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Fischer S, Weber LM, Stielow B, Frech M, Simon C, Geller M, Könnecke J, Finkernagel F, Forné I, Nist A, Bauer UM, Stiewe T, Neubauer A, Liefke R. IRF2BP2 counteracts the ATF7/JDP2 AP-1 heterodimer to prevent inflammatory overactivation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7590-7609. [PMID: 38801077 PMCID: PMC11260449 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae437] [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] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by abnormal proliferation and accumulation of immature myeloid cells in the bone marrow. Inflammation plays a crucial role in AML progression, but excessive activation of cell-intrinsic inflammatory pathways can also trigger cell death. IRF2BP2 is a chromatin regulator implicated in AML pathogenesis, although its precise role in this disease is not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate that IRF2BP2 interacts with the AP-1 heterodimer ATF7/JDP2, which is involved in activating inflammatory pathways in AML cells. We show that IRF2BP2 is recruited by the ATF7/JDP2 dimer to chromatin and counteracts its gene-activating function. Loss of IRF2BP2 leads to overactivation of inflammatory pathways, resulting in strongly reduced proliferation. Our research indicates that a precise equilibrium between activating and repressive transcriptional mechanisms creates a pro-oncogenic inflammatory environment in AML cells. The ATF7/JDP2-IRF2BP2 regulatory axis is likely a key regulator of this process and may, therefore, represent a promising therapeutic vulnerability for AML. Thus, our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying AML pathogenesis and identifies a potential therapeutic target for AML treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Fischer
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Lisa Marie Weber
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Bastian Stielow
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Miriam Frech
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Clara Simon
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Merle Geller
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Julie Könnecke
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Florian Finkernagel
- Translational Oncology Group, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (ZTI), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Ignasi Forné
- Protein Analysis Unit, Biomedical Center (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Andrea Nist
- Genomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Oncology, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Uta-Maria Bauer
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Thorsten Stiewe
- Genomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Oncology, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Andreas Neubauer
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Robert Liefke
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
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de Winter N, Ji J, Sintou A, Forte E, Lee M, Noseda M, Li A, Koenig AL, Lavine KJ, Hayat S, Rosenthal N, Emanueli C, Srivastava PK, Sattler S. Persistent transcriptional changes in cardiac adaptive immune cells following myocardial infarction: New evidence from the re-analysis of publicly available single cell and nuclei RNA-sequencing data sets. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2024; 192:48-64. [PMID: 38734060 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2024.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic immunopathology contributes to the development of heart failure after a myocardial infarction. Both T and B cells of the adaptive immune system are present in the myocardium and have been suggested to be involved in post-MI immunopathology. METHODS We analyzed the B and T cell populations isolated from previously published single cell RNA-sequencing data sets (PMID: 32130914, PMID: 35948637, PMID: 32971526 and PMID: 35926050), of the mouse and human heart, using differential expression analysis, functional enrichment analysis, gene regulatory inferences, and integration with autoimmune and cardiovascular GWAS. RESULTS Already at baseline, mature effector B and T cells are present in the human and mouse heart, having increased activity in transcription factors maintaining tolerance (e.g. DEAF1, JDP2, SPI-B). Following MI, T cells upregulate pro-inflammatory transcript levels (e.g. Cd11, Gzmk, Prf1), while B cells upregulate activation markers (e.g. Il6, Il1rn, Ccl6) and collagen (e.g. Col5a2, Col4a1, Col1a2). Importantly, pro-inflammatory and fibrotic transcription factors (e.g. NFKB1, CREM, REL) remain active in T cells, while B cells maintain elevated activity in transcription factors related to immunoglobulin production (e.g. ERG, REL) in both mouse and human post-MI hearts. Notably, genes differentially expressed in post-MI T and B cells are associated with cardiovascular and autoimmune disease. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the varied and time-dependent dynamic roles of post-MI T and B cells. They appear ready-to-go and are activated immediately after MI, thus participate in the acute wound healing response. However, they subsequently remain in a state of pro-inflammatory activation contributing to persistent immunopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha de Winter
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Jiahui Ji
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Amalia Sintou
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Elvira Forte
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, United States
| | - Michael Lee
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Michela Noseda
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; British Heart Foundation Centre For Research Excellence, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Aoxue Li
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew L Koenig
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Kory J Lavine
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | | | - Nadia Rosenthal
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, United States
| | - Costanza Emanueli
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; British Heart Foundation Centre For Research Excellence, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Prashant K Srivastava
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne Sattler
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria; Division of Pharmacology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Austria.
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Levinson AL, Tjoa K, Huang B, Meyer LK, Kim MO, Brady SW, Zhang J, Shannon K, Wandler AM. Opposing effects of KDM6A and JDP2 on glucocorticoid sensitivity in T-ALL. Blood Adv 2023; 7:3479-3484. [PMID: 36897249 PMCID: PMC10362263 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2021006881] [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] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the cornerstone of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy. Although mutations in NR3C1, which encodes the GC receptor (GR), and other genes involved in GC signaling occur at relapse, additional mechanisms of adaptive GC resistance are uncertain. We transplanted and treated 10 primary mouse T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALLs) initiated by retroviral insertional mutagenesis with GC dexamethasone (DEX). Multiple distinct relapsed clones from 1 such leukemia (T-ALL 8633) exhibited discrete retroviral integrations that upregulated Jdp2 expression. This leukemia harbored a Kdm6a mutation. In the human T-ALL cell line CCRF-CEM, enforced JDP2 overexpression conferred GC resistance, whereas KDM6A inactivation unexpectedly enhanced GC sensitivity. In the context of KDM6A knockout, JDP2 overexpression induced profound GC resistance, counteracting the sensitization conferred by KDM6A loss. These resistant "double mutant" cells with combined KDM6A loss and JDP2 overexpression exhibited decreased NR3C1 mRNA and GR protein upregulation upon DEX exposure. Analysis of paired samples from 2 patients with KDM6A-mutant T-ALL in a relapsed pediatric ALL cohort revealed a somatic NR3C1 mutation at relapse in 1 patient and a markedly elevated JDP2 expression in the other. Together, these data implicate JDP2 overexpression as a mechanism of adaptive GC resistance in T-ALL, which functionally interacts with KDM6A inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya L. Levinson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Karensa Tjoa
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Benjamin Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Lauren K. Meyer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Mi-Ok Kim
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Samuel W. Brady
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Kevin Shannon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Anica M. Wandler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
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Rodríguez TC, Kwan S, Smith JL, Dadafarin S, Wu CH, Sontheimer EJ, Xue W. Multiomics characterization of mouse hepatoblastoma identifies yes-associated protein 1 target genes. Hepatology 2023; 78:58-71. [PMID: 35932276 PMCID: PMC10205091 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common primary liver malignancy in childhood and lacks targeted therapeutic options. We previously engineered, to our knowledge, the first yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) S127A -inducible mouse model of HB, demonstrating tumor regression and redifferentiation after YAP1 withdrawal through genome-wide enhancer modulation. Probing accessibility, transcription, and YAP1 binding at regulatory elements in HB tumors may provide more insight into YAP1-driven tumorigenesis and expose exploitable vulnerabilities in HB. APPROACH AND RESULTS Using a multiomics approach, we integrated high-throughput transcriptome and chromatin profiling of our murine HB model to identify dynamic activity at candidate cis -regulatory elements (cCREs). We observed that 1301 of 305,596 cCREs exhibit "tumor-modified" (TM) accessibility in HB. We mapped 241 TM enhancers to corresponding genes using accessibility and histone H3K27Ac profiles. Anti-YAP1 cleavage under targets and tagmentation in tumors revealed 66 YAP1-bound TM cCRE/gene pairs, 31 of which decrease expression after YAP1 withdrawal. We validated the YAP1-dependent expression of a putative YAP1 target, Jun dimerization protein 2 (JDP2), in human HB cell lines using YAP1 and LATS1/2 small interfering RNA knockdown. We also confirmed YAP1-induced activity of the Jdp2 TM enhancer in vitro and discovered an analogous human enhancer in silico. Finally, we used transcription factor (TF) footprinting to identify putative YAP1 cofactors and characterize HB-specific TF activity genome wide. CONCLUSIONS Our chromatin-profiling techniques define the regulatory frameworks underlying HB and identify YAP1-regulated gene/enhancer pairs. JDP2 is an extensively validated target with YAP1-dependent expression in human HB cell lines and hepatic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás C. Rodríguez
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - SuetYan Kwan
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Jordan L. Smith
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | | | - Chern-Horng Wu
- Division of Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington, Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Erik J. Sontheimer
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Wen Xue
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
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The role and application of transcriptional repressors in cancer treatment. Arch Pharm Res 2023; 46:1-17. [PMID: 36645575 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-023-01427-4] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression is modulated through the integration of many regulatory elements and their associated transcription factors (TFs). TFs bind to specific DNA sequences and either activate or repress transcriptional activity. Through decades of research, it has been established that aberrant expression or functional abnormalities of TFs can lead to uncontrolled cell division and the development of cancer. Initial studies on transcriptional regulation in cancer have focused on TFs as transcriptional activators. However, recent studies have demonstrated several different mechanisms of transcriptional repression in cancer, which could be potential therapeutic targets for the development of specific anti-cancer agents. In the first section of this review, "Emerging roles of transcriptional repressors in cancer development," we summarize the current understanding of transcriptional repressors and their involvement in the molecular processes of cancer progression. In the subsequent section, "Therapeutic applications," we provide an updated overview of the available therapeutic targets for drug discovery and discuss the new frontier of such applications.
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Thomas X. T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: promising experimental drugs in clinical development. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2023; 32:37-52. [PMID: 36541671 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2023.2161361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite advances in treatment approaches in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the prognosis of adults with newly diagnosed T-ALL remains poor, as well as that of adults and children with relapsed disease. Novel targeted therapies are therefore needed. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes promising emerging strategies for the treatment of T-ALL. EXPERT OPINION The recent molecular characterization of T-ALL has led to the identification of new therapeutic targets. Small-molecules inhibitors and other targeted therapies have therefore been recently developed and are currently under clinical investigations. Similarly, first studies involving monoclonal antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have shown encouraging results. Improvement of outcome with these novel approaches, eventually combined with current standard chemotherapy, is therefore expected in a near future in T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Thomas
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Department of Clinical Hematology, Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
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Yi ZN, Chen XK, Ma ACH. Modeling leukemia with zebrafish (Danio rerio): Towards precision medicine. Exp Cell Res 2022; 421:113401. [PMID: 36306826 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113401] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer characterized by high genetic heterogeneity and fatality. While chemotherapy remains the primary form of treatment for leukemia, its effectiveness was profoundly diminished by the genetic heterogeneity and cytogenetic abnormalities of leukemic cells. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop precision medicine for leukemia with distinct genetic backgrounds. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater fish with exceptional feasibility in genome editing, is a powerful tool for rapid human cancer modeling. In the past decades, zebrafish have been adopted in modeling human leukemia, exploring the molecular mechanisms of underlying genetic abnormalities, and discovering novel therapeutic agents. Although many recurrent mutations of leukemia have been modeled in zebrafish for pathological study and drug discovery, its great potential in leukemia modeling was not yet fully exploited, particularly in precision medicine. In this review, we evaluated the current zebrafish models of leukemia/pre-leukemia and genetic techniques and discussed the potential of zebrafish models with novel techniques, which may contribute to the development of zebrafish as a disease model for precision medicine in treating leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Ni Yi
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiang-Ke Chen
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alvin Chun-Hang Ma
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
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Yang W, Luo C, Chen S. Development and validation of a chromatin regulator prognostic signature in colon adenocarcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:986325. [PMID: 36506326 PMCID: PMC9727087 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.986325] [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: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression of chromatin regulators (CRs) could lead to the development of various diseases including cancer. However, the biological function and prognosis role of CRs in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) remains unclear. We performed the clustering analyses for expression profiling of COAD downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We developed a chromatin regulator prognostic model, which was validated in an independent cohort data. Time-intendent receiver operating characteristics curve was used to evaluate predict ability of model. Univariate and multivariate cox regression were used to assess independence of risk score. Nomogram was established to assess individual risk. Gene ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes, gene set variation analysis and gene set enrichment analysis were performed to explore the function of CRs. Immune infiltration and drug sensitivity were also performed to assess effect of CRs on treatment in COAD. COAD can be separated into two subtypes with different clinical characteristics and prognosis. The C2 had elevated immune infiltration levels and low tumor purity. Using 12 chromatin regulators, we developed and validated a prognostic model that can predict the overall survival of COAD patients. We built a risk score that can be an independent prognosis predictor of COAD. The nomogram score system achieved the best predict ability and were also confirmed by decision curve analysis. There were significantly different function and pathway enrichment, immune infiltration levels, and tumor mutation burden between high-risk and low-risk group. The external validation data also indicated that high-risk group had higher stable disease/progressive disease response rate and poorer prognosis than low-risk group. Besides, the signature genes included in the model could cause chemotherapy sensitivity to some small molecular compounds. Our integrative analyses for chromatin regulators could provide new insights for the risk management and individualized treatment in COAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlong Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China,*Correspondence: Wenlong Yang,
| | - Chenhua Luo
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shan Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Leoncin M, La Starza R, Roti G, Pagliaro L, Bassan R, Mecucci C. Modern treatment approaches to adult acute T-lymphoblastic and myeloid/T-lymphoblastic leukemia: from current standards to precision medicine. Curr Opin Oncol 2022; 34:738-747. [PMID: 36017547 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review the most recent advancements in the management of adult T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), we summarize insights into molecular diagnostics, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and new techniques of drug sensitivity profiling that may support further therapeutic progress in T-ALL subsets. RECENT FINDINGS With current induction/consolidation chemotherapy and/or risk-oriented allogeneic stem cell transplantation programs up to 95% adult T-ALL patients achieve a remission and >50% (up to 80% in adolescents and young adults) are cured. The group of patients who fail upfront therapy, between 25% and 40%, is enriched in high-risk characteristics (unfavorable genetics, persistent minimal residual disease) and represents the ideal setting for the study of molecular mechanisms of disease resistance, and consequently explore novel ways of restoration of drug sensitivity and assess patient/subset-specific patterns of drug vulnerability to targeting agents, immunotherapy and cell therapy. SUMMARY The emerging evidence supports the contention that precision medicine may soon allow valuable therapeutic chances to adult patients with high-risk T-ALL. The ongoing challenge is to identify the best way to integrate all these new data into the therapeutic path of newly diagnosed patients, with a view to optimize the individual treatment plan and increase the cure rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Leoncin
- Hematology Unit, Azienda Ulss3 Serenissima, Ospedale dell'Angelo, Venezia-Mestre
| | | | - Giovanni Roti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Luca Pagliaro
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Renato Bassan
- Hematology Unit, Azienda Ulss3 Serenissima, Ospedale dell'Angelo, Venezia-Mestre
| | - Cristina Mecucci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia
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Laukkanen S, Veloso A, Yan C, Oksa L, Alpert EJ, Do D, Hyvärinen N, McCarthy K, Adhikari A, Yang Q, Iyer S, Garcia SP, Pello A, Ruokoranta T, Moisio S, Adhikari S, Yoder JA, Gallagher K, Whelton L, Allen JR, Jin AH, Loontiens S, Heinäniemi M, Kelliher M, Heckman CA, Lohi O, Langenau DM. Therapeutic targeting of LCK tyrosine kinase and mTOR signaling in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood 2022; 140:1891-1906. [PMID: 35544598 PMCID: PMC10082361 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021015106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapse and refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) has a poor prognosis, and new combination therapies are sorely needed. Here, we used an ex vivo high-throughput screening platform to identify drug combinations that kill zebrafish T-ALL and then validated top drug combinations for preclinical efficacy in human disease. This work uncovered potent drug synergies between AKT/mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1) inhibitors and the general tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib. Importantly, these same drug combinations effectively killed a subset of relapse and dexamethasone-resistant zebrafish T-ALL. Clinical trials are currently underway using the combination of mTORC1 inhibitor temsirolimus and dasatinib in other pediatric cancer indications, leading us to prioritize this therapy for preclinical testing. This combination effectively curbed T-ALL growth in human cell lines and primary human T-ALL and was well tolerated and effective in suppressing leukemia growth in patient-derived xenografts (PDX) grown in mice. Mechanistically, dasatinib inhibited phosphorylation and activation of the lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) to blunt the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway, and when complexed with mTORC1 inhibition, induced potent T-ALL cell killing through reducing MCL-1 protein expression. In total, our work uncovered unexpected roles for the LCK kinase and its regulation of downstream TCR signaling in suppressing apoptosis and driving continued leukemia growth. Analysis of a wide array of primary human T-ALLs and PDXs grown in mice suggest that combination of temsirolimus and dasatinib treatment will be efficacious for a large fraction of human T-ALLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Laukkanen
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Alexandra Veloso
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Chuan Yan
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Laura Oksa
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Eric J. Alpert
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Daniel Do
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Noora Hyvärinen
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Karin McCarthy
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Abhinav Adhikari
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Qiqi Yang
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Sowmya Iyer
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Sara P. Garcia
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Annukka Pello
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tanja Ruokoranta
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sanni Moisio
- The Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sadiksha Adhikari
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jeffrey A. Yoder
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, Comparative Medicine Institute, and Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Kayleigh Gallagher
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
| | - Lauren Whelton
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - James R. Allen
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Alex H. Jin
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Siebe Loontiens
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent and Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Merja Heinäniemi
- The Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Michelle Kelliher
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
| | - Caroline A. Heckman
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Lohi
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Tampere University Hospital, Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - David M. Langenau
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
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11
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Liu B, Sun Y, Zhang Y, Xing Y, Suo J. DEK modulates both expression and alternative splicing of cancer‑related genes. Oncol Rep 2022; 47:111. [PMID: 35475534 PMCID: PMC9073418 DOI: 10.3892/or.2022.8322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
DEK is known to be a potential proto‑oncogene and is highly expressed in gastric cancer (GC); thus, DEK is considered to contribute to the malignant progression of GC. DEK is an RNA‑binding protein involved in transcription, DNA repair, and selection of splicing sites during mRNA processing; however, its precise function remains elusive due to the lack of clarification of the overall profiles of gene transcription and post‑transcriptional splicing that are regulated by DEK. We performed our original whole‑genomic RNA‑Seq data to analyze the global transcription and alternative splicing profiles in a human GC cell line by comparing DEK siRNA‑treated and control conditions, dissecting both differential gene expression and potential alternative splicing events regulated by DEK. The siRNA‑mediated knockdown of DEK in a GC cell line led to significant changes in gene expression of multiple cancer‑related genes including both oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Moreover, it was revealed that DEK regulated a number of alternative splicing in genes which were significantly enriched in various cancer‑related pathways including apoptosis and cell cycle processes. This study clarified for the first time that DEK has a regulatory effect on the alternative splicing, as well as on the expression, of numerous cancer‑related genes, which is consistent with the role of DEK as a possible oncogene. Our results further expand the importance and feasibility of DEK as a clinical therapeutic target for human malignancies including GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Department of Gastrocolorectal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Yuanlin Sun
- Department of Gastrocolorectal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Gastrocolorectal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Yanpeng Xing
- Department of Gastrocolorectal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Jian Suo
- Department of Gastrocolorectal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
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12
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Network based systems biology approach to identify diseasome and comorbidity associations of Systemic Sclerosis with cancers. Heliyon 2022; 8:e08892. [PMID: 35198765 PMCID: PMC8841363 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease associated with changes in the skin's structure in which the immune system attacks the body. A recent meta-analysis has reported a high incidence of cancer prognosis including lung cancer (LC), leukemia (LK), and lymphoma (LP) in patients with SSc as comorbidity but its underlying mechanistic details are yet to be revealed. To address this research gap, bioinformatics methodologies were developed to explore the comorbidity interactions between a pair of diseases. Firstly, appropriate gene expression datasets from different repositories on SSc and its comorbidities were collected. Then the interconnection between SSc and its cancer comorbidities was identified by applying the developed pipelines. The pipeline was designed as a generic workflow to demonstrate a premise comorbid condition that integrate regarding gene expression data, tissue/organ meta-data, Gene Ontology (GO), Molecular pathways, and other online resources, and analyze them with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Pathway enrichment and Semantic Similarity (SS). The pipeline was implemented in R and can be accessed through our Github repository: https://github.com/hiddenntreasure/comorbidity. Our result suggests that SSc and its cancer comorbidities share differentially expressed genes, functional terms (gene ontology), and pathways. The findings have led to a better understanding of disease pathways and our developed methodologies may be applied to any set of diseases for finding any association between them. This research may be used by physicians, researchers, biologists, and others.
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13
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Touzart A, Mayakonda A, Smith C, Hey J, Toth R, Cieslak A, Andrieu GP, Tran Quang C, Latiri M, Ghysdael J, Spicuglia S, Dombret H, Ifrah N, Macintyre E, Lutsik P, Boissel N, Plass C, Asnafi V. Epigenetic analysis of patients with T-ALL identifies poor outcomes and a hypomethylating agent-responsive subgroup. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/595/eabc4834. [PMID: 34039737 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abc4834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Adult "T cell" acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological malignancy that is associated with poor outcomes, requiring additional therapeutic options. The DNA methylation landscapes of adult T-ALL remain undercharacterized. Here, we systematically analyzed the DNA methylation profiles of normal thymic-sorted T cell subpopulations and 143 primary adult T-ALLs as part of the French GRAALL 2003-2005 trial. Our results indicated that T-ALL is epigenetically heterogeneous consisting of five subtypes (C1-C5), which were either associated with co-occurring DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A)/isocitrate dehydrogenase [NADP(+)] 2 (IDH2) mutations (C1), TAL bHLH transcription factor 1, erythroid differentiation factor (TAL1) deregulation (C2), T cell leukemia homeobox 3 (TLX3) (C3), TLX1/in cis-homeobox A9 (HOXA9) (C4), or in trans-HOXA9 overexpression (C5). Integrative analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression identified potential cluster-specific oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In addition to an aggressive hypomethylated subgroup (C1), our data identified an unexpected subset of hypermethylated T-ALL (C5) associated with poor outcome and primary therapeutic response. Using mouse xenografts, we demonstrated that hypermethylated T-ALL samples exhibited therapeutic responses to the DNA hypomethylating agent 5-azacytidine, which significantly (survival probability; P = 0.001 for C3, 0.01 for C4, and 0.0253 for C5) delayed tumor progression. These findings suggest that epigenetic-based therapies may provide an alternative treatment option in hypermethylated T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Touzart
- Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Université de Paris (Descartes), Institut Necker -Enfants Malades (INEM), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1151, and Laboratory of Onco-Hematology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 75743 Paris, France
| | - Anand Mayakonda
- Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Smith
- Université de Paris (Descartes), Institut Necker -Enfants Malades (INEM), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1151, and Laboratory of Onco-Hematology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 75743 Paris, France
| | - Joschka Hey
- Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Germany-Israeli Helmholtz Research School in Cancer Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Reka Toth
- Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Agata Cieslak
- Université de Paris (Descartes), Institut Necker -Enfants Malades (INEM), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1151, and Laboratory of Onco-Hematology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 75743 Paris, France
| | - Guillaume P Andrieu
- Université de Paris (Descartes), Institut Necker -Enfants Malades (INEM), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1151, and Laboratory of Onco-Hematology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 75743 Paris, France
| | - Christine Tran Quang
- Institut Curie, Orsay, France.,CNRS UMR3348, Institut Curie, Orsay, France.,INSERM 1278, Centre Universitaire, Orsay, France.,PSL Research University, Paris, France.,Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Mehdi Latiri
- Université de Paris (Descartes), Institut Necker -Enfants Malades (INEM), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1151, and Laboratory of Onco-Hematology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 75743 Paris, France
| | - Jacques Ghysdael
- Institut Curie, Orsay, France.,CNRS UMR3348, Institut Curie, Orsay, France.,INSERM 1278, Centre Universitaire, Orsay, France.,PSL Research University, Paris, France.,Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Salvatore Spicuglia
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, Theories and Approaches of Genomic Complexity (TAGC), Equipe labellisée Ligue, UMR1090, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Hervé Dombret
- Université Paris Diderot, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, EA-3518, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University Hospital Saint-Louis, 75010 Paris, France
| | - Norbert Ifrah
- PRES LUNAM, CHU Angers service des Maladies du Sang et INSERM U 892, 49933 Angers, France
| | - Elizabeth Macintyre
- Université de Paris (Descartes), Institut Necker -Enfants Malades (INEM), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1151, and Laboratory of Onco-Hematology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 75743 Paris, France
| | - Pavlo Lutsik
- Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicolas Boissel
- Université Paris Diderot, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, EA-3518, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University Hospital Saint-Louis, 75010 Paris, France
| | - Christoph Plass
- Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. .,German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Vahid Asnafi
- Université de Paris (Descartes), Institut Necker -Enfants Malades (INEM), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1151, and Laboratory of Onco-Hematology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, 75743 Paris, France.
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14
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Pocock R, Farah N, Richardson SE, Mansour MR. Current and emerging therapeutic approaches for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Br J Haematol 2021; 194:28-43. [PMID: 33942287 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
T-cell ALL (T-ALL) is an aggressive malignancy of T-cell progenitors. Although survival outcomes in T-ALL have greatly improved over the past 50 years, relapsed and refractory cases remain extremely challenging to treat and those who cannot tolerate intensive treatment continue to have poor outcomes. Furthermore, T-ALL has proven a more challenging immunotherapeutic target than B-ALL. In this review we explore our expanding knowledge of the basic biology of T-ALL and how this is paving the way for repurposing established treatments and the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Pocock
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nadine Farah
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Simon E Richardson
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marc R Mansour
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
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15
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Amatruda JF. Modeling the developmental origins of pediatric cancer to improve patient outcomes. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:14/2/dmm048930. [PMID: 33619212 PMCID: PMC7927656 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.048930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the treatment of children and adolescents with cancer, multimodal approaches combining surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can cure most patients, but may cause lifelong health problems in survivors. Current therapies only modestly reflect increased knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of these cancers. Advances in next-generation sequencing have provided unprecedented cataloging of genetic aberrations in tumors, but understanding how these genetic changes drive cellular transformation, and how they can be effectively targeted, will require multidisciplinary collaboration and preclinical models that are truly representative of the in vivo environment. Here, I discuss some of the key challenges in pediatric cancer from my perspective as a physician-scientist, and touch on some promising new approaches that have the potential to transform our understanding of these diseases. Summary: This Perspective discusses the special features that make it challenging to develop new therapies for pediatric cancers, and the ways in which collaboration centered on improved models can meet these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F Amatruda
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
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16
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Wandler AM, Huang BJ, Craig JW, Hayes K, Yan H, Meyer LK, Scacchetti A, Monsalve G, Dail M, Li Q, Wong JC, Weinberg O, Hasserjian RP, Kogan SC, Jonsson P, Yamamoto K, Sampath D, Nakitandwe J, Downing JR, Zhang J, Aster JC, Taylor BS, Shannon K. Loss of glucocorticoid receptor expression mediates in vivo dexamethasone resistance in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 2020; 34:2025-2037. [PMID: 32066867 PMCID: PMC7440098 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-020-0748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of clinical use, mechanisms of glucocorticoid resistance are poorly understood. We treated primary murine T lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALLs) with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) alone and in combination with the pan-PI3 kinase inhibitor GDC-0941 and observed a robust response to DEX that was modestly enhanced by GDC-0941. Continuous in vivo treatment invariably resulted in outgrowth of drug-resistant clones, ~30% of which showed markedly reduced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein expression. A similar proportion of relapsed human T-ALLs also exhibited low GR protein levels. De novo or preexisting mutations in the gene encoding GR (Nr3c1) occurred in relapsed clones derived from multiple independent parental leukemias. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing confirmed that loss of GR expression confers DEX resistance. Exposing drug-sensitive T-ALLs to DEX in vivo altered transcript levels of multiple genes, and this response was attenuated in relapsed T-ALLs. These data implicate reduced GR protein expression as a frequent cause of glucocorticoid resistance in T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anica M Wandler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin J Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Craig
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathryn Hayes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Yan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lauren K Meyer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alessandro Scacchetti
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gabriela Monsalve
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Monique Dail
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jasmine C Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Olga Weinberg
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Scott C Kogan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Philip Jonsson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Keith Yamamoto
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Deepak Sampath
- Department of Translational Oncology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joy Nakitandwe
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - James R Downing
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jon C Aster
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Barry S Taylor
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin Shannon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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17
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Casey MJ, Stewart RA. Pediatric Cancer Models in Zebrafish. Trends Cancer 2020; 6:407-418. [PMID: 32348736 PMCID: PMC7194396 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric cancer is a leading cause of death in children and adolescents. Improvements in pediatric cancer treatment that include the alleviation of long-term adverse effects require a deeper understanding of the genetic, epigenetic, and developmental factors driving these cancers. Here, we review how the unique attributes of the zebrafish model system in embryology, imaging, and scalability have been used to identify new mechanisms of tumor initiation, progression, and relapse and for drug discovery. We focus on zebrafish models of leukemias, neural tumors and sarcomas - the most common and difficult childhood cancers to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattie J Casey
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Rodney A Stewart
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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18
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Park G, Burroughs-Garcia J, Foster CA, Hasan A, Borga C, Frazer JK. Zebrafish B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: new findings in an old model. Oncotarget 2020; 11:1292-1305. [PMID: 32341750 PMCID: PMC7170496 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric, and ninth most common adult, cancer. ALL can develop in either B or T lymphocytes, but B-lineage ALL (B-ALL) exceeds T-ALL clinically. As for other cancers, animal models allow study of the molecular mechanisms driving ALL. Several zebrafish (Danio rerio) T-ALL models have been reported, but until recently, robust D. rerio B-ALL models were not described. Then, D. rerio B-ALL was discovered in two related zebrafish transgenic lines; both were already known to develop T-ALL. Here, we report new B-ALL findings in one of these models, fish expressing transgenic human MYC (hMYC). We describe B-ALL incidence in a large cohort of hMYC fish, and show B-ALL in two new lines where T-ALL does not interfere with B-ALL detection. We also demonstrate B-ALL responses to steroid and radiation treatments, which effect ALL remissions, but are usually followed by prompt relapses. Finally, we report gene expression in zebrafish B lymphocytes and B-ALL, in both bulk samples and single B- and T-ALL cells. Using these gene expression profiles, we compare differences between the two new D. rerio B-ALL models, which are both driven by transgenic mammalian MYC oncoproteins. Collectively, these new data expand the utility of this new vertebrate B-ALL model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilseung Park
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jessica Burroughs-Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Clay A Foster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Ameera Hasan
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Chiara Borga
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - J Kimble Frazer
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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19
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Tackling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia-One Fish at a Time. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215313. [PMID: 31731471 PMCID: PMC6862667 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a need for improved strategies to decrease morbidity and improve cure rates in relapsed/refractory ALL still exists. Such approaches include the identification and implementation of novel targeted combination regimens, and more precise upfront patient risk stratification to guide therapy. New curative strategies rely on an understanding of the pathobiology that derives from systematically dissecting each cancer’s genetic and molecular landscape. Zebrafish models provide a powerful system to simulate human diseases, including leukemias and ALL specifically. They are also an invaluable tool for genetic manipulation, in vivo studies, and drug discovery. Here, we highlight and summarize contributions made by several zebrafish T-ALL models and newer zebrafish B-ALL models in translating the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms operative in ALL, and also highlight their potential utility for drug discovery. These models have laid the groundwork for increasing our understanding of the molecular basis of ALL to further translational and clinical research endeavors that seek to improve outcomes in this important cancer.
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20
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Zebrafish and Medaka: Two Teleost Models of T-Cell and Thymic Development. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20174179. [PMID: 31454991 PMCID: PMC6747487 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, studies have demonstrated that several features of T-cell and thymic development are conserved from teleosts to mammals. In particular, works using zebrafish (Danio rerio) and medaka (Oryzias latipes) have shed light on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these biological processes. In particular, the ease of noninvasive in vivo imaging of these species enables direct visualization of all events associated with these processes, which are, in mice, technically very demanding. In this review, we focus on defining the similarities and differences between zebrafish and medaka in T-cell development and thymus organogenesis; and highlight their advantages as two complementary model systems for T-cell immunobiology and modeling of human diseases.
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21
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Zebrafish disease models in hematology: Highlights on biological and translational impact. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2018; 1865:620-633. [PMID: 30593895 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has proven to be a versatile and reliable in vivo experimental model to study human hematopoiesis and hematological malignancies. As vertebrates, zebrafish has significant anatomical and biological similarities to humans, including the hematopoietic system. The powerful genome editing and genome-wide forward genetic screening tools have generated models that recapitulate human malignant hematopoietic pathologies in zebrafish and unravel cellular mechanisms involved in these diseases. Moreover, the use of zebrafish models in large-scale chemical screens has allowed the identification of new molecular targets and the design of alternative therapies. In this review we summarize the recent achievements in hematological research that highlight the power of the zebrafish model for discovery of new therapeutic molecules. We believe that the model is ready to give an immediate translational impact into the clinic.
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