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Nishio Y, Kato K, Oishi H, Takahashi Y, Saitoh S. MYCN in human development and diseases. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1417607. [PMID: 38884091 PMCID: PMC11176553 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1417607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Somatic mutations in MYCN have been identified across various tumors, playing pivotal roles in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and unfavorable prognoses. Despite its established notoriety as an oncogenic driver, there is a growing interest in exploring the involvement of MYCN in human development. While MYCN variants have traditionally been associated with Feingold syndrome type 1, recent discoveries highlight gain-of-function variants, specifically p.(Thr58Met) and p.(Pro60Leu), as the cause for megalencephaly-polydactyly syndrome. The elucidation of cellular and murine analytical data from both loss-of-function (Feingold syndrome model) and gain-of-function models (megalencephaly-polydactyly syndrome model) is significantly contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the physiological role of MYCN in human development and pathogenesis. This review discusses the MYCN's functional implications for human development by reviewing the clinical characteristics of these distinct syndromes, Feingold syndrome, and megalencephaly-polydactyly syndrome, providing valuable insights into the understanding of pathophysiological backgrounds of other syndromes associated with the MYCN pathway and the overall comprehension of MYCN's role in human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Nishio
- Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kohji Kato
- Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hisashi Oishi
- Department of Comparative and Experimental Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Takahashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shinji Saitoh
- Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
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Perotti D, Williams RD, Wegert J, Brzezinski J, Maschietto M, Ciceri S, Gisselsson D, Gadd S, Walz AL, Furtwaengler R, Drost J, Al-Saadi R, Evageliou N, Gooskens SL, Hong AL, Murphy AJ, Ortiz MV, O'Sullivan MJ, Mullen EA, van den Heuvel-Eibrink MM, Fernandez CV, Graf N, Grundy PE, Geller JI, Dome JS, Perlman EJ, Gessler M, Huff V, Pritchard-Jones K. Hallmark discoveries in the biology of Wilms tumour. Nat Rev Urol 2024; 21:158-180. [PMID: 37848532 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-023-00824-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The modern study of Wilms tumour was prompted nearly 50 years ago, when Alfred Knudson proposed the 'two-hit' model of tumour development. Since then, the efforts of researchers worldwide have substantially expanded our knowledge of Wilms tumour biology, including major advances in genetics - from cloning the first Wilms tumour gene to high-throughput studies that have revealed the genetic landscape of this tumour. These discoveries improve understanding of the embryonal origin of Wilms tumour, familial occurrences and associated syndromic conditions. Many efforts have been made to find and clinically apply prognostic biomarkers to Wilms tumour, for which outcomes are generally favourable, but treatment of some affected individuals remains challenging. Challenges are also posed by the intratumoural heterogeneity of biomarkers. Furthermore, preclinical models of Wilms tumour, from cell lines to organoid cultures, have evolved. Despite these many achievements, much still remains to be discovered: further molecular understanding of relapse in Wilms tumour and of the multiple origins of bilateral Wilms tumour are two examples of areas under active investigation. International collaboration, especially when large tumour series are required to obtain robust data, will help to answer some of the remaining unresolved questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Perotti
- Predictive Medicine: Molecular Bases of Genetic Risk, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - Richard D Williams
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Section of Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jenny Wegert
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Developmental Biochemistry, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Jack Brzezinski
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mariana Maschietto
- Research Center, Boldrini Children's Hospital, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sara Ciceri
- Predictive Medicine: Molecular Bases of Genetic Risk, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - David Gisselsson
- Cancer Cell Evolution Unit, Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Clinical Genetics, Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Office of Medical Services, Skåne, Sweden
| | - Samantha Gadd
- Department of Pathology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Amy L Walz
- Division of Hematology,Oncology, Neuro-Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplant, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rhoikos Furtwaengler
- Division of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital Bern University, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jarno Drost
- Princess Máxima Center for Paediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Reem Al-Saadi
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | - Nicholas Evageliou
- Divisions of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, CHOP Specialty Care Center, Vorhees, NJ, USA
| | - Saskia L Gooskens
- Princess Máxima Center for Paediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Andrew L Hong
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Emory University and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Andrew J Murphy
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michael V Ortiz
- Department of Paediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maureen J O'Sullivan
- Histology Laboratory, Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Elizabeth A Mullen
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Conrad V Fernandez
- Division of Paediatric Hematology Oncology, IWK Health Centre and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Norbert Graf
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Hematology, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany
| | - Paul E Grundy
- Department of Paediatrics Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - James I Geller
- Division of Oncology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Dome
- Division of Oncology, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Hospital and the Department of Paediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Perlman
- Department of Pathology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Manfred Gessler
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Developmental Biochemistry, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Vicki Huff
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kathy Pritchard-Jones
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
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3
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Schoof M, Godbole S, Albert TK, Dottermusch M, Walter C, Ballast A, Qin N, Olivera MB, Göbel C, Neyazi S, Holdhof D, Kresbach C, Peter LS, Epplen GD, Thaden V, Spohn M, Blattner-Johnson M, Modemann F, Mynarek M, Rutkowski S, Sill M, Varghese J, Afflerbach AK, Eckhardt A, Münter D, Verma A, Struve N, Jones DTW, Remke M, Neumann JE, Kerl K, Schüller U. Mouse models of pediatric high-grade gliomas with MYCN amplification reveal intratumoral heterogeneity and lineage signatures. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7717. [PMID: 38001143 PMCID: PMC10673884 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43564-w] [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: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric high-grade gliomas of the subclass MYCN (HGG-MYCN) are highly aggressive tumors frequently carrying MYCN amplifications, TP53 mutations, or both alterations. Due to their rarity, such tumors have only recently been identified as a distinct entity, and biological as well as clinical characteristics have not been addressed specifically. To gain insights into tumorigenesis and molecular profiles of these tumors, and to ultimately suggest alternative treatment options, we generated a genetically engineered mouse model by breeding hGFAP-cre::Trp53Fl/Fl::lsl-MYCN mice. All mice developed aggressive forebrain tumors early in their lifetime that mimic human HGG-MYCN regarding histology, DNA methylation, and gene expression. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a high intratumoral heterogeneity with neuronal and oligodendroglial lineage signatures. High-throughput drug screening using both mouse and human tumor cells finally indicated high efficacy of Doxorubicin, Irinotecan, and Etoposide as possible therapy options that children with HGG-MYCN might benefit from.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Schoof
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Shweta Godbole
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas K Albert
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Matthias Dottermusch
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Walter
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Annika Ballast
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Nan Qin
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- High-Throughput Drug Screening Core Facility, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marlena Baca Olivera
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- High-Throughput Drug Screening Core Facility, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Carolin Göbel
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sina Neyazi
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dörthe Holdhof
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Catena Kresbach
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4 University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Levke-Sophie Peter
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gefion Dorothea Epplen
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vanessa Thaden
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Spohn
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mirjam Blattner-Johnson
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franziska Modemann
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4 University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone marrow transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Mynarek
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4 University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Rutkowski
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Sill
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julian Varghese
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Ann-Kristin Afflerbach
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alicia Eckhardt
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy & Radiation Oncology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum-University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Münter
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Archana Verma
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Nina Struve
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4 University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy & Radiation Oncology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum-University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - David T W Jones
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marc Remke
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- High-Throughput Drug Screening Core Facility, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia E Neumann
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kornelius Kerl
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany.
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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Massimino M, Vennarini S, Buttarelli FR, Antonelli M, Colombo F, Minasi S, Pecori E, Ferroli P, Giussani C, Schiariti M, Schiavello E, Biassoni V, Erbetta A, Chiapparini L, Nigro O, Boschetti L, Gianno F, Miele E, Modena P, De Cecco L, Pollo B, Barretta F. Optimizing reirradiation for relapsed medulloblastoma: identifying the ideal patient and tumor profiles. J Neurooncol 2023; 163:577-586. [PMID: 37326761 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-023-04361-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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND First-line therapies for medulloblastoma(MBL) are obtaining higher survival-rates while decreasing late-effects, but treatment at relapse is not standardized. We report here the experience with MBL re-irradiation(re-RT), its timing and outcome in different clinical settings and tumor groups. METHODS Patient's staging/treatment at diagnosis, histotypes/molecular subgroups, relapse site/s, re-treatments outcome are reported. RESULTS 25 patients were included, with a median age of 11.4 years; 8 had metastases. According to 2016-2021 WHO-classification, 14 had SHH subgroup tumors(six TP53 mutated,one + MYC,one + NMYC amplification), 11 non-WNT/non-SHH (two with MYC/MYCN amplification).Thirteen had received HART-CSI, 11 standard-CSI, one HFRT; all post-radiation chemotherapy(CT), 16 also pre-RT. Median time to relapse (local-LR in nine, distant-DR in 14, LR + DR in two) was 26 months. Fourteen patients were re-operated, in five cases excising single DR-sites, thereafter three received CT, two after re-RT; out of 11 patients not re-operated, four had re-RT as first treatment and seven after CT. Re-RT was administered at median 32 months after first RT: focally in 20 cases, craniospinal-CSI in five. Median post-relapse-PFS/after re-RT was 16.7/8.2 months, while overall survival-OS was 35.1/23.9 months, respectively. Metastatic status both at diagnosis/relapse negatively affected outcome and re-surgery was prognostically favorable. PD after re-RT was however significantly more frequent in SHH (with a suggestive association with TP53 mutation, p = 0.050). We did not observe any influence of biological subgroups on PFS from recurrence while SHH showed apparently worse OS compared to non-WNT/non-SHH group. CONCLUSIONS Re-surgery + reRT can prolong survival; a substantial fraction of patients with worse outcome belongs to the SHH-subgroup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura Massimino
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy.
| | - Sabina Vennarini
- Pediatric Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Manila Antonelli
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Colombo
- Pediatric Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Minasi
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Emilia Pecori
- Pediatric Radiotherapy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Ferroli
- Neurosurgery Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo Giussani
- Neurosurgery, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Schiariti
- Neurosurgery Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Schiavello
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Veronica Biassoni
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Alessandra Erbetta
- Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Olga Nigro
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Luna Boschetti
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Francesca Gianno
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Evelina Miele
- Department of Pediatric Onco-Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (EM), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Loris De Cecco
- Integrated Biology Platform, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Bianca Pollo
- Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Barretta
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Trial Organization, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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Wang K, Yang T, Zhang Y, Gao X, Tao L. The opportunities and challenges for nutritional intervention in childhood cancers. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1091067. [PMID: 36925958 PMCID: PMC10012036 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1091067] [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: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Diet dictates nutrient availability in the tumor microenvironment, thus affecting tumor metabolic activity and growth. Intrinsically, tumors develop unique metabolic features and are sensitive to environmental nutrient concentrations. Tumor-driven nutrient dependencies provide opportunities to control tumor growth by nutritional restriction or supplementation. This review summarized the existing data on nutrition and pediatric cancers after systematically searching articles up to 2023 from four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid MEDLINE). Epidemiological studies linked malnutrition with advanced disease stages and poor clinical outcomes in pediatric cancer patients. Experimental studies identified several nutrient dependencies (i.e., amino acids, lipids, vitamins, etc.) in major pediatric cancer types. Dietary modifications such as calorie restriction, ketogenic diet, and nutrient restriction/supplementation supported pediatric cancer treatment, but studies remain limited. Future research should expand epidemiological studies through data sharing and multi-institutional collaborations and continue to discover critical and novel nutrient dependencies to find optimal nutritional approaches for pediatric cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyue Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianyou Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yubin Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Tao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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6
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Qin N, Paisana E, Langini M, Picard D, Malzkorn B, Custódia C, Cascão R, Meyer FD, Blümel L, Göbbels S, Taban K, Bartl J, Bechmann N, Conrad C, Gravemeyer J, Becker JC, Stefanski A, Puget S, Barata JT, Stühler K, Fischer U, Felsberg J, Ayrault O, Reifenberger G, Borkhardt A, Eisenhofer G, Faria CC, Remke M. Intratumoral heterogeneity of MYC drives medulloblastoma metastasis and angiogenesis. Neuro Oncol 2022; 24:1509-1523. [PMID: 35307743 PMCID: PMC9435486 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noac068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intratumoral heterogeneity is crucially involved in metastasis, resistance to therapy, and cancer relapse. Amplifications of the proto-oncogene MYC display notable heterogeneity at the single-cell level and are associated with a particularly dismal prognosis in high-risk medulloblastomas (MBs). The aim of this study was to establish the relevance of interclonal cross-talk between MYC-driven and non-MYC-driven MB cells. METHODS We used fluorescence in situ hybridization, single-cell transcriptomics, and immunohistochemistry, in vitro isogenic cell models, non-targeted proteomics, mass spectrometry-based metabolite quantification, HUVECs tube formation assay, and orthotopic in vivo experiments to investigate interclonal cross-talk in MB. RESULTS We found that the release of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) from MYC-driven cells facilitates metastatic seeding and outgrowth, while secretion of dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 3 from non-MYC-driven cells promotes tumor angiogenesis. This tumor-supporting interaction between both subclones was abrogated by targeting the secretome through pharmacological and genetic inhibition of LDHA, which significantly suppressed tumor cell migration. CONCLUSION Our study reveals the functional relevance of clonal diversity and highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting the secretome to interrupt interclonal communication and progression in high-risk MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Qin
- Corresponding Author: Nan Qin, PhD, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, HHU, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany ()
| | | | | | - Daniel Picard
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Bastian Malzkorn
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Carlos Custódia
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular – João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Cascão
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular – João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Frauke-Dorothee Meyer
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lena Blümel
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sarah Göbbels
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kübra Taban
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jasmin Bartl
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicole Bechmann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, and Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Experimental Diabetology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research, München-Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Catleen Conrad
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, and Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Gravemeyer
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen C Becker
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anja Stefanski
- Molecular Proteomics Laboratory, Biomedical Research Center (BMFZ), Heinrich Heine University, Medical Faculty, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stéphanie Puget
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Necker Hospital, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - João T Barata
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular – João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Kai Stühler
- Institute for Molecular Medicine I, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Molecular Proteomics Laboratory, Biomedical Research Center (BMFZ), Heinrich Heine University, Medical Faculty, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ute Fischer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jörg Felsberg
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Olivier Ayrault
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Guido Reifenberger
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, HHU, UKD, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Arndt Borkhardt
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | | | - Marc Remke
- Corresponding Author: Marc Remke, MD, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Clinical Immunology, HHU, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany ()
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Review of the genomic landscape of common pediatric CNS tumors and how data sharing will continue to shape this landscape in the future. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:7537-7544. [PMID: 34643931 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06811-1] [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: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade we have witnessed a rapid increase in our understanding of the molecular characteristics of pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Studies that utilize genomic sequencing have revealed a heterogeneous group of genetic drivers in pediatric CNS tumors including point mutations, gene fusions, and copy number alterations. This manuscript provides an overview of somatic genomic alterations in the most common pediatric CNS tumors including low grade gliomas, high grade gliomas, medulloblastomas, and ependymomas. Additionally, we will discuss the need and opportunity for genomic and clinical data sharing through the children's brain tumor network and other international initiatives.
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8
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Yi JS, Sias-Garcia O, Nasholm N, Hu X, Iniguez AB, Hall MD, Davis M, Guha R, Moreno-Smith M, Barbieri E, Duong K, Koach J, Qi J, Bradner JE, Stegmaier K, Weiss WA, Gustafson WC. The synergy of BET inhibitors with aurora A kinase inhibitors in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma is heightened with functional TP53. Neoplasia 2021; 23:624-633. [PMID: 34107377 PMCID: PMC8192452 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Amplification of MYCN is a poor prognostic feature in neuroblastoma (NBL) indicating aggressive disease. We and others have shown BET bromodomain inhibitors (BETi) target MYCN indirectly by downregulating its transcription. Here we sought to identify agents that synergize with BETi and to identify biomarkers of resistance. We previously performed a viability screen of ∼1,900 oncology-focused compounds combined with BET bromodomain inhibitors against MYCN-amplified NBL cell lines. Reanalysis of our screening results prominently identified inhibitors of aurora kinase A (AURKAi) to be highly synergistic with BETi. We confirmed the anti-proliferative effects of several BETi+AURKAi combinations in MYCN-amplified NBL cell lines. Compared to single agents, these combinations cooperated to decrease levels of N-myc. We treated both TP53-wild type and mutant, MYCN-amplified cell lines with the BETi JQ1 and the AURKAi Alisertib. The combination had improved efficacy in the TP53-WT context, notably driving apoptosis in both genetic backgrounds. JQ1+Alisertib combination treatment of a MYCN-amplified, TP53-null or TP53-restored genetically engineered mouse model of NBL prolonged survival better than either single agent. This was most profound with TP53 restored, with marked tumor shrinkage and apoptosis induction in response to combination JQ1+Alisertib. BETi+AURKAi in MYCN-amplified NBL, particularly in the context of functional TP53, provided anti-tumor benefits in preclinical models. This combination should be studied more closely in a pediatric clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna S Yi
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Oscar Sias-Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Nicole Nasholm
- Department of Pediatrics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Amanda Balboni Iniguez
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew D Hall
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Mindy Davis
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Rajarshi Guha
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Myrthala Moreno-Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Eveline Barbieri
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kevin Duong
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jessica Koach
- Department of Pediatrics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jun Qi
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James E Bradner
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kimberly Stegmaier
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - William A Weiss
- Department of Pediatrics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - W Clay Gustafson
- Department of Pediatrics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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9
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Alassiri AH, Alsufiani FM, Almutairi AA, Almohini IA, Aldosari MA, Essa MF. Spectrum of medulloblastoma subtypes and frequency of MYC amplification; Experience from a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 25:218-221. [PMID: 32683405 PMCID: PMC8015469 DOI: 10.17712/nsj.2020.3.20190124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: To clarify the spectrum of morphological and molecular subtypes of medulloblastoma (MBL), in addition to MYC and MYCN amplification statuses in a cohort of Saudi patients. The latter was correlated with patient outcome. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 57 patients with MBL, diagnosed at the central laboratory of King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 2006 and 2019. Molecular analysis for MYC and MYCN amplification was performed for the 19 most recently diagnosed patients. Results: Classic MBL was the most prevalent histologic subtype and MBL with extensive nodularity was the rarest. The non-WNT/non-SHH molecular subgroup was the most common while the WNT-activated was the least common. Among 19 patients analyzed, MYC and MYCN amplifications were discovered in 2 (10.5%) and 1 (5.3%) cases, respectively, using interphase fluorescence in-situ hybridization. The 2 MYC amplified cases belonged to the large cell/anaplastic subtype and had the worst outcomes. Conclusion: The MYC amplification corresponded with poor prognosis, the large cell/anaplastic variant of MBL, and the non-WNT/non-SHH molecular subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali H Alassiri
- Department of Pathology & Lab Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail:
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10
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Danilenko M, Clifford SC, Schwalbe EC. Inter and intra-tumoral heterogeneity as a platform for personalized therapies in medulloblastoma. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 228:107828. [PMID: 33662447 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant CNS tumor of childhood, affecting ~350 patients/year in the USA. In 2020, most children are cured of their disease, however, survivors are left with life-long late-effects as a consequence of intensive surgery, and application of chemo- and radio-therapy to the developing brain. A major contributor to improvements in patient survival has been the development of risk-stratified treatments derived from a better understanding of the prognostic value of disease biomarkers. The characterization and validation of these biomarkers has engendered a comprehensive understanding of the extensive heterogeneity that exists within the disease, which can occur both between and within tumors (inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity, respectively). In this review, we discuss inter-tumoral heterogeneity, describing the early characterization of clinical and histopathological disease heterogeneity, the more recent elucidation of molecular disease subgroups, and the potential for novel therapies based on specific molecular defects. We reflect on the limitations of current approaches when applied to a rare disease. We then review early investigations of intra-tumoral heterogeneity using FISH and immunohistochemical approaches, and focus on the application of next generation sequencing on bulk tumors to elucidate intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Finally, we critically appraise the applications of single-cell sequencing approaches and discuss their potential to drive next biological insights, and for routine clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Danilenko
- Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Steven C Clifford
- Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Edward C Schwalbe
- Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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11
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Liu Z, Chen SS, Clarke S, Veschi V, Thiele CJ. Targeting MYCN in Pediatric and Adult Cancers. Front Oncol 2021; 10:623679. [PMID: 33628735 PMCID: PMC7898977 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.623679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The deregulation of the MYC family of oncogenes, including c-MYC, MYCN and MYCL occurs in many types of cancers, and is frequently associated with a poor prognosis. The majority of functional studies have focused on c-MYC due to its broad expression profile in human cancers. The existence of highly conserved functional domains between MYCN and c-MYC suggests that MYCN participates in similar activities. MYC encodes a basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper (bHLH-LZ) transcription factor (TF) whose central oncogenic role in many human cancers makes it a highly desirable therapeutic target. Historically, as a TF, MYC has been regarded as “undruggable”. Thus, recent efforts focus on investigating methods to indirectly target MYC to achieve anti-tumor effects. This review will primarily summarize the recent progress in understanding the function of MYCN. It will explore efforts at targeting MYCN, including strategies aimed at suppression of MYCN transcription, destabilization of MYCN protein, inhibition of MYCN transcriptional activity, repression of MYCN targets and utilization of MYCN overexpression dependent synthetic lethality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Liu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Samuel S Chen
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Saki Clarke
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Veronica Veschi
- Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Carol J Thiele
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
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12
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Alharbi M, Mobark N, Bashawri Y, Abu Safieh L, Alowayn A, Aljelaify R, AlSaeed M, Almutairi A, Alqubaishi F, AlSolme E, Ahmad M, Al-Banyan A, Alotabi FE, Serrano J, Snuderl M, Al-Rashed M, Abedalthagafi M. Methylation Profiling of Medulloblastoma in a Clinical Setting Permits Sub-classification and Reveals New Outcome Predictions. Front Neurol 2020; 11:167. [PMID: 32265819 PMCID: PMC7100767 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common childhood malignant brain tumor and is a leading cause of cancer-related death in children. DNA methylation profiling has rapidly advanced our understanding of MB pathogenesis at the molecular level, but assessments in Saudi Arabian (SA)-MB cases are sparse. MBs can be sub-grouped according to methylation patterns from FPPE samples into Wingless (WNT-MB), Sonic Hedgehog (SHH-MB), Group 3 (G3), and Group 4 (G4) tumors. The WNT-MB and SHH-MB subgroups are characterized by gain-of function mutations that activate oncogenic cell signaling, whilst G3/G4 tumors show recurrent chromosomal alterations. Given that each subgroup has distinct clinical outcomes, the ability to subgroup SA-FPPE samples holds significant prognostic and therapeutic value. Here, we performed the first assessment of MB-DNA methylation patterns in an SA cohort using archival biopsy material (FPPE n = 49). Of the 41 materials available for methylation assessments, 39 could be classified into the major DNA methylation subgroups (SHH, WNT, G3, and G4). Furthermore, methylation analysis was able to reclassify tumors that could not be sub-grouped through next-generation sequencing, highlighting its superior accuracy for MB molecular classifications. Independent assessments demonstrated known clinical relationships of the subgroups, exemplified by the high survival rates observed for WNT tumors. Surprisingly, the G4 subgroup did not conform to previously identified phenotypes, with a high prevalence in females, high metastatic rates, and a large number of tumor-associated deaths. Taking our results together, we demonstrate that DNA methylation profiling enables the robust sub-classification of four disease sub-groups in archival FFPE biopsy material from SA-MB patients. Moreover, we show that the incorporation of DNA methylation biomarkers can significantly improve current disease-risk stratification schemes, particularly concerning the identification of aggressive G4 tumors. These findings have important implications for future clinical disease management in MB cases across the Arab world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Musa Alharbi
- Department of Paediatric Oncology Comprehensive Cancer Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nahla Mobark
- Department of Paediatric Oncology Comprehensive Cancer Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yara Bashawri
- Department of Biostatistics, Research Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leen Abu Safieh
- Genomics Research Department, Saudi Human Genome Project, King Fahad Medical City and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Albandary Alowayn
- Department of Biostatistics, Research Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rasha Aljelaify
- Department of Biostatistics, Research Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mariam AlSaeed
- Department of Biostatistics, Research Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amal Almutairi
- Department of Biostatistics, Research Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatimah Alqubaishi
- Department of Biostatistics, Research Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ebtehal AlSolme
- Genomics Research Department, Saudi Human Genome Project, King Fahad Medical City and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maqsood Ahmad
- Department of Neuroscience, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ayman Al-Banyan
- Department of Neuroscience, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad E Alotabi
- Department of Neuroscience, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jonathan Serrano
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matija Snuderl
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - May Al-Rashed
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Malak Abedalthagafi
- Genomics Research Department, Saudi Human Genome Project, King Fahad Medical City and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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13
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Bahmad HF, Poppiti RJ. Medulloblastoma cancer stem cells: molecular signatures and therapeutic targets. J Clin Pathol 2020; 73:243-249. [PMID: 32034059 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2019-206246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant primary intracranial neoplasm diagnosed in childhood. Although numerous efforts have been made during the past few years to exploit novel targeted therapies for this aggressive neoplasm, there still exist substantial hitches hindering successful management of MB. Lately, progress in cancer biology has shown evidence that a subpopulation of cells within the tumour, namely cancer stem cells (CSCs), are thought to be responsible for the resistance to most chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy, accounting for cancer recurrence. Hence, it is crucial to identify the molecular signatures and genetic aberrations that characterise those CSCs and develop therapies that specifically target them. In this review, we aim to give an overview of the main genetic and molecular cues that depict MB-CSCs and provide a synopsis of the novel therapeutic approaches that specifically target this population of cells to attain enhanced antitumorous effects and therefore overcome resistance to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisham F Bahmad
- Arkadi M Rywlin MD Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.,Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Robert J Poppiti
- Arkadi M Rywlin MD Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida, USA .,Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
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14
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Ryzhova MV, Snigireva GP, Golanov AV, Zheludkova OG, Trunin YY, Antipina NA. [Correct use of Kreatech DNA probes to detect MYC gene amplification in medulloblastomas by fluorescence in situ hybridization]. Arkh Patol 2019; 81:66-72. [PMID: 31407721 DOI: 10.17116/patol20198104166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED In most cases, oncogene amplification are prognostic and predictive markers for various tumors, therefore DNA probes are unable to reveal changes in the copy numbers should not be used to diagnose malignant tumors. OBJECTIVE To comparatively analyze DNA probes from different manufacturers to detect MYC gene amplification in routine practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study material was formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded medulloblastoma fragments from 4 patients, with discrepancies in the results in the detection of MYC gene amplification. RESULTS MYC gene amplification was determined using DNA probes: Kreatech MYC (8q24)/SE 8, Vysis LSI MYC SO, Vysis CEP 8 (D8Z2) SG, and Zytolight SPEC MYC/CEN 8 Dual Color Probe. The use of the probes Kreatech TERC (3q26)/MYC (8q24)/SE7 Triple-Color probe failed to detect MYC gene amplification; this probe showed a balanced profile of chromosome 8. CONCLUSION In routine practice, fluorescence in situ hybridization with the DNA probes Kreatech MYC (8q24)/SE 8, Vysis LSI MYC SO, Vysis CEP 8 (D8Z2) SG and Zytolight SPEC MYC/CEN 8 Dual Color Probe can be the method of choice for studying the copy number of the MYC gene. However, the authors strongly recommend that the Kreatech TERC (3q26)/MYC (8q24)/SE7 Triple-Color should not be used for this purpose. In addition, probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization must be necessarily tested in large reference laboratories dealing with one or another area of oncopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M V Ryzhova
- Acad. N.N. Burdenko National Medical Research Center of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
| | - G P Snigireva
- Russian Research Center of Roentgenology and Radiology, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
| | - A V Golanov
- Acad. N.N. Burdenko National Medical Research Center of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
| | - O G Zheludkova
- Russian Research Center of Roentgenology and Radiology, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yu Yu Trunin
- Acad. N.N. Burdenko National Medical Research Center of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
| | - N A Antipina
- Acad. N.N. Burdenko National Medical Research Center of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
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15
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Nasser MM, Mehdipour P. Exploration of Involved Key Genes and Signaling Diversity in Brain Tumors. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2018; 38:393-419. [PMID: 28493234 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-017-0498-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Brain tumors are becoming a major cause of death. The classification of brain tumors has gone through restructuring with regard to some criteria such as the presence or absence of a specific genetic alteration in the 2016 central nervous system World Health Organization update. Two categories of genes with a leading role in tumorigenesis and cancer induction include tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes; tumor suppressor genes are inactivated through a variety of mechanisms that result in their loss of function. As for the oncogenes, overexpression and amplification are the most common mechanisms of alteration. Important cell cycle genes such as p53, ATM, cyclin D2, and Rb have shown altered expression patterns in different brain tumors such as meningioma and astrocytoma. Some genes in signaling pathways have a role in brain tumorigenesis. These pathways include hedgehog, EGFR, Notch, hippo, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and WNT signaling. It has been shown that telomere length in some brain tumor samples is shortened compared to that in normal cells. As the shortening of telomere length triggers chromosome instability early in brain tumors, it could lead to initiation of cancer. On the other hand, telomerase activity was positive in some brain tumors. It is suggestive that telomere length and telomerase activity are important diagnostic markers in brain tumors. This review focuses on brain tumors with regard to the status of oncogenes, tumor suppressors, cell cycle genes, and genes in signaling pathways as well as the role of telomere length and telomerase in brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojdeh Mahdian Nasser
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parvin Mehdipour
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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16
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Michaud K, de Tayrac M, D’Astous M, Paquet C, Gould PV, Saikali S. Impact of 9p deletion and p16, Cyclin D1, and Myc hyperexpression on the outcome of anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193213. [PMID: 29489901 PMCID: PMC5831111 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To study the presence of 9p deletion and p16, cyclin D1 and Myc expression and their respective diagnostic and prognostic interest in oligodendrogliomas. Methods We analyzed a retrospective series of 40 consecutive anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (OIII) from a single institution and compared them to a control series of 10 low grade oligodendrogliomas (OII). Automated FISH analysis of chromosome 9p status and immunohistochemistry for p16, cyclin D1 and Myc was performed for all cases and correlated with clinical and histological data, event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Results Chromosome 9p deletion was observed in 55% of OIII (22/40) but not in OII. Deletion was highly correlated to EFS (median = 29 versus 53 months, p<0.0001) and OS (median = 48 versus 83 months, p<0.0001) in both the total cohort and the OIII population. In 9p non-deleted oligodendrogliomas, p16 hyperexpression correlated with a shorter OS (p = 0.02 in OII and p = 0.0001 in OIII) whereas lack of p16 expression was correlated to a shorter EFS and OS in 9p deleted OIII (p = 0.001 and p = 0.0002 respectively). Expression of Cyclin D1 was significantly higher in OIII (median expression 45% versus 14% for OII, p = 0.0006) and was correlated with MIB-1 expression (p<0.0001), vascular proliferation (p = 0.002), tumor necrosis (p = 0.04) and a shorter EFS in the total cohort (p = 0.05). Hyperexpression of Myc was correlated to grade (median expression 27% in OII versus 35% in OIII, p = 0.03), and to a shorter EFS in 9p non-deleted OIII (p = 0.01). Conclusion Chromosome 9p deletion identifies a subset of OIII with significantly worse prognosis. The combination of 9p status and p16 expression level identifies two distinct OIII populations with divergent prognosis. Hyperexpression of Bcl1 and Myc appears highly linked to anaplasia but the prognostic value is unclear and should be investigated further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Michaud
- Department of Neurosurgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie de Tayrac
- Department of Genomic and Molecular Genetics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Myreille D’Astous
- Department of Neurosurgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Claudie Paquet
- Department of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Peter Vincent Gould
- Department of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Stéphan Saikali
- Department of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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17
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The MYCN Protein in Health and Disease. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8040113. [PMID: 28358317 PMCID: PMC5406860 DOI: 10.3390/genes8040113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
MYCN is a member of the MYC family of proto-oncogenes. It encodes a transcription factor, MYCN, involved in the control of fundamental processes during embryonal development. The MYCN protein is situated downstream of several signaling pathways promoting cell growth, proliferation and metabolism of progenitor cells in different developing organs and tissues. Conversely, deregulated MYCN signaling supports the development of several different tumors, mainly with a childhood onset, including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilms’ tumor, but it is also associated with some cancers occurring during adulthood such as prostate and lung cancer. In neuroblastoma, MYCN-amplification is the most consistent genetic aberration associated with poor prognosis and treatment failure. Targeting MYCN has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of these tumors and great efforts have allowed the development of direct and indirect MYCN inhibitors with potential clinical use.
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18
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Micale MA, Embrey B, Macknis JK, Harper CE, Aughton DJ. Constitutional 560.49 kb chromosome 2p24.3 duplication including the MYCN gene identified by SNP chromosome microarray analysis in a child with multiple congenital anomalies and bilateral Wilms tumor. Eur J Med Genet 2016; 59:618-623. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2016.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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19
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Chan TSY, Hawkins C, Krieger JR, McGlade CJ, Huang A. JPO2/CDCA7L and LEDGF/p75 Are Novel Mediators of PI3K/AKT Signaling and Aggressive Phenotypes in Medulloblastoma. Cancer Res 2016; 76:2802-12. [PMID: 27013196 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-2194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Substantial evidence links Myc-PI3K/AKT signaling to the most aggressive subtype of medulloblastoma and this axis in medulloblastoma therapy. In this study, we advance understanding of how Myc-PI3K/AKT signaling contributes to this malignancy, specifically, in identifying the Myc-interacting protein JPO2 and its partner binding protein LEDGF/p75 as critical modulators of PI3K/AKT signaling and metastasis in medulloblastoma. JPO2 overexpression induced metastatic medulloblastoma in vivo through two synergistic feed-forward regulatory circuits involving LEDGF/p75 and AKT that promote metastatic phenotypes in this setting. Overall, our findings highlight two novel prometastatic loci in medulloblastoma and point to the JPO2:LEDGF/p75 protein complex as a potentially new targetable component of PI3K/AKT signaling in medulloblastoma. Cancer Res; 76(9); 2802-12. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Sin Yu Chan
- Department of Paediatrics, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cynthia Hawkins
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Department of Pathology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Krieger
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Jane McGlade
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annie Huang
- Department of Paediatrics, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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20
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Fogal V, Babic I, Chao Y, Pastorino S, Mukthavaram R, Jiang P, Cho YJ, Pingle SC, Crawford JR, Piccioni DE, Kesari S. Mitochondrial p32 is upregulated in Myc expressing brain cancers and mediates glutamine addiction. Oncotarget 2015; 6:1157-70. [PMID: 25528767 PMCID: PMC4359224 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 11/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a key feature of tumorigenesis that is controlled by oncogenes. Enhanced utilization of glucose and glutamine are the best-established hallmarks of tumor metabolism. The oncogene c-Myc is one of the major players responsible for this metabolic alteration. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in Myc-induced metabolic reprogramming are not well defined. Here we identify p32, a mitochondrial protein known to play a role in the expression of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, as a critical player in Myc-induced glutamine addiction. We show that p32 is a direct transcriptional target of Myc and that high level of Myc in malignant brain cancers correlates with high expression of p32. Attenuation of p32 expression reduced growth rate of glioma cells expressing Myc and impaired tumor formation in vivo. Loss of p32 in glutamine addicted glioma cells induced resistance to glutamine deprivation and imparted sensitivity to glucose withdrawal. Finally, we provide evidence that p32 expression contributes to Myc-induced glutamine addiction of cancer cells. Our findings suggest that Myc promotes the expression of p32, which is required to maintain sufficient respiratory capacity to sustain glutamine metabolism in Myc transformed cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Fogal
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Ivan Babic
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Ying Chao
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Sandra Pastorino
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Rajesh Mukthavaram
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Pengfei Jiang
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Sandeep C Pingle
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - John R Crawford
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.,Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - David E Piccioni
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.,Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Santosh Kesari
- Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.,Translational Neuro-Oncology Laboratories, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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21
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Bonney PA, Boettcher LB, Krysiak RS, Fung KM, Sughrue ME. Histology and molecular aspects of central neurocytoma. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2015; 26:21-9. [PMID: 25432180 DOI: 10.1016/j.nec.2014.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Central neurocytoma (CN) is a well-differentiated tumor of neural cells occurring within the ventricles. It is composed of monomorphic cells with round, regular nuclei within clear cytoplasm and must be distinguished from other clear cell tumors. Immunohistochemical markers of CN that aid in diagnosis include synaptophysin and neuronal nuclear antigen. The molecular biology of these tumors is becoming increasingly elucidated, particularly with the use of microarray analyses. Several oncogenic pathways have been suggested by these studies. Although progress continues to be made, knowledge of CN has yet to dictate targeted therapies in treating patients with these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A Bonney
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Lillian B Boettcher
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Richard S Krysiak
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Kar-Ming Fung
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, BMSB 451, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Michael E Sughrue
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA; Oklahoma Comprehensive Brain Tumor Clinic, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
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22
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Williams RD, Chagtai T, Alcaide-German M, Apps J, Wegert J, Popov S, Vujanic G, van Tinteren H, van den Heuvel-Eibrink MM, Kool M, de Kraker J, Gisselsson D, Graf N, Gessler M, Pritchard-Jones K. Multiple mechanisms of MYCN dysregulation in Wilms tumour. Oncotarget 2015; 6:7232-43. [PMID: 25749049 PMCID: PMC4466681 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic gain of the proto-oncogene transcription factor gene MYCN is associated with poor prognosis in several childhood cancers. Here we present a comprehensive copy number analysis of MYCN in Wilms tumour (WT), demonstrating that gain of this gene is associated with anaplasia and with poorer relapse-free and overall survival, independent of histology. Using whole exome and gene-specific sequencing, together with methylation and expression profiling, we show that MYCN is targeted by other mechanisms, including a recurrent somatic mutation, P44L, and specific DNA hypomethylation events associated with MYCN overexpression in tumours with high risk histologies. We describe parallel evolution of genomic copy number gain and point mutation of MYCN in the contralateral tumours of a remarkable bilateral case in which independent contralateral mutations of TP53 also evolve over time. We report a second bilateral case in which MYCN gain is a germline aberration. Our results suggest a significant role for MYCN dysregulation in the molecular biology of Wilms tumour. We conclude that MYCN gain is prognostically significant, and suggest that the novel P44L somatic variant is likely to be an activating mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - John Apps
- UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Jenny Wegert
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Developmental Biochemistry and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Sergey Popov
- Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Gordan Vujanic
- Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK
| | - Harm van Tinteren
- Biometrics Department, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Marcel Kool
- German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Norbert Graf
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Manfred Gessler
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute/Biocenter, Developmental Biochemistry and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
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23
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Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood. Although there is now long-term survival or cure for the majority of children, the survivors bear a significant burden of complications due, at least in part, to the intense therapies given to ensure eradication of the tumor. Significant efforts have been made over the years to be able to distinguish between patients who do and do not need intensive therapies. This review summarizes the history and current state of clinical risk stratification, pathologic diagnosis and genetics. Recent developments in correlation between genetics and pathology, genome-wide association studies and the biology of medulloblastoma metastasis are discussed in detail. The current state of clinical treatment trials are reviewed and placed into the perspective of potential novel therapies in the near term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donya Aref
- University Health Network Pathology, Arthur & Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, Toronto, ON, Canada
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24
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Thor T, Künkele A, Pajtler KW, Wefers AK, Stephan H, Mestdagh P, Heukamp L, Hartmann W, Vandesompele J, Sadowski N, Becker L, Garrett L, Hölter SM, Horsch M, Calzada-Wack J, Klein-Rodewald T, Racz I, Zimmer A, Beckers J, Neff F, Klopstock T, De Antonellis P, Zollo M, Wurst W, Fuchs H, Gailus-Durner V, Schüller U, de Angelis MH, Eggert A, Schramm A, Schulte JH. MiR-34a deficiency accelerates medulloblastoma formation in vivo. Int J Cancer 2014; 136:2293-303. [PMID: 25348795 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have evaluated the role of miRNAs in cancer initiation and progression. MiR-34a was found to be downregulated in several tumors, including medulloblastomas. Here we employed targeted transgenesis to analyze the function of miR-34a in vivo. We generated mice with a constitutive deletion of the miR-34a gene. These mice were devoid of mir-34a expression in all analyzed tissues, but were viable and fertile. A comprehensive standardized phenotypic analysis including more than 300 single parameters revealed no apparent phenotype. Analysis of miR-34a expression in human medulloblastomas and medulloblastoma cell lines revealed significantly lower levels than in normal human cerebellum. Re-expression of miR-34a in human medulloblastoma cells reduced cell viability and proliferation, induced apoptosis and downregulated the miR-34a target genes, MYCN and SIRT1. Activation of the Shh pathway by targeting SmoA1 transgene overexpression causes medulloblastoma in mice, which is dependent on the presence and upregulation of Mycn. Analysis of miR-34a in medulloblastomas derived from ND2:SmoA1(tg) mice revealed significant suppression of miR-34a compared to normal cerebellum. Tumor incidence was significantly increased and tumor formation was significantly accelerated in mice transgenic for SmoA1 and lacking miR-34a. Interestingly, Mycn and Sirt1 were strongly expressed in medulloblastomas derived from these mice. We here demonstrate that miR-34a is dispensable for normal development, but that its loss accelerates medulloblastomagenesis. Strategies aiming to re-express miR-34a in tumors could, therefore, represent an efficient therapeutic option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Thor
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Children's Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55 45147, Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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25
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D'Asti E, Kool M, Pfister SM, Rak J. Coagulation and angiogenic gene expression profiles are defined by molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma: evidence for growth factor-thrombin cross-talk. J Thromb Haemost 2014; 12:1838-49. [PMID: 25163932 DOI: 10.1111/jth.12715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coagulation system becomes activated during progression and therapy of high-grade brain tumors. Triggering tissue factor (F3/TF) and thrombin receptors (F2R/PAR-1) may influence the vascular tumor microenvironment and angiogenesis irrespective of clinically apparent thrombosis. These processes are poorly understood in medulloblastoma (MB), in which diverse oncogenic pathways define at least four molecular disease subtypes (WNT, SHH, Group 3 and Group 4). We asked whether there is a link between molecular subtype and the network of vascular regulators expressed in MB. METHODS Using R2 microarray analysis and visualization platform, we mined MB datasets for differential expression of vascular (coagulation and angiogenesis)-related genes, and explored their link to known oncogenic drivers. We evaluated the functional significance of this link in DAOY cells in vitro following growth factor and thrombin stimulation. RESULTS The coagulome and angiome differ across MB subtypes. F3/TF and F2R/PAR-1 mRNA expression are upregulated in SHH tumors and correlate with higher levels of hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET). Cultured DAOY (MB) cells exhibit an up-regulation of F3/TF and F2R/PAR-1 following combined SHH and MET ligand (HGF) treatment. These factors cooperate with thrombin, impacting the profile of vascular regulators, including interleukin 1β (IL1B) and chondromodulin 1 (LECT1). CONCLUSIONS Coagulation pathway sensors (F3/TF, F2R/PAR-1) are expressed in MB in a subtype-specific manner, and may be functionally linked to SHH and MET circuitry. Thus coagulation system perturbations may elicit subtype/context-specific changes in vascular and cellular responses in MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D'Asti
- Cancer and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Hede SM, Savov V, Weishaupt H, Sangfelt O, Swartling FJ. Oncoprotein stabilization in brain tumors. Oncogene 2014; 33:4709-21. [PMID: 24166497 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2013.445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2013] [Revised: 09/11/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Proteins involved in promoting cell proliferation and viability need to be timely expressed and carefully controlled for the proper development of the brain but also efficiently degraded in order to prevent cells from becoming brain cancer cells. A major pathway for targeted protein degradation in cells is the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Oncoproteins that drive tumor development and tumor maintenance are often deregulated and stabilized in malignant cells. This can occur when oncoproteins escape degradation by the UPS because of mutations in either the oncoprotein itself or in the UPS components responsible for recognition and ubiquitylation of the oncoprotein. As the pathogenic accumulation of an oncoprotein can lead to effectively sustained cell growth, viability and tumor progression, it is an indisputable target for cancer treatment. The most common types of malignant brain tumors in children and adults are medulloblastoma and glioma, respectively. Here, we review different ways of how deregulated proteolysis of oncoproteins involved in major signaling cancer pathways contributes to medulloblastoma and glioma development. We also describe means of targeting relevant oncoproteins in brain tumors with treatments affecting their stability or therapeutic strategies directed against the UPS itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-M Hede
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - V Savov
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - H Weishaupt
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - O Sangfelt
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - F J Swartling
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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27
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Mastronuzzi A, Miele E, Po A, Antonelli M, Buttarelli FR, Colafati GS, del Bufalo F, Faedda R, Spinelli GP, Carai A, Giangaspero F, Gulino A, Locatelli F, Ferretti E. Large cell anaplastic medulloblastoma metastatic to the scalp: tumor and derived stem-like cells features. BMC Cancer 2014; 14:262. [PMID: 24739212 PMCID: PMC4013534 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Extraneural metastases (ENM) rarely occur in medulloblastoma (MBL) patients and only few cases of subcutaneous localizations have been described. ENM indicate an aggressive disease associated with a worse prognosis. The characterization of metastatic tumours might be useful to understand their pathogenesis and to identify the most appropriate therapeutic strategies. Case presentation We present the case of a child with Large Cell Anaplastic (LC/A) MBL, who developed multiple subcutaneous metastases in the scalp area after a ventriculo-peritoneal shunting procedure. The disease rapidly progressed and the child died despite chemotherapy and primary tumour surgical debulking. We molecularly classified the tumour as a group 3 MBL; in addition, we derived stem-like cells (SLC) from a metastatic lesion. Primary tumour, metastases and SLC were further analysed, particularly focusing on features linked to the cutaneous dissemination. Indeed, molecules involved in angiogenesis, cell invasion and epidermal growth factor signalling resulted highly expressed. Conclusions The present report describes a very rare case of subcutaneous metastatic MBL. The tumour, metastases and SLC have been clinically, pathologically and molecularly characterized. Our case is an example of multidisciplinary approach aiming to characterize MBL aggressive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Elisabetta Ferretti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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Beltran H. The N-myc Oncogene: Maximizing its Targets, Regulation, and Therapeutic Potential. Mol Cancer Res 2014; 12:815-22. [PMID: 24589438 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-13-0536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
N-myc (MYCN), a member of the Myc family of basic-helix-loop-helix-zipper (bHLHZ) transcription factors, is a central regulator of many vital cellular processes. As such, N-myc is well recognized for its classic oncogenic activity and association with human neuroblastoma. Amplification and overexpression of N-myc has been described in other tumor types, particularly those of neural origin and neuroendocrine tumors. This review outlines N-myc's contribution to normal development and oncogenic progression. In addition, it highlights relevant transcriptional targets and mechanisms of regulation. Finally, the clinical implications of N-Myc as a biomarker and potential as a target using novel therapeutic approaches are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himisha Beltran
- Author's Affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
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29
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Shih DJH, Northcott PA, Remke M, Korshunov A, Ramaswamy V, Kool M, Luu B, Yao Y, Wang X, Dubuc AM, Garzia L, Peacock J, Mack SC, Wu X, Rolider A, Morrissy AS, Cavalli FMG, Jones DTW, Zitterbart K, Faria CC, Schüller U, Kren L, Kumabe T, Tominaga T, Shin Ra Y, Garami M, Hauser P, Chan JA, Robinson S, Bognár L, Klekner A, Saad AG, Liau LM, Albrecht S, Fontebasso A, Cinalli G, De Antonellis P, Zollo M, Cooper MK, Thompson RC, Bailey S, Lindsey JC, Di Rocco C, Massimi L, Michiels EMC, Scherer SW, Phillips JJ, Gupta N, Fan X, Muraszko KM, Vibhakar R, Eberhart CG, Fouladi M, Lach B, Jung S, Wechsler-Reya RJ, Fèvre-Montange M, Jouvet A, Jabado N, Pollack IF, Weiss WA, Lee JY, Cho BK, Kim SK, Wang KC, Leonard JR, Rubin JB, de Torres C, Lavarino C, Mora J, Cho YJ, Tabori U, Olson JM, Gajjar A, Packer RJ, Rutkowski S, Pomeroy SL, French PJ, Kloosterhof NK, Kros JM, Van Meir EG, Clifford SC, Bourdeaut F, Delattre O, Doz FF, Hawkins CE, Malkin D, Grajkowska WA, Perek-Polnik M, Bouffet E, Rutka JT, Pfister SM, Taylor MD. Cytogenetic prognostication within medulloblastoma subgroups. J Clin Oncol 2014; 32:886-96. [PMID: 24493713 DOI: 10.1200/jco.2013.50.9539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Medulloblastoma comprises four distinct molecular subgroups: WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. Current medulloblastoma protocols stratify patients based on clinical features: patient age, metastatic stage, extent of resection, and histologic variant. Stark prognostic and genetic differences among the four subgroups suggest that subgroup-specific molecular biomarkers could improve patient prognostication. PATIENTS AND METHODS Molecular biomarkers were identified from a discovery set of 673 medulloblastomas from 43 cities around the world. Combined risk stratification models were designed based on clinical and cytogenetic biomarkers identified by multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses. Identified biomarkers were tested using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on a nonoverlapping medulloblastoma tissue microarray (n = 453), with subsequent validation of the risk stratification models. RESULTS Subgroup information improves the predictive accuracy of a multivariable survival model compared with clinical biomarkers alone. Most previously published cytogenetic biomarkers are only prognostic within a single medulloblastoma subgroup. Profiling six FISH biomarkers (GLI2, MYC, chromosome 11 [chr11], chr14, 17p, and 17q) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, we can reliably and reproducibly identify very low-risk and very high-risk patients within SHH, Group 3, and Group 4 medulloblastomas. CONCLUSION Combining subgroup and cytogenetic biomarkers with established clinical biomarkers substantially improves patient prognostication, even in the context of heterogeneous clinical therapies. The prognostic significance of most molecular biomarkers is restricted to a specific subgroup. We have identified a small panel of cytogenetic biomarkers that reliably identifies very high-risk and very low-risk groups of patients, making it an excellent tool for selecting patients for therapy intensification and therapy de-escalation in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J H Shih
- David J.H. Shih, Marc Remke, Vijay Ramaswamy, Betty Luu, Yuan Yao, Xin Wang, Adrian M. Dubuc, Livia Garzia, John Peacock, Stephen C. Mack, Xiaochong Wu, Adi Rolider, A. Sorana Morrissy, Florence M.G. Cavalli, Claudia C. Faria, Stephen W. Scherer, Uri Tabori, Cynthia E. Hawkins, David Malkin, Eric Bouffet, James T. Rutka, and Michael D. Taylor, Hospital for Sick Children; David J.H. Shih, Marc Remke, Vijay Ramaswamy, Yuan Yao, Xin Wang, Adrian M. Dubuc, John Peacock, Stephen C. Mack, and Michael D. Taylor, University of Toronto, Toronto; Boleslaw Lach, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario; Jennifer A. Chan, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta; Steffen Albrecht, Adam Fontebasso, and Nada Jabado, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Paul A. Northcott, Andrey Korshunov, Marcel Kool, David T.W. Jones, and Stefan M. Pfister, German Cancer Research Center; Stefan M. Pfister, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg; Ulrich Schüller, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich; Stefan Rutkowski, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Karel Zitterbart, Masaryk University School of Medicine; Karel Zitterbart and Leos Kren, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic; Toshihiro Kumabe and Teiji Tominaga, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Young Shin Ra, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center; Ji-Yeoun Lee, Byung-Kyu Cho, Seung-Ki Kim, and Kyu-Chang Wang, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul; Shin Jung, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Medical School, Chonnam, South Korea; Peter Hauser and Miklós Garami, Semmelweis University, Budapest; László Bognár and Almos Klekner, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Centre, Debrecen, Hungary; Shenandoah Robinson, Boston Children's Hospital; Scott L. Pomeroy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Ali G. Saad, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little
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Involvement of germline DDX1–MYCN duplication in inherited nephroblastoma. Eur J Med Genet 2013; 56:643-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2013.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Shalaby T, Fiaschetti G, Nagasawa K, Shin-ya K, Baumgartner M, Grotzer M. G-quadruplexes as potential therapeutic targets for embryonal tumors. Molecules 2013; 18:12500-37. [PMID: 24152672 PMCID: PMC6269990 DOI: 10.3390/molecules181012500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Revised: 09/18/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonal tumors include a heterogeneous group of highly malignant neoplasms that primarily affect infants and children and are characterized by a high rate of mortality and treatment-related morbidity, hence improved therapies are clearly needed. G-quadruplexes are special secondary structures adopted in guanine (G)-rich DNA sequences that are often present in biologically important regions, e.g. at the end of telomeres and in the regulatory regions of oncogenes such as MYC. Owing to the significant roles that both telomeres and MYC play in cancer cell biology, G-quadruplexes have been viewed as emerging therapeutic targets in oncology and as tools for novel anticancer drug design. Several compounds that target these structures have shown promising anticancer activity in tumor xenograft models and some of them have entered Phase II clinical trials. In this review we examine approaches to DNA targeted cancer therapy, summarize the recent developments of G-quadruplex ligands as anticancer drugs and speculate on the future direction of such structures as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for embryonal tumors of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Shalaby
- Division of Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich 8032, Switzerland.
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Clinical neuropathology practice guide 3-2013: levels of evidence and clinical utility of prognostic and predictive candidate brain tumor biomarkers. Clin Neuropathol 2013; 32:148-58. [PMID: 23618424 PMCID: PMC3663466 DOI: 10.5414/np300646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A large number of potential tissue biomarkers has been proposed for brain tumors. However, hardly any have been adopted for routine clinical use, so far. For most candidate biomarkers substantial controversy exists with regard to their usefulness in clinical practice. The multidisciplinary neurooncology taskforce of the Vienna Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Nervous System Unit (CCC-CNS) addressed this issue and elaborated a four-tiered levels-of-evidence system for assessing analytical performance (reliability of test result) and clinical performance (prognostic or predictive) based on consensually defined criteria. The taskforce also consensually agreed that only biomarker candidates should be considered as ready for clinical use, which meet defined quality standards for both, analytical and clinical performance. Applying this levels-of-evidence system to MGMT, IDH1, 1p19q, Ki67, MYCC, MYCN and β-catenin, only immunohistochemical IDH1 mutation testing in patients with diffuse gliomas is supported by sufficient evidence in order to be unequivocally qualified for clinical use. For the other candidate biomarkers lack of published evidence of sufficiently high analytical test performance and, in some cases, also of clinical performance limits evidence-based confirmation of their clinical utility. For most of the markers, no common standard of laboratory testing exists. We conclude that, at present, there is a strong need for studies that specifically address the analytical performance of candidate brain tumor biomarkers. In addition, standardization of laboratory testing is needed. We aim to regularly challenge and update the present classification in order to systematically clarify the current translational status of candidate brain tumor biomarkers and to identify specific research needs for accelerating the translational pace.
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Epigenetic Silencing of DKK3 in medulloblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:7492-505. [PMID: 23567267 PMCID: PMC3645699 DOI: 10.3390/ijms14047492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Revised: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant pediatric brain tumor arising in the cerebellum consisting of four distinct subgroups: WNT, SHH, Group 3 and Group 4, which exhibit different molecular phenotypes. We studied the expression of Dickkopf (DKK) 1–4 family genes, inhibitors of the Wnt signaling cascade, in MB by screening 355 expression profiles derived from four independent datasets. Upregulation of DKK1, DKK2 and DKK4 mRNA was observed in the WNT subgroup, whereas DKK3 was downregulated in 80% MBs across subgroups with respect to the normal cerebellum (p < 0.001). Since copy number aberrations targeting the DKK3 locus (11p15.3) are rare events, we hypothesized that epigenetic factors could play a role in DKK3 regulation. Accordingly, we studied 77 miRNAs predicting to repress DKK3; however, no significant inverse correlation between miRNA/mRNA expression was observed. Moreover, the low methylation levels in the DKK3 promoters (median: 3%, 5% and 5% for promoter 1, 2 and 3, respectively) excluded the downregulation of gene expression by methylation. On the other hand, the treatment of MB cells with Trichostatin A (TSA), a potent inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDAC), was able to restore both DKK3 mRNA and protein. In conclusion, DKK3 downregulation across all MB subgroups may be due to epigenetic mechanisms, in particular, through chromatin condensation.
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Mukherjee K, Storici F. A mechanism of gene amplification driven by small DNA fragments. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1003119. [PMID: 23271978 PMCID: PMC3521702 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Accepted: 10/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA amplification is a molecular process that increases the copy number of a chromosomal tract and often causes elevated expression of the amplified gene(s). Although gene amplification is frequently observed in cancer and other degenerative disorders, the molecular mechanisms involved in the process of DNA copy number increase remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that small DNA fragments could be the trigger of DNA amplification events. Following our findings that small fragments of DNA in the form of DNA oligonucleotides can be highly recombinogenic, we have developed a system in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to capture events of chromosomal DNA amplification initiated by small DNA fragments. Here we demonstrate that small DNAs can amplify a chromosomal region, generating either tandem duplications or acentric extrachromosomal DNA circles. Small fragment-driven DNA amplification (SFDA) occurs with a frequency that increases with the length of homology between the small DNAs and the target chromosomal regions. SFDA events are triggered even by small single-stranded molecules with as little as 20-nt homology with the genomic target. A double-strand break (DSB) external to the chromosomal amplicon region stimulates the amplification event up to a factor of 20 and favors formation of extrachromosomal circles. SFDA is dependent on Rad52 and Rad59, partially dependent on Rad1, Rad10, and Pol32, and independent of Rad51, suggesting a single-strand annealing mechanism. Our results reveal a novel molecular model for gene amplification, in which small DNA fragments drive DNA amplification and define the boundaries of the amplicon region. As DNA fragments are frequently found both inside cells and in the extracellular environment, such as the serum of patients with cancer or other degenerative disorders, we propose that SFDA may be a common mechanism for DNA amplification in cancer cells, as well as a more general cause of DNA copy number variation in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuntal Mukherjee
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Francesca Storici
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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35
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Wright KD, von der Embse K, Coleman J, Patay Z, Ellison DW, Gajjar A. Isochromosome 17q, MYC amplification and large cell/anaplastic phenotype in a case of medullomyoblastoma with extracranial metastases. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 59:561-4. [PMID: 22147345 PMCID: PMC3392450 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.24002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2011] [Accepted: 10/17/2011] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Medullomyoblastoma (MMB) is a rare variant of medulloblastoma, a member of the family of central nervous system (CNS) embryonal tumors. The outcome of standard therapy for CNS embryonal tumors is often unpredictable in the setting of MMB. Here, we present the clinical course and treatment of an almost 4-year-old girl with MMB that was characterized by MYC amplification, isochromosome 17q and large cell/anaplastic histopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen D. Wright
- Department of Oncology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN,Address for correspondence and reprints: Karen D. Wright, MD, Department of Oncology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place – Mailstop 260, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, Tel. 901-595-5898, Fax 901-595-4386,
| | | | - Jamie Coleman
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Zoltan Patay
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - David W. Ellison
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Amar Gajjar
- Department of Oncology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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36
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Takwi AAL, Li Y, Becker Buscaglia LE, Zhang J, Choudhury S, Park AK, Liu M, Young KH, Park WY, Martin RCG, Li Y. A statin-regulated microRNA represses human c-Myc expression and function. EMBO Mol Med 2012; 4:896-909. [PMID: 22887866 PMCID: PMC3491823 DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201101045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Revised: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
c-Myc dysregulation is one of the most common abnormalities found in human cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are functionally intertwined with the c-Myc network as multiple miRNAs are regulated by c-Myc, while others directly suppress c-Myc expression. In this work, we identified miR-33b as a primate-specific negative regulator of c-Myc. The human miR-33b gene is located at 17p11.2, a genomic locus frequently lost in medulloblastomas, of which a subset displays c-Myc overproduction. Through a small-scale screening with drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we found that lovastatin upregulated miR-33b expression, reduced cell proliferation and impaired c-Myc expression and function in miR-33b-positive medulloblastoma cells. In addition, a low dose of lovastatin treatment at a level comparable to approved human oral use reduced tumour growth in mice orthotopically xenografted with cells carrying miR-33b, but not with cells lacking miR-33b. This work presents a highly promising therapeutic option, using drug repurposing and a miRNA as a biomarker, against cancers that overexpress c-Myc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apana A L Takwi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Lindsey E Becker Buscaglia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Jingwen Zhang
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Saibyasachi Choudhury
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Ae Kyung Park
- Department of Pharmacy, Sunchon National University College of PharmacySunchon, Korea
| | - Mofang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghai, China
| | - Ken H Young
- Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHouston, TX, USA
| | - Woong-Yang Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University, College of MedicineSeoul, Korea
| | - Robert C G Martin
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY, USA
- *Corresponding author: Tel: +1 502 8527551; Fax: +1 502 8526222; E-mail:
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An interferon response gene expression signature is activated in a subset of medulloblastomas. Transl Oncol 2012; 5:297-304. [PMID: 22937182 DOI: 10.1593/tlo.12214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2012] [Revised: 06/19/2012] [Accepted: 06/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that cytomegalovirus infection contributes to the development of medulloblastomas. Differential activation of antiviral expression programs in medulloblastomas has not been investigated yet. In this study, we assess the relevance of an antiviral transcriptional response in medulloblastomas. We analyzed a gene expression signature of type I interferon response in three public gene expression data sets of medulloblastomas. Interferon response genes were found to be significantly coordinately regulated in two independent studies. We distilled a signature of 10 interferon response genes from two data sets. This signature exhibited strongly significant gene-versus-gene correlation of expression levels across samples in a third external medulloblastoma data set. Our medulloblastoma IFN signature identified a previously unrecognized patient subgroup partially overlapping the WNT and SHH subtypes proposed by others. We conclude that significant traces of differential activation of antiviral transcriptional response can be found in three independent medulloblastoma patient cohorts. This IFN activation signal often coincides with reduced proliferation scores. Our proposed 10-gene type I IFN response gene signature could help to assess antiviral states in further gene expression data sets of medulloblastomas or other cancers.
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Abstract
Myc proteins are often deregulated in human brain tumors, especially in embryonal tumors that affect children. Many observations have shown how alterations of these pleiotropic Myc transcription factors provide initiation, maintenance, or progression of tumors. This review will focus on the role of Myc family members (particularly c-myc and Mycn) in tumors like medulloblastoma and glioma and will further discuss how to target stabilization of these proteins for future brain tumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik J Swartling
- Uppsala University, Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala, Sweden.
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39
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Biological and clinical heterogeneity of MYCN-amplified medulloblastoma. Acta Neuropathol 2012; 123:515-27. [PMID: 22160402 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-011-0918-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Revised: 11/09/2011] [Accepted: 11/13/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Focal high-level amplifications of MYC (or MYCC) define a subset of high-risk medulloblastoma patients. However, the prognostic role of MYCN oncogene amplification remains unresolved. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of this alteration alone and in combination with biological modifiers in 67 pediatric medulloblastomas with MYCN amplification (MYCN-MB). Twenty-one MYCN-MB were examined using gene expression profiling and array-CGH, whereas for 46 tumors immunohistochemical analysis and FISH were performed. All 67 tumors were further subjected to mutational analyses. We compared molecular, clinical, and prognostic characteristics both within biological MYCN-MB groups and with non-amplified tumors. Transcriptomic analysis revealed SHH-driven tumorigenesis in a subset of MYCN-MBs indicating a biological dichotomy of MYCN-MB. Activation of SHH was accompanied by variant-specific cytogenetic aberrations including deletion of 9q in SHH tumors. Non-SHH MB were associated with gain of 7q and isochromosome 17q/17q gain. Among clinically relevant variables, SHH subtype and 10q loss for non-SHH tumors comprised the most powerful markers of favorable prognosis in MYCN-MB. In conclusion, we demonstrate considerable heterogeneity within MYCN-MB in terms of genetics, tumor biology, and clinical outcome. Thus, assessment of disease group and 10q copy-number status may improve risk stratification of this group and may delineate MYCN-MB with the same dismal prognosis as MYC amplified tumors. Furthermore, based on the enrichment of MYCN and GLI2 amplifications in SHH-driven medulloblastoma, amplification of these downstream signaling intermediates should be taken into account before a patient is enrolled into a clinical trial using a smoothened inhibitor.
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Ryan SL, Schwalbe EC, Cole M, Lu Y, Lusher ME, Megahed H, O'Toole K, Nicholson SL, Bognar L, Garami M, Hauser P, Korshunov A, Pfister SM, Williamson D, Taylor RE, Ellison DW, Bailey S, Clifford SC. MYC family amplification and clinical risk-factors interact to predict an extremely poor prognosis in childhood medulloblastoma. Acta Neuropathol 2012; 123:501-13. [PMID: 22139329 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-011-0923-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2011] [Revised: 11/16/2011] [Accepted: 11/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The MYC oncogenes are the most commonly amplified loci in medulloblastoma, and have previously been proposed as biomarkers of adverse disease prognosis by us and others. Here, we report focussed and comprehensive investigations of MYCC, MYCN and MYCL in an extensive medulloblastoma cohort (n = 292), aimed to define more precisely their biological significance and optimal clinical application to direct improved disease risk-stratification and individualisation of therapy. MYCC and MYCN expression elevations were multifactorial, associated with high-risk (gene amplification, large-cell/anaplastic pathology (LCA)) and favourable-risk (WNT/SHH molecular subgroups) disease features. Highly variable cellular gene amplification patterns underlay overall MYC copy number elevations observed in tumour biopsies; we used these alternative measures together to define quantitative methodologies and thresholds for amplification detection in routinely collected tumour material. MYCC and MYCN amplification, but not gain, each had independent prognostic significance in non-infants (≥3.0-16.0 years), but MYCC conferred a greater hazard to survival than MYCN when considered across this treatment group. MYCN's weaker group-wide survival relationship may be explained by its pleiotropic behaviour between clinical disease-risk groups; MYCN predicted poor prognosis in clinical high-risk (metastatic (M+) or LCA), but not standard-risk, patients. Extending these findings, survival decreased in proportion to the total number of independently significant high-risk features present (LCA, M+ or MYCC/MYCN amplification). This cumulative-risk model defines a patient group characterised by ≥2 independent risk-factors and an extremely poor prognosis (<15% survival), which can be identified straightforwardly using the reported MYC amplification detection methodologies alongside clinical assessments, enabling targeting for novel/intensified therapies in future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarra L Ryan
- Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Institute Level, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Lau J, Schmidt C, Markant SL, Taylor MD, Wechsler-Reya RJ, Weiss WA. Matching mice to malignancy: molecular subgroups and models of medulloblastoma. Childs Nerv Syst 2012; 28:521-32. [PMID: 22315164 PMCID: PMC3515664 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-012-1704-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2011] [Accepted: 01/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Medulloblastoma, the largest group of embryonal brain tumors, has historically been classified into five variants based on histopathology. More recently, epigenetic and transcriptional analyses of primary tumors have subclassified medulloblastoma into four to six subgroups, most of which are incongruous with histopathological classification. DISCUSSION Improved stratification is required for prognosis and development of targeted treatment strategies, to maximize cure and minimize adverse effects. Several mouse models of medulloblastoma have contributed both to an improved understanding of progression and to developmental therapeutics. In this review, we summarize the classification of human medulloblastoma subtypes based on histopathology and molecular features. We describe existing genetically engineered mouse models, compare these to human disease, and discuss the utility of mouse models for developmental therapeutics. Just as accurate knowledge of the correct molecular subtype of medulloblastoma is critical to the development of targeted therapy in patients, we propose that accurate modeling of each subtype of medulloblastoma in mice will be necessary for preclinical evaluation and optimization of those targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Lau
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christin Schmidt
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shirley L. Markant
- Tumor Development Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA. Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Michael D. Taylor
- Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert J. Wechsler-Reya
- Tumor Development Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA. Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - William A. Weiss
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Kawauchi D, Robinson G, Uziel T, Gibson P, Rehg J, Gao C, Finkelstein D, Qu C, Pounds S, Ellison DW, Gilbertson RJ, Roussel MF. A mouse model of the most aggressive subgroup of human medulloblastoma. Cancer Cell 2012; 21:168-80. [PMID: 22340591 PMCID: PMC3285412 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2011.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2011] [Revised: 11/02/2011] [Accepted: 12/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastomas that display a large cell/anaplastic morphology and overexpress the cellular c-MYC gene are highly aggressive and carry a very poor prognosis. This so-called MYC-subgroup differs in its histopathology, gene expression profile, and clinical behavior from other forms of medulloblastoma. We generated a mouse model of MYC-subgroup medulloblastoma by transducing Trp53-null cerebellar progenitor cells with Myc. The cardinal features of these mouse medulloblastomas closely mimic those of human MYC-subgroup tumors and significantly differ from mouse models of the Sonic-Hedgehog- and WNT-disease subgroups. This mouse model should significantly accelerate understanding and treatment of the most aggressive form of medulloblastoma and infers distinct roles for MYC and MYCN in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Kawauchi
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Giles Robinson
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Tamar Uziel
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Paul Gibson
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Jerold Rehg
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Cuilan Gao
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - David Finkelstein
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Chunxu Qu
- Department of Information Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Stanley Pounds
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - David W. Ellison
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
| | - Richard J. Gilbertson
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
- Richard J. Gilbertson, MD, PhD, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA. Tel: 901-595-3913; FAX: 901-595-2270;
| | - Martine F. Roussel
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, USA
- to whom requests should be submitted: Martine F. Roussel, PhD, Department of Tumor Cell Biology, Danny Thomas Research Center, DTRC 5006C, 262, Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105. Tel: 901-595-3481; FAX: 901-595-2381;
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Most children diagnosed with cancer today are expected to be cured. Medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric malignant brain tumor, is an example of a disease that has benefitted from advances in diagnostic imaging, surgical techniques, radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy over the past decades. It was an incurable disease 50 years ago, but approximately 70% of children with medulloblastoma are now cured of their disease. However, the pace of increasing the cure rate has slowed over the past 2 decades, and we have likely reached the maximal benefit that can be achieved with cytotoxic therapy and clinical risk stratification. Long-term toxicity of therapy also remains significant. To increase cure rates and decrease long-term toxicity, there is great interest in incorporating biologic 'targeted' therapy into treatment of medulloblastoma, but this will require a paradigm shift in how we classify and study disease. RECENT FINDINGS Using genome-based high-throughput analytic techniques, several groups have independently reported methods of molecular classification of medulloblastoma within the past year. This has resulted in a working consensus to view medulloblastoma as four molecular subtypes, including wingless-type murine mammary tumor virus integration site (WNT) pathway subtype, Sonic Hedgehog pathway subtype and two less well defined subtypes (groups C and D). SUMMARY Novel classification and risk stratification based on biologic subtypes of disease will form the basis of further study in medulloblastoma and identify specific subtypes that warrant greater research focus.
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Miller S, Rogers HA, Lyon P, Rand V, Adamowicz-Brice M, Clifford SC, Hayden JT, Dyer S, Pfister S, Korshunov A, Brundler MA, Lowe J, Coyle B, Grundy RG. Genome-wide molecular characterization of central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumor and pineoblastoma. Neuro Oncol 2011; 13:866-79. [PMID: 21798848 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nor070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumor (CNS PNET) and pineoblastoma are highly malignant embryonal brain tumors with poor prognoses. Current therapies are based on the treatment of pediatric medulloblastoma, even though these tumors are distinct at both the anatomical and molecular level. CNS PNET and pineoblastoma have a worse clinical outcome than medulloblastoma; thus, improved therapies based on an understanding of the underlying biology of CNS PNET and pineoblastoma are needed. To this end, we characterized the genomic alterations of 36 pediatric CNS PNETs and 8 pineoblastomas using Affymetrix single nucleotide polymorphism arrays. Overall, the majority of CNS PNETs contained a greater degree of genomic imbalance than pineoblastomas, with gain of 19p (8 [27.6%] of 29), 2p (7 [24.1%] of 29), and 1q (6 [20.7%] of 29) common events in primary CNS PNETs. Novel gene copy number alterations were identified and corroborated by Genomic Identification of Significant Targets In Cancer (GISTIC) analysis: gain of PCDHGA3, 5q31.3 in 62.1% of primary CNS PNETs and all primary pineoblastomas and FAM129A, 1q25 in 55.2% of primary CNS PNETs and 50% of primary pineoblastomas. Comparison of our GISTIC data with publically available data for medulloblastoma confirmed these CNS PNET-specific copy number alterations. With use of the collection of 5 primary and recurrent CNS PNET pairs, we found that gain of 2p21 was maintained at relapse in 80% of cases. Novel gene copy number losses included OR4C12, 11p11.12 in 48.2% of primary CNS PNETs and 50% of primary pineoblastomas. Loss of CDKN2A/B (9p21.3) was identified in 14% of primary CNS PNETs and was significantly associated with older age among children (P = .05). CADPS, 3p14.2 was lost in 27.6% of primary CNS PNETs and was associated with poor prognosis (P = .043). This genome-wide analysis revealed the marked molecular heterogeneity of CNS PNETs and enabled the identification of novel genes and clinical associations potentially involved in the pathogenesis of these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Miller
- Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, School of Clinical Sciences, Queen’s Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
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Kim W, Choy W, Dye J, Nagasawa D, Safaee M, Fong B, Yang I. The tumor biology and molecular characteristics of medulloblastoma identifying prognostic factors associated with survival outcomes and prognosis. J Clin Neurosci 2011; 18:886-90. [PMID: 21640908 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2011.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2010] [Revised: 01/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/27/2010] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Medulloblastomas (MB) are highly aggressive primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) usually located in the posterior fossa. Current treatment for MBs, which includes a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, remain challenging especially in younger patients. However, advances in the understanding of regulatory pathways in cerebellar development have elucidated possible areas of dysfunction involved in tumorigenesis. Multiple studies have demonstrated the importance of the sonic hedgehog, Wnt, and Notch pathways in MB pathogenesis at the molecular level. While staging and prognosis are often based on the Chang classification system, future algorithms will involve identifying molecular markers in order to allow for more specific risk stratifications of various MB subtypes and provide improved correlation with staging and prognosis. Future development of novel therapies that target the heterogeneity of MB and are tailored to the tumor's unique molecular profile may yield improved outcomes for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Kim
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, 695 Charles E. Young Drive South, Gonda 3357, Los Angeles, California 90095-1761, USA
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Bunt J, Hasselt NE, Zwijnenburg DA, Koster J, Versteeg R, Kool M. Joint binding of OTX2 and MYC in promotor regions is associated with high gene expression in medulloblastoma. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26058. [PMID: 22016811 PMCID: PMC3189962 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2011] [Accepted: 09/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Both OTX2 and MYC are important oncogenes in medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in childhood. Much is known about MYC binding to promoter regions, but OTX2 binding is hardly investigated. We used ChIP-on-chip data to analyze the binding patterns of both transcription factors in D425 medulloblastoma cells. When combining the data for all promoter regions in the genome, OTX2 binding showed a remarkable bi-modal distribution pattern with peaks around −250 bp upstream and +650 bp downstream of the transcription start sites (TSSs). Indeed, 40.2% of all OTX2-bound TSSs had more than one significant OTX2-binding peak. This OTX2-binding pattern was very different from the TSS-centered single peak binding pattern observed for MYC and other known transcription factors. However, in individual promoter regions, OTX2 and MYC have a strong tendency to bind in proximity of each other. OTX2-binding sequences are depleted near TSSs in the genome, providing an explanation for the observed bi-modal distribution of OTX2 binding. This contrasts to the enrichment of E-box sequences at TSSs. Both OTX2 and MYC binding independently correlated with higher gene expression. Interestingly, genes of promoter regions with multiple OTX2 binding as well as MYC binding showed the highest expression levels in D425 cells and in primary medulloblastomas. Genes within this class of promoter regions were enriched for medulloblastoma and stem cell specific genes. Our data suggest an important functional interaction between OTX2 and MYC in regulating gene expression in medulloblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Bunt
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nancy E. Hasselt
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jan Koster
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rogier Versteeg
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Kool
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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47
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Novel amplifications in pediatric medulloblastoma identified by genome-wide copy number profiling. J Neurooncol 2011; 107:37-49. [PMID: 21979893 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-011-0716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a WHO grade IV, invasive embryonal CNS tumor that mainly affects children. The aggressiveness and response to therapy can vary considerably between cases, and despite treatment, ~30% of patients die within 2 years from diagnosis. Furthermore, the majority of survivors suffer long-term side-effects due to severe management modalities. Several distinct morphological features have been associated with differences in biological behavior, but improved molecular-based criteria that better reflect the underlying tumor biology are in great demand. In this study, we profiled a series of 25 MB with a 32K BAC array covering 99% of the current assembly of the human genome for the identification of genetic copy number alterations possibly important in MB. Previously known aberrations as well as several novel focally amplified loci could be identified. As expected, the most frequently observed alteration was the combination of 17p loss and 17q gain, which was detected in both high- and standard-risk patients. We also defined minimal overlapping regions of aberrations, including 16 regions of gain and 18 regions of loss in various chromosomes. A few noteworthy narrow amplified loci were identified on autosomes 1 (38.89-41.97 and 84.89-90.76 Mb), 3 (27.64-28.20 and 35.80-43.50 Mb), and 8 (119.66-139.79 Mb), aberrations that were verified with an alternative platform (Illumina 610Q chips). Gene expression levels were also established for these samples using Affymetrix U133Plus2.0 arrays. Several interesting genes encompassed within the amplified regions and presenting with transcript upregulation were identified. These data contribute to the characterization of this malignant childhood brain tumor and confirm its genetic heterogeneity.
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48
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Lv SQ, Kim YH, Giulio F, Shalaby T, Nobusawa S, Yang H, Zhou Z, Grotzer M, Ohgaki H. Genetic alterations in microRNAs in medulloblastomas. Brain Pathol 2011; 22:230-9. [PMID: 21793975 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2011.00523.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate a variety of cellular processes via the regulation of multiple target genes. We screened 48 medulloblastomas for mutation, deletion and amplification of nine miRNA genes that were selected on the basis of the presence of potential target sequences within the 3'-untranslated region of the MYCC mRNA. Differential PCR revealed deletions in miR-186 (15%), miR-135a-1 (33%), miR-548d-1 (42%), miR-548d-2 (21%) and miR-512-2 (33%) genes, whereas deletion or amplification was detected in miR-135b (23%) and miR-135a-2 (15%). In miR-33b, deletion, amplification or a mutation at the precursor miRNA were detected in 10% of medulloblastomas. Overall, 35/48 (73%) medulloblastomas had at least one alteration. Real-time RT-PCR revealed MYCC overexpression in 11 of 37 (30%) medulloblastomas, and there was a correlation between MYCC overexpression and miR-512-2 gene deletion (P = 0.0084). Antisense-based knockdown of miR-512-5p (mature sequence of miR-512-2) resulted in significant upregulation of MYCC expression in HeLa and A549 cells, while forced overexpression of miR-512-2 in medulloblastoma/PNET cell lines DAOY, UW-228-2, PFSK resulted in the downregulation of MYCC protein. Furthermore, the results of luciferase reporter assays suggested that miR-512-2 targets the MYCC gene. These results suggest that alterations in the miRNA genes may be an alternative mechanism leading to MYCC overexpression in medulloblastomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Qing Lv
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France Neuro-Oncology Program, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland
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Azizi AA, Li L, Ströbel T, Chen WQ, Slavc I, Lubec G. Identification of c-myc-dependent proteins in the medulloblastoma cell line D425Med. Amino Acids 2011; 42:2149-63. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-011-0953-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2011] [Accepted: 05/26/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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50
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Pezzolo A, Coco S, Raso A, Parodi F, Pistorio A, Valdora F, Capra V, Zollo M, Aschero S, Basso E, Cama A, Nozza P, Gambini C, Cinalli G, Garrè ML, Iolascon A, Pistoia V, Tonini GP. Loss of 10q26.1-q26.3 in association with 7q34-q36.3 gain or 17q24.3-q25.3 gain predict poor outcome in pediatric medulloblastoma. Cancer Lett 2011; 308:215-24. [PMID: 21652146 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2011.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Revised: 05/04/2011] [Accepted: 05/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood. We have investigated for novel chromosomal imbalances and prognostic markers of pediatric MB. Forty MBs out of 64, were analyzed using high resolution prometaphase comparative genomic hybridization. Chromosome 10q26.1-q26.3 loss combined with 17q24.3-q25.3 gain and/or 7q34-q36.3 gain in tumors predicted poor patient's survival. A minimal deleted region of 14.12cM at 10q26.1-q26.3 was refined by LOH analysis. We propose a new prognostic marker for pediatric MB patient risk stratification based on the presence of 10q26.1-q26.3 loss plus 17q24.3-q25.3 gain and/or 7q34-q36.3 gain associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Pezzolo
- Department of Experimental and Laboratory Medicine, IRCCS G. Gaslini Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
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