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Dawson A, Karimi AH, Shaikh MH, Gazala W, Zeng PYF, Ryan SEB, Pan H, Khan H, Cecchini M, Mendez A, Palma DA, Mymryk JS, Barrett JW, Nichols AC. Loss of MACROD2 drives radioresistance but not cisplatin resistance in HPV-positive head and neck cancer. Oral Oncol 2024; 159:107061. [PMID: 39357386 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.107061] [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: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer type worldwide. In recent years, there has been an increase in the rate of HNSCC cases attributed to the infection of the oropharynx by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Given the significant treatment-related toxicities of the current standard of care for HPV-positive HNSCC, there is an urgent need for the development of precision patient stratification and treatment strategies to improve patients' quality of life while maintaining excellent survival rates. We have previously carried out whole genome sequencing of HPV+ HNSCC tumors that failed concurrent cisplatin and radiation treatment and discovered that MACROD2 deletion is enriched among these tumors. In the current study, we sought to investigate the mechanistic role of MACROD2 in HPV+ HNSCC treatment resistance. Our results indicate that MACROD2 depletion in HNSCC cell lines leads to increased cell viability and colony formation capacity. Interestingly, MACROD2 depletion did not alter cisplatin sensitivity but led to an increase in radiation resistance of HPV+ HNSCC cell lines. RNA sequencing and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that MACROD2-depleted HPV+ HNSCC cells displayed elevated levels of hypoxia and an altered DNA damage response. Taken together, this study establishes and characterizes the role of MACROD2 in HPV+ HNSCC radioresistance. Further work is needed to validate MACROD2 as a biomarker of treatment failure and to understand how to overcome the identified molecular mechanisms of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Dawson
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amir Hossein Karimi
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mushfiq H Shaikh
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Walid Gazala
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter Y F Zeng
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah E B Ryan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Harrison Pan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Halema Khan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew Cecchini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adrian Mendez
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David A Palma
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joe S Mymryk
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - John W Barrett
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony C Nichols
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
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Kim HAJ, Zeng PYF, Cecchini M, Shaikh MH, Laxague F, Deng X, Jarycki L, Ryan SEB, Dawson A, Liu MH, Palma DA, Patel K, Mundi N, Barrett JW, Mymryk JS, Boutros PC, Nichols AC. HPV-negative head and neck cancers with adverse pathological features carry specific molecular changes that are associated with survival. Head Neck 2024; 46:353-366. [PMID: 38059331 DOI: 10.1002/hed.27591] [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: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse pathological features following surgery in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are strongly associated with survival and guide adjuvant therapy. We investigated molecular changes associated with these features. METHODS We downloaded data from the Cancer Genome Atlas and Cancer Proteome Atlas HNSCC cohorts. We compared tumors positive versus negative for perineural invasion (PNI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), extracapsular spread (ECS), and positive margins (PSM), with multivariable analysis. RESULTS All pathological features were associated with poor survival, as were the following molecular changes: low cyclin E1 (HR = 1.7) and high PKC-alpha (HR = 1.8) in tumors with PNI; six of 13 protein abundance changes with LVI; greater tumor hypoxia and high Raptor (HR = 2.0) and Rictor (HR = 1.6) with ECS; and low p38 (HR = 2.3), high fibronectin (HR = 1.6), low annexin A1 (HR = 3.1), and high caspase-9 (HR = 1.6) abundances with PSM. CONCLUSIONS Pathological features in HNSCC carry specific molecular changes that may explain their poor prognostic associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh Andrew Jinwook Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter Y F Zeng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew Cecchini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mushfiq Hassan Shaikh
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Francisco Laxague
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiaoxiao Deng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura Jarycki
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah Elizabeth Belle Ryan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alice Dawson
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mu Han Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David A Palma
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Krupal Patel
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Neil Mundi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - John W Barrett
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joe S Mymryk
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul C Boutros
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Institute for Precision Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Anthony C Nichols
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Zeng PYF, Cecchini MJ, Barrett JW, Shammas-Toma M, De Cecco L, Serafini MS, Cavalieri S, Licitra L, Hoebers F, Brakenhoff RH, Leemans CR, Scheckenbach K, Poli T, Wang X, Liu X, Laxague F, Prisman E, Poh C, Bose P, Dort JC, Shaikh MH, Ryan SEB, Dawson A, Khan MI, Howlett CJ, Stecho W, Plantinga P, Daniela da Silva S, Hier M, Khan H, MacNeil D, Mendez A, Yoo J, Fung K, Lang P, Winquist E, Palma DA, Ziai H, Amelio AL, Li SSC, Boutros PC, Mymryk JS, Nichols AC. Immune-based classification of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer with implications for biomarker-driven treatment de-intensification. EBioMedicine 2022; 86:104373. [PMID: 36442320 PMCID: PMC9706534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is significant interest in treatment de-escalation for human papillomavirus-associated (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients given the generally favourable prognosis. However, 15-30% of patients recur after primary treatment, reflecting a need for improved risk-stratification tools. We sought to develop a molecular test to risk stratify HPV+ OPSCC patients. METHODS We created an immune score (UWO3) associated with survival outcomes in six independent cohorts comprising 906 patients, including blinded retrospective and prospective external validations. Two aggressive radiation de-escalation cohorts were used to assess the ability of UWO3 to identify patients who recur. Multivariate Cox models were used to assess the associations between the UWO3 immune class and outcomes. FINDINGS A three-gene immune score classified patients into three immune classes (immune rich, mixed, or immune desert) and was strongly associated with disease-free survival in six datasets, including large retrospective and prospective datasets. Pooled analysis demonstrated that the immune rich group had superior disease-free survival compared to the immune desert (HR = 9.0, 95% CI: 3.2-25.5, P = 3.6 × 10-5) and mixed (HR = 6.4, 95% CI: 2.2-18.7, P = 0.006) groups after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, and AJCC8 clinical stage. Finally, UWO3 was able to identify patients from two small treatment de-escalation cohorts who remain disease-free after aggressive de-escalation to 30 Gy radiation. INTERPRETATION With additional prospective validation, the UWO3 score could enable biomarker-driven clinical decision-making for patients with HPV+ OPSCC based on robust outcome prediction across six independent cohorts. Prospective de-escalation and intensification clinical trials are currently being planned. FUNDING CIHR, European Union, and the NIH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Y F Zeng
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew J Cecchini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - John W Barrett
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew Shammas-Toma
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Integrated Biology Platform, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumouri, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara S Serafini
- Integrated Biology Platform, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumouri, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Cavalieri
- Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumouri, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lisa Licitra
- Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumouri, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Frank Hoebers
- Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), Research Institute GROW, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ruud H Brakenhoff
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Center Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - C René Leemans
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Center Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kathrin Scheckenbach
- Department of Otolaryngology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tito Poli
- Unit of Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma-University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xinyi Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Francisco Laxague
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eitan Prisman
- Division of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Catherine Poh
- Division of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Pinaki Bose
- Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joseph C Dort
- Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mushfiq H Shaikh
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah E B Ryan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alice Dawson
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohammed I Khan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher J Howlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - William Stecho
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul Plantinga
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Michael Hier
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Halema Khan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Danielle MacNeil
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adrian Mendez
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Yoo
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kevin Fung
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pencilla Lang
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eric Winquist
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David A Palma
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hedyeh Ziai
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Antonio L Amelio
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Shawn S-C Li
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul C Boutros
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Urology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Institute for Precision Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joe S Mymryk
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony C Nichols
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
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