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Wei Y, Qin Q, Yan C, Hayes MN, Garcia SP, Xi H, Do D, Jin AH, Eng TC, McCarthy KM, Adhikari A, Onozato ML, Spentzos D, Neilsen GP, Iafrate AJ, Wexler LH, Pyle AD, Suvà ML, Dela Cruz F, Pinello L, Langenau DM. Single-cell analysis and functional characterization uncover the stem cell hierarchies and developmental origins of rhabdomyosarcoma. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:961-975. [PMID: 35982179 PMCID: PMC10430812 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00414-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a common childhood cancer that shares features with developing skeletal muscle. Yet, the conservation of cellular hierarchy with human muscle development and the identification of molecularly defined tumor-propagating cells has not been reported. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, DNA-barcode cell fate mapping and functional stem cell assays, we uncovered shared tumor cell hierarchies in RMS and human muscle development. We also identified common developmental stages at which tumor cells become arrested. Fusion-negative RMS cells resemble early myogenic cells found in embryonic and fetal development, while fusion-positive RMS cells express a highly specific gene program found in muscle cells transiting from embryonic to fetal development at 7-7.75 weeks of age. Fusion-positive RMS cells also have neural pathway-enriched states, suggesting less-rigid adherence to muscle-lineage hierarchies. Finally, we identified a molecularly defined tumor-propagating subpopulation in fusion-negative RMS that shares remarkable similarity to bi-potent, muscle mesenchyme progenitors that can make both muscle and osteogenic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wei
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Qian Qin
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Chuan Yan
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Madeline N Hayes
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sara P Garcia
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Haibin Xi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Do
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander H Jin
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tiffany C Eng
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Karin M McCarthy
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Abhinav Adhikari
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maristela L Onozato
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Dimitrios Spentzos
- Center for Sarcoma and Connective Tissue Oncology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gunnlaugur P Neilsen
- Center for Sarcoma and Connective Tissue Oncology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A John Iafrate
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Leonard H Wexler
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - April D Pyle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mario L Suvà
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Filemon Dela Cruz
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Luca Pinello
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
| | - David M Langenau
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Generali M, Satheesha S, Bode PK, Wanner D, Schäfer BW, Casanova EA. High Frequency of Tumor Propagating Cells in Fusion-Positive Rhabdomyosarcoma. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12091373. [PMID: 34573355 PMCID: PMC8469567 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. Fusion-positive RMS (FPRMS), expressing the PAX3/7-FOXO1, has a worse prognosis compared to the more common fusion-negative RMS (FNRMS). Although several studies reported hierarchical organization for FNRMS with the identification of cancer stem cells, the cellular organization of FPRMS is not yet clear. In this study we investigated the expression of key stem cell markers, developed a sphere assay, and investigated the seven most common FPRMS cell lines for subpopulations of tumor propagating cancer stem-like cells, also called cancer stem cells (CSCs). Moreover, loss- and gain-of-functions of the stem cell genes SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG were investigated in the same cells. Single-cell clonal analysis was performed in vitro as well as in vivo. We found that no stable CSC subpopulation could be enriched in FPRMS. Unlike depletion of PAX3-FOXO1, neither overexpression nor siRNA-mediated downregulation of SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG affected physiology of RMS cells. Every single subclone-derived cell clone initiated tumor growth in mice, despite displaying considerable heterogeneity in gene expression. FPRMS appears to contain a high frequency of tumor propagating stem-like cells, which could explain their higher propensity for metastasis and relapse. Their dependency on PAX3-FOXO1 activity reinforces the importance of the fusion protein as the key therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Generali
- Center for Therapy Development and Good Manufacturing Practice, Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, 8044 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.G.); (D.W.)
| | - Sampoorna Satheesha
- Department of Oncology and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Peter K. Bode
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Debora Wanner
- Center for Therapy Development and Good Manufacturing Practice, Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich, 8044 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.G.); (D.W.)
| | - Beat W. Schäfer
- Department of Oncology and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland;
- Correspondence: (B.W.S.); (E.A.C.); Tel.: +41-44-266-7553 (B.W.S.); +41-44-255-1976 (E.A.C.)
| | - Elisa A. Casanova
- Division of Trauma Surgery, Center for Clinical Research, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
- Correspondence: (B.W.S.); (E.A.C.); Tel.: +41-44-266-7553 (B.W.S.); +41-44-255-1976 (E.A.C.)
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