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Sotiriadis S, Beil J, Berchtold S, Smirnow I, Schenk A, Lauer UM. Multimodal Therapy Approaches for NUT Carcinoma by Dual Combination of Oncolytic Virus Talimogene Laherparepvec with Small Molecule Inhibitors. Viruses 2024; 16:775. [PMID: 38793657 PMCID: PMC11125747 DOI: 10.3390/v16050775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
NUT (nuclear-protein-in-testis) carcinoma (NC) is a highly aggressive tumor disease. Given that current treatment regimens offer a median survival of six months only, it is likely that this type of tumor requires an extended multimodal treatment approach to improve prognosis. In an earlier case report, we could show that an oncolytic herpes simplex virus (T-VEC) is functional in NC patients. To identify further combination partners for T-VEC, we have investigated the anti-tumoral effects of T-VEC and five different small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) alone and in combination in human NC cell lines. Dual combinations were found to result in higher rates of tumor cell reductions when compared to the respective monotherapy as demonstrated by viability assays and real-time tumor cell growth monitoring. Interestingly, we found that the combination of T-VEC with SMIs resulted in both stronger and earlier reductions in the expression of c-Myc, a main driver of NC cell proliferation, when compared to T-VEC monotherapy. These results indicate the great potential of combinatorial therapies using oncolytic viruses and SMIs to control the highly aggressive behavior of NC cancers and probably will pave the way for innovative multimodal clinical studies in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros Sotiriadis
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Virotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Medical University Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.S.)
| | - Julia Beil
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Virotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Medical University Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Tübingen, a Partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Berchtold
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Virotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Medical University Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.S.)
| | - Irina Smirnow
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Virotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Medical University Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.S.)
| | - Andrea Schenk
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Virotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Medical University Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.S.)
| | - Ulrich M. Lauer
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Virotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Medical University Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Tübingen, a Partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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2
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Herbison H, Davis S, Nickless D, Haydon A, Ameratunga M. Sustained Clinical Response to Immunotherapy Followed by BET Inhibitor in a Patient with Unresectable Sinonasal NUT Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOTHERAPY AND PRECISION ONCOLOGY 2024; 7:67-72. [PMID: 38327754 PMCID: PMC10846633 DOI: 10.36401/jipo-23-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
NUT carcinomas (NCs) are a group of rare tumors that can occur anywhere in the body and are defined by the fusion of the nuclear protein in testis (NUTM1) resulting in increased transcription of proto-oncogenes. NCs have a poor prognosis that varies according to the site of origin with an urgent need to develop new treatment strategies. Case reports on immunotherapy in pulmonary NC have been published, and bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) inhibitors have shown activity in NC in phase I/II trials. We present the case of a 27-year-old woman with an unresectable sinonasal NC who had a sustained clinical response to both immunotherapy and BET inhibitor therapy. This is the first reported case of immunotherapy in sinonasal NC, and it highlights the different responses to a range of treatments including BET inhibitor therapy. This case supports the theory that NCs arising from different primary sites have differing prognoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet Herbison
- Department of Medical Oncology, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sidney Davis
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Nickless
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Cabrini Pathology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew Haydon
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Malaka Ameratunga
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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3
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Huang Y, Durall RT, Luong NM, Hertzler HJ, Huang J, Gokhale PC, Leeper BA, Persky NS, Root DE, Anekal PV, Montero Llopis PD, David CN, Kutok JL, Raimondi A, Saluja K, Luo J, Zahnow CA, Adane B, Stegmaier K, Hawkins CE, Ponne C, Le Q, Shapiro GI, Lemieux ME, Eagen KP, French CA. EZH2 Cooperates with BRD4-NUT to Drive NUT Carcinoma Growth by Silencing Key Tumor Suppressor Genes. Cancer Res 2023; 83:3956-3973. [PMID: 37747726 PMCID: PMC10843040 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
NUT carcinoma is an aggressive carcinoma driven by the BRD4-NUT fusion oncoprotein, which activates chromatin to promote expression of progrowth genes. BET bromodomain inhibitors (BETi) are a promising treatment for NUT carcinoma that can impede BRD4-NUT's ability to activate genes, but the efficacy of BETi as monotherapy is limited. Here, we demonstrated that enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), which silences genes through establishment of repressive chromatin, is a dependency in NUT carcinoma. Inhibition of EZH2 with the clinical compound tazemetostat potently blocked growth of NUT carcinoma cells. Epigenetic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that tazemetostat reversed the EZH2-specific H3K27me3 silencing mark and restored expression of multiple tumor suppressor genes while having no effect on key oncogenic BRD4-NUT-regulated genes. Indeed, H3K27me3 and H3K27ac domains were found to be mutually exclusive in NUT carcinoma cells. CDKN2A was identified as the only gene among all tazemetostat-derepressed genes to confer resistance to tazemetostat in a CRISPR-Cas9 screen. Combined inhibition of EZH2 and BET synergized to downregulate cell proliferation genes, resulting in more pronounced growth arrest and differentiation than either inhibitor alone. In preclinical models, combined tazemetostat and BETi synergistically blocked tumor growth and prolonged survival of NUT carcinoma-xenografted mice, with complete remission without relapse in one cohort. Identification of EZH2 as a dependency in NUT carcinoma substantiates the reliance of NUT carcinoma tumor cells on epigenetic dysregulation of functionally opposite, yet highly complementary, chromatin regulatory pathways to maintain NUT carcinoma growth. SIGNIFICANCE Repression of tumor suppressor genes, including CDKN2A, by EZH2 provides a mechanistic rationale for combining EZH2 and BET inhibitors for the clinical treatment of NUT carcinoma. See related commentary by Kazansky and Kentsis, p. 3827.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeying Huang
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R. Taylor Durall
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nhi M. Luong
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hans J. Hertzler
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julianna Huang
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prafulla C. Gokhale
- Experimental Therapeutics Core and Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brittaney A. Leeper
- Experimental Therapeutics Core and Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - David E. Root
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Praju V. Anekal
- MicRoN, Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Karan Saluja
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jia Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cynthia A. Zahnow
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Biniam Adane
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kimberly Stegmaier
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine E. Hawkins
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher Ponne
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Quan Le
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Geoffrey I. Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kyle P. Eagen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher A. French
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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4
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Kaplan HG, Subramaniam S, Vallières E, Barnett T. Prolonged Survival of NUT Midline Carcinoma and Current Approaches to Treatment. Oncologist 2023; 28:765-770. [PMID: 37311046 PMCID: PMC10485280 DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
NUT midline carcinoma is a rare malignancy most commonly seen in adolescents and young adults. The disease presents most often in the lung or head and neck area but can be seen occasionally elsewhere. The diagnosis can be difficult and requires a high degree of suspicion with demonstration of the classic fusion rearrangement mutation of the NUTM1 gene with one of a variety of partners by immunohistochemistry, fluorescent in situ hybridization, or genomic analysis. Survival is usually only a number of months with few long-term survivors. Here we report one of the longest-known survivors of this disease treated with surgery and radiation without additional therapy. Systemic treatment approaches including the use of chemotherapy and BET and histone deacetylase inhibitors have yielded modest results. Further studies of these, as well as p300 and CDK9 inhibitors and combinations of BET inhibitors with chemotherapy or CDK 4/6 inhibitors, are being evaluated. Recent reports suggest there may be a role for immune checkpoint inhibitors, even in the absence of high tumor mutation burden or PD-L1 positivity. RNA sequencing of this patient's tumor demonstrated overexpression of multiple potentially targetable genes. Given the altered transcription that results from the causative mutation multi-omic evaluation of these tumors may uncover druggable targets for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry G Kaplan
- Medical Oncology, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Eric Vallières
- Medical Oncology, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Todd Barnett
- Medical Oncology, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
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5
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Huang Y, Durall RT, Luong NM, Hertzler HJ, Huang J, Gokhale PC, Leeper BA, Persky NS, Root DE, Anekal PV, Montero Llopis PD, David CN, Kutok JL, Raimondi A, Saluja K, Luo J, Zahnow CA, Adane B, Stegmaier K, Hawkins CE, Ponne C, Le Q, Shapiro GI, Lemieux ME, Eagen KP, French CA. EZH2 synergizes with BRD4-NUT to drive NUT carcinoma growth through silencing of key tumor suppressor genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.15.553204. [PMID: 37645799 PMCID: PMC10461970 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.15.553204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
NUT carcinoma (NC) is an aggressive carcinoma driven by the BRD4-NUT fusion oncoprotein, which activates chromatin to promote expression of pro-growth genes. BET bromodomain inhibitors (BETi) impede BRD4-NUT's ability to activate genes and are thus a promising treatment but limited as monotherapy. The role of gene repression in NC is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that EZH2, which silences genes through establishment of repressive chromatin, is a dependency in NC. Inhibition of EZH2 with the clinical compound tazemetostat (taz) potently blocked growth of NC cells. Epigenetic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that taz reversed the EZH2-specific H3K27me3 silencing mark, and restored expression of multiple tumor suppressor genes while having no effect on key oncogenic BRD4- NUT-regulated genes. CDKN2A was identified as the only gene amongst all taz-derepressed genes to confer resistance to taz in a CRISPR-Cas9 screen. Combined EZH2 inhibition and BET inhibition synergized to downregulate cell proliferation genes resulting in more pronounced growth arrest and differentiation than either inhibitor alone. In pre-clinical models, combined taz and BETi synergistically blocked growth and prolonged survival of NC-xenografted mice, with all mice cured in one cohort. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Identification of EZH2 as a dependency in NC substantiates the reliance of NC tumor cells on epigenetic dysregulation of functionally opposite, yet highly complementary chromatin regulatory pathways to maintain NC growth. In particular, repression of CDKN2A expression by EZH2 provides a mechanistic rationale for combining EZH2i with BETi for the clinical treatment of NC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeying Huang
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R. Taylor Durall
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nhi M. Luong
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hans J. Hertzler
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julianna Huang
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prafulla C. Gokhale
- Experimental Therapeutics Core and Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brittaney A. Leeper
- Experimental Therapeutics Core and Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - David E. Root
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Praju V. Anekal
- MicRoN, Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Karan Saluja
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jia Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cynthia A. Zahnow
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Biniam Adane
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kimberly Stegmaier
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine E. Hawkins
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher Ponne
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Quan Le
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Geoffrey I. Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kyle P. Eagen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher A. French
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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6
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Wang ZA, Markert JW, Whedon SD, Yapa Abeywardana M, Lee K, Jiang H, Suarez C, Lin H, Farnung L, Cole PA. Structural Basis of Sirtuin 6-Catalyzed Nucleosome Deacetylation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:6811-6822. [PMID: 36930461 PMCID: PMC10071992 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c13512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The reversible acetylation of histone lysine residues is controlled by the action of acetyltransferases and deacetylases (HDACs), which regulate chromatin structure and gene expression. The sirtuins are a family of NAD-dependent HDAC enzymes, and one member, sirtuin 6 (Sirt6), influences DNA repair, transcription, and aging. Here, we demonstrate that Sirt6 is efficient at deacetylating several histone H3 acetylation sites, including its canonical site Lys9, in the context of nucleosomes but not free acetylated histone H3 protein substrates. By installing a chemical warhead at the Lys9 position of histone H3, we trap a catalytically poised Sirt6 in complex with a nucleosome and employ this in cryo-EM structural analysis. The structure of Sirt6 bound to a nucleosome reveals extensive interactions between distinct segments of Sirt6 and the H2A/H2B acidic patch and nucleosomal DNA, which accounts for the rapid deacetylation of nucleosomal H3 sites and the disfavoring of histone H2B acetylation sites. These findings provide a new framework for understanding how HDACs target and regulate chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng A. Wang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Jonathan W. Markert
- Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Samuel D. Whedon
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Maheeshi Yapa Abeywardana
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Kwangwoon Lee
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Hanjie Jiang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Carolay Suarez
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Hening Lin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
| | - Lucas Farnung
- Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Philip A. Cole
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
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7
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Yu D, Liang Y, Kim C, Jaganathan A, Ji D, Han X, Yang X, Jia Y, Gu R, Wang C, Zhang Q, Cheung KL, Zhou MM, Zeng L. Structural mechanism of BRD4-NUT and p300 bipartite interaction in propagating aberrant gene transcription in chromatin in NUT carcinoma. Nat Commun 2023; 14:378. [PMID: 36690674 PMCID: PMC9870903 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36063-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BRD4-NUT, a driver fusion mutant in rare and highly aggressive NUT carcinoma, acts in aberrant transcription of anti-differentiation genes by recruiting histone acetyltransferase (HAT) p300 and promoting p300-driven histone hyperacetylation and nuclear condensation in chromatin. However, the molecular basis of how BRD4-NUT recruits and activates p300 remains elusive. Here, we report that BRD4-NUT contains two transactivation domains (TADs) in NUT that bind to the TAZ2 domain in p300. Our NMR structures reveal that NUT TADs adopt amphipathic helices when bound to the four-helical bundle TAZ2 domain. The NUT protein forms liquid-like droplets in-vitro that are enhanced by TAZ2 binding in 1:2 stoichiometry. The TAD/TAZ2 bipartite binding in BRD4-NUT/p300 triggers allosteric activation of p300 and acetylation-driven liquid-like condensation on chromatin that comprise histone H3 lysine 27 and 18 acetylation and transcription proteins BRD4L/S, CDK9, MED1, and RNA polymerase II. The BRD4-NUT/p300 chromatin condensation is key for activating transcription of pro-proliferation genes such as ALX1, resulting ALX1/Snail signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Our study provides a previously underappreciated structural mechanism illuminating BRD4-NUT's bipartite p300 recruitment and activation in NUT carcinoma that nucleates a feed-forward loop for propagating histone hyperacetylation and chromatin condensation to sustain aberrant anti-differentiation gene transcription and perpetual tumor cell growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Yu
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
- International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Yingying Liang
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
- International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Claudia Kim
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Anbalagan Jaganathan
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Donglei Ji
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
- International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Xinye Han
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
- International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Xuelan Yang
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
- International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Yanjie Jia
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Ruirui Gu
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
- International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Chunyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130012, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Ka Lung Cheung
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ming-Ming Zhou
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Lei Zeng
- Bethune Institute of Epigenetic Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
- International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China.
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8
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Lee K, Whedon SD, Wang ZA, Cole PA. Distinct biochemical properties of the class I histone deacetylase complexes. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2022; 70:102179. [PMID: 35803024 PMCID: PMC10786639 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102179] [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: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Classical histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that can hydrolytically cleave acetyl-Lys in histones and other proteins and serve as established drug targets in some forms of cancer. Class I HDACs 1-3 typically exist in a range of multiprotein complexes inside cells and show distinct biological functions in modulating gene expression. In recent years, it has become possible to purify and analyze the structure and enzymatic properties of several of these HDAC complexes, including CoREST, MiDAC, NuRD, Sin3, SMRT, MIER, and RERE. Here, we summarize what is experimentally established and/or computationally predicted about the structure of these complexes to describe their particular catalytic activities and site-specificities with modified nucleosome substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwangwoon Lee
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Samuel D Whedon
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhipeng A Wang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Philip A Cole
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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9
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French CA, Cheng ML, Hanna GJ, DuBois SG, Chau NG, Hann CL, Storck S, Salgia R, Trucco M, Tseng J, Stathis A, Piekarz R, Lauer UM, Massard C, Bennett K, Coker S, Tontsch-Grunt U, Sos ML, Liao S, Wu CJ, Polyak K, Piha-Paul SA, Shapiro GI. Report of the First International Symposium on NUT Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:2493-2505. [PMID: 35417004 PMCID: PMC9197941 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-0591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
NUT carcinoma is a rare, aggressive cancer defined by rearrangements of the NUTM1 gene. No routinely effective treatments of NUT carcinoma exist, despite harboring a targetable oncoprotein, most commonly BRD4-NUT. The vast majority of cases are fatal. Poor awareness of the disease is a major obstacle to progress in the treatment of NUT carcinoma. While the incidence likely exceeds that of Ewing sarcoma, and BRD4-NUT heralded the bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitor class of selective epigenetic modulators, NUT carcinoma is incorrectly perceived as "impossibly rare," and therefore receives comparatively little private or governmental funding or prioritization by pharma. To raise awareness, propagate scientific knowledge, and initiate a consensus on standard and targeted treatment of NUT carcinoma, we held the First International Symposium on NUT Carcinoma on March 3, 2021. This virtual event had more than eighty attendees from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Patients with NUT carcinoma and family members were represented and shared perspectives. Broadly, the four areas discussed by experts in the field included (1) the biology of NUT carcinoma; (2) standard approaches to the treatment of NUT carcinoma; (3) results of clinical trials using BET inhibitors; and (4) future directions, including novel BET bromodomain inhibitors, combinatorial approaches, and immunotherapy. It was concluded that standard chemotherapeutic approaches and first-generation BET bromodomain inhibitors, the latter complicated by a narrow therapeutic window, are only modestly effective in a minority of cases. Nonetheless, emerging second-generation targeted inhibitors, novel rational synergistic combinations, and the incorporation of immuno-oncology approaches hold promise to improve the prognosis of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Steven G. DuBois
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicole G. Chau
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Simone Storck
- Swabian Children’s Cancer Center, Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
| | | | | | - Anastasios Stathis
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, EOC, Bellinzona, Switzerland and Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Universita della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Richard Piekarz
- Investigational Drug Branch, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP), Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Christophe Massard
- Gustave Roussy-Molecular Radiotherapy INSERM U1030, Faculty of Medicine Kremlin-Bicêtre and Paris-Saclay University , France
| | | | - Shodeinde Coker
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Martin L. Sos
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Institute of Pathology, Molecular Pathology University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany and Department of Translational Genomics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sida Liao
- TScan Therapeutics, Waltham, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Sarina A. Piha-Paul
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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10
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Abreu RF, Oliveira TBD, Hertzler H, Toledo RN, D'Almeida Costa F, Lopes Pinto CA, Nunes WA, Nascimento AF, French CA, Nascimento AG. NUT Carcinoma, an under-recognized malignancy: a clinicopathologic and molecular series of 6 cases showing a subset of patients with better prognosis and a rare ZNF532::NUTM1 fusion. Hum Pathol 2022; 126:87-99. [PMID: 35623465 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
NUT carcinoma (NC) is a rare malignancy with aggressive clinical behavior, defined by rearrangements involving the NUTM1 gene locus. This entity is often under recognized and its diagnosis may be challenging. In this study, we describe a subset of patients that, despite the molecularly proven diagnosis of NC, show improved outcome. In addition, we describe one case with the novel ZNF532::NUTM1 fusion. All cases of NC diagnosed from 2013 to 2022 in our department were retrieved. FISH using dual color bring-together probes and next-generation sequencing assay were performed to characterize the fusions involving NUTM1. Amongst 6 patients identified, 5 were male with a median age of 35.6 years. Four patients had primary tumor in the head and neck region (2 ethmoid sinus, 1 parotid gland, 1 lacrimal gland); 1 in the mediastinum, and another presented with femoral bone tumor. In all cases, the initial diagnoses were not NC. The cases showed different morphological patterns, including monomorphic, rhabdoid and pleomorphic appearance. One case showed pseudopapillary pattern. By immunohistochemistry, all tumors showed squamous differentiation and ≥ 50% of neoplastic cells with nuclear positivity for NUT antibody. One case expressed WT1 (C-terminus) and other showed chromogranin positivity. Genetic study revealed a BRD4::NUTM1 fusion in all head and neck cases, BRD3::NUTM1 in mediastinum case, and ZNF532::NUTM1 fusion in the femur bone case. They were treated with surgical resection plus chemo and radiotherapy. The median overall survival was 23.11 months (1.6-83.3 mo) and the median disease free survival was 14.86 months (0-54.4 mo). The patients with longer overall survival were one with a lacrimal gland primary (83.3 months) and other with a parotid lesion (31.9 months). Both patients were primarily treated with complete surgical resection. Anatomic location may be directly related to the overall survival in NC cases. Resectability of the lesion is also an important factor related to survival. Pathologists should include NC in the differential diagnosis of any poorly differentiated and undifferentiated monomorphic malignancy, regardless of its anatomic location.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hans Hertzler
- Clinical Research Coordinator for NUT Carcinoma Patients, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, USA
| | - Ronaldo Nunes Toledo
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, Sao Paulo, 01509-010, Brazil
| | | | | | - Warley Abreu Nunes
- Department of Pathology, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, Sao Paulo, 01509-010, Brazil
| | - Alessandra F Nascimento
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Associate Professor of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, USA
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11
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Abstract
Gene transcription does not only require writers of active histone modifications; on-site opposition by erasers is essential for many genes. Here, we propose the concept of dynamic opposition of histone modifications to explain this conundrum. We highlight the requirement of HDACs for acetylation balance at superenhancers, and the requirement of KDM5A for H4K3me3 recycling at highly active gene promoters. We propose that histone post-translational modifications regulate charge balance for biomolecular condensate formation and nucleosome turnover and form a short-term memory that informs lock-and-step checkpoints for chromatin engagement by RNA polymerase II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana María Garzón-Porras
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Emma Chory
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Berkley E. Gryder
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
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12
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Wang ZA, Whedon SD, Wu M, Wang S, Brown EA, Anmangandla A, Regan L, Lee K, Du J, Hong JY, Fairall L, Kay T, Lin H, Zhao Y, Schwabe JWR, Cole PA. Histone H2B Deacylation Selectivity: Exploring Chromatin's Dark Matter with an Engineered Sortase. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:3360-3364. [PMID: 35175758 PMCID: PMC8895396 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c13555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We describe a new method to produce histone H2B by semisynthesis with an engineered sortase transpeptidase. N-Terminal tail site-specifically modified acetylated, lactylated, and β-hydroxybutyrylated histone H2Bs were incorporated into nucleosomes and investigated as substrates of histone deacetylase (HDAC) complexes and sirtuins. A wide range of rates and site-specificities were observed by these enzyme forms suggesting distinct biological roles in regulating chromatin structure and epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng A Wang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Samuel D Whedon
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Mingxuan Wu
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Siyu Wang
- Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Edward A Brown
- Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Ananya Anmangandla
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Liam Regan
- Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Kwangwoon Lee
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jianfeng Du
- The Ben May Department for Cancer Research, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jun Young Hong
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Louise Fairall
- Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Taylor Kay
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Hening Lin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Yingming Zhao
- The Ben May Department for Cancer Research, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - John W R Schwabe
- Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Philip A Cole
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmcology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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13
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Jiang H, Wang C, Hou Z, Wang Y, Qiao J, Li H. Case report: NUT carcinoma with MXI1::NUTM1 fusion characterized by abdominopelvic lesions and ovarian masses in a middle-aged female. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1091877. [PMID: 36741693 PMCID: PMC9890191 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1091877] [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: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Nuclear protein of the testis (NUT) carcinoma is a rare subset of poorly differentiated, highly aggressive malignancy defined by NUTM1 gene rearrangements. Only three NUT cases of probable ovarian origin have been reported. Case presentation We report a case of NUT carcinoma in a 53-year-old female who presented with extensive abdominopelvic lesions and bilateral ovarian masses suggestive of advanced ovarian cancer. This patient was admitted to our hospital due to abdominal pain and distension for over two months. Imaging examinations suggested a possible malignancy of bilateral adnexal origin. This patient first underwent diagnostic laparoscopy. After receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, she underwent cytoreductive surgery. Surgical pathology showed infiltration of monotonous round tumor cells with no apparent differentiation characteristics. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed nuclear expression of the NUT protein. And MXI1::NUTM1 fusion was identified by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Herein, we introduce an unusual NUT carcinoma and describe the clinical, imaging, and pathological features. In addition, we briefly reviewed the published literature and discussed the possibility of primary gynecological NUT carcinoma. Conclusions Identifying a NUT carcinoma arising from the abdominopelvic cavity is essential, and we underscore the need for NUT testing in undifferentiated malignant neoplasms that appear in this clinical setting. Although it is unclear from which origin this tumor arose, proper classification is essential for treatment planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huahua Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Hou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxiang Wang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Huajun Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
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