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Fan H, Wang F, Zeng A, Murison A, Tomczak K, Hao D, Jelloul FZ, Wang B, Barrodia P, Liang S, Chen K, Wang L, Zhao Z, Rai K, Jain AK, Dick J, Daver N, Futreal A, Abbas HA. Single-cell chromatin accessibility profiling of acute myeloid leukemia reveals heterogeneous lineage composition upon therapy-resistance. Commun Biol 2023; 6:765. [PMID: 37479893 PMCID: PMC10362028 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05120-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by high rate of therapy resistance. Since the cell of origin can impact response to therapy, it is crucial to understand the lineage composition of AML cells at time of therapy resistance. Here we leverage single-cell chromatin accessibility profiling of 22 AML bone marrow aspirates from eight patients at time of therapy resistance and following subsequent therapy to characterize their lineage landscape. Our findings reveal a complex lineage architecture of therapy-resistant AML cells that are primed for stem and progenitor lineages and spanning quiescent, activated and late stem cell/progenitor states. Remarkably, therapy-resistant AML cells are also composed of cells primed for differentiated myeloid, erythroid and even lymphoid lineages. The heterogeneous lineage composition persists following subsequent therapy, with early progenitor-driven features marking unfavorable prognosis in The Cancer Genome Atlas AML cohort. Pseudotime analysis further confirms the vast degree of heterogeneity driven by the dynamic changes in chromatin accessibility. Our findings suggest that therapy-resistant AML cells are characterized not only by stem and progenitor states, but also by a continuum of differentiated cellular lineages. The heterogeneity in lineages likely contributes to their therapy resistance by harboring different degrees of lineage-specific susceptibilities to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Fan
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andy Zeng
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Alex Murison
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Katarzyna Tomczak
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dapeng Hao
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fatima Zahra Jelloul
- Department of Hematopathology, University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bofei Wang
- Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Praveen Barrodia
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shaoheng Liang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ken Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linghua Wang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kunal Rai
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Abhinav K Jain
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John Dick
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Naval Daver
- Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andy Futreal
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hussein A Abbas
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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2
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Blasi F, Bruckmann C. MEIS1 in Hematopoiesis and Cancer. How MEIS1-PBX Interaction Can Be Used in Therapy. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9040044. [PMID: 34698191 PMCID: PMC8544432 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently MEIS1 emerged as a major determinant of the MLL-r leukemic phenotype. The latest and most efficient drugs effectively decrease the levels of MEIS1 in cancer cells. Together with an overview of the latest drugs developed to target MEIS1 in MLL-r leukemia, we review, in detail, the role of MEIS1 in embryonic and adult hematopoiesis and suggest how a more profound knowledge of MEIS1 biochemistry can be used to design potent and effective drugs against MLL-r leukemia. In addition, we present data showing that the interaction between MEIS1 and PBX1 can be blocked efficiently and might represent a new avenue in anti-MLL-r and anti-leukemic therapy.
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3
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Chen M, Qu Y, Yue P, Yan X. The Prognostic Value and Function of HOXB5 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Genet 2021; 12:678368. [PMID: 34421991 PMCID: PMC8376581 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.678368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Currently, cytogenetic and genetic markers are the most important for risk stratification and treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite the identification of many prognostic factors, relatively few have made their way into clinical practice. Therefore, the identification of new AML biomarkers is useful in the prognosis and monitoring of AML and contributes to a better understanding of the molecular basis of the disease. Homeobox (HOX) genes are transcription factors that lead to cell differentiation blockade and malignant self-renewal. However, the roles of HOX genes in AML are still not fully understood and need further exploration, which may provide new strategies for the prognosis and monitoring of AML. Methods We analyzed the RNA sequencing and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), VIZOME, GSE13159, and GSE9476 cohorts. Analyses were performed with GraphPad 7, the R language, and several online databases. We applied quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western Blotting, CCK8 cell proliferation assays, and flow cytometry to verify the conclusions of the bioinformatics analysis. Results We identified HOXB5 as the only gene among the HOX family that was not only elevated in AML but also a significant prognostic marker in AML patients. HOXB5 was highly expressed in AML patients with NPM1, FLT3, or DNMT3A mutations and was expressed at the highest level in patients with NPM1-FLT3-DNMT3A triple-mutant AML. Gene Ontology analysis and gene set enrichment analysis revealed that HOXB5 showed a negative correlation with the myeloid cell differentiation signature and that the tumor necrosis factor/nuclear factor κB signaling pathway was involved in the molecular mechanism. Moreover, we performed in silico protein–protein interaction analysis and 450K TCGA DNA methylation data analysis and found that HOXB5 interacted with two HOX genes (HOXA7 and HOXB4) that were commonly regulated by DNA methylation levels. Conclusion HOXB5 is associated with the malignant development of AML and may be a treatment target and biomarker for AML prognosis prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Chen
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi Qu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Pengjie Yue
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaojing Yan
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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4
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Sun R, He L, Lee H, Glinka A, Andresen C, Hübschmann D, Jeremias I, Müller-Decker K, Pabst C, Niehrs C. RSPO2 inhibits BMP signaling to promote self-renewal in acute myeloid leukemia. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109559. [PMID: 34407399 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rapidly progressing cancer, for which chemotherapy remains standard treatment and additional therapeutic targets are requisite. Here, we show that AML cells secrete the stem cell growth factor R-spondin 2 (RSPO2) to promote their self-renewal and prevent cell differentiation. Although RSPO2 is a well-known WNT agonist, we reveal that it maintains AML self-renewal WNT independently, by inhibiting BMP receptor signaling. Autocrine RSPO2 signaling is also required to prevent differentiation and to promote self-renewal in normal hematopoietic stem cells as well as primary AML cells. Comprehensive datamining reveals that RSPO2 expression is elevated in patients with AML of poor prognosis. Consistently, inhibiting RSPO2 prolongs survival in AML mouse xenograft models. Our study indicates that in AML, RSPO2 acts as an autocrine BMP antagonist to promote cancer cell renewal and may serve as a marker for poor prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Sun
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lixiazi He
- Department of Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory-Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hyeyoon Lee
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrey Glinka
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carolin Andresen
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Hübschmann
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Computational Oncology, Molecular Diagnostics Program, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg and DKFZ, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Irmela Jeremias
- Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich, Germany
| | - Karin Müller-Decker
- Core Facility Tumor Models, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Caroline Pabst
- Department of Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory-Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christof Niehrs
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), 55128 Mainz, Germany.
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5
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Walker AR, Byrd JC, Blachly JS, Bhatnagar B, Mims AS, Orwick S, Lin TL, Crosswell HE, Zhang D, Minden MD, Munugalavadla V, Long L, Liu J, Pan Y, Oellerich T, Serve H, Rao AV, Blum WG. Entospletinib in Combination with Induction Chemotherapy in Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Response and Predictive Significance of HOXA9 and MEIS1 Expression. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:5852-5859. [PMID: 32820015 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-1064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) signaling is a proposed target in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Sensitivity to SYK inhibition has been linked to HOXA9 and MEIS1 overexpression in preclinical studies. This trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of entospletinib, a selective inhibitor of SYK, in combination with chemotherapy in untreated AML. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was an international multicenter phase Ib/II study, entospletinib dose escalation (standard 3+3 design between 200 and 400 mg twice daily) + 7+3 (cytarabine + daunorubicin) in phase Ib and entospletinib dose expansion (400 mg twice daily) + 7+3 in phase II. RESULTS Fifty-three patients (n = 12, phase Ib and n = 41, phase II) with previously untreated de novo (n = 39) or secondary (n = 14) AML were enrolled (58% male; median age, 60 years) in this study. The composite complete response with entospletinib + 7+3 was 70%. Patients with baseline HOXA9 and MEIS1 expression higher than the median had improved overall survival compared with patients with below median HOXA9 and MEIS1 expression. Common adverse events were cytopenias, febrile neutropenia, and infection. There were no dose-limiting toxicities. Entospletinib-related skin rash and hyperbilirubinemia were also observed. CONCLUSIONS Entospletinib with intensive chemotherapy was well-tolerated in patients with AML. Improved survival was observed in patients with HOXA9/MEIS1 overexpression, contrasting published data demonstrating poor survival in such patients. A randomized study will be necessary to determine whether entospletinib was a mediator this observation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Tara L Lin
- University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | | | | | - Mark D Minden
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Jinfeng Liu
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California
| | - Yang Pan
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California
| | - Thomas Oellerich
- Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hubert Serve
- Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arati V Rao
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California
| | - William G Blum
- Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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6
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Luo H, Zhu G, Xu J, Lai Q, Yan B, Guo Y, Fung TK, Zeisig BB, Cui Y, Zha J, Cogle C, Wang F, Xu B, Yang FC, Li W, So CWE, Qiu Y, Xu M, Huang S. HOTTIP lncRNA Promotes Hematopoietic Stem Cell Self-Renewal Leading to AML-like Disease in Mice. Cancer Cell 2019; 36:645-659.e8. [PMID: 31786140 PMCID: PMC6917035 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical for regulating HOX genes, aberration of which is a dominant mechanism for leukemic transformation. How HOX gene-associated lncRNAs regulate hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function and contribute to leukemogenesis remains elusive. We found that HOTTIP is aberrantly activated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to alter HOXA-driven topologically associated domain (TAD) and gene expression. HOTTIP loss attenuates leukemogenesis of transplanted mice, while reactivation of HOTTIP restores leukemic TADs, transcription, and leukemogenesis in the CTCF-boundary-attenuated AML cells. Hottip aberration in mice abnormally promotes HSC self-renewal leading to AML-like disease by altering the homeotic/hematopoietic gene-associated chromatin signature and transcription program. Hottip aberration acts as an oncogenic event to perturb HSC function by reprogramming leukemic-associated chromatin and gene transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huacheng Luo
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Ganqian Zhu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136
| | - Jianfeng Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qian Lai
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA; Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Bowen Yan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Ying Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136; Department of Cell System & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Tsz Kan Fung
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Bernd B Zeisig
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Ya Cui
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Jie Zha
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Christopher Cogle
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University Medical School, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Feng-Chun Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136; Department of Cell System & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Chi Wai Eric So
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.
| | - Yi Qiu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
| | - Mingjiang Xu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136; Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Suming Huang
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA; Penn State Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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7
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Niu M, Zhang N, Wang R, Shao T, Feng Y, Shen Y, Liu X, Zhao K, Zhu S, Xu L, Yao Y, Xu K. MiR-340 Is a Biomarker for Selecting Treatment Between Chemotherapy and Allogeneic Transplantation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1058. [PMID: 31681594 PMCID: PMC6798954 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) requires refined risk stratification tools to drive decisions concerning effective therapeutic strategies. Here, genome-wide screening was carried out for identifying miRNA molecules capable of predicting treatment outcome in AML patients based on the TCGA dataset. We identified miR-340 as a prognostic factor for selecting treatment between chemotherapy and allogeneic transplantation (allo-HSCT). In multivariable analyses, low miR-340 expression independently predicted reduced OS (HR = 2.07, P = 0.004) and EFS (HR = 1.909, P = 0.01) independent of other well-known prognostic factors. Meanwhile, allo-HSCT overcome deleterious outcomes related to low miR-340. Cases administered allo-HSCT showed markedly improved OS (HR = 0.316, P < 0.0001) and EFS (HR = 0.391, P = 0.002) in comparison with those receiving chemotherapy in the low miR-340 group. Gene expression assessment revealed that elevated miR-340 amounts were negatively correlated with HOXA/HOXB cluster levels, as well as the amounts of the HOX cofactor MEIS1. Strikingly, in silico analysis pointing to HOXA10, HOXB2, and MEIS1 as miR-340 targets. The miR-340 expression may help identify cases requiring strategies for selecting the optimal therapeutic option between chemotherapy and allo-HCST. AML cases showing low miR-340 levels should be strongly considered for early allo-HSCT treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingshan Niu
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ninghan Zhang
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Tingting Shao
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yuan Feng
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yangling Shen
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Xuejiao Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Shengyun Zhu
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Linyan Xu
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yao Yao
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Kailin Xu
- Blood Diseases Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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8
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Solovey M, Wang Y, Michel C, Metzeler KH, Herold T, Göthert JR, Ellenrieder V, Hessmann E, Gattenlöhner S, Neubauer A, Pavlinic D, Benes V, Rupp O, Burchert A. Nuclear factor of activated T-cells, NFATC1, governs FLT3 ITD-driven hematopoietic stem cell transformation and a poor prognosis in AML. J Hematol Oncol 2019; 12:72. [PMID: 31286998 PMCID: PMC6615262 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-019-0765-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with a high allelic burden of an internal tandem duplication (ITD)-mutated FMS-like Tyrosine Kinase-3 (FLT3) have a dismal outcome. FLT3ITD triggers the proliferation of the quiescent hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) pool but fails to directly transform HSCs. While the inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T-cells 2 (NFAT2, NFATC1) is overexpressed in AML, it is unknown whether it plays a role in FLT3ITD-induced HSC transformation. Methods We generated a triple transgenic mouse model, in which tamoxifen-inducible Cre-recombinase targets expression of a constitutively nuclear transcription factor NFATC1 to FLT3ITD positive HSC. Emerging genotypes were phenotypically, biochemically, and also transcriptionally characterized using RNA sequencing. We also retrospectively analyzed the overall survival of AML patients with different NFATC1 expression status. Results We find that NFATC1 governs FLT3ITD-driven precursor cell expansion and transformation, causing a fully penetrant lethal AML. FLT3ITD/NFATC1-AML is re-transplantable in secondary recipients and shows primary resistance to the FLT3ITD-kinase inhibitor quizartinib. Mechanistically, NFATC1 rewires FLT3ITD-dependent signaling output in HSC, involving augmented K-RAS signaling and a selective de novo recruitment of key HSC-transforming signaling pathways such as the Hedgehog- and WNT/B-Catenin signaling pathways. In human AML, NFATC1 overexpression is associated with poor overall survival. Conclusions NFATC1 expression causes FLT3ITD-induced transcriptome changes, which are associated with HSC transformation, quizartinib resistance, and a poor prognosis in AML. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13045-019-0765-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Solovey
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Campus Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Campus Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christian Michel
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Campus Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Klaus H Metzeler
- Laboratory for Leukemia Diagnostics, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Herold
- Laboratory for Leukemia Diagnostics, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Volker Ellenrieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hessmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Neubauer
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Campus Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Dinko Pavlinic
- Genomics Core Facility, EMBL Heidelberg , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Vladimir Benes
- Genomics Core Facility, EMBL Heidelberg , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oliver Rupp
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Burchert
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Campus Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
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9
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Elias MH, Azlan H, Sulong S, Baba AA, Ankathil R. Aberrant DNA methylation at HOXA4 and HOXA5 genes are associated with resistance to imatinib mesylate among chronic myeloid leukemia patients. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2018; 1:e1111. [PMID: 32721103 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Imatinib mesylate is a molecularly targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug. It is effectively used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. However, development of resistance to imatinib mesylate as a result of BCR-ABL dependent and BCR-ABL independent mechanisms has emerged as a daunting problem in the management of CML patients. Between these mechanisms, BCR-ABL independent mechanisms are still not robustly understood. AIM To investigate the correlation of HOXA4 and HOXA5 promoter DNA hypermethylation with imatinib resistance among CML patients. METHODS AND RESULTS Samples from 175 Philadelphia positive CML patients (83 good response and 92 BCR-ABL non-mutated imatinib resistant patients) were subjected to Methylation Specific High Resolution Melt Analysis for methylation levels quantification of the HOXA4 and HOXA5 promoter regions. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was done to elucidate the optimal methylation cut-off point followed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Log-Rank analysis was done to measure the overall survival difference between CML groups. The optimal methylation cut-off point was found to be at 62.5% for both HOXA4 and HOXA5. Chronic myeloid leukemia patients with ≥63% HOXA4 and HOXA5 methylation level were shown to have 3.78 and 3.95 times the odds, respectively, to acquire resistance to imatinib. However, overall survival of CML patients that have ≤62% and ≥ 63% methylation levels of HOXA4 and HOXA5 genes were found to be not significant (P-value = 0.126 for HOXA4; P-value = 0.217 for HOXA5). CONCLUSION Hypermethylation of the HOXA4 and HOXA5 promoter is correlated with imatinib resistance and with further investigation, it could be a potential epigenetic biomarker in supplement to the BCR-ABL gene mutation in predicting imatinib treatment response among CML patients but could not be considered as a prognostic marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjanu Hikmah Elias
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Malaysia
| | - Husin Azlan
- Haemato-Oncology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Sarina Sulong
- Human Genome Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | | | - Ravindran Ankathil
- Human Genome Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
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10
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CTCF boundary remodels chromatin domain and drives aberrant HOX gene transcription in acute myeloid leukemia. Blood 2018; 132:837-848. [PMID: 29760161 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2017-11-814319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
HOX gene dysregulation is a common feature of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The molecular mechanisms underlying aberrant HOX gene expression and associated AML pathogenesis remain unclear. The nuclear protein CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), when bound to insulator sequences, constrains temporal HOX gene-expression patterns within confined chromatin domains for normal development. Here, we used targeted pooled CRISPR-Cas9-knockout library screening to interrogate the function of CTCF boundaries in the HOX gene loci. We discovered that the CTCF binding site located between HOXA7 and HOXA9 genes (CBS7/9) is critical for establishing and maintaining aberrant HOXA9-HOXA13 gene expression in AML. Disruption of the CBS7/9 boundary resulted in spreading of repressive H3K27me3 into the posterior active HOXA chromatin domain that subsequently impaired enhancer/promoter chromatin accessibility and disrupted ectopic long-range interactions among the posterior HOXA genes. Consistent with the role of the CBS7/9 boundary in HOXA locus chromatin organization, attenuation of the CBS7/9 boundary function reduced posterior HOXA gene expression and altered myeloid-specific transcriptome profiles important for pathogenesis of myeloid malignancies. Furthermore, heterozygous deletion of the CBS7/9 chromatin boundary in the HOXA locus reduced human leukemic blast burden and enhanced survival of transplanted AML cell xenograft and patient-derived xenograft mouse models. Thus, the CTCF boundary constrains the normal gene-expression program, as well as plays a role in maintaining the oncogenic transcription program for leukemic transformation. The CTCF boundaries may serve as novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of myeloid malignancies.
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11
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Muurinen M, Hannula-Jouppi K, Reinius LE, Söderhäll C, Merid SK, Bergström A, Melén E, Pershagen G, Lipsanen-Nyman M, Greco D, Kere J. Hypomethylation of HOXA4 promoter is common in Silver-Russell syndrome and growth restriction and associates with stature in healthy children. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15693. [PMID: 29146936 PMCID: PMC5691194 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16070-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) is a growth retardation syndrome in which loss of methylation on chromosome 11p15 (11p15 LOM) and maternal uniparental disomy for chromosome 7 [UPD(7)mat] explain 20–60% and 10% of the syndrome, respectively. To search for a molecular cause for the remaining SRS cases, and to find a possible common epigenetic change, we studied DNA methylation pattern of more than 450 000 CpG sites in 44 SRS patients. Common to all three SRS subgroups, we found a hypomethylated region at the promoter region of HOXA4 in 55% of the patients. We then tested 39 patients with severe growth restriction of unknown etiology, and found hypomethylation of HOXA4 in 44% of the patients. Finally, we found that methylation at multiple CpG sites in the HOXA4 promoter region was associated with height in a cohort of 227 healthy children, suggesting that HOXA4 may play a role in regulating human growth by epigenetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Muurinen
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Helsinki, and Research Programs Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katariina Hannula-Jouppi
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Helsinki, and Research Programs Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Dermatology, Skin and Allergy Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lovisa E Reinius
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Cilla Söderhäll
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Simon Kebede Merid
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Bergström
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erik Melén
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Sachs' Children's Hospital, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Göran Pershagen
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marita Lipsanen-Nyman
- Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dario Greco
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences & Institute of Biosciences and Medical Technology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Juha Kere
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Helsinki, and Research Programs Unit, Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. .,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden. .,School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
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12
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Mohr S, Doebele C, Comoglio F, Berg T, Beck J, Bohnenberger H, Alexe G, Corso J, Ströbel P, Wachter A, Beissbarth T, Schnütgen F, Cremer A, Haetscher N, Göllner S, Rouhi A, Palmqvist L, Rieger MA, Schroeder T, Bönig H, Müller-Tidow C, Kuchenbauer F, Schütz E, Green AR, Urlaub H, Stegmaier K, Humphries RK, Serve H, Oellerich T. Hoxa9 and Meis1 Cooperatively Induce Addiction to Syk Signaling by Suppressing miR-146a in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Cell 2017; 31:549-562.e11. [PMID: 28399410 PMCID: PMC5389883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor Meis1 drives myeloid leukemogenesis in the context of Hox gene overexpression but is currently considered undruggable. We therefore investigated whether myeloid progenitor cells transformed by Hoxa9 and Meis1 become addicted to targetable signaling pathways. A comprehensive (phospho)proteomic analysis revealed that Meis1 increased Syk protein expression and activity. Syk upregulation occurs through a Meis1-dependent feedback loop. By dissecting this loop, we show that Syk is a direct target of miR-146a, whose expression is indirectly regulated by Meis1 through the transcription factor PU.1. In the context of Hoxa9 overexpression, Syk signaling induces Meis1, recapitulating several leukemogenic features of Hoxa9/Meis1-driven leukemia. Finally, Syk inhibition disrupts the identified regulatory loop, prolonging survival of mice with Hoxa9/Meis1-driven leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Mohr
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Carmen Doebele
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Federico Comoglio
- Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust/MRC Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Tobias Berg
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Beck
- Chronix Biomedical, Goetheallee 8, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gabriela Alexe
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Jasmin Corso
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Astrid Wachter
- Institute of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 32, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tim Beissbarth
- Institute of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 32, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frank Schnütgen
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Anjali Cremer
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nadine Haetscher
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Stefanie Göllner
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Halle, Ernst-Grube-Street 40, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Arefeh Rouhi
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Lars Palmqvist
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Su sahlgrenska, 41345 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michael A Rieger
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Timm Schroeder
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Halvard Bönig
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University, Sandhofstraße 1, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Carsten Müller-Tidow
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Halle, Ernst-Grube-Street 40, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Florian Kuchenbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Anthony R Green
- Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust/MRC Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bioanalytics, Georg August University, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kimberly Stegmaier
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - R Keith Humphries
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Hubert Serve
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Oellerich
- Department of Medicine II, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust/MRC Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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13
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Abstract
STUDY DESIGN The expression of HOXB13 and HOXA9 proteins was detected. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular signature of spinal ependymoma (EPN) and astrocytoma, 2 most common types of intramedullary spinal tumor. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Intramedullary spinal tumor is unusual. It leads to high neurological morbidity and mortality without treatment. Till now, its molecular feature has been elucidated up to a little extent. METHODS A total of 37 cases of spinal EPN, including 12 myxopapillary EPNs (MEPNs), 18 classic EPNs, and 7 anaplastic EPNs, and another 12 cases of astrocytoma were selected for this study. Immunohistochemical analysis of a large cohort of patients providing clinical tumor samples was performed to compare the expression of HOXB13 and HOXA9 not only between spinal EPN and astrocytoma but also among all 3 World Health Organization grades of spinal EPN. RESULTS The results showed that HOXB13 and HOXA9 were selectively expressed in spinal EPN instead of astrocytoma. Furthermore, we found the strongest positive response of HOXB13 in MEPN whereas that of HOXA9 was ubiquitously detected in all subgroups of EPN. CONCLUSION Both specificity and sensitivity of HOXB13 in MEPN indicated that HOXB13 might be a diagnostic marker to distinguish MEPN from other 2 types of EPN and a promising therapeutic target for MEPN. The strong immunoreactivity of HOXA9 in spinal EPN suggested an indispensable role in the progression of spinal EPN, and further research on its molecular function will provide new clues for the development of treatment options. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE N /A.
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14
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Liu J, Qin YZ, Yang S, Wang Y, Chang YJ, Zhao T, Jiang Q, Huang XJ. Meis1 is critical to the maintenance of human acute myeloid leukemia cells independent of MLL rearrangements. Ann Hematol 2017; 96:567-574. [PMID: 28054140 DOI: 10.1007/s00277-016-2913-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Although the outcome of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has improved by optimized chemotherapy regimens and bone marrow transplantation, leukemia relapse remains one of the most challenging problems during therapy. Sustained existence of AML blasts is a fundamental determinant for the development of leukemia and resistance to therapy. Recent evidences suggest that Meis1 is tightly associated with the self-renewal capacity of normal hematopoietic stem cells. Meis1 was also found to be essential for the development of mixed lineage leukemia (MLL)-rearranged leukemia. Whether Meis1 functions independently of MLL abnormality in the context of leukemia is unclear. Herein, we identified a distinct expression pattern of Meis1 in patients with newly diagnosed AML without MLL abnormality. High levels of Meis1 expression were found in 64 of 95 (67.4%) AML patients; whereas, 31 of 95 (32.6%) patients showed dramatically lower levels of Meis1, compared with the median level of Meis1 in healthy donors. The whole cohort and subgroup analyses further demonstrated that high Meis1 expression levels were associated with a resistance to conventional chemotherapy, compared with the group with low Meis1 levels (P = 0.014 and P = 0.029, respectively). In vitro knockdown experiments highlighted a role of Meis1 in regulating maintenance and survival of human AML cells. These results implicate that Meis1 functions as an important regulator during the progression of human AML and could be a prognostic factor independent of MLL abnormality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangying Liu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Ya-Zhen Qin
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Shenmiao Yang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Yazhe Wang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Ying-Jun Chang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Huang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China.
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15
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Shi J, Fu H, Jia Z, He K, Fu L, Wang W. High Expression of CPT1A Predicts Adverse Outcomes: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. EBioMedicine 2016; 14:55-64. [PMID: 27916548 PMCID: PMC5161445 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Revised: 11/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A (CPT1A) protein catalyzes the rate-limiting step of Fatty-acid oxidation (FAO) pathway, which can promote cell proliferation and suppress apoptosis. Targeting CPT1A has shown remarkable anti-leukemia activity. But, its prognostic value remains unclear in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). In two independent cohorts of cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML) patients, compared to low expression of CPT1A (CPT1Alow), high expression of CPT1A (CPT1Ahigh) was significantly associated with adverse outcomes, which was also shown in European Leukemia Network (ELN) Intermediate-I category. Multivariable analyses adjusting for known factors confirmed CPT1Ahigh as a high risk factor. Significant associations between CPT1Ahigh and adverse outcomes were further validated whether for all AML patients (OS: P = 0.008; EFS: P = 0.002, n = 334, no M3) or for National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Intermediate-Risk subgroup (OS: P = 0.021, EFS: P = 0.024, n = 173). Multiple omics analysis revealed aberrant alterations of genomics and epigenetics were significantly associated with CPT1A expression, including up- and down-regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor, activation and inhibition of leukemic (AML, CML) and immune activation pathways, hypermethylation enrichments on CpG island and gene promoter regions. Combined with the previously reported anti-leukemia activity of CPT1A's inhibitor, our results proved CPT1A as a potential prognosticator and therapeutic target for AML. High expression of CPT1A is an adverse prognostic biomarker in AML. Aberrant alterations of genomic and epigenomic patterns are significantly associated with CPT1A expression.
Identification of prognostic biomarkers is essential for therapeutic choice of AML. This study represents direct evidences that high expression of CPT1A is significantly associated with poor outcomes and abnormal genomic and epigenomic patterns in AML patients. CPT1A is an important catalyzer for fatty-acid oxidation pathway, which may provide alternative carbon source for leukemia proliferation. Findings of this study may indicate the significance of fat metabolism in leukemogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlong Shi
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering and Translational Medicine (Chinese PLA General Hospital), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Huaping Fu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhilong Jia
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering and Translational Medicine (Chinese PLA General Hospital), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Kunlun He
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering and Translational Medicine (Chinese PLA General Hospital), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Fu
- Department of Hematology and Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University, Third Hospital, Beijing, China; Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
| | - Weidong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering and Translational Medicine (Chinese PLA General Hospital), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
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16
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Burillo-Sanz S, Vargas MT, Morales-Camacho RM, Caballero-Velázquez T, Sánchez J, García-Lozano JR, Pérez de Soto I, Prats-Martín C, Bernal R, Pérez-Simón JA. RUNX1
amplification in AML with myelodysplasia-related changes and ring 21 chromosomes. Hematol Oncol 2016; 35:894-899. [DOI: 10.1002/hon.2287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S Burillo-Sanz
- Servicio de Inmunología; Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío; Seville Spain
| | - MT Vargas
- Department of Hematology; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS)/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla; Seville Spain
| | - RM Morales-Camacho
- Department of Hematology; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS)/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla; Seville Spain
| | - T Caballero-Velázquez
- Department of Hematology; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS)/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla; Seville Spain
| | - J Sánchez
- Department of Genetics; Reproduction and Fetal Medicine; Seville Spain
- Centre of Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER); Seville Spain
| | - JR García-Lozano
- Servicio de Inmunología; Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío; Seville Spain
| | - I Pérez de Soto
- Department of Hematology; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS)/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla; Seville Spain
| | - C Prats-Martín
- Department of Hematology; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS)/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla; Seville Spain
| | - R Bernal
- Department of Hematology; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS)/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla; Seville Spain
| | - JA Pérez-Simón
- Department of Hematology; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS)/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla; Seville Spain
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17
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Bond J, Marchand T, Touzart A, Cieslak A, Trinquand A, Sutton L, Radford-Weiss I, Lhermitte L, Spicuglia S, Dombret H, Macintyre E, Ifrah N, Hamel JF, Asnafi V. An early thymic precursor phenotype predicts outcome exclusively in HOXA-overexpressing adult T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Group for Research in Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia study. Haematologica 2016; 101:732-40. [PMID: 26944475 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2015.141218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Gene expression studies have consistently identified a HOXA-overexpressing cluster of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias, but it is unclear whether these constitute a homogeneous clinical entity, and the biological consequences of HOXA overexpression have not been systematically examined. We characterized the biology and outcome of 55 HOXA-positive cases among 209 patients with adult T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia uniformly treated during the Group for Research on Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (GRAALL)-2003 and -2005 studies. HOXA-positive patients had markedly higher rates of an early thymic precursor-like immunophenotype (40.8% versus 14.5%, P=0.0004), chemoresistance (59.3% versus 40.8%, P=0.026) and positivity for minimal residual disease (48.5% versus 23.5%, P=0.01) than the HOXA-negative group. These differences were due to particularly high frequencies of chemoresistant early thymic precursor-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia in HOXA-positive cases harboring fusion oncoproteins that transactivate HOXA Strikingly, the presence of an early thymic precursor-like immunophenotype was associated with marked outcome differences within the HOXA-positive group (5-year overall survival 31.2% in HOXA-positive early thymic precursor versus 66.7% in HOXA-positive non-early thymic precursor, P=0.03), but not in HOXA-negative cases (5-year overall survival 74.2% in HOXA-negative early thymic precursor versus 57.2% in HOXA-negative non-early thymic precursor, P=0.44). Multivariate analysis further revealed that HOXA positivity independently affected event-free survival (P=0.053) and relapse risk (P=0.039) of chemoresistant T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. These results show that the underlying mechanism of HOXA deregulation dictates the clinico-biological phenotype, and that the negative prognosis of early thymic precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia is exclusive to HOXA-positive patients, suggesting that early treatment intensification is currently suboptimal for therapeutic rescue of HOXA-positive chemoresistant adult early thymic precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. TRIAL REGISTRATION The GRAALL-2003 and -2005 studies were registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00222027 and #NCT00327678, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Bond
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM),
Institut National de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1151, and Laboratory of OncoHematology,
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Necker EnfantsMalades,
Paris
| | - Tony Marchand
- Department of Hematology, University Hospital and INSERM UMR 917,
Rennes 1 University, Rennes
| | - Aurore Touzart
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM),
Institut National de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1151, and Laboratory of OncoHematology,
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Necker EnfantsMalades,
Paris
| | - Agata Cieslak
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM),
Institut National de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1151, and Laboratory of OncoHematology,
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Necker EnfantsMalades,
Paris
| | - Amélie Trinquand
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM),
Institut National de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1151, and Laboratory of OncoHematology,
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Necker EnfantsMalades,
Paris
| | | | - Isabelle Radford-Weiss
- Université Paris 5 Descartes, Department of Cytogenetics, Assistance PubliqueHôpitaux
de Paris, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris
| | - Ludovic Lhermitte
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM),
Institut National de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1151, and Laboratory of OncoHematology,
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Necker EnfantsMalades,
Paris
| | - Salvatore Spicuglia
- Technological Advances for Genomics and Clinics (TAGC), INSERM U1090, Aix-Marseille University UMR-S 1090, Marseille
| | - Hervé Dombret
- Université Paris Diderot, Institut Universitaire d’Hématologie, EA-3518, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University Hospital Saint-Louis, Paris
| | - Elizabeth Macintyre
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM),
Institut National de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1151, and Laboratory of OncoHematology,
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Necker EnfantsMalades,
Paris
| | - Norbert Ifrah
- PRES LUNAM, CHU Angers Service des Maladies du Sang et INSERM U 892, Angers, France
| | - Jean-François Hamel
- PRES LUNAM, CHU Angers Service des Maladies du Sang et INSERM U 892, Angers, France
| | - Vahid Asnafi
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM),
Institut National de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1151, and Laboratory of OncoHematology,
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Necker EnfantsMalades,
Paris
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Musialik E, Bujko M, Kober P, Grygorowicz MA, Libura M, Przestrzelska M, Juszczyński P, Borg K, Florek I, Jakóbczyk M, Siedlecki JA. Promoter DNA methylation and expression levels of HOXA4, HOXA5 and MEIS1 in acute myeloid leukemia. Mol Med Rep 2015; 11:3948-54. [PMID: 25585874 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.3196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
HOXA genes encode transcription factors, which are crucial for embryogenesis and tissue differentiation and are involved in the early stages of hematopoiesis. Aberrations in HOXA genes and their cofactor MEIS1 are found in human neoplasms, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The present study investigated the role of HOXA4, HOXA5 and MEIS1 promoter DNA methylation and mRNA expression in AML. Samples from 78 AML patients and 12 normal bone marrow (BM) samples were included. The levels of promoter DNA methylation were determined using quantitative methylation‑specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR; qMSP) and the relative expression levels were measured using reverse transcription quantitative PCR in Ficoll‑separated BM mononuclear cells and in fluorescent activated cell sorting‑sorted populations of normal hematopoietic progenitors. In total, 38.1 and 28.9% of the patients exhibited high methylation levels of HOXA4 and HOXA5, respectively, compared with the control samples, and MEIS1 methylation was almost absent. An inverse correlation between HOXA4 methylation and expression was identified in a group of patients with a normal karyotype (NK AML). An association between the genes was observed and correlation between the DNA methylation and expression levels of the HOXA gene promoter with the expression of MEIS1 was observed. Patients with favorable chromosomal aberrations revealed a low level of HOXA4 methylation and decreased expression levels of HOXA5 and MEIS1 compared with the NK AML and the adverse cytogenetic risk patients. The NK AML patients with NPM1 mutations exhibited elevated HOXA4 methylation and expression levels of HOXA5 and MEIS1 compared with the NPM1 wild‑type patients. Comparison of the undifferentiated BM‑derived hematopoietic CD34+CD38low, CD34+CD38+ and CD15+ cells revealed a gradual decrease in the expression levels of these three genes and an increase in HOXA4 promoter methylation. This differentiation‑associated variability was not observed in AML, which was classified according to the French‑American‑British system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Musialik
- Department of Molecular and Translational Oncology, Maria Sklodowska‑Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw 02‑781, Poland
| | - Mateusz Bujko
- Department of Molecular and Translational Oncology, Maria Sklodowska‑Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw 02‑781, Poland
| | - Paulina Kober
- Department of Molecular and Translational Oncology, Maria Sklodowska‑Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw 02‑781, Poland
| | - Monika Anna Grygorowicz
- Department of Immunology, Maria Sklodowska‑Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw 02‑781, Poland
| | - Marta Libura
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, The Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02‑097, Poland
| | - Marta Przestrzelska
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Internal Diseases, The Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02‑097, Poland
| | - Przemysław Juszczyński
- Department of Diagnostic Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Warsaw 02‑109, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Borg
- Department of Diagnostic Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Warsaw 02‑109, Poland
| | - Izabela Florek
- Department of Hematology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow 31‑501, Poland
| | | | - Janusz Aleksander Siedlecki
- Department of Molecular and Translational Oncology, Maria Sklodowska‑Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw 02‑781, Poland
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Mulgrew NM, Kettyle LMJ, Ramsey JM, Cull S, Smyth LJ, Mervyn DM, Bijl JJ, Thompson A. c-Met inhibition in a HOXA9/Meis1 model of CN-AML. Dev Dyn 2013; 243:172-81. [PMID: 24307265 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hematopoiesis is a paradigm for developmental processes, hierarchically organized, with stem cells at its origin. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) replenish progenitor and precursor cells of multiple lineages, which normally differentiate into short-lived mature circulating cells. Hematopoiesis has provided insight into the molecular basis of tissue homeostasis and malignancy. Malignant hematopoiesis, in particular acute myeloid leukemia (AML), results from impaired development or differentiation of HSCs and progenitors. Co-overexpression of HOX and TALE genes, particularly the HOXA cluster and MEIS1, is associated with AML. Clinically relevant models of AML are required to advance drug development for an aging patient cohort. RESULTS Molecular analysis identified altered gene, microRNA, and protein expression in HOXA9/Meis1 leukemic bone marrow compared to normal controls. A candidate drug screen identified the c-Met inhibitor SU11274 for further analysis. Altered cell cycle status, apoptosis, differentiation, and impaired colony formation were shown for SU11274 in AML cell lines and primary leukemic bone marrow. CONCLUSIONS The clonal HOXA9/Meis1 AML model is amenable to drug screening analysis. The data presented indicate that human AML cells respond in a similar manner to the HOXA9/Meis1 cells, indicating pre-clinical relevance of the mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuala M Mulgrew
- Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
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HOXA4 gene promoter hypermethylation as an epigenetic mechanism mediating resistance to imatinib mesylate in chronic myeloid leukemia patients. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2012; 2013:129715. [PMID: 23484077 PMCID: PMC3591123 DOI: 10.1155/2013/129715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Accepted: 11/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Development of resistance to imatinib mesylate (IM) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients has emerged as a significant clinical problem. The observation that increased epigenetic silencing of potential tumor suppressor genes correlates with disease progression in some CML patients treated with IM suggests a relationship between epigenetic silencing and resistance development. We hypothesize that promoter hypermethylation of HOXA4 could be an epigenetic mechanism mediating IM resistance in CML patients. Thus a study was undertaken to investigate the promoter hypermethylation status of HOXA4 in CML patients on IM treatment and to determine its role in mediating resistance to IM. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of 95 CML patients (38 good responders and 57 resistant) and 12 normal controls. All samples were bisulfite treated and analysed by methylation-specific high-resolution melt analysis. Compared to the good responders, the HOXA4 hypermethylation level was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in IM-resistant CML patients. On comparing the risk, HOXA4 hypermethylation was associated with a higher risk for IM resistance (OR 4.658; 95% CI, 1.673–12.971; P = 0.003). Thus, it is reasonable to suggest that promoter hypermethylation of HOXA4 gene could be an epigenetic mechanism mediating IM resistance in CML patients.
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Abstract
The homeobox (HOX) genes are a highly conserved family of homeodomain-containing transcription factors that specify cell identity in early development and, subsequently, in a number of adult processes including hematopoiesis. The dysregulation of HOX genes is associated with a number of malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), where they have been shown to support the immortalization of leukemic cells both as chimeric partners in fusion genes and when overexpressed in their wild-type form. This review covers our current understanding of the role of HOX genes in normal hematopoiesis, AML and ALL, with particular emphasis on the similarities and differences of HOX function in these contexts, their hematopoietic downstream gene targets and implications for therapy.
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Yan-Fang T, Dong W, Li P, Wen-Li Z, Jun L, Na W, Jian W, Xing F, Yan-Hong L, Jian N, Jian P. Analyzing the gene expression profile of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia with real-time PCR arrays. Cancer Cell Int 2012; 12:40. [PMID: 22958424 PMCID: PMC3495223 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2867-12-40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 09/06/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Real-time PCR Array System is the ideal tool for analyzing the expression of a focused panel of genes. In this study, we will analyze the gene expression profile of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia with real-time PCR arrays. Methods Real-time PCR array was designed and tested firstly. Then gene expression profile of 11 pediatric AML and 10 normal controls was analyzed with real-time PCR arrays. We analyzed the expression data with MEV (Multi Experiment View) cluster software. Datasets representing genes with altered expression profile derived from cluster analyses were imported into the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis Tool. Results We designed and tested 88 real-time PCR primer pairs for a quantitative gene expression analysis of key genes involved in pediatric AML. The gene expression profile of pediatric AML is significantly different from normal control; there are 19 genes up-regulated and 25 genes down-regulated in pediatric AML. To investigate possible biological interactions of differently regulated genes, datasets representing genes with altered expression profile were imported into the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis Tool. The results revealed 12 significant networks. Of these networks, Cellular Development, Cellular Growth and Proliferation, Tumor Morphology was the highest rated network with 36 focus molecules and the significance score of 41. The IPA analysis also groups the differentially expressed genes into biological mechanisms that are related to hematological disease, cell death, cell growth and hematological system development. In the top canonical pathways, p53 and Huntington’s disease signaling came out to be the top two most significant pathways with a p value of 1.5E-8 and2.95E-7, respectively. Conclusions The present study demonstrates the gene expression profile of pediatric AML is significantly different from normal control; there are 19 genes up-regulated and 25 genes down-regulated in pediatric AML. We found some genes dyes-regulated in pediatric AML for the first time as FASLG, HDAC4, HDAC7 and some HOX family genes. IPA analysis showed the top important pathways for pediatric AML are p53 and Huntington’s disease signaling. This work may provide new clues of molecular mechanism in pediatric AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yan-Fang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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Abstract
Salivary gland carcinomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors with different biologic behavior. Given the lack of large randomized studies, there is no standard treatment for advanced and/or metastatic salivary gland tumors, and systemic therapy is empirically based. Tumor-specific recurrent chromosomal translocations and fusion oncogenes in aggressive head and neck malignancies have diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic implications. Pathognomonic fusion transcripts have been identified in subsets of mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma. These translocations target 1) transcription factors involved in growth factor signaling and cell cycle regulation, 2) transcriptional co-activators, and 3) tyrosine kinase receptors. Prioritizing studies with a translational component to advance the molecular understanding of these cancers and molecular-targeted therapy clinical trials is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Bell
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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Abstract
Myeloid hematological malignancies are among the epigenetically best characterized neoplasms. The comparatively low number of recurring balanced and unbalanced chromosomal abnormalities as well as common genetic mutations has enabled scientists to relate epigenetic states to these. The ease of accessing malignant cells through bone marrow aspiration has certainly contributed to the fast expansion of knowledge. Even so, the clinical and pathogenetic relevance of epigenetic changes is still not known, and the field will certainly evolve very fast with the development of new analytic techniques. The first example of successful epigenetic therapy is seen in myeloid malignancies, in the high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) which are routinely treated with the demethylating agent azacytidine.This chapter will concentrate on describing the epigenetic changes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and MDS. An overview of clinical relevance and epigenetic therapeutic approaches is also made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Deneberg
- Center of Hematology, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden.
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Mankoo PK, Shen R, Schultz N, Levine DA, Sander C. Time to recurrence and survival in serous ovarian tumors predicted from integrated genomic profiles. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24709. [PMID: 22073136 PMCID: PMC3207809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2011] [Accepted: 08/17/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Serous ovarian cancer (SeOvCa) is an aggressive disease with differential and often inadequate therapeutic outcome after standard treatment. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) has provided rich molecular and genetic profiles from hundreds of primary surgical samples. These profiles confirm mutations of TP53 in ∼100% of patients and an extraordinarily complex profile of DNA copy number changes with considerable patient-to-patient diversity. This raises the joint challenge of exploiting all new available datasets and reducing their confounding complexity for the purpose of predicting clinical outcomes and identifying disease relevant pathway alterations. We therefore set out to use multi-data type genomic profiles (mRNA, DNA methylation, DNA copy-number alteration and microRNA) available from TCGA to identify prognostic signatures for the prediction of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Methodology/Principal Findings We implemented a multivariate Cox Lasso model and median time-to-event prediction algorithm and applied it to two datasets integrated from the four genomic data types. We (1) selected features through cross-validation; (2) generated a prognostic index for patient risk stratification; and (3) directly predicted continuous clinical outcome measures, that is, the time to recurrence and survival time. We used Kaplan-Meier p-values, hazard ratios (HR), and concordance probability estimates (CPE) to assess prediction performance, comparing separate and integrated datasets. Data integration resulted in the best PFS signature (withheld data: p-value = 0.008; HR = 2.83; CPE = 0.72). Conclusions/Significance We provide a prediction tool that inputs genomic profiles of primary surgical samples and generates patient-specific predictions for the time to recurrence and survival, along with outcome risk predictions. Using integrated genomic profiles resulted in information gain for prediction of outcomes. Pathway analysis provided potential insights into functional changes affecting disease progression. The prognostic signatures, if prospectively validated, may be useful for interpreting therapeutic outcomes for clinical trials that aim to improve the therapy for SeOvCa patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parminder K. Mankoo
- Computational Biology Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Ronglai Shen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Nikolaus Schultz
- Computational Biology Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Douglas A. Levine
- Gynecology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Chris Sander
- Computational Biology Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of America
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Fournier M, Lebert-Ghali CÉ, Krosl G, Bijl JJ. HOXA4 induces expansion of hematopoietic stem cells in vitro and confers enhancement of pro-B-cells in vivo. Stem Cells Dev 2011; 21:133-42. [PMID: 21749220 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2011.0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the homeobox (Hox) gene family are known to mediate expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and progenitors. The absence of oncogenic properties promoted HOXB4 as prime candidate in the quest to expand HSCs for clinical purposes. Despite its potential to expand HSCs, studies with mutant mice showed that Hoxb4 is not essential for HSC generation and function under physiological conditions. Expression studies and the existence of functional redundancy in particular between paralog Hox genes suggest that HOXA4 might have potent properties to expand HSCs. Here we measured the ability of HOXA4 to promote ex vivo expansion of HSCs and progenitors using retrovirus-mediated overexpression. Our results provide evidence that HOXA4-transduced HSCs and primitive progenitors expand in culture conditions and demonstrate that the potential of expanded HOXA4 HSCs to give rise to mature myeloid and lymphoid progeny in normal proportions remained intact. Interestingly, constitutive overexpression of HOXA4 resulted in an unbalanced expansion of lymphoid/myeloid progenitors in bone marrow chimeras favorable to B-cell progenitors responsive to interleukin-7. This expansion was specific for these progenitors and not for the more primitive Whitlock-Witte-initiating cells. These data indicate that early stages of B-cell development associated with proliferation are in particular sensitive to HOXA4. Thus, this study supports the potential use of HOXA4 to expand both HSCs and B-cell progenitor populations for therapeutic strategies.
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Werbowetski-Ogilvie TE, Schnerch A, Rampalli S, Mills CE, Lee JB, Hong SH, Levadoux-Martin M, Bhatia M. Evidence for the transmission of neoplastic properties from transformed to normal human stem cells. Oncogene 2011; 30:4632-44. [PMID: 21625212 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2011.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The in vivo relationship between human tumor cells and interacting normal cells in their local environment is poorly understood. Here, using a uniquely developed in vitro co-culture system for human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), we examined the interactions between transformed and normal human stem cells. Co-culture of transformed-hESCs (t-hESCs) with normal hESCs led to enhanced self-renewal and niche independence in normal hESCs. Global gene expression analysis of normal hESCs after timed exposure to t-hESCs indicated a transition of the molecular network controlling the hESC state, which included epigenetic changes, towards neoplastic features. These included enhanced pluripotent marker expression and a differentiation blockade as major hallmark changes. Functional studies revealed a loss in normal terminal differentiation programs for both hematopoiesis and neural lineages after normal stem cell co-culture with transformed variants. This transmission of neoplastic properties from t-hESCs to normal hESCs was dependent on direct cell-cell contact. Our study indicates that normal human stem cells can co-opt neoplastic cancer stem cell properties, raising the possibility that assimilation of healthy cells towards neoplastic behavior maybe a contributing feature of sustained tumorigenesis in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- T E Werbowetski-Ogilvie
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, Michael G. Degroote School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Argiropoulos B, Palmqvist L, Imren S, Miller M, Rouhi A, Mager DL, Humphries RK. Meis1 disrupts the genomic imprint of Dlk1 in a NUP98-HOXD13 leukemia model. Leukemia 2010; 24:1788-91. [DOI: 10.1038/leu.2010.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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