1
|
Alors-Perez E, Blázquez-Encinas R, Alcalá S, Viyuela-García C, Pedraza-Arevalo S, Herrero-Aguayo V, Jiménez-Vacas JM, Mafficini A, Sánchez-Frías ME, Cano MT, Abollo-Jiménez F, Marín-Sanz JA, Cabezas-Sainz P, Lawlor RT, Luchini C, Sánchez L, Sánchez-Hidalgo JM, Ventura S, Martin-Hijano L, Gahete MD, Scarpa A, Arjona-Sánchez Á, Ibáñez-Costa A, Sainz B, Luque RM, Castaño JP. Dysregulated splicing factor SF3B1 unveils a dual therapeutic vulnerability to target pancreatic cancer cells and cancer stem cells with an anti-splicing drug. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:382. [PMID: 34857016 PMCID: PMC8638119 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02153-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal cancer, requiring novel treatments to target both cancer cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs). Altered splicing is emerging as both a novel cancer hallmark and an attractive therapeutic target. The core splicing factor SF3B1 is heavily altered in cancer and can be inhibited by Pladienolide-B, but its actionability in PDAC is unknown. We explored the presence and role of SF3B1 in PDAC and interrogated its potential as an actionable target. Methods SF3B1 was analyzed in PDAC tissues, an RNA-seq dataset, and publicly available databases, examining associations with splicing alterations and key features/genes. Functional assays in PDAC cell lines and PDX-derived CSCs served to test Pladienolide-B treatment effects in vitro, and in vivo in zebrafish and mice. Results SF3B1 was overexpressed in human PDAC and associated with tumor grade and lymph-node involvement. SF3B1 levels closely associated with distinct splicing event profiles and expression of key PDAC players (KRAS, TP53). In PDAC cells, Pladienolide-B increased apoptosis and decreased multiple tumor-related features, including cell proliferation, migration, and colony/sphere formation, altering AKT and JNK signaling, and favoring proapoptotic splicing variants (BCL-XS/BCL-XL, KRASa/KRAS, Δ133TP53/TP53). Importantly, Pladienolide-B similarly impaired CSCs, reducing their stemness capacity and increasing their sensitivity to chemotherapy. Pladienolide-B also reduced PDAC/CSCs xenograft tumor growth in vivo in zebrafish and in mice. Conclusion SF3B1 overexpression represents a therapeutic vulnerability in PDAC, as altered splicing can be targeted with Pladienolide-B both in cancer cells and CSCs, paving the way for novel therapies for this lethal cancer. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-02153-9.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Alors-Perez
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Ricardo Blázquez-Encinas
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Sonia Alcalá
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Cancer Biology, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Viyuela-García
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,Surgery Service, Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Sergio Pedraza-Arevalo
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Vicente Herrero-Aguayo
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Juan M Jiménez-Vacas
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Andrea Mafficini
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marina E Sánchez-Frías
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,Pathology Service, Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - María T Cano
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,Medical Oncology Service, Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Fernando Abollo-Jiménez
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Computer Sciences, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Juan A Marín-Sanz
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Computer Sciences, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Pablo Cabezas-Sainz
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Claudio Luchini
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy.,Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Juan M Sánchez-Hidalgo
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,Surgery Service, Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Sebastián Ventura
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Computer Sciences, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Laura Martin-Hijano
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Cancer Biology, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel D Gahete
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy.,Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Álvaro Arjona-Sánchez
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,Surgery Service, Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Alejandro Ibáñez-Costa
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Department of Cancer Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Cáncer, CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Raúl M Luque
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain. .,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain. .,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain. .,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Justo P Castaño
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain. .,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain. .,Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba, Spain. .,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Edificio IMIBIC, 14004, Córdoba, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|