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Morel VJ, Rössler J, Bernasconi M. Targeted immunotherapy and nanomedicine for rhabdomyosarcoma: The way of the future. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:2730-2773. [PMID: 38885148 DOI: 10.1002/med.22059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood. Histology separates two main subtypes: embryonal RMS (eRMS; 60%-70%) and alveolar RMS (aRMS; 20%-30%). The aggressive aRMS carry one of two characteristic chromosomal translocations that result in the expression of a PAX3::FOXO1 or PAX7::FOXO1 fusion transcription factor; therefore, aRMS are now classified as fusion-positive (FP) RMS. Embryonal RMS have a better prognosis and are clinically indistinguishable from fusion-negative (FN) RMS. Next to histology and molecular characteristics, RMS risk groupings are now available defining low risk tumors with excellent outcomes and advanced stage disease with poor prognosis, with an overall survival of about only 20% despite intensified multimodal treatment. Therefore, development of novel effective targeted strategies to increase survival and to decrease long-term side effects is urgently needed. Recently, immunotherapies and nanomedicine have been emerging for potent and effective tumor treatments with minimal side effects, raising hopes for effective and safe cures for RMS patients. This review aims to describe the most relevant preclinical and clinical studies in immunotherapy and targeted nanomedicine performed so far in RMS and to provide an insight in future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Judith Morel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Rössler
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michele Bernasconi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Ciceri S, Carenzo A, Iannó MF, Bertolotti A, Morosi C, Luksch R, Spreafico F, Collini P, Radice P, Massimino M, De Cecco L, Perotti D. Gene expression-based dissection of inter-histotypes, intra-histotype and intra-tumor heterogeneity in pediatric tumors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17837. [PMID: 36284197 PMCID: PMC9596396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20536-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH) fosters tumor evolution, resistance to therapy, and relapse. Recently, many evidence have been accumulated on the occurrence of genetic ITH in pediatric cancers. With this study we aimed to address the downstream effects that genetic and epigenetic ITH, and tumor-microenvironment interactions may produce within a tumor mass. To this aim, we investigated by high-throughput gene expression multiple samples of 5 hepatoblastomas, 5 neuroblastomas, 5 rhabdomyosarcomas, and 5 Wilms tumors. Principal component analysis, single sample hallmark gene sets analysis, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis were performed on gene expression data. We observed that the different tumors clustered by histotype, and then by case, and in addition, a variable degree of ITH was visible in all the investigated cases. The ITH highlighted in this study can represent a challenge in tumor treatment since we demonstrated that different druggable hallmarks and targets may be heterogeneously present within the same tumor mass, and this can potentially lead to therapeutic failure. Despite this heterogeneity, we could highlight some commonalities among the different histotypes investigated, supporting the feasibility to move in the clinic from a histotype-driven to a target-driven, sometimes agnostic, approach at least in some cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ciceri
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Molecular Bases of Genetic Risk and Genetic Testing Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea Carenzo
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Molecular Mechanisms Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Maria Federica Iannó
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Integrated Biology Platform, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Bertolotti
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo Morosi
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Department of Radiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Luksch
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Pediatric Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Spreafico
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Pediatric Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Collini
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Radice
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Molecular Bases of Genetic Risk and Genetic Testing Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Maura Massimino
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Pediatric Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Molecular Mechanisms Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Daniela Perotti
- grid.417893.00000 0001 0807 2568Molecular Bases of Genetic Risk and Genetic Testing Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milano, Italy
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Patel TN, Dhanyamraju PK. Role of aberrant Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway in cancers and developmental anomalies. J Biomed Res 2021; 36:1-9. [PMID: 34963676 PMCID: PMC8894283 DOI: 10.7555/jbr.35.20210139] [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] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Development is a sophisticated process maintained by various signal transduction pathways, including the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway. Several important functions are executed by the Hh signaling cascade such as organogenesis, tissue regeneration, and tissue homeostasis, among various others. Considering the multiple functions carried out by this pathway, any mutation causing aberrant Hh signaling may lead to myriad developmental abnormalities besides cancers. In the present review article, we explored a wide range of diseases caused by aberrant Hh signaling, including developmental defects and cancers. Finally, we concluded this mini-review with various treatment strategies for Hh-induced diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trupti N Patel
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore Campus, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014, India
| | - Pavan Kumar Dhanyamraju
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.,Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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