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Fan Z, Dong S, Wang N, Khawar MB, Wang J, Sun H. Unlocking epigenetics for precision treatment of Ewing's sarcoma. Chin J Cancer Res 2024; 36:322-340. [PMID: 38988487 PMCID: PMC11230886 DOI: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2024.03.08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) is a highly aggressive malignant bone tumor primarily affecting adolescents and young adults. Despite the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in some cases, the cure rate for patients with metastatic and recurrent disease remains low. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative therapeutic approaches to address the challenges associated with EWS treatment. Epigenetic regulation, a crucial factor in physiological processes, plays a significant role in controlling cell proliferation, maintaining gene integrity, and regulating transcription. Recent studies highlight the importance of abnormal epigenetic regulation in the initiation and progression of EWS. A comprehensive understanding of the intricate interactions between EWS and aberrant epigenetic regulation is essential for advancing clinical drug development. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of both epigenetic targets implicated in EWS, integrating various therapeutic modalities to offer innovative perspectives for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of EWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhehao Fan
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Shuangshuang Dong
- Department of Pathology, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University/Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Muhammad Babar Khawar
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Jingcheng Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
| | - Haibo Sun
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research, Yangzhou 225001, China
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2
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Corbe M, Boncompain G, Perez F, Del Nery E, Genovesio A. Transfer learning for versatile and training free high content screening analyses. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22599. [PMID: 38114550 PMCID: PMC10730630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49554-8] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
High content screening (HCS) is a technology that automates cell biology experiments at large scale. A High Content Screen produces a high amount of microscopy images of cells under many conditions and requires that a dedicated image and data analysis workflow be designed for each assay to select hits. This heavy data analytic step remains challenging and has been recognized as one of the burdens hindering the adoption of HCS. In this work we propose a solution to hit selection by using transfer learning without additional training. A pretrained residual network is employed to encode each image of a screen into a discriminant representation. The deep features obtained are then corrected to account for well plate bias and misalignment. We then propose two training-free pipelines dedicated to the two main categories of HCS for compound selection: with or without positive control. When a positive control is available, it is used alongside the negative control to compute a linear discriminant axis, thus building a classifier without training. Once all samples are projected onto this axis, the conditions that best reproduce the positive control can be selected. When no positive control is available, the Mahalanobis distance is computed from each sample to the negative control distribution. The latter provides a metric to identify the conditions that alter the negative control's cell phenotype. This metric is subsequently used to categorize hits through a clustering step. Given the lack of available ground truth in HCS, we provide a qualitative comparison of the results obtained using this approach with results obtained with handcrafted image analysis features for compounds and siRNA screens with or without control. Our results suggests that the fully automated and generic pipeline we propose offers a good alternative to handcrafted dedicated image analysis approaches. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this solution select conditions of interest that had not been identified using the primary dedicated analysis. Altogether, this approach provides a fully automated, reproducible, versatile and comprehensive alternative analysis solution for HCS encompassing compound-based or downregulation screens, with or without positive controls, without the need for training or cell detection, or the development of a dedicated image analysis workflow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Corbe
- Computational Bioimaging and Bioinformatics, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, 46 Rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France
- Biophenics Laboratory, Department of Translational Research, Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26 Rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Gaëlle Boncompain
- Dynamics of Intra-Cellular Organization - UMR144, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Franck Perez
- Biophenics Laboratory, Department of Translational Research, Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26 Rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France
- Dynamics of Intra-Cellular Organization - UMR144, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Elaine Del Nery
- Biophenics Laboratory, Department of Translational Research, Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 26 Rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Auguste Genovesio
- Computational Bioimaging and Bioinformatics, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, 46 Rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France.
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3
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Zheng YK, Zhou ZS, Wang GZ, Tu JY, Cheng HB, Ma SZ, Ke C, Wang Y, Jian QP, Shu YH, Wu XW. MiR-122-5p regulates the mevalonate pathway by targeting p53 in non-small cell lung cancer. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:234. [PMID: 37005437 PMCID: PMC10067850 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05761-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
The 5-year survival rate of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is very low. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the occurrence of NSCLC. miR-122-5p interacts with wild-type p53 (wtp53), and wtp53 affects tumor growth by inhibiting the mevalonate (MVA) pathway. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the role of these factors in NSCLC. The role of miR-122-5p and p53 was established in samples from NSCLC patients, and human NSCLC cells A549 using the miR-122-5p inhibitor, miR-122-5p mimic, and si-p53. Our results showed that inhibiting miR-122-5p expression led to the activation of p53. This inhibited the progression of the MVA pathway in the NSCLC cells A549, hindered cell proliferation and migration, and promoted apoptosis. miR-122-5p was negatively correlated with p53 expression in p53 wild-type NSCLC patients. The expression of key genes in the MVA pathway in tumors of p53 wild-type NSCLC patients was not always higher than the corresponding normal tissues. The malignancy of NSCLC was positively correlated with the high expression of the key genes in the MVA pathway. Therefore, miR-122-5p regulated NSCLC by targeting p53, providing potential molecular targets for developing targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Kun Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Zhong-Shi Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Material Medical Processing Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Guang-Zhong Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Material Medical Processing Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Ji-Yuan Tu
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Material Medical Processing Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Huan-Bo Cheng
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Shang-Zhi Ma
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Chang Ke
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Yan Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Qi-Pan Jian
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Yu-Hang Shu
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Xiao-Wei Wu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Cohen E, Corbe M, Franco CA, Vasconcelos FF, Perez F, Del Nery E, Bollot G, Genovesio A. Cell painting transfer increases screening hit rate. BIOLOGICAL IMAGING 2023; 3:e4. [PMID: 38487691 PMCID: PMC10936370 DOI: 10.1017/s2633903x23000077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Drug discovery uses high throughput screening to identify compounds that interact with a molecular target or that alter a phenotype favorably. The cautious selection of molecules used for such a screening is instrumental and is tightly related to the hit rate. In this work, we wondered if cell painting, a general-purpose image-based assay, could be used as an efficient proxy for compound selection, thus increasing the success rate of a specific assay. To this end, we considered cell painting images with 30,000 molecules treatments, and selected compounds that produced a visual effect close to the positive control of an assay, by using the Frechet Inception Distance. We then compared the hit rates of such a preselection with what was actually obtained in real screening campaigns. As a result, cell painting would have permitted a significant increase in the success rate and, even for one of the assays, would have allowed to reach 80% of the hits with 10 times fewer compounds to test. We conclude that images of a cell painting assay can be directly used for compound selection prior to screening, and we provide a simple quantitative approach in order to do so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Cohen
- Computational Bioimaging and Bioinformatics, Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France
- Synsight, 4 Rue Pierre Fontaine, 91000Évry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Maxime Corbe
- Computational Bioimaging and Bioinformatics, Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France
- Biophenics Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Department of Translational Research, Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), Paris, France
| | - Cláudio A. Franco
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Católica Medical School, Católica Biomedical Research Centre, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisca F. Vasconcelos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Franck Perez
- Biophenics Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Department of Translational Research, Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), Paris, France
- Dynamics of Intra-cellular Organisation – UMR144, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Elaine Del Nery
- Biophenics Laboratory, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Department of Translational Research, Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility (PICT-IBiSA), Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Bollot
- Synsight, 4 Rue Pierre Fontaine, 91000Évry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Auguste Genovesio
- Computational Bioimaging and Bioinformatics, Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France
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5
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Haney SL, Feng D, Chhonker YS, Varney ML, Williams JT, Smith LM, Ford JB, Murry DJ, Holstein SA. Evaluation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase inhibition as a novel strategy for the treatment of osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Drug Dev Res 2023; 84:62-74. [PMID: 36433690 PMCID: PMC9931648 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Rab GTPases are critical regulators of protein trafficking in the cell. To ensure proper cellular localization and function, Rab proteins must undergo a posttranslational modification, termed geranylgeranylation. In the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway, the enzyme geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGDPS) generates the 20-carbon isoprenoid donor (geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate [GGPP]), which is utilized in the prenylation of Rab proteins. We have pursued the development of GGDPS inhibitors (GGSI) as a novel means to target Rab activity in cancer cells. Osteosarcoma (OS) and Ewing sarcoma (ES) are aggressive childhood bone cancers with stagnant survival statistics and limited treatment options. Here we show that GGSI treatment induces markers of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and triggers apoptotic cell death in a variety of OS and ES cell lines. Confirmation that these effects were secondary to cellular depletion of GGPP and disruption of Rab geranylgeranylation was confirmed via experiments using exogenous GGPP or specific geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitors. Furthermore, GGSI treatment disrupts cellular migration and invasion in vitro. Metabolomic profiles of OS and ES cell lines identify distinct changes in purine metabolism in GGSI-treated cells. Lastly, we demonstrate that GGSI treatment slows tumor growth in a mouse model of ES. Collectively, these studies support further development of GGSIs as a novel treatment for OS and ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Staci L. Haney
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Dan Feng
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Yashpal S. Chhonker
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Michelle L. Varney
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Jacob T. Williams
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Lynette M. Smith
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - James B. Ford
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Daryl J. Murry
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Sarah A. Holstein
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
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6
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Muehlebach ME, Holstein SA. Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase: Role in human health, disease and potential therapeutic target. Clin Transl Med 2023; 13:e1167. [PMID: 36650113 PMCID: PMC9845123 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGDPS), an enzyme in the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway, is responsible for the production of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). GGPP serves as a substrate for the post-translational modification (geranylgeranylation) of proteins, including those belonging to the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. These proteins play key roles in signalling pathways, cytoskeletal regulation and intracellular transport, and in the absence of the prenylation modification, cannot properly localise and function. Aberrant expression of GGDPS has been implicated in various human pathologies, including liver disease, type 2 diabetes, pulmonary disease and malignancy. Thus, this enzyme is of particular interest from a therapeutic perspective. Here, we review the physiological function of GGDPS as well as its role in pathophysiological processes. We discuss the current GGDPS inhibitors under development and the therapeutic implications of targeting this enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly E. Muehlebach
- Cancer Research Doctoral ProgramUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Sarah A. Holstein
- Department of Internal MedicineUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
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7
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Apfelbaum AA, Wrenn ED, Lawlor ER. The importance of fusion protein activity in Ewing sarcoma and the cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate it: A review. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1044707. [PMID: 36505823 PMCID: PMC9727305 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1044707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence shows that despite clonal origins tumors eventually become complex communities comprised of phenotypically distinct cell subpopulations. This heterogeneity arises from both tumor cell intrinsic programs and signals from spatially and temporally dynamic microenvironments. While pediatric cancers usually lack the mutational burden of adult cancers, they still exhibit high levels of cellular heterogeneity that are largely mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Ewing sarcomas are aggressive bone and soft tissue malignancies with peak incidence in adolescence and the prognosis for patients with relapsed and metastatic disease is dismal. Ewing sarcomas are driven by a single pathognomonic fusion between a FET protein and an ETS family transcription factor, the most common of which is EWS::FLI1. Despite sharing a single driver mutation, Ewing sarcoma cells demonstrate a high degree of transcriptional heterogeneity both between and within tumors. Recent studies have identified differential fusion protein activity as a key source of this heterogeneity which leads to profoundly different cellular phenotypes. Paradoxically, increased invasive and metastatic potential is associated with lower EWS::FLI1 activity. Here, we review what is currently understood about EWS::FLI1 activity, the cell autonomous and tumor microenvironmental factors that regulate it, and the downstream consequences of these activity states on tumor progression. We specifically highlight how transcription factor regulation, signaling pathway modulation, and the extracellular matrix intersect to create a complex network of tumor cell phenotypes. We propose that elucidation of the mechanisms by which these essential elements interact will enable the development of novel therapeutic approaches that are designed to target this complexity and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
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