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Repici A, Ardizzone A, De Luca F, Colarossi L, Prestifilippo A, Pizzino G, Paterniti I, Esposito E, Capra AP. Signaling Pathways of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Contribute to the Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Glioblastoma. Cells 2024; 13:361. [PMID: 38391974 PMCID: PMC10886920 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040361] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain tumors are a diverse collection of neoplasms affecting the brain with a high prevalence rate in people of all ages around the globe. In this pathological context, glioblastoma, a form of glioma that belongs to the IV-grade astrocytoma group, is the most common and most aggressive form of the primary brain tumors. Indeed, despite the best treatments available including surgery, radiotherapy or a pharmacological approach with Temozolomide, glioblastoma patients' mortality is still high, within a few months of diagnosis. Therefore, to increase the chances of these patients surviving, it is critical to keep finding novel treatment opportunities. In the past, efforts to treat glioblastoma have mostly concentrated on customized treatment plans that target specific mutations such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, Neurotrophic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase (NTRK) fusions, or multiple receptors using multi-kinase inhibitors like Sunitinib and Regorafenib, with varying degrees of success. Here, we focused on the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL that has been identified as a mediator for tumor progression and therapy resistance in various cancer types, including squamous cell tumors, small cell lung cancer, and breast cancer. Activated AXL leads to a significant increase in tumor proliferation, tumor cell migration, and angiogenesis in different in vitro and in vivo models of cancer since this receptor regulates interplay with apoptotic, angiogenic and inflammatory pathways. Based on these premises, in this review we mainly focused on the role of AXL in the course of glioblastoma, considering its primary biological mechanisms and as a possible target for the application of the most recent treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Repici
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Alessio Ardizzone
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Fabiola De Luca
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Lorenzo Colarossi
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy; (L.C.); (A.P.); (G.P.)
| | - Angela Prestifilippo
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy; (L.C.); (A.P.); (G.P.)
| | - Gabriele Pizzino
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy; (L.C.); (A.P.); (G.P.)
| | - Irene Paterniti
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Emanuela Esposito
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
| | - Anna Paola Capra
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.R.); (A.A.); (F.D.L.); (I.P.); (A.P.C.)
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Formanski JP, Ngo HD, Grunwald V, Pöhlking C, Jonas JS, Wohlers D, Schwalbe B, Schreiber M. Transduction Efficiency of Zika Virus E Protein Pseudotyped HIV-1 gfp and Its Oncolytic Activity Tested in Primary Glioblastoma Cell Cultures. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:814. [PMID: 38398205 PMCID: PMC10887055 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of new tools against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive and common cancer originating in the brain, remains of utmost importance. Lentiviral vectors (LVs) are among the tools of future concepts, and pseudotyping offers the possibility of tailoring LVs to efficiently transduce and inactivate GBM tumor cells. Zika virus (ZIKV) has a specificity for GBM cells, leaving healthy brain cells unharmed, which makes it a prime candidate for the development of LVs with a ZIKV coat. Here, primary GBM cell cultures were transduced with different LVs encased with ZIKV envelope variants. LVs were generated by using the pNLgfpAM plasmid, which produces the lentiviral, HIV-1-based, core particle with GFP (green fluorescent protein) as a reporter (HIVgfp). Using five different GBM primary cell cultures and three laboratory-adapted GBM cell lines, we showed that ZIKV/HIVgfp achieved a 4-6 times higher transduction efficiency compared to the commonly used VSV/HIVgfp. Transduced GBM cell cultures were monitored over a period of 9 days to identify GFP+ cells to study the oncolytic effect due to ZIKV/HIVgfp entry. Tests of GBM tumor specificity by transduction of GBM tumor and normal brain cells showed a high specificity for GBM cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Patrick Formanski
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany (H.D.N.); (V.G.); (C.P.); (J.S.J.); (D.W.)
| | - Hai Dang Ngo
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany (H.D.N.); (V.G.); (C.P.); (J.S.J.); (D.W.)
| | - Vivien Grunwald
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany (H.D.N.); (V.G.); (C.P.); (J.S.J.); (D.W.)
| | - Celine Pöhlking
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany (H.D.N.); (V.G.); (C.P.); (J.S.J.); (D.W.)
| | - Jana Sue Jonas
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany (H.D.N.); (V.G.); (C.P.); (J.S.J.); (D.W.)
| | - Dominik Wohlers
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany (H.D.N.); (V.G.); (C.P.); (J.S.J.); (D.W.)
| | - Birco Schwalbe
- Department of Neurosurgery, Asklepios Klinik Nord, Standort Heidberg, 22417 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Michael Schreiber
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany (H.D.N.); (V.G.); (C.P.); (J.S.J.); (D.W.)
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Ngo HD, Formanski JP, Grunwald V, Schwalbe B, Schreiber M. Generation of Viral Particles with Brain Cell-Specific Tropism by Pseudotyping HIV-1 with the Zika Virus E Protein. Methods Protoc 2023; 7:3. [PMID: 38251196 PMCID: PMC10801502 DOI: 10.3390/mps7010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses are a family of RNA viruses that includes many known pathogens, such as Zika virus (ZIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), dengue virus (DENV), and yellow fever virus (YFV). A pseudotype is an artificial virus particle created in vitro by incorporating the flavivirus envelope proteins into the structure of, for example, a retrovirus such as human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). They can be a useful tool in virology for understanding the biology of flaviviruses, evaluating immune responses, developing antiviral strategies but can also be used as vectors for gene transfer experiments. This protocol describes the generation of a ZIKV/HIV-1 pseudotype developed as a new tool for infecting cells derived from a highly malignant brain tumor: glioblastoma multiforme grade 4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Dang Ngo
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Patrick Formanski
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vivien Grunwald
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Birco Schwalbe
- Department of Neurosurgery, Asklepios Kliniken Hamburg GmbH, Asklepios Klinik Nord, Standort Heidberg, 22417 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Schreiber
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
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Grunwald V, Ngo HD, Formanski JP, Jonas JS, Pöhlking C, Schwalbe B, Schreiber M. Development of Zika Virus E Variants for Pseudotyping Retroviral Vectors Targeting Glioblastoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14487. [PMID: 37833934 PMCID: PMC10572498 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A fundamental idea for targeting glioblastoma cells is to exploit the neurotropic properties of Zika virus (ZIKV) through its two outer envelope proteins, prM and E. This study aimed to develop envelope glycoproteins for pseudotyping retroviral vectors that can be used for efficient tumor cell infection. Firstly, the retroviral vector pNLlucAM was packaged using wild-type ZIKV E to generate an E-HIVluc pseudotype. E-HIVluc infection rates for tumor cells were higher than those of normal prME pseudotyped particles and the traditionally used vesicular stomatitis virus G (VSV-G) pseudotypes, indicating that protein E alone was sufficient for the formation of infectious pseudotyped particles. Secondly, two envelope chimeras, E41.1 and E41.2, with the E wild-type transmembrane domain replaced by the gp41 transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains, were constructed; pNLlucAM or pNLgfpAM packaged with E41.1 or E41.2 constructs showed infectivity for tumor cells, with the highest rates observed for E41.2. This envelope construct can be used not only as a tool to further develop oncolytic pseudotyped viruses for therapy, but also as a new research tool to study changes in tumor cells after the transfer of genes that might have therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivien Grunwald
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hai Dang Ngo
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Patrick Formanski
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jana Sue Jonas
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Celine Pöhlking
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Birco Schwalbe
- Department of Neurosurgery, Asklepios Kliniken Hamburg GmbH, Asklepios Klinik Nord, Standort Heidberg, 22417 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Schreiber
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
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