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Regulation of Metastasis in Ewing Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194902. [PMID: 36230825 PMCID: PMC9563756 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a type of bone and soft tissue tumor in children and adolescents. Over 85% of cases are caused by the expression of fusion protein EWSR1-FLI1 generated by chromosome translocation. Acting as a potent chimeric oncoprotein, EWSR1-FLI1 binds to chromatin, changes the epigenetic states, and thus alters the expression of a large set of genes. Several studies have revealed that the expression level of EWSR1-FLI1 is variable and dynamic within and across different EwS cell lines and primary tumors, leading to tumoral heterogeneity. Cells with high EWSR1-FLI1 expression (EWSR1-FLI1-high) proliferate in an exponential manner, whereas cells with low EWSR1-FLI1 expression (EWSR1-FLI1-low) tend to have a strong propensity to migrate, invade, and metastasize. Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The continuous evolution of EwS research has revealed some of the molecular underpinnings of this dissemination process. In this review, we discuss the molecular signatures that contribute to metastasis.
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2
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Hamilton G. Comparative characteristics of small cell lung cancer and Ewing's sarcoma: a narrative review. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2022; 11:1185-1198. [PMID: 35832443 PMCID: PMC9271444 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-22-58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objective Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and Ewing's sarcoma (ES) at the disseminated stage are not amenable to therapy and have a dismal prognosis with low survival rates. Despite representing different tumor entities, treatment for both malignancies relies on cytotoxic chemotherapy that has not considerably changed for the past decades. The genomic background has been extensively studied and found to comprise inactivation of p53 and RB1 in case of SCLC and EWSR1/FLI1 rearrangement in case of ES resulting in aggressive tumors in adults with heavy tobacco consumption and as bone tumor in juveniles, respectively. New therapeutic modalities are urgently needed to improve the outcomes of both tumor entities, especially in patients with metastatic disease or recurrences. This review summarizes the common cell biologic and clinical characteristics of difficult-to-treat SCLC and ES and discusses their refractoriness and options to improve the therapeutic efficacy. Methods PubMed and Euro PMC were searched from January 1st, 2012 to January 16th, 2022 using the following key words: "SCLC", "Ewing´s sarcoma", "Genomics" and "Chemoresistance" as well as own work. Key Content and Findings Therapy of SCLC and ES involves the use of undirected cytotoxic drugs in multimodal chemotherapy and administration of topotecan for 2nd line SCLC regimens. Despite highly aggressive chemotherapies, outcomes are dismal for patients with disseminated tumors. A host of unrelated drugs and targeted therapeutics have failed to result in progress for the patients and the underlying mechanisms of chemoresistance are still not clear. Identification of chemoresistance-reversing modulators in vitro and patient-derived xenografts of SCLC and ES has not translated into new therapies. Conclusions The global chemoresistance of SCLC and ES may be explained by physiological resistance at the tumor level and formation of larger spheroids that contain quiescent and hypoxic tumor cells in regions that occlude therapeutics. This type of chemoresistance is difficult to overcome and prevent the accumulation of effective drug concentration at the tumor cell level to a significant degree leaving therapeutic interventions of any kind ineffective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Hamilton
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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3
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Lanzi C, Cassinelli G. Combinatorial strategies to potentiate the efficacy of HDAC inhibitors in fusion-positive sarcomas. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 198:114944. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.114944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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4
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Stefani RRD, Toni ECD, Farias CBD, Brunetto AT, Brunetto AL, Roesler R, Alho CS, Friedrich DC. GGAA microsatellites of NR0B1 promoter region in Ewing's sarcoma patients and healthy individuals from a south Brazilian population. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE CANCEROLOGIA 2022. [DOI: 10.32635/2176-9745.rbc.2022v68n2.2350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The very aggressive soft tissue and bone pediatric tumor Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) is caused in most cases by the chromosomal translocation t(11;22)(q24;q12), which encodes an aberrant chimeric transcription factor (EWS-FLI1) that regulates target genes, including the critical oncogene NR0B1 (Xp21.2), via GGAA microsatellites. Objective: Our objective was to analyze the GGAA microsatellites of NR0B1 promoter region of ES patients and healthy subjects in our population. Methodology: Ten male ES patients and 71 adult healthy males from Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, were included in this study. Leukocyte DNA was extracted, amplified by PCR, sequenced by the Sanger method and analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. Total number of GGAA motifs, length of microsatellite in base pairs, number of segments separated by "A" insertions and greatest number of consecutive GGAA motifs were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed in the SPSS® statistical software and p-value <0,05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 21 different alleles was identified in the 81 subjects, with 24.2 allele [(GGAA)7A(GGAA)7A(GGAA)10 sequence] being the most frequent, but when comparing the data between the two groups, no significant difference was found. Conclusion: We concluded that the studied sample was highly variable in terms microsatellite structure, including the presence of rare alleles, giving us the opportunity to describe our population which is a fundamental step on identifying genetic implications in ES tumorigenesis.
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Shoeib AM, Yarbrough AL, Ford BM, Franks LN, Urbaniak A, Hensley LL, Benson LN, Mu S, Radominska-Pandya A, Prather PL. Characterization of cannabinoid receptors expressed in Ewing sarcoma TC-71 and A-673 cells as potential targets for anti-cancer drug development. Life Sci 2021; 285:119993. [PMID: 34592231 PMCID: PMC10395316 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Characterizing cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) expressed in Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cell lines as potential targets for anti-cancer drug development. MAIN METHODS CBR affinity and function were examined by competitive binding and G-protein activation, respectively. Cannabinoid-mediated cytotoxicity and cell viability were evaluated by LDH, and trypan blue assays, respectively. KEY FINDINGS qRT-PCR detected CB1 (CB1R) and CB2 receptor (CB2R) mRNA in TC-71 cells. However, binding screens revealed that CBRs expressed exhibit atypical properties relative to canonical receptors, because specific binding in TC-71 could only be demonstrated by the established non-selective CB1/CB2R radioligand [3H]WIN-55,212-2, but not CB1/CB2R radioligand [3H]CP-55,940. Homologous receptor binding demonstrated that [3H]WIN-55,212-2 binds to a single site with nanomolar affinity, expressed at high density. Further support for non-canonical CBRs expression is provided by subsequent binding screens, revealing that only 9 out of 28 well-characterized cannabinoids with high affinity for canonical CB1 and/or CB2Rs were able to displace [3H]WIN-55,212-2, whereas two ligands enhanced [3H]WIN-55,212-2 binding. Five cannabinoids producing the greatest [3H]WIN-55,212-2 displacement exhibited high nanomolar affinity (Ki) for expressed receptors. G-protein modulation and adenylyl cyclase assays further indicate that these CBRs exhibit distinct signaling/functional profiles compared to canonical CBRs. Importantly, cannabinoids with the highest affinity for non-canonical CBRs reduced TC-71 viability and induced cytotoxicity in a time-dependent manner. Studies in a second EWS cell line (A-673) showed similar atypical binding properties of expressed CBRs, and cannabinoid treatment produced cytotoxicity. SIGNIFICANCE Cannabinoids induce cytotoxicity in EWS cell lines via non-canonical CBRs, which might be a potential therapeutic target to treat EWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal M Shoeib
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Azure L Yarbrough
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Benjamin M Ford
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Lirit N Franks
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Alicja Urbaniak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Lori L Hensley
- Department of Biology, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL, United States of America
| | - Lance N Benson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Shengyu Mu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Anna Radominska-Pandya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Paul L Prather
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America.
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6
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Morales E, Olson M, Iglesias F, Luetkens T, Atanackovic D. Targeting the tumor microenvironment of Ewing sarcoma. Immunotherapy 2021; 13:1439-1451. [PMID: 34670399 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2020-0341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive tumor type with an age peak in adolescence. Despite the use of dose-intensified chemotherapy as well as radiation and surgery for local control, patients with upfront metastatic disease or relapsed disease have a dismal prognosis, highlighting the need for additional therapeutic options. Different types of immunotherapies have been investigated with only very limited clinical success, which may be due to the presence of immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment. Here we provide an overview on different factors contributing to Ewing sarcoma immune escape. We demonstrate ways to target these factors in order to make current and future immunotherapies more effective and achieve deeper and more durable responses in patients with Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Morales
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Michael Olson
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.,Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Fiorella Iglesias
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tim Luetkens
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine & Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Djordje Atanackovic
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine & Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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7
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Weaver DT, Pishas KI, Williamson D, Scarborough J, Lessnick SL, Dhawan A, Scott JG. Network potential identifies therapeutic miRNA cocktails in Ewing sarcoma. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008755. [PMID: 34662337 PMCID: PMC8601628 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA)-based therapies are an emerging class of targeted therapeutics with many potential applications. Ewing Sarcoma patients could benefit dramatically from personalized miRNA therapy due to inter-patient heterogeneity and a lack of druggable (to this point) targets. However, because of the broad effects miRNAs may have on different cells and tissues, trials of miRNA therapies have struggled due to severe toxicity and unanticipated immune response. In order to overcome this hurdle, a network science-based approach is well-equipped to evaluate and identify miRNA candidates and combinations of candidates for the repression of key oncogenic targets while avoiding repression of essential housekeeping genes. We first characterized 6 Ewing sarcoma cell lines using mRNA sequencing. We then estimated a measure of tumor state, which we term network potential, based on both the mRNA gene expression and the underlying protein-protein interaction network in the tumor. Next, we ranked mRNA targets based on their contribution to network potential. We then identified miRNAs and combinations of miRNAs that preferentially act to repress mRNA targets with the greatest influence on network potential. Our analysis identified TRIM25, APP, ELAV1, RNF4, and HNRNPL as ideal mRNA targets for Ewing sarcoma therapy. Using predicted miRNA-mRNA target mappings, we identified miR-3613-3p, let-7a-3p, miR-300, miR-424-5p, and let-7b-3p as candidate optimal miRNAs for preferential repression of these targets. Ultimately, our work, as exemplified in the case of Ewing sarcoma, describes a novel pipeline by which personalized miRNA cocktails can be designed to maximally perturb gene networks contributing to cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davis T. Weaver
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Translational Hematology Oncology Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | | | - Drew Williamson
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jessica Scarborough
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Translational Hematology Oncology Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | | | - Andrew Dhawan
- Translational Hematology Oncology Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Division of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AD); (JGS)
| | - Jacob G. Scott
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Translational Hematology Oncology Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AD); (JGS)
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8
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Mohammadhoseini P, Razzaghi S, Barazesh M, Jalili S. Ewing's sarcoma of the hip: A case report with no evidence of tumor recurrence and literature review. Bone Rep 2021; 15:101131. [PMID: 34621919 PMCID: PMC8484741 DOI: 10.1016/j.bonr.2021.101131] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ewing's sarcoma (ES) of the hip and trochanteric region is a rare malignancy. The tumor has a poor prognosis due to the problems in early diagnosis and medical intervention. Case presentation This paper reports a rare case of hip ES presented in a 34y/o female. The clinical, radiological, and histopathological features were all in favor of ES. Following treatment by neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy, and irradiation the patient is now with complete resolution of the tumor. Conclusion The patient remained free of disease through 4 years of follow-up until now after diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payam Mohammadhoseini
- Orthopaedics Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Samira Razzaghi
- Department of Radiotherapy, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mahdi Barazesh
- School of Paramedical, Gerash University of Medical Science, Gerash, Iran
| | - Sajad Jalili
- Orthopaedics Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Corresponding author.
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9
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Pachva MC, Lai H, Jia A, Rouleau M, Sorensen PH. Extracellular Vesicles in Reprogramming of the Ewing Sarcoma Tumor Microenvironment. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:726205. [PMID: 34604225 PMCID: PMC8484747 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.726205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a highly aggressive cancer and the second most common malignant bone tumor of children and young adults. Although patients with localized disease have a survival rate of approximately 75%, the prognosis for patients with metastatic disease remains dismal (<30%) and has not improved in decades. Standard-of-care treatments include local therapies such as surgery and radiotherapy, in addition to poly-agent adjuvant chemotherapy, and are often associated with long-term disability and reduced quality of life. Novel targeted therapeutic strategies that are more efficacious and less toxic are therefore desperately needed, particularly for metastatic disease, given that the presence of metastasis remains the most powerful predictor of poor outcome in EwS. Intercellular communication within the tumor microenvironment is emerging as a crucial mechanism for cancer cells to establish immunosuppressive and cancer-permissive environments, potentially leading to metastasis. Altering this communication within the tumor microenvironment, thereby preventing the transfer of oncogenic signals and molecules, represents a highly promising therapeutic strategy. To achieve this, extracellular vesicles (EVs) offer a candidate mechanism as they are actively released by tumor cells and enriched with proteins and RNAs. EVs are membrane-bound particles released by normal and tumor cells, that play pivotal roles in intercellular communication, including cross-talk between tumor, stromal fibroblast, and immune cells in the local tumor microenvironment and systemic circulation. EwS EVs, including the smaller exosomes and larger microvesicles, have the potential to reprogram a diversity of cells in the tumor microenvironment, by transferring various biomolecules in a cell-specific manner. Insights into the various biomolecules packed in EwS EVs as cargos and the molecular changes they trigger in recipient cells of the tumor microenvironment will shed light on various potential targets for therapeutic intervention in EwS. This review details EwS EVs composition, their potential role in metastasis and in the reprogramming of various cells of the tumor microenvironment, and the potential for clinical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manideep C Pachva
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Horton Lai
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Andy Jia
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Melanie Rouleau
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Poul H Sorensen
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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10
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Targeting of AKT-Signaling Pathway Potentiates the Anti-cancer Efficacy of Doxorubicin in A673 Ewing Sarcoma Cell Line. BIONANOSCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12668-021-00901-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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11
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Chen Y, Su H, Su Y, Zhang Y, Lin Y, Haglund F. Identification of an RNA-Binding-Protein-Based Prognostic Model for Ewing Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153736. [PMID: 34359637 PMCID: PMC8345188 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ewing sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive childhood tumor for which response to chemotherapy is central to long-term prognosis, but few prognostic markers have been identified. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are strong regulators of cell behavior, working, for example, through post-translational modifications of mRNA. In this study, we investigated whether patterns in the RBP levels were related to outcomes in ES patients. A total of three distinct patterns were recognized, and additional modelling suggested that 10 RPBs had predictive value, suggesting that this model could be used in a clinical setting to identify patients with a higher risk of mortality. Abstract RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are important transcriptomic regulators and may be important in tumorigenesis. Here, we sought to investigate the clinical impact of RBPs for patients with Ewing sarcoma (ES). ES transcriptome signatures were characterized from four previously published cohorts and grouped into new training and validation cohorts. A total of three distinct subtypes were identified and compared for differences in patient prognosis and RBP signatures. Next, univariate Cox and Lasso regression models were used to identify hub prognosis-related RBPs and construct a prognostic risk model, and prediction capacity was assessed through time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROCs), Kaplan–Meier curves, and nomograms. Across the three RBP subtypes, 29 significant prognostic-associated RBP genes were identified, of which 10 were used to build and validate an RBP-associated prognostic risk model (RPRM) that had a stable predictive value and could be considered valuable for clinical risk-stratification of ES. A comparison with immunohistochemistry validation showed a significant association between overall survival and NSUN7 immunoreactivity, which was an independent favorable prognostic marker. The association of RBP signatures with ES clinical prognosis provides a strong rationale for further investigation into RBPs molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Chen
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (F.H.)
- Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence:
| | - Huafang Su
- Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China;
| | - Yanhong Su
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (F.H.)
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (F.H.)
- Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yingbo Lin
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (F.H.)
| | - Felix Haglund
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.); (F.H.)
- Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
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12
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Villasante A, Robinson ST, Cohen AR, Lock R, Guo XE, Vunjak-Novakovic G. Human Serum Enhances Biomimicry of Engineered Tissue Models of Bone and Cancer. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:658472. [PMID: 34327193 PMCID: PMC8313998 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.658472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, fetal bovine serum (FBS) has been used routinely for culturing many cell types, based on its empirically demonstrated effects on cell growth, and the lack of suitable non-xenogeneic alternatives. The FBS-based culture media do not represent the human physiological conditions, and can compromise biomimicry of preclinical models. To recapitulate in vitro the features of human bone and bone cancer, we investigated the effects of human serum and human platelet lysate on modeling osteogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and bone cancer in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) settings. For monitoring tumor growth within tissue-engineered bone in a non-destructive fashion, we generated cancer cell lines expressing and secreting luciferase. Culture media containing human serum enhanced osteogenesis and osteoclasts differentiation, and provided a more realistic in vitro mimic of human cancer cell proliferation. When human serum was used for building 3D engineered bone, the tissue recapitulated bone homeostasis and response to bisphosphonates observed in native bone. We found disparities in cell behavior and drug responses between the metastatic and primary cancer cells cultured in the bone niche, with the effectiveness of bisphosphonates observed only in metastatic models. Overall, these data support the utility of human serum for bioengineering of bone and bone cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aranzazu Villasante
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Samuel T. Robinson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Bone Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Andrew R. Cohen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Roberta Lock
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - X. Edward Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Bone Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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13
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Jayabal P, Zhou F, Lei X, Ma X, Blackman B, Weintraub ST, Houghton PJ, Shiio Y. NELL2-cdc42 signaling regulates BAF complexes and Ewing sarcoma cell growth. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109254. [PMID: 34233189 PMCID: PMC8312579 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BAF chromatin remodeling complexes play important roles in chromatin regulation and cancer. Here, we report that Ewing sarcoma cells are dependent on the autocrine signaling mediated by NELL2, a secreted glycoprotein that has been characterized as an axon guidance molecule. NELL2 uses Robo3 as the receptor to transmit critical growth signaling. NELL2 signaling inhibits cdc42 and upregulates BAF complexes and EWS-FLI1 transcriptional output. We demonstrate that cdc42 is a negative regulator of BAF complexes, inducing actin polymerization and complex disassembly. Furthermore, we identify NELL2highCD133highEWS-FLI1high and NELL2lowCD133lowEWS-FLI1low populations in Ewing sarcoma, which display phenotypes consistent with high and low NELL2 signaling, respectively. We show that NELL2, CD133, and EWS-FLI1 positively regulate each other and upregulate BAF complexes and cell proliferation in Ewing sarcoma. These results reveal a signaling pathway regulating critical chromatin remodeling complexes and cancer cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panneerselvam Jayabal
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Fuchun Zhou
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Xiufen Lei
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Xiuye Ma
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Barron Blackman
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Susan T Weintraub
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Mays Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Peter J Houghton
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Mays Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Yuzuru Shiio
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Mays Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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14
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Jiménez JA, Apfelbaum AA, Hawkins AG, Svoboda LK, Kumar A, Ruiz RO, Garcia AX, Haarer E, Nwosu ZC, Bradin J, Purohit T, Chen D, Cierpicki T, Grembecka J, Lyssiotis CA, Lawlor ER. EWS-FLI1 and Menin Converge to Regulate ATF4 Activity in Ewing Sarcoma. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:1182-1195. [PMID: 33741715 PMCID: PMC8462528 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcomas are driven by EWS-ETS fusions, most commonly EWS-FLI1, which promotes widespread metabolic reprogramming, including activation of serine biosynthesis. We previously reported that serine biosynthesis is also activated in Ewing sarcoma by the scaffolding protein menin through as yet undefined mechanisms. Here, we investigated whether EWS-FLI1 and/or menin orchestrate serine biosynthesis via modulation of ATF4, a stress-response gene that acts as a master transcriptional regulator of serine biosynthesis in other tumors. Our results show that in Ewing sarcoma, ATF4 levels are high and that ATF4 modulates transcription of core serine synthesis pathway (SSP) genes. Inhibition of either EWS-FLI1 or menin leads to loss of ATF4, and this is associated with diminished expression of SSP transcripts and proteins. We identified and validated an EWS-FLI1 binding site at the ATF4 promoter, indicating that the fusion can directly activate ATF4 transcription. In contrast, our results suggest that menin-dependent regulation of ATF4 is mediated by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. Importantly, our data also reveal that the downregulation of SSP genes that occurs in the context of EWS-FLI1 or menin loss is indicative of broader inhibition of ATF4-dependent transcription. Moreover, we find that menin inhibition similarly leads to loss of ATF4 and the ATF4-dependent transcriptional signature in MLL-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, extending our findings to another cancer in which menin serves an oncogenic role. IMPLICATIONS: These studies provide new insights into metabolic reprogramming in Ewing sarcoma and also uncover a previously undescribed role for menin in the regulation of ATF4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Jiménez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - April A Apfelbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Allegra G Hawkins
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Abhijay Kumar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ramon Ocadiz Ruiz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Alessandra X Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Elena Haarer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Zeribe C Nwosu
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Joshua Bradin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Trupta Purohit
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Dong Chen
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Tomasz Cierpicki
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jolanta Grembecka
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Elizabeth R Lawlor
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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15
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Markey FB, Romero B, Parashar V, Batish M. Identification of a New Transcriptional Co-Regulator of STEAP1 in Ewing's Sarcoma. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061300. [PMID: 34073779 PMCID: PMC8225120 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) is caused by a chromosomal translocation leading to the formation of the fused EWSFLI1 gene, which codes for an aberrant transcription factor EWSFLI1. The transcriptional targets of EWSFLI1 have been viewed as promising and novel drug targets in the treatment of ES. One such target is six transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate 1 (STEAP1), a transmembrane protein that is upregulated by EWSFLI1 in ES. STEAP1 is a hallmark of tumor invasiveness and an indicator of tumor responsiveness to therapy. EWSFLI1 binds to the STEAP1 promoter region, but the mechanism of action by which it upregulates STEAP1 expression in ES is not entirely understood. Upon analysis of the STEAP1 promoter, we predicted two binding sites for NKX2.2, another crucial transcription factor involved in ES pathogenesis. We confirmed the interaction of NKX2.2 with the STEAP1 promoter using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis. We used single-molecule RNA imaging, biochemical, and genetic studies to identify the novel role of NKX2.2 in regulating STEAP1 expression in ES. Our results show that NKX2.2 is a co-regulator of STEAP1 expression and functions by interacting with the STEAP1 promoter at sites proximal to the reported EWSFLI1 sites. The co-operative interaction of NKX2.2 with EWSFLI1 in regulating STEAP1 holds potential as a new target for therapeutic interventions for ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatu Badiane Markey
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA;
| | - Brigette Romero
- Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (B.R.); (V.P.)
| | - Vijay Parashar
- Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (B.R.); (V.P.)
| | - Mona Batish
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA;
- Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (B.R.); (V.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-302-831-8591
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16
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Zhou F, Elzi DJ, Jayabal P, Ma X, Chiu YC, Chen Y, Blackman B, Weintraub ST, Houghton PJ, Shiio Y. GDF6-CD99 Signaling Regulates Src and Ewing Sarcoma Growth. Cell Rep 2021; 33:108332. [PMID: 33147457 PMCID: PMC7688343 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report here that the autocrine signaling mediated by growth and differentiation factor 6 (GDF6), a member of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family of cytokines, maintains Ewing sarcoma growth by preventing Src hyperactivation. Surprisingly, Ewing sarcoma depends on the prodomain, not the BMP domain, of GDF6. We demonstrate that the GDF6 prodomain is a ligand for CD99, a transmembrane protein that has been widely used as a marker of Ewing sarcoma. The binding of the GDF6 prodomain to the CD99 extracellular domain results in recruitment of CSK (C-terminal Src kinase) to the YQKKK motif in the intracellular domain of CD99, inhibiting Src activity. GDF6 silencing causes hyperactivation of Src and p21-dependent growth arrest. We demonstrate that two GDF6 prodomain mutants linked to Klippel-Feil syndrome are hyperactive in CD99-Src signaling. These results reveal a cytokine signaling pathway that regulates the CSK-Src axis and cancer cell proliferation and suggest the gain-of-function activity for disease-causing GDF6 mutants. Ewing sarcoma is driven by the EWS-ETS fusion oncoprotein, but little is known about the extracellular signaling regulating this cancer. Zhou et al. report that the prodomain of GDF6 is a ligand for CD99, inhibiting Src through CSK and maintaining Ewing sarcoma growth in an autocrine fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuchun Zhou
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - David J Elzi
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; BioAffinity Technologies, Inc., 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Panneerselvam Jayabal
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Xiuye Ma
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Yu-Chiao Chiu
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Yidong Chen
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Mays Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Barron Blackman
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Susan T Weintraub
- Mays Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Peter J Houghton
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Mays Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Yuzuru Shiio
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Mays Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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17
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Henrich IC, Jain K, Young R, Quick L, Lindsay JM, Park DH, Oliveira AM, Blobel GA, Chou MM. Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 6 Functions as a Tumor Suppressor in Ewing Sarcoma through Immune Activation. Cancer Res 2021; 81:2171-2183. [PMID: 33558334 PMCID: PMC8137534 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is the second most common pediatric bone cancer, with a 5-year survival rate for metastatic disease of only 20%. Recent work indicates that survival is strongly correlated with high levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), whose abundance is associated with IFN-inducible chemokines CXCL10 and CCL5. However, the tumor-intrinsic factors that drive chemokine production and TIL recruitment have not been fully elucidated. We previously showed that ubiquitin-specific protease 6 (USP6) directly deubiquitinates and stabilizes Jak1, thereby inducing an IFN signature in Ewing sarcoma cells. Here, we show that this gene set comprises chemokines associated with immunostimulatory, antitumorigenic functions, including CXCL10 and CCL5. USP6 synergistically enhanced chemokine production in response to exogenous IFN by inducing surface upregulation of IFNAR1 and IFNGR1. USP6-expressing Ewing sarcoma cells stimulated migration of primary human monocytes and T lymphocytes and triggered activation of natural killer (NK) cells in vitro. USP6 inhibited Ewing sarcoma xenograft growth in nude but not NSG mice and was accompanied by increased intratumoral chemokine production and infiltration and activation of NK cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages, consistent with a requirement for innate immune cells in mediating the antitumorigenic effects of USP6. High USP6 expression in patients with Ewing sarcoma was associated with chemokine production, immune infiltration, and improved survival. This work reveals a previously unrecognized tumor-suppressive function for USP6, which engenders an immunostimulatory microenvironment through pleiotropic effects on multiple immune lineages. This further raises the possibility that USP6 activity may be harnessed to create a "hot" tumor microenvironment in immunotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE: This study reveals a novel tumor-suppressive function for USP6 by inducing an immunostimulatory microenvironment, suggesting that USP6 activity may be exploited to enhance immunotherapy regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian C Henrich
- Department Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kanika Jain
- Department Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert Young
- Department Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Laura Quick
- Department Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jarrett M Lindsay
- Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel H Park
- Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Andre M Oliveira
- Department Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Gerd A Blobel
- Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Margaret M Chou
- Department Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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18
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Exploiting Gangliosides for the Therapy of Ewing's Sarcoma and H3K27M-Mutant Diffuse Midline Glioma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030520. [PMID: 33572900 PMCID: PMC7866294 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, and H3K27M-mutant diffuse midline glioma are rare but aggressive malignancies occurring mainly in children. Due to their rareness and often fatal course, drug development is challenging. Here, we repurposed the existing drugs dinutuximab and eliglustat and investigated their potential to directly target or indirectly modulate the tumor cell-specific ganglioside GD2. Our data suggest that targeting and/or modulating tumor cell-specific GD2 may offer a new therapeutic strategy for the above mentioned tumor entities. Abstract The ganglioside GD2 is an important target in childhood cancer. Nevertheless, the only therapy targeting GD2 that is approved to date is the monoclonal antibody dinutuximab, which is used in the therapy of neuroblastoma. The relevance of GD2 as a target in other tumor entities remains to be elucidated. Here, we analyzed the expression of GD2 in different pediatric tumor entities by flow cytometry and tested two approaches for targeting GD2. H3K27M-mutant diffuse midline glioma (H3K27M-mutant DMG) samples showed the highest expression of GD2 with all cells strongly positive for the antigen. Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) samples also showed high expression, but displayed intra- and intertumor heterogeneity. Osteosarcoma had low to intermediate expression with a high percentage of GD2-negative cells. Dinutuximab beta in combination with irinotecan and temozolomide was used to treat a five-year-old girl with refractory ES. Disease control lasted over 12 months until a single partially GD2-negative intracranial metastasis was detected. In order to target GD2 in H3K27M-mutant DMG, we blocked ganglioside synthesis via eliglustat, since dinutuximab cannot cross the blood–brain barrier. Eliglustat is an inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase, and it is used for treating children with Gaucher’s disease. Eliglustat completely inhibited the proliferation of primary H3K27M-mutant DMG cells in vitro. In summary, our data provide evidence that dinutuximab might be effective in tumors with high GD2 expression. Moreover, disrupting the ganglioside metabolism in H3K27M-mutant DMG could open up a new therapeutic option for this highly fatal cancer.
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19
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YAP/TAZ inhibition reduces metastatic potential of Ewing sarcoma cells. Oncogenesis 2021; 10:2. [PMID: 33419969 PMCID: PMC7794350 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-020-00294-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a highly metastatic bone cancer characterized by the ETS fusion oncoprotein EWS-FLI1. EwS cells are phenotypically highly plastic and switch between functionally distinct cell states dependent on EWS-FLI1 fluctuations. Whereas EWS-FLI1high cells proliferate, EWS-FLI1low cells are migratory and invasive. Recently, we reported activation of MRTFB and TEAD, effectors of RhoA and Hippo signalling, upon low EWS-FLI1, orchestrating key steps of the EwS migratory gene expression program. TEAD and its co-activators YAP and TAZ are commonly overexpressed in cancer, providing attractive therapeutic targets. We find TAZ levels to increase in the migratory EWS-FLI1low state and to associate with adverse prognosis in EwS patients. We tested the effects of the potent YAP/TAZ/TEAD complex inhibitor verteporfin on EwS cell migration in vitro and on metastasis in vivo. Verteporfin suppressed expression of EWS-FLI1 regulated cytoskeletal genes involved in actin signalling to the extracellular matrix, effectively blocked F-actin and focal-adhesion assembly and inhibited EwS cell migration at submicromolar concentrations. In a mouse EwS xenograft model, verteporfin treatment reduced relapses at the surgical site and delayed lung metastasis. These data suggest that YAP/TAZ pathway inhibition may prevent EwS cell dissemination and metastasis, justifying further preclinical development of YAP/TAZ inhibitors for EwS treatment.
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20
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Park H, Kim H, Hassebroek V, Azuma Y, Slawson C, Azuma M. Chromosomal localization of Ewing sarcoma EWSR1/FLI1 protein promotes the induction of aneuploidy. J Biol Chem 2020; 296:100164. [PMID: 33293370 PMCID: PMC7857440 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.014328] [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: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a pediatric bone cancer that expresses the chimeric protein EWSR1/FLI1. We previously demonstrated that EWSR1/FLI1 impairs the localization of Aurora B kinase to the midzone (the midline structure located between segregating chromosomes) during anaphase. While localization of Aurora B is essential for faithful cell division, it is unknown whether interference with midzone organization by EWSR1/FLI1 induces aneuploidy. To address this, we generated stable Tet-on inducible cell lines with EWSR1/FLI1, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to integrate the transgene at the safe-harbor AAVS1 locus in DLD-1 cells. Induced cells expressing EWSR1/FLI1 displayed an increased incidence of aberrant localization of Aurora B, and greater levels of aneuploidy, compared with noninduced cells. Furthermore, the expression of EWSR1/FLI1-T79A, containing a threonine (Thr) to alanine (Ala) substitution at amino acid 79, failed to induce these phenotypes, indicating that Thr 79 is critical for EWSR1/FLI1 interference with mitosis. In contrast, the phosphomimetic mutant EWSR1/FLI1-T79D (Thr to aspartic acid (Asp)) retained the high activity as wild-type EWSR1/FLI1. Together, these findings suggest that phosphorylation of EWSR1/FLI1 at Thr 79 promotes the colocalization of EWSR1/FLI1 and Aurora B on the chromosomes during prophase and metaphase and, in addition, impairs the localization of Aurora B during anaphase, leading to induction of aneuploidy. This is the first demonstration of the mechanism for EWSR1/FLI1-dependent induction of aneuploidy associated with mitotic dysfunction and the identification of the phosphorylation of the Thr 79 of EWSR1/FLI1 as a critical residue required for this induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyewon Park
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Haeyoung Kim
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Victoria Hassebroek
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Yoshiaki Azuma
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Chad Slawson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City Kansas, USA
| | - Mizuki Azuma
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
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21
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Hernandez Tejada FN, Zamudio A, Marques-Piubelli ML, Cuglievan B, Harrison D. Advances in the Management of Pediatric Sarcomas. Curr Oncol Rep 2020; 23:3. [PMID: 33196879 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-020-00995-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The prognosis of pediatric patients who present with metastatic or recurrent sarcomas remains poor. In this review, we summarize the advances in the management of metastatic and relapsed pediatric sarcoma by highlighting recent and future clinical trials. RECENT FINDINGS Research into the identification of novel therapies for refractory pediatric sarcomas continues to advance. Outcomes have not improved in several decades underlying a need for improved understanding of the biology behind these tumors and the identification of novel therapeutic molecular targets that can be exploited pharmacologically. Multiple challenges remain for novel therapy in sarcomas such as the selection of effective targets, management of toxicities, and the tumor microenvironment. Many unique challenges remain in the treatment of patients with refractory pediatric sarcomas. Multiple strategies and targets are under investigation that hold promise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorela N Hernandez Tejada
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Alejandro Zamudio
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Mario L Marques-Piubelli
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Branko Cuglievan
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Douglas Harrison
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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22
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McCann TS, Parrish JK, Hsieh J, Sechler M, Sobral LM, Self C, Jones KL, Goodspeed A, Costello JC, Jedlicka P. KDM5A and PHF2 positively control expression of pro-metastatic genes repressed by EWS/Fli1, and promote growth and metastatic properties in Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2020; 11:3818-3831. [PMID: 33196691 PMCID: PMC7597412 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive malignant neoplasm with high propensity for metastasis and poor clinical outcomes. The EWS/Fli1 oncofusion is the disease driver in > 90% of cases, but presents a difficult therapeutic target. Moreover, EWS/Fli1 plays a complex role in disease progression, with inhibitory effects on critical steps of metastasis. Like many other pediatric cancers, Ewing sarcoma is a disease marked by epigenetic dysregulation. Epigenetic mechanisms present alternative targeting opportunities, but their contributions to Ewing sarcoma metastasis and disease progression remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the epigenetic regulators KDM5A and PHF2 promote growth and metastatic properties in Ewing sarcoma, and, strikingly, activate expression many pro-metastatic genes repressed by EWS/Fli1. These genes include L1CAM, which is associated with adverse outcomes in Ewing sarcoma, and promotes migratory and invasive properties. KDM5A and PHF2 retain their growth promoting effects in more metastatically potent EWS/Fli1low cells, and PHF2 promotes both invasion and L1CAM expression in this cell population. Furthermore, KDM5A and PHF2 each contribute to the increased metastatic potency of EWS/Fli1low cells in vivo. Together, these studies identify KDM5A and PHF2 as novel disease-promoting factors, and potential new targets, in Ewing sarcoma, including the more metastatically potent EWS/Fli1low cell population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler S McCann
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Janet K Parrish
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Joseph Hsieh
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Marybeth Sechler
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lays M Sobral
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Chelsea Self
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrew Goodspeed
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - James C Costello
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Paul Jedlicka
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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23
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Inactivation of ICAM1 inhibits metastasis and improves the prognosis of Ewing's sarcoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2020; 147:393-401. [PMID: 33104883 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-020-03431-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is a kind of malignant tumor, which often occurs in the long bone, pelvis, and other bone tissues, as well as some soft tissues. It often occurs in children and adolescents, second only to osteosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. In the past 30 years, little progress has been made on the genomic mechanism of ES metastasis. METHODS The gene expression sequence of ES metastasis samples was compared with that of primary tumor samples to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, we annotated the gene functions and enriched pathways of DEGs. Additionally, the protein and protein interaction network were constructed to screen key genes that can lead to the metastasis in ES. Then, cell and molecular biology experiments were conducted to verify the results obtained from the bioinformatics analysis. Finally, we assessed the correlation of expression between the key genes EWSR and FLI1, and conducted a survival analysis of ICAM1. RESULTS Our study revealed 153 DEGs. Of these, 82 (53.59%) were upregulated and the remaining 71 (46.41%) were downregulated. The bioinformatics analysis showed that ICAM1 was the key gene leading to the invasion and metastasis of ES. Through cell biology and molecular biology experiments, inactivation of ICAM1 inhibited the metastasis of ES cells. The survival and correlation analyses showed that ICAM1 was a risk factor in patients with ES, and that ICAM1 expression was correlated with EWSR and FLI1 expression. CONCLUSION Our study shows that inactivation of ICAM1 inhibits metastasis and improves the prognosis of ES. Additionally, our findings provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of metastatic ES, a basis for an accurate diagnosis, and therapeutic targets for ES patients.
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Martin JC, Hoegel TJ, Lynch ML, Woloszynska A, Melendy T, Ohm JE. Exploiting Replication Stress as a Novel Therapeutic Intervention. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 19:192-206. [PMID: 33020173 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive pediatric tumor of the bone and soft tissue. The current standard of care is radiation and chemotherapy, and patients generally lack targeted therapies. One of the defining molecular features of this tumor type is the presence of significantly elevated levels of replication stress as compared with both normal cells and many other types of cancers, but the source of this stress is poorly understood. Tumors that harbor elevated levels of replication stress rely on the replication stress and DNA damage response pathways to retain viability. Understanding the source of the replication stress in Ewing sarcoma may reveal novel therapeutic targets. Ewing sarcomagenesis is complex, and in this review, we discuss the current state of our knowledge regarding elevated replication stress and the DNA damage response in Ewing sarcoma, one contributor to the disease process. We will also describe how these pathways are being successfully targeted therapeutically in other tumor types, and discuss possible novel, evidence-based therapeutic interventions in Ewing sarcoma. We hope that this consolidation will spark investigations that uncover new therapeutic targets and lead to the development of better treatment options for patients with Ewing sarcoma. IMPLICATIONS: This review uncovers new therapeutic targets in Ewing sarcoma and highlights replication stress as an exploitable vulnerability across multiple cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Martin
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Tamara J Hoegel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Miranda L Lynch
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo, New York
| | - Anna Woloszynska
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Thomas Melendy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Joyce E Ohm
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York.
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25
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Hawkins AG, Pedersen EA, Treichel S, Temprine K, Sperring C, Read JA, Magnuson B, Chugh R, Lawlor ER. Wnt/β-catenin-activated Ewing sarcoma cells promote the angiogenic switch. JCI Insight 2020; 5:135188. [PMID: 32544094 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.135188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling is active in small subpopulations of Ewing sarcoma cells, and these cells display a more metastatic phenotype, in part due to antagonism of EWS-FLI1-dependent transcriptional activity. Importantly, these β-catenin-activated Ewing sarcoma cells also alter secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. We thus hypothesized that, in addition to cell-autonomous mechanisms, Wnt/β-catenin-active tumor cells might contribute to disease progression by altering the tumor microenvironment (TME). Analysis of transcriptomic data from primary patient biopsies and from β-catenin-active versus -nonactive tumor cells identified angiogenic switch genes as being highly and reproducibly upregulated in the context of β-catenin activation. In addition, in silico and in vitro analyses, along with chorioallantoic membrane assays, demonstrated that β-catenin-activated Ewing cells secreted factors that promote angiogenesis. In particular, activation of canonical Wnt signaling leads Ewing sarcoma cells to upregulate expression and secretion of proangiogenic ECM proteins, collectively termed the angiomatrix. Significantly, our data show that induction of the angiomatrix by Wnt-responsive tumor cells is indirect and is mediated by TGF-β. Mechanistically, Wnt/β-catenin signaling antagonizes EWS-FLI1-dependent repression of TGF-β receptor type 2, thereby sensitizing tumor cells to TGF-β ligands. Together, these findings suggest that Wnt/β-catenin-active tumor cells can contribute to Ewing sarcoma progression by promoting angiogenesis in the local TME.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rashmi Chugh
- Rogel Cancer Center, and.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Lawlor
- Department of Pediatrics.,Department of Pathology.,Rogel Cancer Center, and
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26
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Mancarella C, Caldoni G, Ribolsi I, Parra A, Manara MC, Mercurio AM, Morrione A, Scotlandi K. Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2 mRNA-Binding Protein 3 Modulates Aggressiveness of Ewing Sarcoma by Regulating the CD164-CXCR4 Axis. Front Oncol 2020; 10:994. [PMID: 32719743 PMCID: PMC7347992 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is the second most common bone and soft tissue-associated malignancy in children and young adults. It is driven by the fusion oncogene EWS/FLI1 and characterized by rapid growth and early metastasis. We have previously discovered that the mRNA binding protein IGF2BP3 constitutes an important biomarker for EWS as high expression of IGF2BP3 in primary tumors predicts poor prognosis of EWS patients. We additionally demonstrated that IGF2BP3 enhances anchorage-independent growth and migration of EWS cells suggesting that IGF2BP3 might work as molecular driver and predictor of EWS progression. The aim of this study was to further define the role of IGF2BP3 in EWS progression. We demonstrated that high IGF2BP3 mRNA expression levels correlated with EWS metastasis and disease progression in well-characterized EWS tumor specimens. EWS tumors with high IGF2BP3 levels were characterized by a specific gene signature enriched in chemokine-mediated signaling pathways. We also discovered that IGF2BP3 regulated the expression of CXCR4 through CD164. Significantly, CD164 and CXCR4 colocalized at the plasma membrane of EWS cells upon CXCL12 stimulation. We further demonstrated that IGF2BP3, CD164, and CXCR4 expression levels correlated in clinical samples and the IGF2BP3/CD164/CXCR4 signaling pathway promoted motility of EWS cells in response to CXCL12 and under hypoxia conditions. The data presented identified CD164 and CXCR4 as novel IGF2BP3 downstream functional effectors indicating that the IGF2BP3/CD164/CXCR4 oncogenic axis may work as critical modulator of EWS aggressiveness. In addition, IGF2BP3, CD164, and CXCR4 expression levels may constitute a novel biomarker panel predictive of EWS progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Mancarella
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Caldoni
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Irene Ribolsi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandro Parra
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Manara
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Arthur M Mercurio
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Andrea Morrione
- Department of Biology, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Katia Scotlandi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
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27
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Jacoby JM, Strakeljahn S, Nitsch A, Bekeschus S, Hinz P, Mustea A, Ekkernkamp A, Tzvetkov MV, Haralambiev L, Stope MB. An Innovative Therapeutic Option for the Treatment of Skeletal Sarcomas: Elimination of Osteo- and Ewing's Sarcoma Cells Using Physical Gas Plasma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124460. [PMID: 32585948 PMCID: PMC7352911 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma are the most common malignant bone tumors. Conventional therapies such as polychemotherapy, local surgery, and radiotherapy improve the clinical outcome for patients. However, they are accompanied by acute and chronic side effects that affect the quality of life of patients, motivating novel research lines on therapeutic options for the treatment of sarcomas. Previous experimental work with physical plasma operated at body temperature (cold atmospheric plasma, CAP) demonstrated anti-oncogenic effects on different cancer cell types. This study investigated the anti-cancer effect of CAP on two bone sarcoma entities, osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma, which were represented by four cell lines (U2-OS, MNNG/HOS, A673, and RD-ES). A time-dependent anti-proliferative effect of CAP on all cell lines was observed. CAP-induced alterations in cell membrane functionality were detected by performing a fluorescein diacetate (FDA) release assay and an ATP release assay. Additionally, modifications of the cell membrane and modifications in the actin cytoskeleton composition were examined using fluorescence microscopy monitoring dextran-uptake assay and G-/F-actin distribution. Furthermore, the CAP-induced induction of apoptosis was determined by TUNEL and active caspases assays. The observations suggest that a single CAP treatment of bone sarcoma cells may have significant anti-oncogenic effects and thus may be a promising extension to existing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine M. Jacoby
- Department of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.M.J.); (S.S.); (A.N.); (P.H.); (A.E.)
| | - Silas Strakeljahn
- Department of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.M.J.); (S.S.); (A.N.); (P.H.); (A.E.)
| | - Andreas Nitsch
- Department of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.M.J.); (S.S.); (A.N.); (P.H.); (A.E.)
| | - Sander Bekeschus
- ZIK Plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Peter Hinz
- Department of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.M.J.); (S.S.); (A.N.); (P.H.); (A.E.)
| | - Alexander Mustea
- Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (A.M.); (M.B.S.)
| | - Axel Ekkernkamp
- Department of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.M.J.); (S.S.); (A.N.); (P.H.); (A.E.)
- Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, BG Klinikum Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin Warener Straße 7, 12683 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mladen V. Tzvetkov
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Lyubomir Haralambiev
- Department of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.M.J.); (S.S.); (A.N.); (P.H.); (A.E.)
- Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, BG Klinikum Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin Warener Straße 7, 12683 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-3834-86-22541; Fax: +49-3834-86-6013
| | - Matthias B. Stope
- Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (A.M.); (M.B.S.)
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28
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Issaq SH, Mendoza A, Kidner R, Rosales TI, Duveau DY, Heske CM, Rohde JM, Boxer MB, Thomas CJ, DeBerardinis RJ, Helman LJ. EWS-FLI1-regulated Serine Synthesis and Exogenous Serine are Necessary for Ewing Sarcoma Cellular Proliferation and Tumor Growth. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 19:1520-1529. [PMID: 32371575 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite a growing body of knowledge about the genomic landscape of Ewing sarcoma, translation of basic discoveries into targeted therapies and significant clinical gains has remained elusive. Recent insights have revealed that the oncogenic transcription factor EWS-FLI1 can impact Ewing sarcoma cellular metabolism, regulating expression of 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), the first enzyme in de novo serine synthesis. Here, we have examined the importance of serine metabolism in Ewing sarcoma tumorigenesis and evaluated the therapeutic potential of targeting serine metabolism in preclinical models of Ewing sarcoma. We show that PHGDH knockdown resulted in decreased Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation, especially under serine limitation, and significantly inhibited xenograft tumorigenesis in preclinical orthotopic models of Ewing sarcoma. In addition, the PHGDH inhibitor NCT-503 caused a dose-dependent decrease in cellular proliferation. Moreover, we report a novel drug combination in which nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibition, which blocks production of the PHGDH substrate NAD+, synergized with NCT-503 to abolish Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation and tumor growth. Furthermore, we show that serine deprivation inhibited Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, indicating that Ewing sarcoma cells depend on exogenous serine in addition to de novo serine synthesis. Our findings suggest that serine metabolism is critical for Ewing sarcoma tumorigenesis, and that targeting metabolic dependencies should be further investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy for Ewing sarcoma. In addition, the combination strategy presented herein may have broader clinical applications in other PHGDH-overexpressing cancers as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer H Issaq
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | | | - Ria Kidner
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tracy I Rosales
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Damien Y Duveau
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | | | - Jason M Rohde
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Matthew B Boxer
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Craig J Thomas
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Ralph J DeBerardinis
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Lee J Helman
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
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29
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Precision medicine in Ewing sarcoma: a translational point of view. Clin Transl Oncol 2020; 22:1440-1454. [PMID: 32026343 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-020-02298-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a rare tumor that arises in bones of children and teenagers but, in 15% of the patients it is presented as a primary soft tissue tumor. Balanced reciprocal chimeric translocation t(11;22)(q24;q12), which encodes an oncogenic protein fusion (EWSR1/FLI1), is the most generalized and characteristic molecular event. Using conventional treatments, (chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy) long-term overall survival rate is 30% for patients with disseminated disease and 65-75% for patients with localized tumors. Urgent new effective drug development is a challenge. This review summarizes the preclinical and clinical investigational knowledge about prognostic and targetable biomarkers in Ewing sarcoma, finally suggesting a workflow for precision medicine committees.
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30
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He S, Huang Q, Hu J, Li L, Xiao Y, Yu H, Han Z, Wang T, Zhou W, Wei H, Xiao J. EWS-FLI1-mediated tenascin-C expression promotes tumour progression by targeting MALAT1 through integrin α5β1-mediated YAP activation in Ewing sarcoma. Br J Cancer 2019; 121:922-933. [PMID: 31649319 PMCID: PMC6889507 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-019-0608-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extracellular matrix has been critically associated with the tumorigenesis and progression of Ewing sarcoma (ES). However, the regulatory and prognostic roles of tenascin-C (TNC) in ES remain unclear. METHODS TNC expression was examined in specimens by immunohistochemistry, and the association of TNC expression with ES patient survival was also analysed. TNC-knockout cell lines were constructed using CRISPR/Cas9 methods. In vitro experiments and in vivo bioluminescent imaging using BALB/c nude mice were conducted to evaluate the effect of TNC on ES tumour progression. RNA sequencing was performed, and the underlying mechanism of TNC was further explored. RESULTS TNC was overexpressed in ES tissue and cell lines, and TNC overexpression was associated with poor survival in ES patients. TNC enhanced cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in vitro and promoted ES metastasis in vivo. The oncoprotein EWS-FLI1 profoundly increased TNC expression by directly binding to the TNC promoter region. Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) upregulation induced by Yes-associated protein (YAP) activation was responsible for TNC-regulated ES tumour progression. Activated integrin α5β1 signalling might be correlated with YAP dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation. CONCLUSIONS TNC may promote ES tumour progression by targeting MALAT1 through integrin α5β1-mediated YAP activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohui He
- Spinal Tumor Center, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China
| | - Quan Huang
- Spinal Tumor Center, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China
| | - Jinbo Hu
- Spinal Tumor Center, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, P. R. China
| | - Yanbin Xiao
- Department of Orthopaedics, Musculoskeletal Tumor Center of Yunnan Province, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, P. R. China
| | - Hongyu Yu
- Department of Pathology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China
| | - Zhitao Han
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Ting Wang
- Spinal Tumor Center, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China
| | - Wang Zhou
- Spinal Tumor Center, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China. .,School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China.
| | - Haifeng Wei
- Spinal Tumor Center, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China.
| | - Jianru Xiao
- Spinal Tumor Center, Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, P. R. China.
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31
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Stahl D, Gentles AJ, Thiele R, Gütgemann I. Prognostic profiling of the immune cell microenvironment in Ewing´s Sarcoma Family of Tumors. Oncoimmunology 2019; 8:e1674113. [PMID: 31741777 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2019.1674113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing´s Sarcoma Family of Tumors (ESFT) are clinically aggressive bone and soft tissue tumors in children and young adults. Analysis of the immune tumor microenvironment (TME) provides insight into tumor evolution and novel treatment options. So far, the scarcity of immune cells in ESFT has hindered a comprehensive analysis of rare subtypes. We determined the relative fraction of 22 immune cell types using 197 microarray gene expression datasets of primary ESFT tumor samples by using CIBERSORT, a deconvolution algorithm enumerating infiltrating leucocytes in bulk tumor tissue. The most abundant cells were macrophages (mean 43% of total tumor-infiltrating leukocytes, TILs), predominantly immunosuppressive M2 type macrophages, followed by T cells (mean 23% of TILs). Increased neutrophils, albeit at low number, were associated with a poor overall survival (OS) (p = .038) and increased M2 macrophages predicted a shorter event-free survival (EFS) (p = .033). High frequency of T cells and activated NK cells correlated with prolonged OS (p = .044 and p = .007, respectively). A small patient population (9/32) with combined low infiltrating M2 macrophages, low neutrophils, and high total T cells was identified with favorable outcome. This finding was confirmed in a validation cohort of patients with follow up (11/38). When comparing the immune TME with expression of known stemness genes, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF1α) correlated with high abundance of macrophages and neutrophils and decreased T cell levels. The immune TME in ESFTs shows a distinct composition including rare immune cell subsets that in part may be due to expression of HIF1α.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Stahl
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andrew J Gentles
- Departments of Medicine and Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ralf Thiele
- Department of Computer Science, Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Sankt Augustin, Germany
| | - Ines Gütgemann
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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32
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Yeung C, Gibson AE, Issaq SH, Oshima N, Baumgart JT, Edessa LD, Rai G, Urban DJ, Johnson MS, Benavides GA, Squadrito GL, Yohe ME, Lei H, Eldridge S, Hamre J, Dowdy T, Ruiz-Rodado V, Lita A, Mendoza A, Shern JF, Larion M, Helman LJ, Stott GM, Krishna MC, Hall MD, Darley-Usmar V, Neckers LM, Heske CM. Targeting Glycolysis through Inhibition of Lactate Dehydrogenase Impairs Tumor Growth in Preclinical Models of Ewing Sarcoma. Cancer Res 2019; 79:5060-5073. [PMID: 31431459 PMCID: PMC6774872 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Altered cellular metabolism, including an increased dependence on aerobic glycolysis, is a hallmark of cancer. Despite the fact that this observation was first made nearly a century ago, effective therapeutic targeting of glycolysis in cancer has remained elusive. One potentially promising approach involves targeting the glycolytic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which is overexpressed and plays a critical role in several cancers. Here, we used a novel class of LDH inhibitors to demonstrate, for the first time, that Ewing sarcoma cells are exquisitely sensitive to inhibition of LDH. EWS-FLI1, the oncogenic driver of Ewing sarcoma, regulated LDH A (LDHA) expression. Genetic depletion of LDHA inhibited proliferation of Ewing sarcoma cells and induced apoptosis, phenocopying pharmacologic inhibition of LDH. LDH inhibitors affected Ewing sarcoma cell viability both in vitro and in vivo by reducing glycolysis. Intravenous administration of LDH inhibitors resulted in the greatest intratumoral drug accumulation, inducing tumor cell death and reducing tumor growth. The major dose-limiting toxicity observed was hemolysis, indicating that a narrow therapeutic window exists for these compounds. Taken together, these data suggest that targeting glycolysis through inhibition of LDH should be further investigated as a potential therapeutic approach for cancers such as Ewing sarcoma that exhibit oncogene-dependent expression of LDH and increased glycolysis. SIGNIFICANCE: LDHA is a pharmacologically tractable EWS-FLI1 transcriptional target that regulates the glycolytic dependence of Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choh Yeung
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Anna E Gibson
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sameer H Issaq
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nobu Oshima
- Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Joshua T Baumgart
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Leah D Edessa
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ganesha Rai
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Daniel J Urban
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Michelle S Johnson
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Gloria A Benavides
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Giuseppe L Squadrito
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Marielle E Yohe
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Haiyan Lei
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sandy Eldridge
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - John Hamre
- Laboratory of Investigative Toxicology, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Tyrone Dowdy
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Victor Ruiz-Rodado
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Adrian Lita
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Arnulfo Mendoza
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jack F Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mioara Larion
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lee J Helman
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gordon M Stott
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Murali C Krishna
- Radiation Biology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Matthew D Hall
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Victor Darley-Usmar
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Leonard M Neckers
- Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Christine M Heske
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
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Galardi A, Colletti M, Di Paolo V, Vitullo P, Antonetti L, Russo I, Di Giannatale A. Exosomal MiRNAs in Pediatric Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184600. [PMID: 31533332 PMCID: PMC6770697 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have generated great attention in oncology as they play a fundamental role in the regulation of gene expression and their aberrant expression is present in almost all types of tumors including pediatric ones. The discovery that miRNAs can be transported by exosomes, which are vesicles of 40–120 nm involved in cellular communication, that are produced by different cell types, and that are present in different biological fluids, has opened the possibility of using exosomal miRNAs as biomarkers. The possibility to diagnose and monitor the progression and response to drugs through molecules that can be easily isolated from biological fluids represents a particularly important aspect in the pediatric context where invasive techniques are often used. In recent years, the idea of liquid biopsy as well as studies on the possible role of exosomal miRNAs as biomarkers have developed greatly. In this review, we report an overview of all the evidences acquired in recent years on the identification of exosomal microRNAs with biomarker potential in pediatric cancers. We discuss the following herein: neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, sarcomas (osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma and rhabdoid tumors, and non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma), brain tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Galardi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Marta Colletti
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Virginia Di Paolo
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Patrizia Vitullo
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Loretta Antonetti
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Ida Russo
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Angela Di Giannatale
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, 00146 Rome, Italy.
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Hawkins AG, Julian CM, Konzen S, Treichel S, Lawlor ER, Bailey KM. Microenvironmental Factors Drive Tenascin C and Src Cooperation to Promote Invadopodia Formation in Ewing Sarcoma. Neoplasia 2019; 21:1063-1072. [PMID: 31521948 PMCID: PMC6745492 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a bone tumor most commonly diagnosed in adolescents and young adults. Survival for patients with recurrent or metastatic Ewing sarcoma is dismal and there is a dire need to better understand the mechanisms of cell metastasis specific to this disease. Our recent work demonstrated that microenvironmental stress leads to increased Ewing sarcoma cell invasion through Src activation. Additionally, we have shown that the matricellular protein tenascin C (TNC) promotes metastasis in Ewing sarcoma. A major role of both TNC and Src is mediation of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions resulting in changes in cell motility, invasion, and adhesion. However, it remains largely unknown, if and how, TNC and Src are linked in these processes. We hypothesized that TNC is a positive regulator of invadopodia formation in Ewing sarcoma through its ability to activate Src. We demonstrate here that both tumor cell endogenous and exogenous TNC can enhance Src activation and invadopodia formation in Ewing sarcoma. We found that microenvironmental stress upregulates TNC expression and this is dampened with application of the Src inhibitor dasatinib, suggesting that TNC expression and Src activation cooperate to promote the invasive phenotype. This work reports the impact of stress-induced TNC expression on enhancing cell invadopodia formation, provides evidence for a feed forward loop between TNC and Src to promote cell metastatic behavior, and highlights a pathway by which microenvironment-driven TNC expression could be therapeutically targeted in Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allegra G Hawkins
- Department of Pediatrics, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 48109
| | - Claire M Julian
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 15224
| | - Sonja Konzen
- Department of Pediatrics, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 48109
| | - Sydney Treichel
- Department of Pediatrics, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 48109
| | - Elizabeth R Lawlor
- Department of Pediatrics, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 48109
| | - Kelly M Bailey
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 15224.
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Bailey KM, Julian CM, Klinghoffer AN, Bernard H, Lucas PC, McAllister-Lucas LM. EWS-FLI1 low Ewing sarcoma cells demonstrate decreased susceptibility to T-cell-mediated tumor cell apoptosis. Oncotarget 2019; 10:3385-3399. [PMID: 31164960 PMCID: PMC6534359 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic and relapsed Ewing sarcoma typically afflicts the adolescent population and is largely fatal. These bone tumors are most commonly driven by the fusion oncoprotein EWS-FLI1. Ewing tumors demonstrate significant intra-tumoral heterogeneity, and individual tumor cells can express highly variable and dynamic levels of EWS-FLI1. Recent studies revealed that the EWS-FLI1 oncoprotein level (high versus low expression) greatly influences the behavior of Ewing tumor cells. As compared to cells with high EWS-FLI1, Ewing cells in the EWS-FLI1 low state demonstrate an increased propensity for metastasis. In light of these observations, we sought to determine how tumor cell EWS-FLI1 level influences the anti-tumor cell immune response. Since ICAM-1, which can promote tumor cell/T-cell interaction and T-cell activation, is highly expressed on EWS-FLI1 low cells, we hypothesized that EWS-FLI1 low cells would be more susceptible to T-cell mediated tumor cell apoptosis as compared to cells with high EWS-FLI1. Unexpectedly, we found that EWS-FLI1 low cells are more resistant to T-cell mediated apoptosis than EWS-FLI1 high cells. We investigated the potential mechanisms by which EWS-FLI1 level might influence the T-cell anti-tumor response, and discovered that low EWS-FLI1 expression results in upregulation of PD-L1 and PD-L2, both important ligands for the PD-1 immune checkpoint receptor on T-cells. We demonstrated that blocking PD-1 results in a greater increase of T-cell mediated killing of EWS-FLI1 low tumor cells as compared to cells with higher EWS-FLI1 expression. Our studies suggest that Ewing cells in the EWS-FLI1 low expression state may serve as a niche of tumor immune-evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Bailey
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Claire M Julian
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Ariel N Klinghoffer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Heather Bernard
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Peter C Lucas
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Linda M McAllister-Lucas
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
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36
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Bailey K, Cost C, Davis I, Glade-Bender J, Grohar P, Houghton P, Isakoff M, Stewart E, Laack N, Yustein J, Reed D, Janeway K, Gorlick R, Lessnick S, DuBois S, Hingorani P. Emerging novel agents for patients with advanced Ewing sarcoma: a report from the Children's Oncology Group (COG) New Agents for Ewing Sarcoma Task Force. F1000Res 2019; 8:F1000 Faculty Rev-493. [PMID: 31031965 PMCID: PMC6468706 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.18139.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a small round blue cell malignancy arising from bone or soft tissue and most commonly affects adolescents and young adults. Metastatic and relapsed Ewing sarcoma have poor outcomes and recurrences remain common. Owing to the poor outcomes associated with advanced disease and the need for a clear research strategy, the Children's Oncology Group Bone Tumor Committee formed the New Agents for Ewing Sarcoma Task Force to bring together experts in the field to evaluate and prioritize new agents for incorporation into clinical trials. This group's mission was to evaluate scientific and clinical challenges in moving new agents forward and to recommend agents and trial designs to the Bone Tumor Committee. The task force generated a framework for vetting prospective agents that included critical evaluation of each drug by using both clinical and non-clinical parameters. Representative appraisal of agents of highest priority, including eribulin, dinutuximab, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors, anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, is described. The task force continues to analyze new compounds by using the paradigm established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Bailey
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Carrye Cost
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ian Davis
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Julia Glade-Bender
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patrick Grohar
- Departement of Pediatrics, Van Andel Institute, Helen De Vos Children’s Hospital and Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Peter Houghton
- Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Michael Isakoff
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Elizabeth Stewart
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Nadia Laack
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jason Yustein
- The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center at the Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Damon Reed
- AYA Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
- Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Katherine Janeway
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard Gorlick
- Division of Pediatrics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Stephen Lessnick
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplantation, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Steven DuBois
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pooja Hingorani
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Anatomic Origin of Osteochondrogenic Progenitors Impacts Sensitivity to EWS-FLI1-Induced Transformation. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11030313. [PMID: 30845695 PMCID: PMC6468467 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11030313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcomas predominantly arise in pelvic and stylopod bones (i.e., femur and humerus), likely as a consequence of EWS-FLI1 oncogene-induced transformation of mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSCs). MSCs located in the embryonic superficial zone cells (eSZ) of limbs express anatomically distinct posterior Hox genes. Significantly, high expression of posterior HOXD genes, especially HOXD13, is a hallmark of Ewing sarcoma. These data drove our hypothesis that Hox genes in posterior skeleton MSCs contribute to Ewing sarcoma tumorigenesis. We isolated eSZ cells from stylopod and zeugopod (i.e., tibia/fibula, radius/ulna) bones, from wild-type and Hoxd13 mutant embryos, and tested the impact of EWS-FLI1 transduction on cell proliferation, gene expression, and tumorigenicity. Our data demonstrate that both stylopod and zeugopod eSZ cells tolerate EWS-FLI1 but that stylopod eSZ cells are relatively more susceptible, demonstrating changes in proliferation and gene expression consistent with initiation of malignant transformation. Significantly, loss of Hoxd13 had no impact, showing that it is dispensable for the initiation of EWS-FLI1-induced transformation in mouse MSCs. These findings show that MSCs from anatomically distinct sites are differentially susceptible to EWS-FLI1-induced transformation, supporting the premise that the dominant presentation of Ewing sarcoma in pelvic and stylopod bones is attributable to anatomically-defined differences in MSCs.
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38
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Glutamine synthetase is necessary for sarcoma adaptation to glutamine deprivation and tumor growth. Oncogenesis 2019; 8:20. [PMID: 30808861 PMCID: PMC6391386 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-019-0129-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite a growing body of knowledge about the genomic landscape and molecular pathogenesis of sarcomas, translation of basic discoveries into targeted therapies and significant clinical gains has remained elusive. Renewed interest in altered metabolic properties of cancer cells has led to an exploration of targeting metabolic dependencies as a novel therapeutic strategy. In this study, we have characterized the dependency of human pediatric sarcoma cells on key metabolic substrates and identified a mechanism of adaptation to metabolic stress by examining proliferation and bioenergetic properties of rhabdomyosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma cells under varying concentrations of glucose and glutamine. While all cell lines tested were completely growth-inhibited by lack of glucose, cells adapted to glutamine deprivation, and restored proliferation following an initial period of reduced growth. We show that expression of glutamine synthetase (GS), the enzyme responsible for de novo glutamine synthesis, increased during glutamine deprivation, and that pharmacological or shRNA-mediated GS inhibition abolished proliferation of glutamine-deprived cells, while having no effect on cells grown under normal culture conditions. Moreover, the GS substrates and glutamine precursors glutamate and ammonia restored proliferation of glutamine-deprived cells in a GS-dependent manner, further emphasizing the necessity of GS for adaptation to glutamine stress. Furthermore, pharmacological and shRNA-mediated GS inhibition significantly reduced orthotopic xenograft tumor growth. We also show that glutamine supports sarcoma nucleotide biosynthesis and optimal mitochondrial bioenergetics. Our findings demonstrate that GS mediates proliferation of glutamine-deprived pediatric sarcomas, and suggest that targeting metabolic dependencies of sarcomas should be further investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy.
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39
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Bailey KM. Prospective investigation of drug resistance: an approach to understanding and optimizing the clinical benefit of targeted agents in Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2018; 9:37270-37271. [PMID: 30647860 PMCID: PMC6324671 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Bailey
- Kelly M. Bailey: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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40
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Parrish JK, McCann TS, Sechler M, Sobral LM, Ren W, Jones KL, Tan AC, Jedlicka P. The Jumonji-domain histone demethylase inhibitor JIB-04 deregulates oncogenic programs and increases DNA damage in Ewing Sarcoma, resulting in impaired cell proliferation and survival, and reduced tumor growth. Oncotarget 2018; 9:33110-33123. [PMID: 30237855 PMCID: PMC6145692 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing Sarcoma is an aggressive malignant neoplasm affecting children and young adults. Ewing Sarcoma is driven by transcription factor fusion oncoproteins, most commonly EWS/Fli1. While some patients can be cured with high-dose, multi-agent, chemotherapy, those that cannot currently have few options. Targeting of the driver oncofusion remains a logical therapeutic approach, but has proven difficult. Recent work has pointed to epigenetic mechanisms as key players, and potential new therapeutic targets, in Ewing Sarcoma. In this study we examined the activity of the pan-JHDM pharmacologic inhibitor JIB-04 in this disease. We show that JIB-04 potently inhibits the growth and viability of Ewing Sarcoma cells, and also impairs tumor xenograft growth. Effects on histone methylation at growth-inhibitory doses vary among cell lines, with most cell lines exhibiting increased total H3K27me3 levels, and some increased H3K4me3 and H3K9me3. JIB-04 treatment widely alters expression of oncogenic and tumor suppressive pathways, including downregulation of known oncogenic members of the Homeobox B and D clusters. JIB-04 also disrupts the EWS/Fli1 expression signature, including downregulation of pro-proliferative pathways normally under positive oncofusion control. Interestingly, these changes are accompanied by increased levels of the EWS/Fli1 oncofusion, suggesting that the drug could be uncoupling EWS/Fli1 from its oncogenic program. All Ewing Sarcoma cell lines examined also manifest increased DNA damage upon JIB-04 treatment. Together, the findings suggest that JIB-04 acts via multiple mechanisms to compromise Ewing Sarcoma cell growth and viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet K Parrish
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tyler S McCann
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Marybeth Sechler
- Cancer Biology Graduate Training Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lays M Sobral
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Wenhua Ren
- Department of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Aik Choon Tan
- Cancer Biology Graduate Training Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Department of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Paul Jedlicka
- Department of Pathology, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Training Program, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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41
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Svoboda LK, Teh SSK, Sud S, Kerk S, Zebolsky A, Treichel S, Thomas D, Halbrook CJ, Lee HJ, Kremer D, Zhang L, Klossowski S, Bankhead AR, Magnuson B, Ljungman M, Cierpicki T, Grembecka J, Lyssiotis CA, Lawlor ER. Menin regulates the serine biosynthetic pathway in Ewing sarcoma. J Pathol 2018; 245:324-336. [PMID: 29672864 DOI: 10.1002/path.5085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Developmental transcription programs are epigenetically regulated by multi-protein complexes, including the menin- and MLL-containing trithorax (TrxG) complexes, which promote gene transcription by depositing the H3K4me3 activating mark at target gene promoters. We recently reported that in Ewing sarcoma, MLL1 (lysine methyltransferase 2A, KMT2A) and menin are overexpressed and function as oncogenes. Small molecule inhibition of the menin-MLL interaction leads to loss of menin and MLL1 protein expression, and to inhibition of growth and tumorigenicity. Here, we have investigated the mechanistic basis of menin-MLL-mediated oncogenic activity in Ewing sarcoma. Bromouridine sequencing (Bru-seq) was performed to identify changes in nascent gene transcription in Ewing sarcoma cells, following exposure to the menin-MLL interaction inhibitor MI-503. Menin-MLL inhibition resulted in early and widespread reprogramming of metabolic processes. In particular, the serine biosynthetic pathway (SSP) was the pathway most significantly affected by MI-503 treatment. Baseline expression of SSP genes and proteins (PHGDH, PSAT1, and PSPH), and metabolic flux through the SSP were confirmed to be high in Ewing sarcoma. In addition, inhibition of PHGDH resulted in reduced cell proliferation, viability, and tumor growth in vivo, revealing a key dependency of Ewing sarcoma on the SSP. Loss of function studies validated a mechanistic link between menin and the SSP. Specifically, inhibition of menin resulted in diminished expression of SSP genes, reduced H3K4me3 enrichment at the PHGDH promoter, and complete abrogation of de novo serine and glycine biosynthesis, as demonstrated by metabolic tracing studies with 13 C-labeled glucose. These data demonstrate that the SSP is highly active in Ewing sarcoma and that its oncogenic activation is maintained, at least in part, by menin-dependent epigenetic mechanisms involving trithorax complexes. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie K Svoboda
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Selina Shiqing K Teh
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sudha Sud
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Samuel Kerk
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Aaron Zebolsky
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sydney Treichel
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Dafydd Thomas
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Christopher J Halbrook
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Ho-Joon Lee
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel Kremer
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Szymon Klossowski
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Armand R Bankhead
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Brian Magnuson
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Mats Ljungman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Tomasz Cierpicki
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jolanta Grembecka
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Lawlor
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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42
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Hawkins AG, Basrur V, da Veiga Leprevost F, Pedersen E, Sperring C, Nesvizhskii AI, Lawlor ER. The Ewing Sarcoma Secretome and Its Response to Activation of Wnt/beta-catenin Signaling. Mol Cell Proteomics 2018; 17:901-912. [PMID: 29386236 PMCID: PMC5930412 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.000596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor: tumor microenvironment (TME) interactions are critical for tumor progression and the composition and structure of the local extracellular matrix (ECM) are key determinants of tumor metastasis. We recently reported that activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in Ewing sarcoma cells induces widespread transcriptional changes that are associated with acquisition of a metastatic tumor phenotype. Significantly, ECM protein-encoding genes were found to be enriched among Wnt/beta-catenin induced transcripts, leading us to hypothesize that activation of canonical Wnt signaling might induce changes in the Ewing sarcoma secretome. To address this hypothesis, conditioned media from Ewing sarcoma cell lines cultured in the presence or absence of Wnt3a was collected for proteomic analysis. Label-free mass spectrometry was used to identify and quantify differentially secreted proteins. We then used in silico databases to identify only proteins annotated as secreted. Comparison of the secretomes of two Ewing sarcoma cell lines revealed numerous shared proteins, as well as a degree of heterogeneity, in both basal and Wnt-stimulated conditions. Gene set enrichment analysis of secreted proteins revealed that Wnt stimulation reproducibly resulted in increased secretion of proteins involved in ECM organization, ECM receptor interactions, and collagen formation. In particular, Wnt-stimulated Ewing sarcoma cells up-regulated secretion of structural collagens, as well as matricellular proteins, such as the metastasis-associated protein, tenascin C (TNC). Interrogation of published databases confirmed reproducible correlations between Wnt/beta-catenin activation and TNC and COL1A1 expression in patient tumors. In summary, this first study of the Ewing sarcoma secretome reveals that Wnt/beta-catenin activated tumor cells upregulate secretion of ECM proteins. Such Wnt/beta-catenin mediated changes are likely to impact on tumor: TME interactions that contribute to metastatic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Alexey I Nesvizhskii
- §Pathology, and
- ¶Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Çelik H, Sciandra M, Flashner B, Gelmez E, Kayraklıoğlu N, Allegakoen DV, Petro JR, Conn EJ, Hour S, Han J, Oktay L, Tiwari PB, Hayran M, Harris BT, Manara MC, Toretsky JA, Scotlandi K, Üren A. Clofarabine inhibits Ewing sarcoma growth through a novel molecular mechanism involving direct binding to CD99. Oncogene 2018; 37:2181-2196. [PMID: 29382926 PMCID: PMC9936921 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-017-0080-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive bone and soft tissue malignancy that predominantly affects children and adolescents. CD99 is a cell surface protein that is highly expressed on ES cells and is required to maintain their malignancy. We screened small molecule libraries for binding to extracellular domain of recombinant CD99 and subsequent inhibition of ES cell growth. We identified two structurally similar FDA-approved compounds, clofarabine and cladribine that selectively inhibited the growth of ES cells in a panel of 14 ES vs. 28 non-ES cell lines. Both drugs inhibited CD99 dimerization and its interaction with downstream signaling components. A membrane-impermeable analog of clofarabine showed similar cytotoxicity in culture, suggesting that it can function through inhibiting CD99 independent of DNA metabolism. Both drugs drastically inhibited anchorage-independent growth of ES cells, but clofarabine was more effective in inhibiting growth of three different ES xenografts. Our findings provide a novel molecular mechanism for clofarabine that involves direct binding to a cell surface receptor CD99 and inhibiting its biological activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haydar Çelik
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Marika Sciandra
- CRS Development of Biomolecular Therapies, Experimental Oncology Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, 40136 Bologna, Italy,PROMETEO Laboratory, STB, RIT Department, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Bess Flashner
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Elif Gelmez
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Neslihan Kayraklıoğlu
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - David V. Allegakoen
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Jeff R. Petro
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Erin J. Conn
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Sarah Hour
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Jenny Han
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Lalehan Oktay
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Purushottam B. Tiwari
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Mutlu Hayran
- Department of Preventive Oncology, Cancer Institute, Hacettepe University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Brent T. Harris
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Maria Cristina Manara
- CRS Development of Biomolecular Therapies, Experimental Oncology Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, 40136 Bologna, Italy,PROMETEO Laboratory, STB, RIT Department, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Jeffrey A. Toretsky
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007
| | - Katia Scotlandi
- CRS Development of Biomolecular Therapies, Experimental Oncology Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy. .,PROMETEO Laboratory, STB, RIT Department, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Aykut Üren
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
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Abstract
We report the clinical history of 2 female patients with Ewing sarcoma and microscopic ovarian infiltration. In both cases, the initial workup found no metastasis. However, the examination of cryopreserved ovarian tissues revealed the presence of CD99 positive tumor cells with rearrangement of EWS gene confirmed by FISH. Both children were treated as patients with localized tumor and are currently in remission. These reports underline that, in Ewing sarcoma patients, retransplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue is not harmless and could lead to cancer relapse. These observations question also on the significance of ovarian dissemination on Ewing sarcoma prognosis and therapy.
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45
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Krook MA, Hawkins AG, Patel RM, Lucas DR, Van Noord R, Chugh R, Lawlor ER. A bivalent promoter contributes to stress-induced plasticity of CXCR4 in Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2018; 7:61775-61788. [PMID: 27528222 PMCID: PMC5308690 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor heterogeneity is a major impediment to cancer cures. Tumor cell heterogeneity can arise by irreversible genetic mutation, as well as by non-mutational mechanisms, which can be reversibly modulated by the tumor microenvironment and the epigenome. We recently reported that the chemokine receptor CXCR4 is induced in Ewing sarcoma cells in response to microenvironmental stress. In the current study, we investigated plasticity of CXCR4 expression in vivo and assessed whether CXCR4 impacts on tumor growth. Our studies showed that Ewing sarcoma cells convert between CXCR4 negative and CXCR4 positive states in vivo and that positive cells are most abundant adjacent to areas of necrosis. In addition, tumor volumes directly correlated with CXCR4 expression supporting a role for CXCR4 in growth promotion. Mechanistically, our results show that, in ambient conditions where CXCR4 expression is low, the CXCR4 promoter exists in a poised, bivalent state with simultaneous enrichment of both activating (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K27me3) post-translational histone modifications. In contrast, when exposed to stress, CXCR4 negative cells lose the H3K27me3 mark. This loss of promoter bivalency is associated with CXCR4 upregulation. These studies demonstrate that stress-dependent plasticity of CXCR4 is, in part, mediated by epigenetic plasticity and a bivalent promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie A Krook
- Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Allegra G Hawkins
- Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rajiv M Patel
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David R Lucas
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Raelene Van Noord
- Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rashmi Chugh
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Lawlor
- Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Choo S, Wang P, Newbury R, Roberts W, Yang J. Reactivation of TWIST1 contributes to Ewing sarcoma metastasis. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2018; 65:10.1002/pbc.26721. [PMID: 28873262 PMCID: PMC5759052 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.26721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ewing sarcoma is a cancer of bone and soft tissue. Despite aggressive treatment, survival remains poor, particularly in patients with metastatic disease. Failure to treat Ewing sarcoma is due to the lack of understanding of the molecular pathways that regulate metastasis. In addition, no molecular prognostic markers have been identified for Ewing sarcoma to risk stratify patients. PROCEDURE Ewing sarcoma patients were divided into high or low Twist1 gene expression and survival curves were generated using the R2 microarray-based Genomic Analysis platform (http://r2.amc.nl). Tumors from Ewing sarcoma patients were also evaluated for TWIST1 expression by immunohistochemistry. Ewing sarcoma xenografts were established to evaluate the role of TWIST1 in metastasis. The effects of Twist1 on migration and invasion were evaluated using migration and invasion assays in A673 and RDES cells. RESULTS Twist1 expression was a negative prognostic marker for overall survival in a public Ewing sarcoma patient data set based on Twist1 mRNA levels and in patient tumor samples based on Twist1 immunohistochemistry. TWIST1 is detected in significantly higher percentage of patients with metastatic diseases than localized disease. Using Ewing sarcoma tumor xenografts in mice, we found that suppressing TWIST1 levels suppressed metastasis without affecting primary tumor development. Knockdown of Twist1 inhibited the migration and invasion capability, while overexpression of Twist1 promoted migration and invasion in Ewing sarcoma cells. CONCLUSION These results suggest that TWIST1 promotes metastasis in Ewing sarcoma and could be used as a prognostic marker for treatment stratification; however, further validation is required in a larger cohort of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Choo
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Robert Newbury
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Department of Pathology, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - William Roberts
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Jing Yang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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47
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Rochefort P, Italiano A, Laurence V, Penel N, Lardy-Cleaud A, Mir O, Chevreau C, Bertucci F, Bompas E, Chaigneau L, Levy D, Ryckewaert T, Dumont S, Meeus P, Ranchere D, Blay JY, Cassier PA. A Retrospective Multicentric Study of Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors in Patients Older Than 50: Management and Outcome. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17917. [PMID: 29263409 PMCID: PMC5738347 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17733-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (EFTs) is a group of rare and aggressive tumors. Data on EFTs in patients (pts) ≥ 50 years are limited and these pts are often not eligible for clinical trials. Some, but not all, studies have reported inferior outcome for older pts with EFTs. We conducted an IRB-approved retrospective analysis among centers of the French Sarcoma Group on pts diagnosed with EFTs at age ≥50 between 2000 and 2012. Clinical features, treatment modality and outcomes were analyzed. Seventy-seven pts were identified, including 36 females (46.8%) and the median age at diagnosis was 56 years (range: 50-86). The primary tumor was located in soft tissue in 59 pts (76.6%). Fifty-six pts (72.7%) had localized disease, among them 49 (87.5%) received chemotherapy in addition to local therapy. Their estimated 3-yr OS and event-free survival (EFS) rates were respectively 73.3% and 62.2%. Recurrence occurred in 43 pts. The estimated 3-yr OS rate was 37% in pts with metastatic disease at presentation. EFTs in pts ≥50 years are more likely to originate from soft tissue and their outcomes appear to be worse than that of younger pts treated with modern protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antoine Italiano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Nicolas Penel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France
| | | | - Olivier Mir
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Christine Chevreau
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Claudius Regaud, Toulouse, France
| | - Francois Bertucci
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli Calmettes, Marseille, France
| | - Emmanuelle Bompas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre René Gauducheau, St. Herblain, Saint-Herblain, France
| | - Loic Chaigneau
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hôpital Jean Minjoz, Besançon, France
| | - Dominique Levy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | | | - Sarah Dumont
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Pierre Meeus
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | | | - Jean-Yves Blay
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.,Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France
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48
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Jayabal P, Houghton PJ, Shiio Y. EWS-FLI-1 creates a cell surface microenvironment conducive to IGF signaling by inducing pappalysin-1. Genes Cancer 2017; 8:762-770. [PMID: 29321818 PMCID: PMC5755722 DOI: 10.18632/genesandcancer.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive cancer of bone and soft tissue in children with poor prognosis. It is characterized by the chromosomal translocation between EWS and an Ets family transcription factor, most commonly FLI-1. EWS-FLI-1 fusion accounts for 85% of Ewing sarcoma cases. EWS-FLI-1 regulates the expression of a number of genes important for sarcomagenesis, can transform NIH3T3 and C3H10T1/2 cells, and is necessary for proliferation and tumorigenicity of Ewing sarcoma cells, suggesting that EWS-FLI-1 is the causative oncoprotein. Here we report that EWS-FLI-1 induces the expression of pappalysin-1 (PAPPA), a cell surface protease that degrades IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) and increases the bioavailability of IGF. EWS-FLI-1 binds to the pappalysin-1 gene promoter and stimulates the expression of pappalysin-1, leading to degradation of IGFBPs and enhanced IGF signaling. Silencing of pappalysin-1 strongly inhibited anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent growth as well as xenograft tumorigenicity of Ewing sarcoma cells. These results suggest that EWS-FLI-1 creates a cell surface microenvironment conducive to IGF signaling by inducing pappalysin-1, which emerged as a novel target to inhibit IGF signaling in Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panneerselvam Jayabal
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Peter J Houghton
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Department of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Yuzuru Shiio
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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49
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Hayashi M, Baker A, Goldstein SD, Albert CM, Jackson KW, McCarty G, Kahlert UD, Loeb DM. Inhibition of porcupine prolongs metastasis free survival in a mouse xenograft model of Ewing sarcoma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:78265-78276. [PMID: 29108227 PMCID: PMC5667961 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The most pressing unmet clinical need for patients with Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the prevention and treatment of metastasis. The Wnt signaling pathway regulates a number of cellular functions associated with metastasis, including proliferation, motility, and stem cell self-renewal. Functional interaction between Wnt ligands and their receptors requires palmitoylation by Porcupine (Porcn), making this an ideal therapeutic target. We studied the effect of WNT974, a potent, selective Porcn inhibitor, on ES metastasis. In vitro, WNT974 does not affect ES proliferation or sarcosphere formation, but suppresses multiple transcriptional regulators of metastasis and inhibits cell migration. In vivo, in an orthotopic implantation/amputation model of spontaneous distant metastasis, single agent WNT974 treatment leads to a significant delay in formation of lung metastasis and a substantial improvement in post-amputation survival without a major effect on primary tumor growth. The drug produces no survival benefit in a tail vein injection model, supporting the hypothesis that WNT974 inhibits early steps in the metastatic cascade, such as migration and invasion. Our findings strongly implicate Wnt signaling in the early steps of ES metastasis and demonstrate that WNT974 has the potential to significantly improve the survival of ES patients through the specific inhibition of metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masanori Hayashi
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alissa Baker
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Seth D Goldstein
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Catherine M Albert
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kyle W Jackson
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gregory McCarty
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ulf D Kahlert
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Neurosurgical Clinic, University Medical Center Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - David M Loeb
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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50
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EWS-FLI1 perturbs MRTFB/YAP-1/TEAD target gene regulation inhibiting cytoskeletal autoregulatory feedback in Ewing sarcoma. Oncogene 2017; 36:5995-6005. [PMID: 28671673 PMCID: PMC5666320 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a paediatric bone cancer with high metastatic potential. Cellular plasticity resulting from dynamic cytoskeletal reorganization, typically regulated via the Rho pathway, is a prerequisite for metastasis initiation. Here, we interrogated the role of the Ewing sarcoma driver oncogene EWS-FLI1 in cytoskeletal reprogramming. We report that EWS-FLI1 strongly represses the activity of the Rho-F-actin signal pathway transcriptional effector MRTFB, affecting the expression of a large number of EWS-FLI1-anticorrelated genes including structural and regulatory cytoskeletal genes. Consistent with this finding, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) revealed strong overlaps in myocardin-related transcription factor B (MRTFB) and EWS-FLI1 chromatin occupation, especially for EWS-FLI1-anticorrelated genes. Binding of the transcriptional co-activator Yes-associated protein (YAP)-1, enrichment of TEAD-binding motifs in these shared genomic binding regions and overlapping transcriptional footprints of MRTFB and TEAD factors led us to propose synergy between MRTFB and the YAP/TEAD complex in the regulation of EWS-FLI1-anticorrelated genes. We propose that EWS-FLI1 suppresses the Rho-actin pathway by perturbation of a MRTFB/YAP-1/TEAD transcriptional module, which directly affects the actin-autoregulatory feedback loop. As spontaneous fluctuations in EWS-FLI1 levels of Ewing sarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo, associated with a switch between a proliferative, non-migratory EWS-FLI1-high and a non-proliferative highly migratory EWS-FLI1-low state, were recently described, our data provide a mechanistic basis for the underlying EWS-FLI1-dependent reversible cytoskeletal reprogramming of Ewing sarcoma cells.
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