1
|
Groves SM, Quaranta V. Quantifying cancer cell plasticity with gene regulatory networks and single-cell dynamics. Front Netw Physiol 2023; 3:1225736. [PMID: 37731743 PMCID: PMC10507267 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1225736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity of cancer cells can lead to complex cell state dynamics during tumor progression and acquired resistance. Highly plastic stem-like states may be inherently drug-resistant. Moreover, cell state dynamics in response to therapy allow a tumor to evade treatment. In both scenarios, quantifying plasticity is essential for identifying high-plasticity states or elucidating transition paths between states. Currently, methods to quantify plasticity tend to focus on 1) quantification of quasi-potential based on the underlying gene regulatory network dynamics of the system; or 2) inference of cell potency based on trajectory inference or lineage tracing in single-cell dynamics. Here, we explore both of these approaches and associated computational tools. We then discuss implications of each approach to plasticity metrics, and relevance to cancer treatment strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Groves
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yang J, Bergdorf K, Yan C, Luo W, Chen SC, Ayers GD, Liu Q, Liu X, Boothby M, Weiss VL, Groves SM, Oleskie AN, Zhang X, Maeda DY, Zebala JA, Quaranta V, Richmond A. CXCR2 expression during melanoma tumorigenesis controls transcriptional programs that facilitate tumor growth. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:92. [PMID: 37270599 PMCID: PMC10239119 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01789-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Though the CXCR2 chemokine receptor is known to play a key role in cancer growth and response to therapy, a direct link between expression of CXCR2 in tumor progenitor cells during induction of tumorigenesis has not been established. METHODS To characterize the role of CXCR2 during melanoma tumorigenesis, we generated tamoxifen-inducible tyrosinase-promoter driven BrafV600E/Pten-/-/Cxcr2-/- and NRasQ61R/INK4a-/-/Cxcr2-/- melanoma models. In addition, the effects of a CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist, SX-682, on melanoma tumorigenesis were evaluated in BrafV600E/Pten-/- and NRasQ61R/INK4a-/- mice and in melanoma cell lines. Potential mechanisms by which Cxcr2 affects melanoma tumorigenesis in these murine models were explored using RNAseq, mMCP-counter, ChIPseq, and qRT-PCR; flow cytometry, and reverse phosphoprotein analysis (RPPA). RESULTS Genetic loss of Cxcr2 or pharmacological inhibition of CXCR1/CXCR2 during melanoma tumor induction resulted in key changes in gene expression that reduced tumor incidence/growth and increased anti-tumor immunity. Interestingly, after Cxcr2 ablation, Tfcp2l1, a key tumor suppressive transcription factor, was the only gene significantly induced with a log2 fold-change greater than 2 in these three different melanoma models. CONCLUSIONS Here, we provide novel mechanistic insight revealing how loss of Cxcr2 expression/activity in melanoma tumor progenitor cells results in reduced tumor burden and creation of an anti-tumor immune microenvironment. This mechanism entails an increase in expression of the tumor suppressive transcription factor, Tfcp2l1, along with alteration in the expression of genes involved in growth regulation, tumor suppression, stemness, differentiation, and immune modulation. These gene expression changes are coincident with reduction in the activation of key growth regulatory pathways, including AKT and mTOR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Yang
- TVHS Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - K Bergdorf
- TVHS Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - C Yan
- TVHS Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - W Luo
- TVHS Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - S C Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203-1742, USA
| | - G D Ayers
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203-1742, USA
| | - Q Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203-1742, USA
| | - X Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37203-1742, USA
| | - M Boothby
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - V L Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - S M Groves
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - A N Oleskie
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - X Zhang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - D Y Maeda
- Syntrix Pharmaceuticals, Auburn, WA, 98001, USA
| | - J A Zebala
- Syntrix Pharmaceuticals, Auburn, WA, 98001, USA
| | - V Quaranta
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, TN, 37240, Nashville, USA
| | - A Richmond
- TVHS Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang J, Bergdorf K, Yan C, Luo W, Chen SC, Ayers D, Liu Q, Liu X, Boothby M, Groves SM, Oleskie AN, Zhang X, Maeda DY, Zebala JA, Quaranta V, Richmond A. CXCR2 expression during melanoma tumorigenesis controls transcriptional programs that facilitate tumor growth. bioRxiv 2023:2023.02.22.529548. [PMID: 36865260 PMCID: PMC9980137 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.22.529548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Background Though the CXCR2 chemokine receptor is known to play a key role in cancer growth and response to therapy, a direct link between expression of CXCR2 in tumor progenitor cells during induction of tumorigenesis has not been established. Methods To characterize the role of CXCR2 during melanoma tumorigenesis, we generated tamoxifen-inducible tyrosinase-promoter driven Braf V600E /Pten -/- /Cxcr2 -/- and NRas Q61R /INK4a -/- /Cxcr2 -/- melanoma models. In addition, the effects of a CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist, SX-682, on melanoma tumorigenesis were evaluated in Braf V600E /Pten -/- and NRas Q61R /INK4a -/- mice and in melanoma cell lines. Potential mechanisms by which Cxcr2 affects melanoma tumorigenesis in these murine models were explored using RNAseq, mMCP-counter, ChIPseq, and qRT-PCR; flow cytometry, and reverse phosphoprotein analysis (RPPA). Results Genetic loss of Cxcr2 or pharmacological inhibition of CXCR1/CXCR2 during melanoma tumor induction resulted in key changes in gene expression that reduced tumor incidence/growth and increased anti-tumor immunity. Interestingly, after Cxcr2 ablation, Tfcp2l1 , a key tumor suppressive transcription factor, was the only gene significantly induced with a log 2 fold-change greater than 2 in these three different melanoma models. Conclusions Here, we provide novel mechanistic insight revealing how loss of Cxcr2 expression/activity in melanoma tumor progenitor cells results in reduced tumor burden and creation of an anti-tumor immune microenvironment. This mechanism entails an increase in expression of the tumor suppressive transcription factor, Tfcp2l1, along with alteration in the expression of genes involved in growth regulation, tumor suppression, stemness, differentiation, and immune modulation. These gene expression changes are coincident with reduction in the activation of key growth regulatory pathways, including AKT and mTOR.
Collapse
|
4
|
Groves SM, Panchy N, Tyson DR, Harris LA, Quaranta V, Hong T. Involvement of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Genes in Small Cell Lung Cancer Phenotypic Plasticity. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1477. [PMID: 36900269 PMCID: PMC10001072 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive cancer recalcitrant to treatment, arising predominantly from epithelial pulmonary neuroendocrine (NE) cells. Intratumor heterogeneity plays critical roles in SCLC disease progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. At least five transcriptional SCLC NE and non-NE cell subtypes were recently defined by gene expression signatures. Transition from NE to non-NE cell states and cooperation between subtypes within a tumor likely contribute to SCLC progression by mechanisms of adaptation to perturbations. Therefore, gene regulatory programs distinguishing SCLC subtypes or promoting transitions are of great interest. Here, we systematically analyze the relationship between SCLC NE/non-NE transition and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)-a well-studied cellular process contributing to cancer invasiveness and resistance-using multiple transcriptome datasets from SCLC mouse tumor models, human cancer cell lines, and tumor samples. The NE SCLC-A2 subtype maps to the epithelial state. In contrast, SCLC-A and SCLC-N (NE) map to a partial mesenchymal state (M1) that is distinct from the non-NE, partial mesenchymal state (M2). The correspondence between SCLC subtypes and the EMT program paves the way for further work to understand gene regulatory mechanisms of SCLC tumor plasticity with applicability to other cancer types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Groves
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Nicholas Panchy
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Darren R. Tyson
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Leonard A. Harris
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Tian Hong
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Groves SM, Ildefonso GV, McAtee CO, Ozawa PMM, Ireland AS, Stauffer PE, Wasdin PT, Huang X, Qiao Y, Lim JS, Bader J, Liu Q, Simmons AJ, Lau KS, Iams WT, Hardin DP, Saff EB, Holmes WR, Tyson DR, Lovly CM, Rathmell JC, Marth G, Sage J, Oliver TG, Weaver AM, Quaranta V. Archetype tasks link intratumoral heterogeneity to plasticity and cancer hallmarks in small cell lung cancer. Cell Syst 2022; 13:690-710.e17. [PMID: 35981544 PMCID: PMC9615940 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) tumors comprise heterogeneous mixtures of cell states, categorized into neuroendocrine (NE) and non-neuroendocrine (non-NE) transcriptional subtypes. NE to non-NE state transitions, fueled by plasticity, likely underlie adaptability to treatment and dismal survival rates. Here, we apply an archetypal analysis to model plasticity by recasting SCLC phenotypic heterogeneity through multi-task evolutionary theory. Cell line and tumor transcriptomics data fit well in a five-dimensional convex polytope whose vertices optimize tasks reminiscent of pulmonary NE cells, the SCLC normal counterparts. These tasks, supported by knowledge and experimental data, include proliferation, slithering, metabolism, secretion, and injury repair, reflecting cancer hallmarks. SCLC subtypes, either at the population or single-cell level, can be positioned in archetypal space by bulk or single-cell transcriptomics, respectively, and characterized as task specialists or multi-task generalists by the distance from archetype vertex signatures. In the archetype space, modeling single-cell plasticity as a Markovian process along an underlying state manifold indicates that task trade-offs, in response to microenvironmental perturbations or treatment, may drive cell plasticity. Stifling phenotypic transitions and plasticity may provide new targets for much-needed translational advances in SCLC. A record of this paper's Transparent Peer Review process is included in the supplemental information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Groves
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Geena V Ildefonso
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Caitlin O McAtee
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Patricia M M Ozawa
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Abbie S Ireland
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Philip E Stauffer
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Perry T Wasdin
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Xiaomeng Huang
- Utah Center for Genetic Discovery, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Yi Qiao
- Utah Center for Genetic Discovery, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jing Shan Lim
- Department of Pediatrics and Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jackie Bader
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Alan J Simmons
- Epithelial Biology Center and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Ken S Lau
- Epithelial Biology Center and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Wade T Iams
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Doug P Hardin
- Department of Mathematics and Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Edward B Saff
- Department of Mathematics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - William R Holmes
- Department of Mathematics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Department of Physics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Darren R Tyson
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Christine M Lovly
- Department of Mathematics and Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Rathmell
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Gabor Marth
- Utah Center for Genetic Discovery, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Julien Sage
- Department of Pediatrics and Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Trudy G Oliver
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Alissa M Weaver
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Olsen RR, Ireland AS, Kastner DW, Groves SM, Spainhower KB, Pozo K, Kelenis DP, Whitney CP, Guthrie MR, Wait SJ, Soltero D, Witt BL, Quaranta V, Johnson JE, Oliver TG. ASCL1 represses a SOX9 + neural crest stem-like state in small cell lung cancer. Genes Dev 2021; 35:847-869. [PMID: 34016693 PMCID: PMC8168563 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348295.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
ASCL1 is a neuroendocrine lineage-specific oncogenic driver of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), highly expressed in a significant fraction of tumors. However, ∼25% of human SCLC are ASCL1-low and associated with low neuroendocrine fate and high MYC expression. Using genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), we show that alterations in Rb1/Trp53/Myc in the mouse lung induce an ASCL1+ state of SCLC in multiple cells of origin. Genetic depletion of ASCL1 in MYC-driven SCLC dramatically inhibits tumor initiation and progression to the NEUROD1+ subtype of SCLC. Surprisingly, ASCL1 loss promotes a SOX9+ mesenchymal/neural crest stem-like state and the emergence of osteosarcoma and chondroid tumors, whose propensity is impacted by cell of origin. ASCL1 is critical for expression of key lineage-related transcription factors NKX2-1, FOXA2, and INSM1 and represses genes involved in the Hippo/Wnt/Notch developmental pathways in vivo. Importantly, ASCL1 represses a SOX9/RUNX1/RUNX2 program in vivo and SOX9 expression in human SCLC cells, suggesting a conserved function for ASCL1. Together, in a MYC-driven SCLC model, ASCL1 promotes neuroendocrine fate and represses the emergence of a SOX9+ nonendodermal stem-like fate that resembles neural crest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachelle R Olsen
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Abbie S Ireland
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - David W Kastner
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Sarah M Groves
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, USA
| | - Kyle B Spainhower
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Karine Pozo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Demetra P Kelenis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Christopher P Whitney
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Matthew R Guthrie
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Sarah J Wait
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Danny Soltero
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Benjamin L Witt
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
- ARUP Laboratories at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, USA
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, USA
| | - Jane E Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Trudy G Oliver
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Thomas PL, Groves SM, Zhang YK, Li J, Gonzalez-Ericsson P, Sivagnanam S, Betts CB, Chen HC, Liu Q, Lowe C, Chen H, Boyd KL, Kopparapu PR, Yan Y, Coussens LM, Quaranta V, Tyson DR, Iams W, Lovly CM. Beyond Programmed Death-Ligand 1: B7-H6 Emerges as a Potential Immunotherapy Target in SCLC. J Thorac Oncol 2021; 16:1211-1223. [PMID: 33839362 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors, atezolizumab and durvalumab, have received regulatory approval for the first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage SCLC. Nevertheless, when used in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, these PD-L1 inhibitors only improve overall survival by 2 to 3 months. This may be due to the observation that less than 20% of SCLC tumors express PD-L1 at greater than 1%. Evaluating the composition and abundance of checkpoint molecules in SCLC may identify molecules beyond PD-L1 that are amenable to therapeutic targeting. METHODS We analyzed RNA-sequencing data from SCLC cell lines (n = 108) and primary tumor specimens (n = 81) for expression of 39 functionally validated inhibitory checkpoint ligands. Furthermore, we generated tissue microarrays containing SCLC cell lines and patient with SCLC specimens to confirm expression of these molecules by immunohistochemistry. We annotated patient outcomes data, including treatment response and overall survival. RESULTS The checkpoint protein B7-H6 (NCR3LG1) exhibited increased protein expression relative to PD-L1 in cell lines and tumors (p < 0.05). Higher B7-H6 protein expression correlated with longer progression-free survival (p = 0.0368) and increased total immune infiltrates (CD45+) in patients. Furthermore, increased B7-H6 gene expression in SCLC tumors correlated with a decreased activated natural killer cell gene signature, suggesting a complex interplay between B7-H6 expression and immune signature in SCLC. CONCLUSIONS We investigated 39 inhibitory checkpoint molecules in SCLC and found that B7-H6 is highly expressed and associated with progression-free survival. In addition, 26 of 39 immune checkpoint proteins in SCLC tumors were more abundantly expressed than PD-L1, indicating an urgent need to investigate additional checkpoint targets for therapy in addition to PD-L1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Portia L Thomas
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Physiology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee; School of Graduate Studies & Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sarah M Groves
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Yun-Kai Zhang
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Paula Gonzalez-Ericsson
- Breast Cancer Research Program, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Shamilene Sivagnanam
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Courtney B Betts
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Hua-Chang Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Cindy Lowe
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Heidi Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kelli L Boyd
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Prasad R Kopparapu
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Yingjun Yan
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Lisa M Coussens
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Darren R Tyson
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Wade Iams
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Christine M Lovly
- School of Graduate Studies & Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee; Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gay CM, Stewart CA, Park EM, Diao L, Groves SM, Heeke S, Nabet BY, Fujimoto J, Solis LM, Lu W, Xi Y, Cardnell RJ, Wang Q, Fabbri G, Cargill KR, Vokes NI, Ramkumar K, Zhang B, Della Corte CM, Robson P, Swisher SG, Roth JA, Glisson BS, Shames DS, Wistuba II, Wang J, Quaranta V, Minna J, Heymach JV, Byers LA. Patterns of transcription factor programs and immune pathway activation define four major subtypes of SCLC with distinct therapeutic vulnerabilities. Cancer Cell 2021; 39:346-360.e7. [PMID: 33482121 PMCID: PMC8143037 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 393] [Impact Index Per Article: 131.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Despite molecular and clinical heterogeneity, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is treated as a single entity with predictably poor results. Using tumor expression data and non-negative matrix factorization, we identify four SCLC subtypes defined largely by differential expression of transcription factors ASCL1, NEUROD1, and POU2F3 or low expression of all three transcription factor signatures accompanied by an Inflamed gene signature (SCLC-A, N, P, and I, respectively). SCLC-I experiences the greatest benefit from the addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy, while the other subtypes each have distinct vulnerabilities, including to inhibitors of PARP, Aurora kinases, or BCL-2. Cisplatin treatment of SCLC-A patient-derived xenografts induces intratumoral shifts toward SCLC-I, supporting subtype switching as a mechanism of acquired platinum resistance. We propose that matching baseline tumor subtype to therapy, as well as manipulating subtype switching on therapy, may enhance depth and duration of response for SCLC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carl M Gay
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - C Allison Stewart
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Park
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lixia Diao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah M Groves
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Simon Heeke
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Barzin Y Nabet
- Department of Oncology Biomarker Development, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Junya Fujimoto
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Luisa M Solis
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yuanxin Xi
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robert J Cardnell
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Kasey R Cargill
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Natalie I Vokes
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kavya Ramkumar
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bingnan Zhang
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Carminia M Della Corte
- Department of Precision Medicine, Oncology Division, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Paul Robson
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Stephen G Swisher
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jack A Roth
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bonnie S Glisson
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David S Shames
- Department of Oncology Biomarker Development, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Ignacio I Wistuba
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - John Minna
- Department of Internal Medicine and Simmons Cancer Center, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John V Heymach
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lauren Averett Byers
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wooten DJ, Groves SM, Tyson DR, Liu Q, Lim JS, Albert R, Lopez CF, Sage J, Quaranta V. Systems-level network modeling of Small Cell Lung Cancer subtypes identifies master regulators and destabilizers. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007343. [PMID: 31671086 PMCID: PMC6860456 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Adopting a systems approach, we devise a general workflow to define actionable subtypes in human cancers. Applied to small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the workflow identifies four subtypes based on global gene expression patterns and ontologies. Three correspond to known subtypes (SCLC-A, SCLC-N, and SCLC-Y), while the fourth is a previously undescribed ASCL1+ neuroendocrine variant (NEv2, or SCLC-A2). Tumor deconvolution with subtype gene signatures shows that all of the subtypes are detectable in varying proportions in human and mouse tumors. To understand how multiple stable subtypes can arise within a tumor, we infer a network of transcription factors and develop BooleaBayes, a minimally-constrained Boolean rule-fitting approach. In silico perturbations of the network identify master regulators and destabilizers of its attractors. Specific to NEv2, BooleaBayes predicts ELF3 and NR0B1 as master regulators of the subtype, and TCF3 as a master destabilizer. Since the four subtypes exhibit differential drug sensitivity, with NEv2 consistently least sensitive, these findings may lead to actionable therapeutic strategies that consider SCLC intratumoral heterogeneity. Our systems-level approach should generalize to other cancer types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David J. Wooten
- Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Sarah M. Groves
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Darren R. Tyson
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Qi Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Informatics and Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jing S. Lim
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Réka Albert
- Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Carlos F. Lopez
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Julien Sage
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Vito Quaranta
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|