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Hicks HM, Nassar VL, Lund J, Rose MM, Schweppe RE. The effects of Aurora Kinase inhibition on thyroid cancer growth and sensitivity to MAPK-directed therapies. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2332000. [PMID: 38521968 PMCID: PMC10962586 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2332000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is one of the deadliest endocrine cancers, and its incidence has been increasing. While mutations in BRAF are common in thyroid cancer, advanced PTC patients currently lack therapeutic options targeting the MAPK pathway, and despite the approved combination of BRAF and MEK1/2 inhibition for BRAF-mutant ATC, resistance often occurs. Here, we assess growth and signaling responses to combined BRAF and MEK1/2 inhibition in a panel of BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer cell lines. We first showed that combined BRAF and MEK1/2 inhibition synergistically inhibits cell growth in four out of six of the -BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer cell lines tested. Western blotting showed that the MAPK pathway was robustly inhibited in all cell lines. Therefore, to identify potential mechanisms of resistance, we performed RNA-sequencing in cells sensitive or resistant to MEK1/2 inhibition. In response to MEK1/2 inhibition, we identified a downregulation of Aurora Kinase B (AURKB) in sensitive but not resistant cells. We further demonstrated that combined MEK1/2 and AURKB inhibition slowed cell growth, which was phenocopied by inhibiting AURKB and ERK1/2. Finally, we show that combined AURKB and ERK1/2 inhibition induces apoptosis in BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer cell lines, together suggesting a potential combination therapy for BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M. Hicks
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Veronica L. Nassar
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jane Lund
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Madison M. Rose
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rebecca E. Schweppe
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
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2
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Gruszka R, Zakrzewski J, Nowosławska E, Grajkowska W, Zakrzewska M. Identification and validation of miRNA-target genes network in pediatric brain tumors. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17922. [PMID: 39095557 PMCID: PMC11297236 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68945-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in miRNA levels have been observed in various types of cancer, impacting numerous cellular processes and increasing their potential usefulness in combination therapies also in brain tumors. Recent advances in understanding the genetics and epigenetics of brain tumours point to new aberrations and associations, making it essential to continually update knowledge and classification. Here we conducted molecular analysis of 123 samples of childhood brain tumors (pilocytic astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, ependymoma), focusing on identification of genes that could potentially be regulated by crucial representatives of OncomiR-1: miR-17-5p and miR-20a-5p. On the basis of microarray gene expression analysis and qRTPCR profiling, we selected six (WEE1, CCND1, VEGFA, PTPRO, TP53INP1, BCL2L11) the most promising target genes for further experiments. The WEE1, CCND1, PTPRO, TP53INP1 genes showed increased expression levels in all tested entities with the lowest increase in the pilocytic astrocytoma compared to the ependymoma and medulloblastoma. The obtained results indicate a correlation between gene expression and the WHO grade and subtype. Furthermore, our analysis showed that the integration between genomic and epigenetic pathways should now point the way to further molecular research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Gruszka
- Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Jakub Zakrzewski
- Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Aleja T. Kosciuszki 4, 90-419, Lodz, Poland
| | - Emilia Nowosławska
- Department of Neurosurgery, Polish Mother Memorial Hospital Research Institute in Lodz, Rzgowska 281/289, 93-338, Lodz, Poland
| | - Wiesława Grajkowska
- Department of Pathology, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Av. Dzieci Polskich 20, 04-730, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Zakrzewska
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-216, Lodz, Poland
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Hieber C, Mustafa AHM, Neuroth S, Henninger S, Wollscheid HP, Zabkiewicz J, Lazenby M, Alvares C, Mahboobi S, Butter F, Brenner W, Bros M, Krämer OH. Inhibitors of the tyrosine kinases FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 and WEE1 induce apoptosis and DNA damage synergistically in acute myeloid leukemia cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 177:117076. [PMID: 38971011 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Hyperactive FMS-like receptor tyrosine kinase-3 mutants with internal tandem duplications (FLT3-ITD) are frequent driver mutations of aggressive acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Inhibitors of FLT3 produce promising results in rationally designed cotreatment schemes. Since FLT3-ITD modulates DNA replication and DNA repair, valid anti-leukemia strategies could rely on a combined inhibition of FLT3-ITD and regulators of cell cycle progression and DNA integrity. These include the WEE1 kinase which controls cell cycle progression, nucleotide synthesis, and DNA replication origin firing. We investigated how pharmacological inhibition of FLT3 and WEE1 affected the survival and genomic integrity of AML cell lines and primary AML cells. We reveal that promising clinical grade and preclinical inhibitors of FLT3 and WEE1 synergistically trigger apoptosis in leukemic cells that express FLT3-ITD. An accumulation of single and double strand DNA damage precedes this process. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses show that FLT3-ITD and WEE1 sustain the expression of the ribonucleotide reductase subunit RRM2, which provides dNTPs for DNA replication. Unlike their strong pro-apoptotic effects on leukemia cells with FLT3-ITD, inhibitors of FLT3 and WEE1 do not damage healthy human blood cells and murine hematopoietic stem cells. Thus, pharmacological inhibition of FLT3-ITD and WEE1 might become an improved, rationally designed therapeutic option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Hieber
- Institute of Toxicology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany; Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany.
| | - Al-Hassan M Mustafa
- Institute of Toxicology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt.
| | - Sarah Neuroth
- Institute of Toxicology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany.
| | - Sven Henninger
- Institute of Toxicology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany.
| | | | - Joanna Zabkiewicz
- Department of Haematology, Cardiff Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
| | - Michelle Lazenby
- Department of Haematology, Cardiff Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
| | - Caroline Alvares
- Department of Haematology, Cardiff Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
| | - Siavosh Mahboobi
- Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93040, Germany.
| | - Falk Butter
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, Mainz 55128, Germany; Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology (IMVZ), Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Greifswald 17493, Germany.
| | - Walburgis Brenner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center, Mainz 55131, Germany.
| | - Matthias Bros
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany.
| | - Oliver H Krämer
- Institute of Toxicology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany.
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Tang M, Luo W, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Jiang Z. Anoikis-related gene CDKN2A predicts prognosis and immune response and mediates proliferation and migration in thyroid carcinoma. Transl Oncol 2024; 40:101873. [PMID: 38141377 PMCID: PMC10788268 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101873] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is a tumor commonly occurring in the endocrine system, and its incidence rate is increasing yearly. Anoikis is a type of cell death involved in the carcinogenesis process. This study aimed to investigate the prognosis and immune correlations of anoikis in THCA. Our study used several bioinformatics algorithms (co-expression analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox analysis) to screen anoikis-related genes (ARGs) to construct risk models. Through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, nomogram, and independent prognostic analysis found that the constructed model had ideal predictive value for THCA. The consensus clustering method was used to divide ARG patterns into three subgroups, and there were significant differences in survival among the three subgroups. The CIBERSORT algorithm demonstrated strong correlations among immune infiltrating cells, prognostic genes, and risk scores. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis showed that CDKN2A is an independent prognostic gene. Basic experiments (immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, etc.) showed that the expression levels of CDKN2A mRNA and protein were highly expressed in THCA, which was consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis. In vitro, the knockdown of CDKN2A significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of THCA cells. In summary, our study utilized eight ARGs to construct an accurate risk model. ARGs, especially CDKN2A, play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of THCA and can become potential targets for treating THCA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Tang
- Department of Pathology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wen Luo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yusong Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhun Zhang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Zhongjun Jiang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
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Rose MM, Nassar KW, Sharma V, Schweppe RE. AKT-independent signaling in PIK3CA-mutant thyroid cancer mediates resistance to dual SRC and MEK1/2 inhibition. Med Oncol 2023; 40:299. [PMID: 37713162 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02118-2] [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: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare and aggressive disease with 90% of patients succumbing to this disease 1 year after diagnosis. The approval of the combination therapy of a BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib with the MEK1/2 inhibitor trametinib has improved the overall survival of ATC patients. However, resistance to therapy remains a major problem. We have previously demonstrated combined inhibition of Src with dasatinib and MEK1/2 with trametinib synergistically inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in BRAF- and RAS-mutant thyroid cancer cells, however PIK3CA-mutant cells exhibit a mixed response. Herein, we determined that AKT is not a major mediator of sensitivity and instead PIK3CA-mutants that are resistant to combined dasatinib and trametinib have sustained activation of PDK1 signaling. Furthermore, combined inhibition of PDK1 and MEK1/2 was sufficient to reduce cell viability. These data indicate PDK1 inhibition is a therapeutic option for PIK3CA mutations that do not respond to combined Src and MEK1/2 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison M Rose
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8106, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Kelsey W Nassar
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8106, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Vibha Sharma
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8106, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Rebecca E Schweppe
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8106, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
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