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Tu J, Toh Y, Aldana AM, Wen JJ, Wu L, Jacob J, Li L, Pan S, Carmon KS, Liu QJ. Antitumor Activity of a Pyrrolobenzodiazepine Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targeting LGR5 in Preclinical Models of Neuroblastoma. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:943. [PMID: 39065640 PMCID: PMC11279891 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16070943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a cancer of the peripheral nervous system found in children under 15 years of age. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer during infancy, accounting for ~12% of all cancer-related deaths in children. Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) is a membrane receptor that is associated with the primary tumor formation and metastasis of cancers in the gastrointestinal system. Remarkably, high levels of LGR5 are found in NB tumor cells, and high LGR5 expression is strongly correlated with poor survival. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are monoclonal antibodies that are covalently linked to cell-killing cytotoxins to deliver the payloads into cancer cells. We generated an ADC with an anti-LGR5 antibody and pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer-based payload SG3199 using a chemoenzymatic conjugation method. The resulting anti-LGR5 ADC was able to inhibit the growth of NB cells expressing LGR5 with high potency and specificity. Importantly, the ADC was able to completely inhibit the growth of NB xenograft tumors in vivo at a clinically relevant dose for the PBD class of ADCs. The findings support the potential of targeting LGR5 using the PBD class of payload for the treatment of high-risk NBs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Qingyun J. Liu
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, Center for Translational Cancer Research, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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2
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Abu-El-Haija A, Dillahunt K, Safina N, Aldeeri A, Glavan T, Mihalek I, Shinawi M. Osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis as a cancer predisposition syndrome: The first report of neuroblastoma and review of all cancers in OSCS. Am J Med Genet A 2024:e63709. [PMID: 38801192 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Osteopathia Striata with Cranial Sclerosis (OSCS) is a rare genetic condition primarily characterized by metaphyseal striations of long bones, bone sclerosis, macrocephaly, and other congenital anomalies. It is caused by pathogenic variants in AMER1, a tumor suppressor and a WNT signaling repressor gene with key roles in tissue regeneration, neurodevelopment, tumorigenesis, and other developmental processes. While somatic AMER1 pathogenic variants have frequently been identified in several tumor types (e.g., Wilms tumor and colorectal cancer), whether OSCS (i.e., with AMER1 germline variants) is a tumor predisposition syndrome is not clear, with only nine cases reported with tumors. We here report the first case of neuroblastoma diagnosed in a male child with OSCS, review all previously reported tumors diagnosed in individuals with OSCS, and discuss potential tumorigenic mechanisms of AMER1. Our report adds to the accumulating evidence suggesting OSCS is a tumor predisposition condition, highlighting the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for the associated tumors when evaluating patients with OSCS. Importantly, Wilms tumor stands out as the most commonly observed tumor in OSCS patients, underscoring the need for regular surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Abu-El-Haija
- Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Kyle Dillahunt
- Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Nicole Safina
- Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UI Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, USA
| | - Abdulrahman Aldeeri
- Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tomislav Glavan
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Ivana Mihalek
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Marwan Shinawi
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, USA
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3
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Singh S, Fang J, Jin H, Van de Velde LA, Wu Q, Cortes A, Morton CL, Woolard MA, Quarni W, Steele JA, Connelly JP, He L, Thorne R, Turner G, Confer T, Johnson M, Caufield WV, Freeman BB, Lockey T, Pruett-Miller SM, Wang R, Davidoff AM, Thomas PG, Yang J. RBM39 degrader invigorates natural killer cells to eradicate neuroblastoma despite cancer cell plasticity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.21.586157. [PMID: 38585889 PMCID: PMC10996557 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.21.586157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The cellular plasticity of neuroblastoma is defined by a mixture of two major cell states, adrenergic (ADRN) and mesenchymal (MES), which may contribute to therapy resistance. However, how neuroblastoma cells switch cellular states during therapy remains largely unknown and how to eradicate neuroblastoma regardless of their cell states is a clinical challenge. To better understand the lineage switch of neuroblastoma in chemoresistance, we comprehensively defined the transcriptomic and epigenetic map of ADRN and MES types of neuroblastomas using human and murine models treated with indisulam, a selective RBM39 degrader. We showed that cancer cells not only undergo a bidirectional switch between ADRN and MES states, but also acquire additional cellular states, reminiscent of the developmental pliancy of neural crest cells. The lineage alterations are coupled with epigenetic reprogramming and dependency switch of lineage-specific transcription factors, epigenetic modifiers and targetable kinases. Through targeting RNA splicing, indisulam induces an inflammatory tumor microenvironment and enhances anticancer activity of natural killer cells. The combination of indisulam with anti-GD2 immunotherapy results in a durable, complete response in high-risk transgenic neuroblastoma models, providing an innovative, rational therapeutic approach to eradicate tumor cells regardless of their potential to switch cell states.
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4
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Zhao Q, Wang J, Qu S, Gong Z, Duan Y, Han L, Wang J, Wang C, Tan J, Yuan Q, Zhang Y. Neuro-Inspired Biomimetic Microreactor for Sensory Recovery and Hair Follicle Neogenesis under Skin Burns. ACS NANO 2023; 17:23115-23131. [PMID: 37934769 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Deep burns are one of the most severe skin wounds, with typical symptoms being a contradiction between initial severe pain and a subsequent loss of sensation. Although it has long been known that sensory nerves promote skin regeneration and modulate skin function, no proven burn management strategies target sensory nerves. Here, a neuro-inspired biomimetic microreactor is designed based on the immune escape outer membrane of neuroblastoma cells and neural-associated intracellular proteins. The microreactor is constructed on a metal-organic framework (MOF) with a neuroblastoma membrane coating the surface and intracellular proteins loaded inside, called Neuro-MOF. It is loaded into a therapeutic hydrogel and triggers the release of its content proteins upon excitation by near-infrared light. The proteins compensate the skin microenvironment for permanent neurological damage after burns to initiate peripheral nerve regeneration and hair follicle niche formation. In addition, the neuroblastoma cell membrane is displayed on the surface of the Neuro-MOF microreactor, decreasing its immunogenicity and suppressing local inflammation. In a mouse model of deep skin burns, the Neuro-MOF microreactor exhibited significant functional skin regeneration effects, particularly sensory recovery and hair follicle neogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jinyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Shuyuan Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zijian Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yiling Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Litian Han
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jiaolong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Can Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jie Tan
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Quan Yuan
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
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Ahmad MH, Ghosh B, Rizvi MA, Ali M, Kaur L, Mondal AC. Neural crest cells development and neuroblastoma progression: Role of Wnt signaling. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:306-328. [PMID: 36502519 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common heterogeneous extracranial cancers in infancy that arises from neural crest (NC) cells of the sympathetic nervous system. The Wnt signaling pathway, both canonical and noncanonical pathway, is a highly conserved signaling pathway that regulates the development and differentiation of the NC cells during embryogenesis. Reports suggest that aberrant activation of Wnt ligands/receptors in Wnt signaling pathways promote progression and relapse of NB. Wnt signaling pathways regulate NC induction and migration in a similar manner; it regulates proliferation and metastasis of NB. Inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway or its ligands/receptors induces apoptosis and abrogates proliferation and tumorigenicity in all major types of NB cells. Here, we comprehensively discuss the Wnt signaling pathway and its mechanisms in regulating the development of NC and NB pathogenesis. This review highlights the implications of aberrant Wnt signaling in the context of etiology, progression, and relapse of NB. We have also described emerging strategies for Wnt-based therapies against the progression of NB that will provide new insights into the development of Wnt-based therapeutic strategies for NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Hilal Ahmad
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.,Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Balaram Ghosh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Midnapore Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal, Medinipur, India
| | - Moshahid Alam Rizvi
- Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Mansoor Ali
- School of Life Sciences, Cancer Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Loveleena Kaur
- Division of Cancer Pharmacology, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Srinagar, India
| | - Amal Chandra Mondal
- School of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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6
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Chowdhury R, Roure A, le Pétillon Y, Mayeur H, Daric V, Darras S. Highly distinct genetic programs for peripheral nervous system formation in chordates. BMC Biol 2022; 20:152. [PMID: 35761237 PMCID: PMC9238270 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01355-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Vertebrates develop their peripheral nervous system (PNS) from transient unique embryonic structures, the neural crest, and the ectodermal placodes that are located at the border of the forming central nervous system. By contrast, in the invertebrate chordates, amphioxus and ascidians, a large part of the PNS originates at the opposite of the embryo, in the ventral ectoderm. In both groups, a biphasic mechanism regulates ventral PNS formation: high BMP levels specify a neurogenic territory within which glutamatergic epidermal sensory neuron formation is controlled by the Notch pathway. Given these similarities and the phylogenetic relationships within chordates, it is likely that ventral PNS is an ancestral feature in chordates and that it has been lost in vertebrates.
Results
In order to get insights into the molecular control of ventral PNS formation and to test the hypothesis of their homology and potential contribution to the emergence of vertebrate PNS, we undertook a close comparison of ventral PNS formation in the ascidian Phallusia mammillata and the amphioxus Branchiostoma lanceolatum. Using timed RNA-seq series, we identified novel markers of the ventral PNS during different phases of its development in both species. By extensively determining the expression of paralogous and orthologous genes, we observed that only a minority of genes have a shared expression in the ventral PNS. However, a large fraction of ventral PNS orthologous genes are expressed in the dorsally forming PNS of vertebrates.
Conclusions
Our work has significantly increased the molecular characterization of ventral PNS formation in invertebrate chordates. The low observed conservation of gene expression in the ventral PNS suggests that the amphioxus and ascidian ventral PNS are either not homologous, or alternatively extensive drift has occurred in their regulatory mechanisms following a long period (600 My) of separate evolution and accelerated evolution in the ascidian lineage. The homology to genes expressed in the dorsally forming PNS of vertebrates suggests that ancestral sensory neurons gene networks have been redeployed in vertebrates.
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7
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Strepkos D, Markouli M, Papavassiliou KA, Papavassiliou AG, Piperi C. Emerging roles for the YAP/TAZ transcriptional regulators in brain tumour pathology and targeting options. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 48:e12762. [PMID: 34409639 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The transcriptional co-activators Yes-associated protein 1/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (YAP/TAZ) have emerged as significant regulators of a wide variety of cellular and organ functions with impact in early embryonic development, especially during the expansion of the neural progenitor cell pool. YAP/TAZ signalling regulates organ size development, tissue homeostasis, wound healing and angiogenesis by participating in a complex network of various pathways. However, recent evidence suggests an association of these physiologic regulatory effects of YAP/TAZ with pro-oncogenic activities. Herein, we discuss the physiological functions of YAP/TAZ as well as the extensive network of signalling pathways that control their expression and activity, leading to brain tumour development and progression. Furthermore, we describe current targeting approaches and drug options including direct YAP/TAZ and YAP-TEA domain transcription factor (TEAD) interaction inhibitors, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) signalling modulators and kinase inhibitors, which may be used to successfully attack YAP/TAZ-dependent tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Strepkos
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mariam Markouli
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Kostas A Papavassiliou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Athanasios G Papavassiliou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Piperi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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8
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Precilla DS, Kuduvalli SS, Purushothaman M, Marimuthu P, Ramachandran MA, Anitha TS. Wnt/β-catenin Antagonists: Exploring New Avenues to Trigger Old Drugs in Alleviating Glioblastoma Multiforme. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 15:338-360. [PMID: 33881978 DOI: 10.2174/1874467214666210420115431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most heterogenous primary brain tumor with high mortality. Nevertheless, of the current therapeutic approaches, survival rate remains poor with 12 to 15 months following preliminary diagnosis, this warrants the need for effective treatment modality. Wnt/β-catenin pathway is presumably the most noteworthy pathway up-regulated in almost 80% GBM cases contributing to tumor-initiation, progression and survival. Therefore, therapeutic strategies targeting key components of Wnt/β-catenin cascade using established genotoxic agents like temozolomide and pharmacological inhibitors would be an effective approach to modulate Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Recently, drug repurposing by means of effective combination therapy has gained importance in various solid tumors including GBM, by targeting two or more proteins in a single pathway, thereby possessing the ability to overcome the hurdle implicated by chemo-resistance in GBM. OBJECTIVE In this context, by employing computational tools, an attempt has been carried out to speculate the novel combinations against Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS We have explored the binding interactions of three conventional drugs namely temozolomide, metformin, chloroquine along with three natural compounds viz., epigallocatechin gallate, naringenin and phloroglucinol on the major receptors of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. RESULTS It was noted that all the experimental compounds possessed profound interaction with the two major receptors of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to characterize the combined interactions of the afore-mentioned drugs on Wnt/β-catenin signaling in silico and this will putatively open up new avenues for combination therapies in GBM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy S Precilla
- Central Inter-Disciplinary Research Facility, School of Biological Sciences, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to-be University), Puducherry, India
| | - Shreyas S Kuduvalli
- Central Inter-Disciplinary Research Facility, School of Biological Sciences, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to-be University), Puducherry, India
| | | | - Parthiban Marimuthu
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory - Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku. Finland
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9
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Siaw JT, Gabre JL, Uçkun E, Vigny M, Zhang W, Van den Eynden J, Hallberg B, Palmer RH, Guan J. Loss of RET Promotes Mesenchymal Identity in Neuroblastoma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081909. [PMID: 33921066 PMCID: PMC8071449 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081909] [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: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) drives neuroblastoma (NB). Previous work identified the RET receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) as a downstream target of ALK activity in NB models. We show here that ALK activation in response to ALKAL2 ligand results in the rapid phosphorylation of RET in NB cells, providing additional insight into the contribution of RET to the ALK-driven gene signature in NB. To further address the role of RET in NB, RET knockout (KO) SK-N-AS cells were generated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering. Gene expression analysis of RET KO NB cells identified a reprogramming of NB cells to a mesenchymal (MES) phenotype that was characterized by increased migration and upregulation of the AXL and MNNG HOS transforming gene (MET) RTKs, as well as integrins and extracellular matrix components. Strikingly, the upregulation of AXL in the absence of RET reflects the development timeline observed in the neural crest as progenitor cells undergo differentiation during embryonic development. Together, these findings suggest that a MES phenotype is promoted in mesenchymal NB cells in the absence of RET, reflective of a less differentiated developmental status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim T. Siaw
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Jonatan L. Gabre
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
- Anatomy and Embryology Unit, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Ezgi Uçkun
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Marc Vigny
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, UPMC, INSERM UMRS-839, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Wancun Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China;
| | - Jimmy Van den Eynden
- Anatomy and Embryology Unit, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Bengt Hallberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Ruth H. Palmer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
| | - Jikui Guan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; (J.T.S.); (J.L.G.); (E.U.); (B.H.); (R.H.P.)
- Department of Pediatric Oncology Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China;
- Correspondence:
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10
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Nolan JC, Salvucci M, Carberry S, Barat A, Segura MF, Fenn J, Prehn JHM, Stallings RL, Piskareva O. A Context-Dependent Role for MiR-124-3p on Cell Phenotype, Viability and Chemosensitivity in Neuroblastoma in vitro. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:559553. [PMID: 33330445 PMCID: PMC7714770 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.559553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a neural crest-derived tumor, which develops before birth or in early childhood, with metastatic dissemination typically preceding diagnosis. Tumors are characterized by a highly heterogeneous combination of cellular phenotypes demonstrating varying degrees of differentiation along different lineage pathways, and possessing distinct super-enhancers and core regulatory circuits, thereby leading to highly varied malignant potential and divergent clinical outcomes. Cytoskeletal reorganization is fundamental to cellular transformations, including the processes of cellular differentiation and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), previously reported by our lab and others to coincide with chemotherapy resistance and enhanced metastatic ability of tumor cells. This study set out to investigate the ability of the neuronal miR-124-3p to reverse the cellular transformation associated with drug resistance development and assess the anti-oncogenic role of this miRNA in in vitro models of drug-resistant adrenergic (ADRN) and mesenchymal (MES) neuroblastoma cell lines. Low expression of miR-124-3p in a cohort of neuroblastomas was significantly associated with poor overall and progression-free patient survival. Over-expression of miR-124-3p in vitro inhibited cell viability through the promotion of cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis in addition to sensitizing drug-resistant cells to chemotherapeutics in a panel of morphologically distinct neuroblastoma cell lines. Finally, we describe miR-124-3p direct targeting and repression of key up-regulated cytoskeletal genes including MYH9, ACTN4 and PLEC and the reversal of the resistance-associated EMT and enhanced invasive capacity previously reported in our in vitro model (SK-N-ASCis24).
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Nolan
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.,National Children's Research Centre, Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Manuela Salvucci
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics and RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Steven Carberry
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics and RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ana Barat
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics and RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Miguel F Segura
- Group of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Justine Fenn
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jochen H M Prehn
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics and RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Raymond L Stallings
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.,National Children's Research Centre, Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Olga Piskareva
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.,National Children's Research Centre, Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
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11
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Hee E, Wong MK, Tan SH, Choo Z, Kuick CH, Ling S, Yong MH, Jain S, Lian DWQ, Ng EHQ, Yong YFL, Ren MH, Syed Sulaiman N, Low SYY, Chua YW, Syed MF, Lim TKH, Soh SY, Iyer P, Seng MSF, Lam JCM, Tan EEK, Chan MY, Tan AM, Chen Y, Chen Z, Chang KTE, Loh AHP. Neuroblastoma patient-derived cultures are enriched for a mesenchymal gene signature and reflect individual drug response. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:3780-3792. [PMID: 32777141 PMCID: PMC7540996 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ex vivo evaluation of personalized models can facilitate individualized treatment selection for patients, and advance the discovery of novel therapeutic options. However, for embryonal malignancies, representative primary cultures have been difficult to establish. We developed patient‐derived cell cultures (PDCs) from chemo‐naïve and post–treatment neuroblastoma tumors in a consistent and efficient manner, and characterized their in vitro growth dynamics, histomorphology, gene expression, and functional chemo‐response. From 34 neuroblastoma tumors, 22 engrafted in vitro to generate 31 individual PDC lines, with higher engraftment seen with metastatic tumors. PDCs displayed characteristic immunohistochemical staining patterns of PHOX2B, TH, and GD2 synthase. Concordance of MYCN amplification, 1p and 11q deletion between PDCs and patient tumors was 83.3%, 72.7%, and 80.0% respectively. PDCs displayed a predominantly mesenchymal‐type gene expression signature and showed upregulation of pro‐angiogenic factors that were similarly enriched in culture medium and paired patient serum samples. When tested with standard‐of‐care cytotoxics at human Cmax‐equivalent concentrations, MYCN‐amplified and non‐MYCN‐amplified PDCs showed a differential response to cyclophosphamide and topotecan, which mirrored the corresponding patients’ responses, and correlated with gene signatures of chemosensitivity. In this translational proof‐of‐concept study, early‐phase neuroblastoma PDCs enriched for the mesenchymal cell subpopulation recapitulated the individual molecular and phenotypic profile of patient tumors, and highlighted their potential as a platform for individualized ex vivo drug‐response testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Hee
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Meng Kang Wong
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sheng Hui Tan
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhang'E Choo
- Neurodevelopment and Cancer Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chik Hong Kuick
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sharon Ling
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Min Hwee Yong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sudhanshi Jain
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Derrick W Q Lian
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eileen H Q Ng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yvonne F L Yong
- KK Research Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mee Hiong Ren
- KK Research Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nurfarhanah Syed Sulaiman
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sharon Y Y Low
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Neurosurgical Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,SingHealth Duke-NUS Neuroscience Academic Clinical Program, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yong Wei Chua
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Muhammad Fahmy Syed
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tony K H Lim
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shui Yen Soh
- Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Prasad Iyer
- Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michaela S F Seng
- Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joyce C M Lam
- Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Enrica E K Tan
- Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mei Yoke Chan
- Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ah Moy Tan
- Department of Paediatric Subspecialties Haematology Oncology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhixiong Chen
- Neurodevelopment and Cancer Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kenneth T E Chang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Amos Hong Pheng Loh
- VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Paediatric Surgery, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
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12
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Maeshima R, Moulding D, Stoker AW, Hart SL. MYCN Silencing by RNAi Induces Neurogenesis and Suppresses Proliferation in Models of Neuroblastoma with Resistance to Retinoic Acid. Nucleic Acid Ther 2020; 30:237-248. [PMID: 32240058 PMCID: PMC7415885 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2019.0831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common solid tumor in childhood. Twenty percent of patients display MYCN amplification, which indicates a very poor prognosis. MYCN is a highly specific target for an NB tumor therapy as MYCN expression is absent or very low in most normal cells, while, as a transcription factor, it regulates many essential cell activities in tumor cells. We aim to develop a therapy for NB based on MYCN silencing by short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules, which can silence target genes by RNA interference (RNAi), a naturally occurring method of gene silencing. It has been shown previously that MYCN silencing can induce apoptosis and differentiation in MYCN amplified NB. In this article, we have demonstrated that siRNA-mediated silencing of MYCN in MYCN-amplified NB cells induced neurogenesis in NB cells, whereas retinoic acid (RA) treatment did not. RA can differentiate NB cells and is used for treatment of residual disease after surgery or chemotherapy, but resistance can develop. In addition, MYCN siRNA treatment suppressed growth in a MYCN-amplified NB cell line more than that by RA. Our result suggests that gene therapy using RNAi targeting MYCN can be a novel therapy toward MYCN-amplified NB that have complete or partial resistance toward RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruhina Maeshima
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dale Moulding
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew W. Stoker
- Developmental Biology & Cancer Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen L. Hart
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
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13
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Yang J, Yu L, Yan J, Xiao Y, Li W, Xiao J, Lei J, Xiang D, Zhang S, Yu X. Circular RNA DGKB Promotes the Progression of Neuroblastoma by Targeting miR-873/GLI1 Axis. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1104. [PMID: 32793474 PMCID: PMC7390925 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulated evidences suggested that circular RNAs (circRNA) played critical roles in tumorigenesis and progression. To our knowledge, no study reported the function of circular RNA DGKB (circDGKB, circRNA ID: hsa_circ_0133622) on progression of neuroblastoma (NB). Here, we showed that circDGKB was upregulated in NB tissues compared to the normal dorsal root ganglia. Moreover, the expression level of circDGKB was negatively correlated with the survival rate of NB patients. Mechanically, overexpression of circDGKB promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis of NB cells and reduced cell apoptosis, and vice versa. In addition, qRT-PCR and/or Western blot results showed that circDGKB overexpression inhibited the expression level of miR-873 and enhanced GLI1 expression. Moreover, miR-873 functioned an opposite role to circDGKB and significantly weakened circDGKB role in promoting NB progression. Furthermore, GLI1 upregulation also rescued the miR-873 role in inhibiting NB progression. In conclusion, our work proved that circDGKB promoted NB progression via targeting miR-873/GLI1 axis in vitro and in vivo. Our study provided a new target for NB treatment and indicated that circDGKB could act as a novel diagnostic marker for NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiale Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Leitao Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jinlong Yan
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yu Xiao
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Juhua Xiao
- Department of Ultrasound, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Jun Lei
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Deng Xiang
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Shouhua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Xin Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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14
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A Wnt-BMP4 Signaling Axis Induces MSX and NOTCH Proteins and Promotes Growth Suppression and Differentiation in Neuroblastoma. Cells 2020; 9:cells9030783. [PMID: 32210188 PMCID: PMC7140810 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030783] [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: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The Wnt and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways are known to be crucial in the development of neural crest lineages, including the sympathetic nervous system. Surprisingly, their role in paediatric neuroblastoma, the prototypic tumor arising from this lineage, remains relatively uncharacterised. We previously demonstrated that Wnt/b-catenin signaling can have cell-type-specific effects on neuroblastoma phenotypes, including growth inhibition and differentiation, and that BMP4 mRNA and protein were induced by Wnt3a/Rspo2. In this study, we characterised the phenotypic effects of BMP4 on neuroblastoma cells, demonstrating convergent induction of MSX homeobox transcription factors by Wnt and BMP4 signaling and BMP4-induced growth suppression and differentiation. An immunohistochemical analysis of BMP4 expression in primary neuroblastomas confirms a striking absence of BMP4 in poorly differentiated tumors, in contrast to a high expression in ganglion cells. These results are consistent with a tumor suppressive role for BMP4 in neuroblastoma. RNA sequencing following BMP4 treatment revealed induction of Notch signaling, verified by increases of Notch3 and Hes1 proteins. Together, our data demonstrate, for the first time, Wnt-BMP-Notch signaling crosstalk associated with growth suppression of neuroblastoma.
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