1
|
Matrood S, Melms LE, Bartsch DK, Di Fazio P. The Expression of Autophagy-Associated Genes Represents a Valid Footprint for Aggressive Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043636. [PMID: 36835048 PMCID: PMC9966877 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNEN) are rare and heterogeneous tumors. Previous investigations have shown that autophagy can be a target for cancer therapy. This study aimed to determine the association between the expression of autophagy-associated gene transcripts and clinical parameters in pNEN. In total, 54 pNEN specimens were obtained from our human biobank. The patient characteristics were retrieved from the medical record. RT-qPCR was performed to assess the expression of the autophagic transcripts BECN1, MAP1LC3B, SQSTM1, UVRAG, TFEB, PRKAA1, and PRKAA2 in the pNEN specimens. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to detect differences in the expression of autophagic gene transcripts between different tumor characteristics. This study showed that G1 sporadic pNEN have a higher expression of autophagic genes compared to G2. Lymphatic and distant metastasis occurred significantly more often in pNEN with a decreased expression of the autophagic genes. Within sporadic pNEN, the insulinomas express higher levels of autophagic transcripts than gastrinomas and non-functional pNEN. MEN1-associated pNEN show a higher expression of autophagic genes than sporadic pNEN. In summary, a decreased expression of autophagic transcripts distinguishes metastatic from non-metastatic sporadic pNEN. The significance of autophagy as a molecular marker for prognosis and therapy decisions needs to be further investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sami Matrood
- Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Infectiology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Leander Edwin Melms
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence, University Hospital Marburg, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Detlef Klaus Bartsch
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Pietro Di Fazio
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gulde S, Foscarini A, April-Monn SL, Genio E, Marangelo A, Satam S, Helbling D, Falconi M, Toledo RA, Schrader J, Perren A, Marinoni I, Pellegata NS. Combined Targeting of Pathogenetic Mechanisms in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors Elicits Synergistic Antitumor Effects. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225481. [PMID: 36428573 PMCID: PMC9688197 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) are the second most common malignancy of the pancreas. Surgery remains the only curative treatment for localized disease. For patients with inoperable advanced or metastatic disease, few targeted therapies are available, but their efficacy is unpredictable and variable. Exploiting prior knowledge on pathogenetic processes involved in PanNEN tumorigenesis, we tested buparlisib (PI3K inhibitor) and ribociclib (CDK4/6 inhibitor), as single agents or in combination, in different preclinical models. First, we used cell lines representative of well-differentiated (INS-1E, NT-3) and poorly differentiated (BON-1) PanNENs. The combination of buparlisib with ribociclib reduced the proliferation of 2D and 3D spheroid cultures more potently than the individual drugs. Buparlisib, but not ribociclib, induced apoptosis. The anti-proliferative activity of the drugs correlated with downstream target inhibition at mRNA and protein levels. We then tested the drugs on primary islet microtissues from a genetic PanNET animal model (Men1-defective mice) and from wild-type mice: the drug combination was effective against the former without altering islet cell physiology. Finally, we treated PanNET patient-derived islet-like 3D tumoroids: the combination of buparlisib with ribociclib was effective in three out of four samples. Combined targeting of PI3K and CDK4/6 is a promising strategy for PanNENs spanning various molecular and histo-pathological features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Gulde
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alessia Foscarini
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Edoardo Genio
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Marangelo
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Swapna Satam
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Massimo Falconi
- Pancreatic Surgery Unit, Pancreas Translational and Clinical Research Centre, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Rodrigo A. Toledo
- CIBERONC, Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Tumors, VHIO, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jörg Schrader
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Medicine, Klinikum Nordfriesland, 25813 Husum, Germany
| | - Aurel Perren
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ilaria Marinoni
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Natalia S. Pellegata
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-089-31872633; Fax: +49-089-31873360
| |
Collapse
|