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Smeets MWE, Steeghs EMP, Orsel J, Stalpers F, Vermeeren MMP, Veltman CHJ, Slenders L, Nierkens S, Van de Ven C, Den Boer ML. B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia elicits an interferon-α/β response in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stroma. Haematologica 2024; 109:2073-2084. [PMID: 38426282 PMCID: PMC11215384 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.283494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) can hijack the normal bone marrow microenvironment to create a leukemic niche which facilitates blast cell survival and promotes drug resistance. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) mimic this protective environment in ex vivo co-cultures with leukemic cells obtained from children with newly diagnosed BCP-ALL. We examined the potential mechanisms of this protection by RNA sequencing of flow-sorted MSC after co-culture with BCP-ALL cells. Leukemic cells induced an interferon (IFN)-related gene signature in MSC, which was partially dependent on direct cell-cell signaling. The signature was selectively induced by BCP-ALL cells, most profoundly by ETV6-RUNX1-positive ALL cells, as co-culture of MSC with healthy immune cells did not provoke a similar IFN signature. Leukemic cells and MSC both secreted IFNα and IFNβ, but not IFNγ. In line, the IFN gene signature was sensitive to blockade of IFNα/β signaling, but less to that of IFNγ. The viability of leukemic cells and level of resistance to three chemotherapeutic agents was not affected by interference with IFN signaling using selective IFNα/β inhibitors or silencing of IFN-related genes. Taken together, our data suggest that the leukemia-induced expression of IFNα/β-related genes by MSC does not support survival of BCP-ALL cells but may serve a different role in the pathobiology of BCP-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy W E Smeets
- Dept. of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht
| | | | - Jan Orsel
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht
| | | | | | | | | | - Stefan Nierkens
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center, Utrecht
| | | | - Monique L Den Boer
- Dept. of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht.
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2
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Pan C, Fang Q, Liu P, Ma D, Cao S, Zhang L, Chen Q, Hu T, Wang J. Mesenchymal Stem Cells With Cancer-Associated Fibroblast-Like Phenotype Stimulate SDF-1/CXCR4 Axis to Enhance the Growth and Invasion of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells Through Cell-to-Cell Communication. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:708513. [PMID: 34733839 PMCID: PMC8558501 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.708513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are the stromal cells in the leukemia microenvironment, and can obtain cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-like phenotype under certain conditions to further promote leukemia progression. However, the mechanism of MSCs with CAF-like phenotype interacting with leukemia cells in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and promoting the progression of B-ALL remains unclear. Methods: Mesenchymal stem cells with CAF-like phenotype were obtained by treating MSCs with recombinant human transforming growth factor-β (rhTGF-β), hereafter referred to as TGF-β conditioned MSCs. In vivo mouse model experiments, in vitro transwell chamber experiments, three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models, lentiviral transfection and other experimental methods were used to investigate the possible mechanism of the interaction between TGF-β conditioned MSCs and leukemia cells in promoting the growth, migration and invasion of B-ALL cells. Results: Compared with untreated MSCs, TGF-β conditioned MSCs significantly promoted the growth and proliferation of leukemia cells in mice, and increased the expression of CXCR4 in tumor tissues. In vitro cell experiments, TGF-β conditioned MSCs obviously promoted the migration and invasion of Nalm-6/RS4;11 cells, which were effectively blocked by the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100, thereby inhibiting the secretion of MMP-9 in TGF-β conditioned MSCs and inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in leukemia cells. Further, findings were made that the interaction between TGF-β conditioned MSCs and leukemia cells were mediated by the interaction between the integrin receptor α5β1 on the surface of leukemia cells and the increased expression of fibronectin on TGF-β conditioned MSCs. AMD3100 could weaken such effect by reducing the expression of integrin α5β1 on leukemia cells. Further regulation of integrin β1 could effectively interfere with the interaction between TGF-β conditioned MSCs and leukemia cells. Conclusion: Mesenchymal stem cells with CAF-like phenotype could be a key factor in promoting the growth and invasion of B-ALL cells, and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis might be a significant factor in mediating the communication of MSCs with CAF-like phenotype and leukemia cells. To prevent the progression of B-ALL cells, blocking the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis with AMD3100 or targeting integrin β1 might be a potential therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyun Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Department of Haematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China
| | - Qin Fang
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of Haematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China
| | - Dan Ma
- Department of Haematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China.,Guizhou Province Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Centre and Key Laboratory of Hematological Disease Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Guiyang, China
| | - Shuyun Cao
- Department of Haematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China
| | - Luxin Zhang
- Department of Haematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China
| | - Qingzhen Chen
- Department of Haematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China
| | - Tianzhen Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jishi Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Department of Haematology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Hematological Institute of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, China.,Guizhou Province Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Centre and Key Laboratory of Hematological Disease Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Guiyang, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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3
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Rellick SL, Hu G, Piktel D, Martin KH, Geldenhuys WJ, Nair RR, Gibson LF. Co-culture model of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia recapitulates a transcription signature of chemotherapy-refractory minimal residual disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15840. [PMID: 34349149 PMCID: PMC8339057 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95039-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by accumulation of immature hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow, a well-established sanctuary site for leukemic cell survival during treatment. While standard of care treatment results in remission in most patients, a small population of patients will relapse, due to the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD) consisting of dormant, chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells. To interrogate this clinically relevant population of treatment refractory cells, we developed an in vitro cell model in which human ALL cells are grown in co-culture with human derived bone marrow stromal cells or osteoblasts. Within this co-culture, tumor cells are found in suspension, lightly attached to the top of the adherent cells, or buried under the adherent cells in a population that is phase dim (PD) by light microscopy. PD cells are dormant and chemotherapy-resistant, consistent with the population of cells that underlies MRD. In the current study, we characterized the transcriptional signature of PD cells by RNA-Seq, and these data were compared to a published expression data set derived from human MRD B-cell ALL patients. Our comparative analyses revealed that the PD cell population is markedly similar to the MRD expression patterns from the primary cells isolated from patients. We further identified genes and key signaling pathways that are common between the PD tumor cells from co-culture and patient derived MRD cells as potential therapeutic targets for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Rellick
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Gangqing Hu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- Bioinformatics Core, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Debra Piktel
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Karen H Martin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Werner J Geldenhuys
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Rajesh R Nair
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Laura F Gibson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
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Leukemia-Induced Cellular Senescence and Stemness Alterations in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Are Reversible upon Withdrawal of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158166. [PMID: 34360930 PMCID: PMC8348535 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Leukemic cell growth in the bone marrow (BM) induces a very stressful condition. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), a key component of this BM niche, are affected in several ways with unfavorable consequences on hematopoietic stem cells favoring leukemic cells. These alterations in MSC during B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) have not been fully studied. In this work, we have compared the modifications that occur in an in vitro leukemic niche (LN) with those observed in MSC isolated from B-ALL patients. MSC in this LN niche showed features of a senescence process, i.e., altered morphology, increased senescence-associated β-Galactosidase (SA-βGAL) activity, and upregulation of p53 and p21 (without p16 expression), cell-cycle arrest, reduced clonogenicity, and some moderated changes in stemness properties. Importantly, almost all of these features were found in MSC isolated from B-ALL patients. These alterations rendered B-ALL cells susceptible to the chemotherapeutic agent dexamethasone. The senescent process seems to be transient since when leukemic cells are removed, normal MSC morphology is re-established, SA-βGAL expression is diminished, and MSC are capable of re-entering cell cycle. In addition, few cells showed low γH2AX phosphorylation that was reduced to basal levels upon cultivation. The reversibility of the senescent process in MSC must impinge important biological and clinical significance depending on cell interactions in the bone marrow at different stages of disease progression in B-ALL.
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Dander E, Palmi C, D’Amico G, Cazzaniga G. The Bone Marrow Niche in B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: The Role of Microenvironment from Pre-Leukemia to Overt Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094426. [PMID: 33922612 PMCID: PMC8122951 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic lesions predisposing to pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) arise in utero, generating a clinically silent pre-leukemic phase. We here reviewed the role of the surrounding bone marrow (BM) microenvironment in the persistence and transformation of pre-leukemic clones into fully leukemic cells. In this context, inflammation has been highlighted as a crucial microenvironmental stimulus able to promote genetic instability, leading to the disease manifestation. Moreover, we focused on the cross-talk between the bulk of leukemic cells with the surrounding microenvironment, which creates a “corrupted” BM malignant niche, unfavorable for healthy hematopoietic precursors. In detail, several cell subsets, including stromal, endothelial cells, osteoblasts and immune cells, composing the peculiar leukemic niche, can actively interact with B-ALL blasts. Through deregulated molecular pathways they are able to influence leukemia development, survival, chemoresistance, migratory and invasive properties. The concept that the pre-leukemic and leukemic cell survival and evolution are strictly dependent both on genetic lesions and on the external signals coming from the microenvironment paves the way to a new idea of dual targeting therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Dander
- Correspondence: (E.D.); (C.P.); Tel.: +39-(0)-39-2332229 (E.D. & C.P.); Fax: +39-(0)39-2332167 (E.D. & C.P.)
| | - Chiara Palmi
- Correspondence: (E.D.); (C.P.); Tel.: +39-(0)-39-2332229 (E.D. & C.P.); Fax: +39-(0)39-2332167 (E.D. & C.P.)
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Kim HN, Ruan Y, Ogana H, Kim YM. Cadherins, Selectins, and Integrins in CAM-DR in Leukemia. Front Oncol 2020; 10:592733. [PMID: 33425742 PMCID: PMC7793796 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.592733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction between leukemia cells and the bone microenvironment is known to provide drug resistance in leukemia cells. This phenomenon, called cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance (CAM-DR), has been demonstrated in many subsets of leukemia including B- and T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B- and T-ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are surface molecules that allow cell-cell or cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion. CAMs not only recognize ligands for binding but also initiate the intracellular signaling pathways that are associated with cell proliferation, survival, and drug resistance upon binding to their ligands. Cadherins, selectins, and integrins are well-known cell adhesion molecules that allow binding to neighboring cells, ECM proteins, and soluble factors. The expression of cadherin, selectin, and integrin correlates with the increased drug resistance of leukemia cells. This paper will review the role of cadherins, selectins, and integrins in CAM-DR and the results of clinical trials targeting these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Na Kim
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yongsheng Ruan
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Heather Ogana
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yong-Mi Kim
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Vu M, Kassouf N, Ofili R, Lund T, Bell C, Appiah S. Doxorubicin selectively induces apoptosis through the inhibition of a novel isoform of Bcl‑2 in acute myeloid leukaemia MOLM‑13 cells with reduced Beclin 1 expression. Int J Oncol 2020; 57:113-121. [PMID: 32377726 PMCID: PMC7252449 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2020.5052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) may contribute to difficulties in eradicating these cells during chemotherapy. In the present study, doxorubicin (Dox) was evaluated for its potential to induce selective apoptotic cell death in AML MOLM-13 cells and to modulate autophagy through Bcl-2 and Beclin 1 protein expression. Annexin V/propidium iodide and 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) flow cytometric analyses were conducted to determine the effects of Dox on cell death and cell proliferation, respectively, following 48 h of co-incubation with AML MOLM-13 or U-937 monocytic cells. The protein expression levels of Bcl-2 and Beclin 1 in untreated and treated cells were quantified by western blot analysis. Dox reduced the viability of MOLM-13 cells partly by inhibiting cell division and inducing cell apoptosis. Dox demonstrated a level of selectivity in its cytotoxicity against MOLM-13 compared to U-937 cells (P<0.05). Dox induced a significant decrease in Beclin 1 protein levels in MOLM-13 cells without significantly affecting the protein levels in U-937 monocytes. A novel Bcl-2 15-20 kDa (p15-20-Bcl-2) isoform was found to be selectively expressed in AML MOLM-13 cells (but absent in the leukaemic cell lines tested, OCI-AML2, CML K562 and U-937). Dox induced a highly significant inhibition of p15-20-Bcl-2 at concentrations of 0.5, 0.75 and 1 µM (P<0.01). However, the usual 26 kDa Bcl-2 (p26-Bcl-2-α) isoform protein expression was not affected by the drug in either the MOLM-13 or U-937 cells. It was thus postulated that Dox exhibited some selectivity by targeting the p15-20-Bcl-2 isoform in MOLM-13 cells and activating Beclin 1 to induce cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Vu
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Nick Kassouf
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Rosemary Ofili
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Torben Lund
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Celia Bell
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Sandra Appiah
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK
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