Predictive Markov random field models constructed from CNVs alone recapitulated the true z-score-weighted associations, with the strongest gene-drug functional interactions in subnetworks involving PI3K and JAK-STAT pathways. Together, our data defined individualized dose-dependent relationships between copy number gains of PI3K and STAT family genes particularly on 17q and susceptibility to PI3K and cell cycle agents in neuroblastoma. Integration of genomic profiling and drug screening of patient-derived models of neuroblastoma can quantitatively define copy number-dependent sensitivities to targeted inhibitors, which can guide personalized therapy for such mutationally quiet cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan R E Wong
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chik Hong Kuick
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Seyed Ehsan Saffari
- Centre for Quantitative Medicine, Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Meng Kang Wong
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sheng Hui Tan
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Khurshid Merchant
- Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kenneth T E Chang
- Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Matan Thangavelu
- Centre for High Throughput Phenomics (CHiP-GIS), Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Giridharan Periyasamy
- Centre for High Throughput Phenomics (CHiP-GIS), Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhi Xiong Chen
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Prasad Iyer
- Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Enrica E K Tan
- Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shui Yen Soh
- Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - N Gopalakrishna Iyer
- Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Division of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Qiao Fan
- Centre for Quantitative Medicine, Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Amos H P Loh
- Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, Children's Blood and Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
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9
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Ollauri-Ibáñez C, Astigarraga I. Use of Antiangiogenic Therapies in Pediatric Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:E253. [PMID: 33445470 PMCID: PMC7827326 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is an important cause of death in childhood. In recent years, scientists have made an important effort to achieve greater precision and more personalized treatments against cancer. But since only a few pediatric patients have identifiable therapeutic targets, other ways to stop the neoplastic cell proliferation and dissemination are needed. Therefore, the inhibition of general processes involved in the growth and behavior of tumors can be a relevant strategy for the development of new cancer therapies. In the case of solid tumors, one of these processes is angiogenesis, essential for tumor growth and generation of metastases. This review summarizes the results obtained with the use of antiangiogenic drugs in the main pediatric malignant solid tumors and also an overview of clinical trials currently underway. It should be noted that due to the rarity and heterogeneity of the different types of pediatric cancer, most studies on antiangiogenic drugs include only a small number of patients or isolated clinical cases, so they are not conclusive and further studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Ollauri-Ibáñez
- Pediatric Oncology Group, BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain;
| | - Itziar Astigarraga
- Pediatric Oncology Group, BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain;
- Pediatrics Department, Hospital Universitario Cruces, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain
- Pediatrics Department, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
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10
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Zafar A, Wang W, Liu G, Wang X, Xian W, McKeon F, Foster J, Zhou J, Zhang R. Molecular targeting therapies for neuroblastoma: Progress and challenges. Med Res Rev 2020; 41:961-1021. [PMID: 33155698 PMCID: PMC7906923 DOI: 10.1002/med.21750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to identify novel therapies for childhood cancers. Neuroblastoma is the most common pediatric solid tumor, and accounts for ~15% of childhood cancer‐related mortality. Neuroblastomas exhibit genetic, morphological and clinical heterogeneity, which limits the efficacy of existing treatment modalities. Gaining detailed knowledge of the molecular signatures and genetic variations involved in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma is necessary to develop safer and more effective treatments for this devastating disease. Recent studies with advanced high‐throughput “omics” techniques have revealed numerous genetic/genomic alterations and dysfunctional pathways that drive the onset, growth, progression, and resistance of neuroblastoma to therapy. A variety of molecular signatures are being evaluated to better understand the disease, with many of them being used as targets to develop new treatments for neuroblastoma patients. In this review, we have summarized the contemporary understanding of the molecular pathways and genetic aberrations, such as those in MYCN, BIRC5, PHOX2B, and LIN28B, involved in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma, and provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular targeted therapies under preclinical and clinical investigations, particularly those targeting ALK signaling, MDM2, PI3K/Akt/mTOR and RAS‐MAPK pathways, as well as epigenetic regulators. We also give insights on the use of combination therapies involving novel agents that target various pathways. Further, we discuss the future directions that would help identify novel targets and therapeutics and improve the currently available therapies, enhancing the treatment outcomes and survival of patients with neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atif Zafar
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.,Drug Discovery Institute, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemical Biology Program, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Xinjie Wang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wa Xian
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Stem Cell Center, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Frank McKeon
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Stem Cell Center, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer Foster
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital, Section of Hematology-Oncology Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemical Biology Program, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.,Drug Discovery Institute, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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11
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Zormpas-Petridis K, Jerome NP, Blackledge MD, Carceller F, Poon E, Clarke M, McErlean CM, Barone G, Koers A, Vaidya SJ, Marshall LV, Pearson ADJ, Moreno L, Anderson J, Sebire N, McHugh K, Koh DM, Yuan Y, Chesler L, Robinson SP, Jamin Y. MRI Imaging of the Hemodynamic Vasculature of Neuroblastoma Predicts Response to Antiangiogenic Treatment. Cancer Res 2019; 79:2978-2991. [PMID: 30877107 PMCID: PMC6558276 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Childhood neuroblastoma is a hypervascular tumor of neural origin, for which antiangiogenic drugs are currently being evaluated; however, predictive biomarkers of treatment response, crucial for successful delivery of precision therapeutics, are lacking. We describe an MRI-pathologic cross-correlative approach using intrinsic susceptibility (IS) and susceptibility contrast (SC) MRI to noninvasively map the vascular phenotype in neuroblastoma Th-MYCN transgenic mice treated with the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor cediranib. We showed that the transverse MRI relaxation rate R 2* (second-1) and fractional blood volume (fBV, %) were sensitive imaging biomarkers of hemorrhage and vascular density, respectively, and were also predictive biomarkers of response to cediranib. Comparison with MRI and pathology from patients with MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma confirmed the high degree to which the Th-MYCN model vascular phenotype recapitulated that of the clinical phenotype, thereby supporting further evaluation of IS- and SC-MRI in the clinic. This study reinforces the potential role of functional MRI in delivering precision medicine to children with neuroblastoma. SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that functional MRI predicts response to vascular-targeted therapy in a genetically engineered murine model of neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Zormpas-Petridis
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Neil P Jerome
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Clinic of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Matthew D Blackledge
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando Carceller
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Evon Poon
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Clarke
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Ciara M McErlean
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Giuseppe Barone
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Koers
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Sucheta J Vaidya
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Lynley V Marshall
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew D J Pearson
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Lucas Moreno
- Clinical Research Unit, Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Department, Hospital Infantil Universitario Ninõ Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | - John Anderson
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Sebire
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kieran McHugh
- Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dow-Mu Koh
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Yinyin Yuan
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Louis Chesler
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Simon P Robinson
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Yann Jamin
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom.
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12
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Guarnaccia L, Navone SE, Trombetta E, Cordiglieri C, Cherubini A, Crisà FM, Rampini P, Miozzo M, Fontana L, Caroli M, Locatelli M, Riboni L, Campanella R, Marfia G. Angiogenesis in human brain tumors: screening of drug response through a patient-specific cell platform for personalized therapy. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8748. [PMID: 29884885 PMCID: PMC5993734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27116-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common brain tumors, with diverse biological behaviour. Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive and with the worst prognosis, is characterized by an intense and aberrant angiogenesis, which distinguishes it from low-grade gliomas (LGGs) and benign expansive lesions, as meningiomas (MNGs). With increasing evidence for the importance of vascularization in tumor biology, we focused on the isolation and characterization of endothelial cells (ECs) from primary GBMs, LGGs and MNGs. Gene expression analysis by Real-Time PCR, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analysis, tube-like structures formation and vascular permeability assays were performed. Our results showed a higher efficiency of ECs to form a complex vascular architecture, as well as a greater impairment of a brain blood barrier model, and an overexpression of pro-angiogenic mediators in GBM than in LGG and MNG. Furthermore, administration of temozolomide, bevacizumab, and sunitinib triggered a different proliferative, apoptotic and angiogenic response, in a dose and time-dependent manner. An increased resistance to temozolomide was observed in T98G cells co-cultured in GBM-EC conditioned media. Therefore, we developed a novel platform to reproduce tumor vascularization as “disease in a dish”, which allows us to perform screening of sensitivity/resistance to drugs, in order to optimize targeted approaches to GBM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Guarnaccia
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Elena Navone
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Trombetta
- Flow Cytometry Service, Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Microbiology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cordiglieri
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cherubini
- Cell Factory, Unit of Cell Therapy and Cryobiology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Maria Crisà
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Rampini
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Miozzo
- Division of Pathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCs Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Fontana
- Division of Pathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCs Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Caroli
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Locatelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Riboni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, LITA-Segrate, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Rolando Campanella
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marfia
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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13
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Kumar S, Sun JD, Zhang L, Mokhtari RB, Wu B, Meng F, Liu Q, Bhupathi D, Wang Y, Yeger H, Hart C, Baruchel S. Hypoxia-Targeting Drug Evofosfamide (TH-302) Enhances Sunitinib Activity in Neuroblastoma Xenograft Models. Transl Oncol 2018; 11:911-919. [PMID: 29803017 PMCID: PMC6041570 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Antiangiogenic therapy has shown promising results in preclinical and clinical trials. However, tumor cells acquire resistance to this therapy by gaining ability to survive and proliferate under hypoxia induced by antiangiogenic therapy. Combining antiangiogenic therapy with hypoxia-activated prodrugs can overcome this limitation. Here, we have tested the combination of antiangiogenic drug sunitinib in combination with hypoxia-activated prodrug evofosfamide in neuroblastoma. In vitro, neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-BE(2) was 40-folds sensitive to evofosfamide under hypoxia compared to normoxia. In IV metastatic model, evofosfamide significantly increased mice survival compared to the vehicle (P=.02). In SK-N-BE(2) subcutaneous xenograft model, we tested two different treatment regimens using 30 mg/kg sunitinib and 50 mg/kg evofosfamide. Here, sunitinib therapy when started along with evofosfamide treatment showed higher efficacy compared to single agents in subcutaneous SK-N-BE(2) xenograft model, whereas sunitinib when started 7 days after evofosfamide treatment did not have any advantage compared to treatment with either single agent. Immunofluorescence of tumor sections revealed higher number of apoptotic cells and hypoxic areas compared to either single agent when both treatments were started together. Treatment with 80 mg/kg sunitinib with 50 mg/kg evofosfamide was significantly superior to single agents in both xenograft and metastatic models. This study confirms the preclinical efficacy of sunitinib and evofosfamide in murine models of aggressive neuroblastoma. Sunitinib enhances the efficacy of evofosfamide by increasing hypoxic areas, and evofosfamide targets hypoxic tumor cells. Consequently, each drug enhances the activity of the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushil Kumar
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 0A4; Institute of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A8
| | - Jessica D Sun
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc., 170 Harbor Way # 300, South San Francisco, CA, USA, 94080
| | - Libo Zhang
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 0A4
| | - Reza Bayat Mokhtari
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 0A4; Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 0A4
| | - Bing Wu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 0A4
| | - Fanying Meng
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc., 170 Harbor Way # 300, South San Francisco, CA, USA, 94080
| | - Qian Liu
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc., 170 Harbor Way # 300, South San Francisco, CA, USA, 94080
| | - Deepthi Bhupathi
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc., 170 Harbor Way # 300, South San Francisco, CA, USA, 94080
| | - Yan Wang
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc., 170 Harbor Way # 300, South San Francisco, CA, USA, 94080
| | - Herman Yeger
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A8; Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 0A4
| | - Charles Hart
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc., 170 Harbor Way # 300, South San Francisco, CA, USA, 94080
| | - Sylvain Baruchel
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 0A4; Institute of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A8.
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14
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Johnsen JI, Dyberg C, Fransson S, Wickström M. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets in neuroblastoma. Pharmacol Res 2018; 131:164-176. [PMID: 29466695 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranical tumor of childhood and the most deadly tumor of infancy. It is characterized by early age onset and high frequencies of metastatic disease but also the capacity to spontaneously regress. Despite intensive therapy, the survival for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma and those with recurrent or relapsed disease is low. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop new therapies for these patient groups. The molecular pathogenesis based on high-throughput omics technologies of neuroblastoma is beginning to be resolved which have given the opportunity to develop personalized therapies for high-risk patients. Here we discuss the potential of developing targeted therapies against aberrantly expressed molecules detected in sub-populations of neuroblastoma patients and how these selected targets can be drugged in order to overcome treatment resistance, improve survival and quality of life for these patients and also the possibilities to transfer preclinical research into clinical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Inge Johnsen
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Cecilia Dyberg
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susanne Fransson
- Department of Pathology and Genetics, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Malin Wickström
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Maj E, Filip-Psurska B, Milczarek M, Psurski M, Kutner A, Wietrzyk J. Vitamin D derivatives potentiate the anticancer and anti-angiogenic activity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in combination with cytostatic drugs in an A549 non-small cell lung cancer model. Int J Oncol 2017; 52:337-366. [PMID: 29345296 PMCID: PMC5741374 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2017.4228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that calcitriol [1,25(OH)2D3] and different vitamin D analogs possess antineoplastic activity, regulating proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, as well as angiogenesis. Vitamin D compounds have been shown to exert synergistic effects when used in combination with different agents used in anticancer therapies in different cancer models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanisms of the cooperation of the vitamin D compounds [1,24(OH)2D3 (PRI-2191) and 1,25(OH)2D3] with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib and sunitinib) together with cytostatics (cisplatin and docetaxel) in an A549 non-small cell lung cancer model. The cytotoxic effects of the test compounds used in different combinations were evaluated on A549 lung cancer cells, as well as on human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMECs). The effects of such combinations on the cell cycle and cell death were also determined. In addition, changes in the expression of proteins involved in cell cycle regulation, angiogenesis and the action of vitamin D were analyzed. Moreover, the effects of 1,24(OH)2D3 on the anticancer activity of sunitinib and sunitinib in combination with docetaxel were examined in an A549 lung cancer model in vivo. Experiments aiming at evaluating the cytotoxicity of the combinations of the test agents revealed that imatinib and sunitinib together with cisplatin or docetaxel exerted potent anti-proliferative effects in vitro on A549 lung cancer cells and in HLMECs; however, 1,24(OH)2D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 enhanced the cytotoxic effects only in the endothelial cells. Among the test agents, sunitinib and cisplatin decreased the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A from the A549 lung cancer cells. The decrease in the VEGF-A level following incubation with cisplatin correlated with a higher p53 protein expression, while no such correlation was observed following treatment of the A549 cells with sunitinib. Sunitinib together with docetaxel and 1,24(OH)2D3 exhibited a more potent anticancer activity in the A549 lung cancer model compared to double combinations and to treatment with the compounds alone. The observed anticancer activity may be the result of the influence of the test agents on the process of tumor angiogenesis, for example, through the downregulation of VEGF-A expression in tumor and also on the induction of cell death inside the tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Maj
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Beata Filip-Psurska
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Milczarek
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz Psurski
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kutner
- Pharmaceutical Research Institute, 01-793 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Wietrzyk
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
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16
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Calero R, Morchon E, Martinez-Argudo I, Serrano R. Synergistic anti-tumor effect of 17AAG with the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 on human melanoma. Cancer Lett 2017; 406:1-11. [PMID: 28774796 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Drug resistance by MAPK signaling recovery or activation of alternative signaling pathways, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, is an important factor that limits the long-term efficacy of targeted therapies in melanoma patients. In the present study, we investigated the phospho-proteomic profile of RTKs and its correlation with downstream signaling pathways in human melanoma. We found that tyrosine kinase receptors expression correlated with the expression of pivotal downstream components of the RAS/RAF/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in melanoma cell lines and tumors. We also found high expression of HSP90 and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway proteins, 4EBP1 and AKT compared with healthy tissue and this correlated with poor overall survival of melanoma patients. The combination of the HSP90 inhibitor 17AAG with the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 showed a synergistic activity decreasing melanoma cell growth, inducing apoptosis and targeting simultaneously the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. These results demonstrate that the combination of HSP90 and PI3K/mTOR inhibitors could be an effective therapeutic strategy that target the main survival pathways in melanoma and must be considered to overcome resistance to BRAF inhibitors in melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Calero
- Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Biochemistry and Environmental Sciences, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - E Morchon
- Albacete University Hospital, Albacete, Spain
| | - I Martinez-Argudo
- Genetics Section, Faculty of Biochemistry and Environmental Sciences, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - R Serrano
- Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Biochemistry and Environmental Sciences, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain.
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17
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Singhal SS, Singhal S, Singhal P, Singhal J, Horne D, Awasthi S. Didymin: an orally active citrus flavonoid for targeting neuroblastoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:29428-29441. [PMID: 28187004 PMCID: PMC5438742 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma, a rapidly growing yet treatment responsive cancer, is the third most common cancer of children and the most common solid tumor in infants. Unfortunately, neuroblastoma that has lost p53 function often has a highly treatment-resistant phenotype leading to tragic outcomes. In the context of neuroblastoma, the functions of p53 and MYCN (which is amplified in ~25% of neuroblastomas) are integrally linked because they are mutually transcriptionally regulated, and because they together regulate the catalytic activity of RNA polymerases. Didymin is a citrus-derived natural compound that kills p53 wild-type as well as drug-resistant p53-mutant neuroblastoma cells in culture. In addition, orally administered didymin causes regression of neuroblastoma xenografts in mouse models, without toxicity to non-malignant cells, neural tissues, or neural stem cells. RKIP is a Raf-inhibitory protein that regulates MYCN activation, is transcriptionally upregulated by didymin, and appears to play a key role in the anti-neuroblastoma actions of didymin. In this review, we discuss how didymin overcomes drug-resistance in p53-mutant neuroblastoma through RKIP-mediated inhibition of MYCN and its effects on GRK2, PKCs, Let-7 micro-RNA, and clathrin-dependent endocytosis by Raf-dependent and -independent mechanisms. In addition, we will discuss studies supporting potential clinical impact and translation of didymin as a low cost, safe, and effective oral agent that could change the current treatment paradigm for refractory neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharad S. Singhal
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Sulabh Singhal
- University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Jyotsana Singhal
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - David Horne
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Sanjay Awasthi
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
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18
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The MYCN Protein in Health and Disease. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8040113. [PMID: 28358317 PMCID: PMC5406860 DOI: 10.3390/genes8040113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
MYCN is a member of the MYC family of proto-oncogenes. It encodes a transcription factor, MYCN, involved in the control of fundamental processes during embryonal development. The MYCN protein is situated downstream of several signaling pathways promoting cell growth, proliferation and metabolism of progenitor cells in different developing organs and tissues. Conversely, deregulated MYCN signaling supports the development of several different tumors, mainly with a childhood onset, including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilms’ tumor, but it is also associated with some cancers occurring during adulthood such as prostate and lung cancer. In neuroblastoma, MYCN-amplification is the most consistent genetic aberration associated with poor prognosis and treatment failure. Targeting MYCN has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of these tumors and great efforts have allowed the development of direct and indirect MYCN inhibitors with potential clinical use.
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Maj E, Papiernik D, Wietrzyk J. Antiangiogenic cancer treatment: The great discovery and greater complexity (Review). Int J Oncol 2016; 49:1773-1784. [PMID: 27826619 PMCID: PMC5063425 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2016.3709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of tumor angiogenesis opened a new path in fighting cancer. The approval of different antiangiogenic agents, most targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling, has either increased the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy or even replaced it by offering better patient outcomes. However, an increasing number of preclinical and clinical observations have shown that the process of angiogenesis is far from clearly understood. Apart from targeting the VEGF pathway, novel strategies aim to influence other molecular factors that are involved in tumor angiogenesis. In addition, naturally occurring compounds seem to offer additional agents for influencing angiogenesis. The first concept of antiangiogenic therapy aimed to destroy tumor vessels, while it turned out that, paradoxically, antiangiogenic drugs normalized vasculature and as a result offered an improvement in chemotherapeutic delivery. In order to design an effective treatment schedule, methods for detecting the time window of normalization and biomarkers predicting patient response are needed. The initial idea that antiangiogenic therapy would be resistance-free failed to materialize and currently we still face the obstacle of resistance to antiangiogenic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Maj
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Diana Papiernik
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Wietrzyk
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
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20
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Abdel-Aziz AK, Mantawy EM, Said RS, Helwa R. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor, sunitinib malate, induces cognitive impairment in vivo via dysregulating VEGFR signaling, apoptotic and autophagic machineries. Exp Neurol 2016; 283:129-41. [PMID: 27288242 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Revised: 05/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Chemobrain refers to a cluster of cognitive deficits which affects almost 4-75% of chemotherapy-treated cancer patients. Sunitinib, an FDA-approved multityrosine kinase inhibitor, is currently used in treating different types of tumors. Despite being regarded as targeted therapy which blunts sustained angiogenesis in cancer milieu through inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signaling, the latter has a cardinal role in cognition. Recent clinical reports warned that sunitinib adversely affected memory processing in cancer patients. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms have not been investigated yet. Hence, we explored the impact of a clinically relevant dose of sunitinib on memory processing in vivo and questioned the implication of VEGFR2 signaling, autophagy and apoptosis. Strikingly, sunitinib preferentially impaired spatial cognition as evidenced in Morris water maze, T-maze and passive avoidance task. Consistently, sunitinib degenerated cortical and hippocampal neurons as assessed by histopathological examination and toluidine blue staining. Ultrastructural examination also depicted chromatin condensation, mitochondrial damage and accumulated autophagosomes. Digging deeper, central VEGF/VEGFR2/mTOR signaling was robustly suppressed. Besides, sunitinib boosted cortical and hippocampal p53 and executioner caspase-3 and decreased nuclear factor kappa B and Bcl-2 levels promoting apoptotic cell death. It also profoundly impeded neuronal autophagic flux as shown by decreased beclin-1 and Atg5 and increased p62/SQTSM1 levels. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide molecular insights into sunitinib-induced chemofog where impeded VEGFR2 signaling and autophagic and hyperactivated apoptotic machineries act in neurodegenerative concert. Importantly, our findings shed light on potential therapeutic strategies to be exploited in the management of sunitinib-induced chemobrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Kamal Abdel-Aziz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Eman M Mantawy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Riham Soliman Said
- National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Reham Helwa
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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21
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Whittle SB, Patel K, Zhang L, Woodfield SE, Du M, Smith V, Zage PE. The novel kinase inhibitor ponatinib is an effective anti-angiogenic agent against neuroblastoma. Invest New Drugs 2016; 34:685-692. [PMID: 27586230 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-016-0387-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background High-risk neuroblastoma has poor outcomes with high rates of relapse despite aggressive treatment, and novel therapies are needed to improve these outcomes. Ponatinib is a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets many pathways implicated in neuroblastoma pathogenesis. We hypothesized that ponatinib would be effective against neuroblastoma in preclinical models. Methods We evaluated the effects of ponatinib on survival and migration of human neuroblastoma cells in vitro. Using orthotopic xenograft mouse models of human neuroblastoma, we analyzed tumors treated with ponatinib for growth, gross and histologic appearance, and vascularity. Results Ponatinib treatment of neuroblastoma cells resulted in decreased cell viability and migration in vitro. In mice with orthotopic xenograft neuroblastoma tumors, treatment with ponatinib resulted in decreased growth and vascularity. Conclusions Ponatinib reduces neuroblastoma cell viability in vitro and reduces tumor growth and vascularity in vivo. The antitumor effects of ponatinib suggest its potential as a novel therapeutic agent for neuroblastoma, and further preclinical testing is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B Whittle
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kalyani Patel
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linna Zhang
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah E Woodfield
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Division of Pediatric Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael Du
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Valeria Smith
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peter E Zage
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, Room 5311, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, MC 0815, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0815, USA. .,Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA.
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22
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Lebedev TD, Spirin PV, Orlova NN, Prokofjeva MM, Prassolov VS. Comparative analysis of gene expression: Targeted antitumor therapy in neuroblastoma cell lines. Mol Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893315050222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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23
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Dolman MEM, Poon E, Ebus ME, den Hartog IJM, van Noesel CJM, Jamin Y, Hallsworth A, Robinson SP, Petrie K, Sparidans RW, Kok RJ, Versteeg R, Caron HN, Chesler L, Molenaar JJ. Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor AT7519 as a Potential Drug for MYCN-Dependent Neuroblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 21:5100-9. [PMID: 26202950 PMCID: PMC4645454 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-0313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE MYCN-dependent neuroblastomas have low cure rates with current multimodal treatment regimens and novel therapeutic drugs are therefore urgently needed. In previous preclinical studies, we have shown that targeted inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) resulted in specific killing of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells. This study describes the in vivo preclinical evaluation of the CDK inhibitor AT7519. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Preclinical drug testing was performed using a panel of MYCN-amplified and MYCN single copy neuroblastoma cell lines and different MYCN-dependent mouse models of neuroblastoma. RESULTS AT7519 killed MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines more potently than MYCN single copy cell lines with a median LC50 value of 1.7 compared to 8.1 μmol/L (P = 0.0053) and a significantly stronger induction of apoptosis. Preclinical studies in female NMRI homozygous (nu/nu) mice with neuroblastoma patient-derived MYCN-amplified AMC711T xenografts revealed dose-dependent growth inhibition, which correlated with intratumoral AT7519 levels. CDK2 target inhibition by AT7519 was confirmed by significant reductions in levels of phosphorylated retinoblastoma (p-Rb) and nucleophosmin (p-NPM). AT7519 treatment of Th-MYCN transgenic mice resulted in improved survival and clinically significant tumor regression (average tumor size reduction of 86% at day 7 after treatment initiation). The improved efficacy of AT7519 observed in Th-MYCN mice correlated with higher tumor exposure to the drug. CONCLUSIONS This study strongly suggests that AT7519 is a promising drug for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma patients with MYCN amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Emmy M Dolman
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Evon Poon
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, England
| | - Marli E Ebus
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ilona J M den Hartog
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carel J M van Noesel
- Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yann Jamin
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, England
| | - Albert Hallsworth
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, England
| | - Simon P Robinson
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, England
| | - Kevin Petrie
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, England
| | - Rolf W Sparidans
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Robbert J Kok
- Division of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rogier Versteeg
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Huib N Caron
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Kinderziekenhuis, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Louis Chesler
- Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, England
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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24
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Liu J, Jin H, Tian H, Lian G, Chen S, Li J, Zhang X, Ma D. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase protein expression predicts micrometastases and prognosis for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2015; 11:213-223. [PMID: 26870191 PMCID: PMC4727030 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2015.3859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) status in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate whether abnormalities in expression were associated with patient prognosis. ALK status was investigated using immunohistochemistry (IHC), reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays in 342 HCC patients. In addition, rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends-coupled PCR sequencing was performed, in order to confirm the presence of ALK abnormalities in patients exhibiting ALK messenger RNA (mRNA) overexpression. The correlation between ALK expression and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of the HCC patients was statistically analyzed. The results of the present study revealed overexpression of ALK protein and mRNA; furthermore, ALK gene copy number gains were observed via IHC (44.7%; 153/342), RT-qPCR (47.4%; 162/342) and FISH (32.7%; 112/342) analyses, although ALK rearrangement or mutation was not demonstrated in the results of any of these assays. ALK protein expression levels were significantly associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) status (P<0.001) and the presence of micrometastases (P=0.011). Within the entire patient cohort, ALK expression was associated with poor progression-free survival (PFS; P=0.041). Subsequent analysis in patient subgroups that demonstrated hepatitis B surface antigen positivity, HCV negativity, stage III-IV disease, recurrence and micrometastasis positivity revealed that overall survival (OS) and PFS were significantly reduced in those patients exhibiting ALK expression compared with those patients who were negative for ALK expression. Multivariate analysis revealed that ALK expression was an independent risk factor for OS (P=0.042) and PFS (P=0.033), particularly for patients with stage III-IV tumors. Thus, ALK may serve as a novel indicator for the metastatic behavior and prognosis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Liu
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, P.R. China
| | - Haosheng Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, P.R. China
| | - Hongxia Tian
- Medical Research Center, Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, P.R. China
| | - Guoda Lian
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Shaojie Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Jiayu Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Xuchao Zhang
- Medical Research Center, Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, P.R. China
| | - Dong Ma
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, P.R. China
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Zhang H, Dou J, Yu Y, Zhao Y, Fan Y, Cheng J, Xu X, Liu W, Guan S, Chen Z, shi Y, Patel R, Vasudevan SA, Zage PE, Zhang H, Nuchtern JG, Kim ES, Fu S, Yang J. mTOR ATP-competitive inhibitor INK128 inhibits neuroblastoma growth via blocking mTORC signaling. Apoptosis 2015; 20:50-62. [PMID: 25425103 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-014-1066-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
High-risk neuroblastoma often develops resistance to high-dose chemotherapy. The mTOR signaling cascade is frequently deregulated in human cancers and targeting mTOR signaling sensitizes many cancer types to chemotherapy. Here, using a panel of neuroblastoma cell lines, we found that the mTOR inhibitor INK128 showed inhibitory effects on both anchorage-dependent and independent growth of neuroblastoma cells and significantly enhanced the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin (Dox) on these cell lines. Treatment of neuroblastoma cells with INK128 blocked the activation of downstream mTOR signaling and enhanced Dox-induced apoptosis. Moreover, INK128 was able to overcome the established chemoresistance in the LA-N-6 cell line. Using an orthotopic neuroblastoma mouse model, we found that INK128 significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, we have shown that INK128-mediated mTOR inhibition possessed substantial antitumor activity and could significantly increase the sensitivity of neuroblastoma cells to Dox therapy. Taken together, our results indicate that using INK128 can provide additional efficacy to current chemotherapeutic regimens and represent a new paradigm in restoring drug sensitivity in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyuan Zhang
- Labratory of Medical Genetics, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Rd, Nangang Dist, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
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Chen YS, Sun ZW, Meng CC, Tang JZ, Li XY, Wang JF, Liu L, Zhang LJ. Molecular pathogenesis and molecular targeted agents for primary liver cancer. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2015; 23:914-924. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v23.i6.914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The treatment of primary liver cancer (PLC) is still challenging in China nowadays, and it fundamentally depends on the systematic knowledge of hepatocarcinogenesis. In recent years, the gradual clarification of the molecular pathogenesis of PLC has brought new opportunities and challenges to its treatment. Molecular targeted agents, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, have appeared and developed rapidly since the mechanisms were elucidated. These agents have gradually became a preferred choice of treatment of PLC and represents the future trend. In this paper, we will review the molecular pathogenesis of PLC and the targeted agents.
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