Optimal interleukin-7 receptor-mediated signaling, cell cycle progression and viability of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells rely on casein kinase 2 activity

Overexpression of wild type IL-7Rα promotes T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma

Mice overexpressing IL-7Rα develop leukemia with features of human T-ALL and sensitivity to ruxolitinib, dactolisib, and venetoclax.

T-ALL patients with high levels of wild-type IL7R present with evidence of ongoing, oncogenic-like IL-7R–mediated activation of signaling.

Tight regulation of IL-7Rα expression is essential for normal T-cell development. IL-7Rα gain-of-function mutations are known drivers of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Although a subset of patients with T-ALL display high IL7R messenger RNA levels and cases with IL7R gains have been reported, the impact of IL-7Rα overexpression, rather than mutational activation, during leukemogenesis remains unclear. In this study, overexpressed IL-7Rα in tetracycline-inducible Il7r transgenic and Rosa26 IL7R knockin mice drove potential thymocyte self-renewal, and thymus hyperplasia related to increased proliferation of T-cell precursors, which subsequently infiltrated lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow, ultimately leading to fatal leukemia. The tumors mimicked key features of human T-ALL, including heterogeneity in immunophenotype and genetic subtype between cases, frequent hyperactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway paralleled by downregulation of p27^Kip1 and upregulation of Bcl-2, and gene expression signatures evidencing activation of JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Notch signaling. Notably, we also found that established tumors may no longer require high levels of IL-7R expression upon secondary transplantation and progressed in the absence of IL-7, but remain sensitive to inhibitors of IL-7R–mediated signaling ruxolitinib (Jak1), AZD1208 (Pim), dactolisib (PI3K/mTOR), palbociclib (Cdk4/6), and venetoclax (Bcl-2). The relevance of these findings for human disease are highlighted by the fact that samples from patients with T-ALL with high wild-type IL7R expression display a transcriptional signature resembling that of IL-7–stimulated pro-T cells and, critically, of IL7R-mutant cases of T-ALL. Overall, our study demonstrates that high expression of IL-7Rα can promote T-cell tumorigenesis, even in the absence of IL-7Rα mutational activation.

The Complexity of the Tumor Microenvironment and Its Role in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Implications for Therapies

The microenvironment that surrounds a tumor, in addition to the tumor itself, plays an important role in the onset of resistance to molecularly targeted therapies. Cancer cells and their microenvironment interact closely between them by means of a molecular communication that mutually influences their biological characteristics and behavior. Leukemia cells regulate the recruitment, activation and program of the cells of the surrounding microenvironment, including those of the immune system. Studies on the interactions between the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) cells have opened a scenario of potential therapeutic targets which include cytokines and their receptors, signal transduction networks, and hypoxia-related proteins. Hypoxia also enhances the formation of new blood vessels, and several studies show how angiogenesis could have a key role in the pathogenesis of ALL. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor-microenvironment communication and angiogenesis could contribute to the early diagnosis of leukemia and to personalized molecular therapies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Innovative Multi-Disciplinary Approaches for Precision Studies in Leukemia edited by Sandra Marmiroli (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy) and Xu Huang (University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom).

Protein kinase CK2 participates in estrogen-mediated endothelial progenitor cell homing to endometriotic lesions through stromal cells in a stromal cell-derived factor-1- CXCR4-dependent manner

OBJECTIVE

To explore the possible mechanism of protein kinase CK2, which participates in estrogen recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and its role in the angiogenesis of endometriosis lesions.

DESIGN

Laboratory study.

SETTING

University.

ANIMAL(S)

BALB/c mice.

INTERVENTION(S)

Exposure of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) to estrogen and CK2 inhibitor CX-4945 and endometrial stromal cells transfected with the protein kinase CK2 vector (HESC-CK2). Endometriosis models were induced by allogeneic mice transplantation of the endometrium into dorsal skinfold chambers. The mice received an IP injection of 50 mg/kg emodin per day or were treated with 100 μg/kg estrogen by SC injection once a week.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

The concentration of cytokines in cells was measured with ELISA. The migration of EPCs was examined using the scratch assay method and Transwell, a capillary tube-formation assay to determine EPC tube-forming capacity, and protein and mRNA expression with Western blot and polymerase chain reaction analyses, respectively.

RESULT(S)

Protein kinase CK2 participates in estrogen-mediated EPC homing to endometriotic lesions through stromal cells in a stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)-CXCR4-dependent manner. Conditioned medium from endometrial stromal cells that were stably transfected with the protein kinase CK2 vector (HESC-CK2) or pretreated with estrogen significantly enhanced the migration and recruitment of EPCs. In contrast, conditioned medium from HESCs that were treated with CX-4945, a selective inhibitor of CK2, inhibited the mobility and viability of EPCs. Furthermore, CK2 overexpression significantly upregulated SDF-1 expression and secretion in endometrial stromal cells by activating the AKT/mTOR pathway. Moreover, treatment with the SDF-1 receptor CXCR4-specific inhibitor AMD3100 completely reversed the CK2-enhanced migration of EPCs.

CONCLUSION(S)

This study demonstrates that CK2 participates in estrogen-mediated EPC homing to endometriotic lesions through stromal cells in an SDF-1-CXCR4-dependent manner and may be a therapeutic target.

Interleukin (IL)-7 Signaling in the Tumor Microenvironment

Interleukin (IL)-7 plays an important immunoregulatory role in different types of cells. Therefore, it attracts researcher's attention, but despite the fact, many aspects of its modulatory action, as well as other functionalities, are still poorly understood. The review summarizes current knowledge on the interleukin-7 and its signaling cascade in context of cancer development. Moreover, it provides a cancer-type focused description of the involvement of IL-7 in solid tumors, as well as hematological malignancies.The interleukin has been discovered as a growth factor crucial for the early lymphocyte development and supporting the growth of malignant cells in certain leukemias and lymphomas. Therefore, its targeting has been explored as a treatment modality in hematological malignancies, while the unique ability to expand lymphocyte populations selectively and without hyperinflammation has been used in experimental immunotherapies in patients with lymphopenia. Ever since the early research demonstrated a reduced growth of solid tumors in the presence of IL-7, the interleukin application in boosting up the anticancer immunity has been investigated. However, a growing body of evidence indicative of IL-7 upregulation in carcinomas, facilitating tumor growth and metastasis and aiding drug-resistance, is accumulating. It therefore becomes increasingly apparent that the response to the IL-7 stimulus strongly depends on cell type, their developmental stage, and microenvironmental context. The interleukin exerts its regulatory action mainly through phosphorylation events in JAK/STAT and PI3K/Akt pathways, while the significance of MAPK pathway seems to be limited to solid tumors. Given the unwavering interest in IL-7 application in immunotherapy, a better understanding of interleukin role, source in tumor microenvironment, and signaling pathways, as well as the identification of cells that are likely to respond should be a research priority.

Mutations that collaborate with IL-7Ra signaling pathways to drive ALL

The IL-7 pathway is required for normal T cell development and survival. In recent years the pathway has been shown to be a major driver of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common cancer in children. Gain-of-function mutations in the alpha chain of the IL-7 receptor found in ALL patients clearly demonstrated that this pathway was a driver. However mutant IL-7R alone was insufficient to transform primary T cell progenitors, indicating that cooperating mutations were required. Here we review evidence for additional oncogenic mutations in the IL-7 pathway. We discuss several oncogenes, loss of tumor suppressor genes and epigenetic effects that can cooperate with mutant IL-7 receptor. These include NRas, HOXA, TLX3, Notch 1, Arf, PHF6, WT1, PRC, PTPN2 and CK2. As new therapeutics targeting the IL-7 pathway are developed, combination with agents directed to cooperating pathways offer hope for novel therapies for ALL.

Clinical-Grade Peptide-Based Inhibition of CK2 Blocks Viability and Proliferation of T-ALL Cells and Counteracts IL-7 Stimulation and Stromal Support

Despite remarkable advances in the treatment of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), relapsed cases are still a major challenge. Moreover, even successful cases often face long-term treatment-associated toxicities. Targeted therapeutics may overcome these limitations. We have previously demonstrated that casein kinase 2 (CK2)-mediated phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) posttranslational inactivation, and consequent phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling hyperactivation, leads to increased T-ALL cell survival and proliferation. We also revealed the existence of a crosstalk between CK2 activity and the signaling mediated by interleukin 7 (IL-7), a critical leukemia-supportive cytokine. Here, we evaluated the impact of CIGB-300, a the clinical-grade peptide-based CK2 inhibitor CIGB-300 on T-ALL biology. We demonstrate that CIGB-300 decreases the viability and proliferation of T-ALL cell lines and diagnostic patient samples. Moreover, CIGB-300 overcomes IL-7-mediated T-ALL cell growth and viability, while preventing the positive effects of OP9-delta-like 1 (DL1) stromal support on leukemia cells. Signaling and pull-down experiments indicate that the CK2 substrate nucleophosmin 1 (B23/NPM1) and CK2 itself are the molecular targets for CIGB-300 in T-ALL cells. However, B23/NPM1 silencing only partially recapitulates the anti-leukemia effects of the peptide, suggesting that CIGB-300-mediated direct binding to CK2, and consequent CK2 inactivation, is the mechanism by which CIGB-300 downregulates PTEN S380 phosphorylation and inhibits PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. In the context of IL-7 stimulation, CIGB-300 blocks janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway in T-ALL cells. Altogether, our results strengthen the case for anti-CK2 therapeutic intervention in T-ALL, demonstrating that CIGB-300 (given its ability to circumvent the effects of pro-leukemic microenvironmental cues) may be a valid tool for clinical intervention in this aggressive malignancy.

Multi-omic approaches to improve outcome for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients

In the last decade, tremendous progress in curative treatment has been made for T-ALL patients using high-intensive, risk-adapted multi-agent chemotherapy. Further treatment intensification to improve the cure rate is not feasible as it will increase the number of toxic deaths. Hence, about 20% of pediatric patients relapse and often die due to acquired therapy resistance. Personalized medicine is of utmost importance to further increase cure rates and is achieved by targeting specific initiation, maintenance or resistance mechanisms of the disease. Genomic sequencing has revealed mutations that characterize genetic subtypes of many cancers including T-ALL. However, leukemia may have various activated pathways that are not accompanied by the presence of mutations. Therefore, screening for mutations alone is not sufficient to identify all molecular targets and leukemic dependencies for therapeutic inhibition. We review the extent of the driving type A and the secondary type B genomic mutations in pediatric T-ALL that may be targeted by specific inhibitors. Additionally, we review the need for additional screening methods on the transcriptional and protein levels. An integrated 'multi-omic' screening will identify potential targets and biomarkers to establish significant progress in future individualized treatment of T-ALL patients.

Co-targeting CK2α and YBX1 suppresses tumor progression by coordinated inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Protein kinase CK2 alpha (CK2α) is involved in the development of multiple malignancies. Overexpression of Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) is related to tumor proliferation, drug resistance, and poor prognosis. Studies have demonstrated that both CK2 and YBX1 could regulate the PI3K/AKT pathway. In addition, we predicted that CK2 might be the upstream kinase of YBX1 through the Human Protein Reference Database (HPRD). Herein, we hypothesize that CK2 may interact with YBX1 and they regulate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway together. Expressions of CK2α and YBX1 in cancer cell lines were evaluated by immunoblotting. The results showed that CK2α could regulate the expression of YBX1 at the transcriptional level, which is dependent on its enzymatic activity. Synergistic effects of PI3K/AKT pathway inactivation could be observed through combined inhibition of CK2α and YBX1, and YBX1 was required for CK2α-induced PI3K/AKT pathway activation. Further results demonstrated that CK2α could interact with YBX1 and PI3K/AKT antagonist decreased cell resistance to doxorubicin induced by co-activation of CK2α and YBX1. These results indicated that combined inhibition of CK2α and YBX1 showed synergistic effects in inactivating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and may be one of the mechanisms involved in tumor growth and migration.

New advances in targeting aberrant signaling pathways in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive disorder characterized by malignant transformation of immature progenitors primed towards T-cell development. Over the past 15 years, advances in the molecular characterization of T-ALL have uncovered oncogenic key drivers and crucial signaling pathways of this disease, opening new chances for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Currently, T-ALL patients are still treated with aggressive therapies, consisting of high dose multiagent chemotherapy. To minimize and overcome the unfavorable effects of these regimens, it is critical to identify innovative targets and test selective inhibitors of such targets. Major efforts are being made to develop small molecules against deregulated signaling pathways, which sustain T-ALL cell growth, survival, metabolism, and drug-resistance. This review will focus on recent improvements in the understanding of the signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of T-ALL and on the challenging opportunities for T-ALL targeted therapies.

A fully human anti-IL-7Rα antibody promotes antitumor activity against T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological cancer for which treatment options often result in incomplete therapeutic efficacy and long-term side-effects. Interleukin 7 (IL-7) and its receptor IL-7Rα promote T-ALL development and mutational activation of IL-7Rα associates with very high risk in relapsed disease. Using combinatorial phage-display libraries and antibody reformatting, we generated a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody (named B12) against both wild-type and mutant human IL-7Rα, predicted to form a stable complex with IL-7Rα at a different site from IL-7. B12 impairs IL-7/IL-7R-mediated signaling, sensitizes T-ALL cells to treatment with dexamethasone and can induce cell death per se. The antibody also promotes antibody-dependent natural killer-mediated leukemia cytotoxicity in vitro and delays T-cell leukemia development in vivo, reducing tumor burden and promoting mouse survival. B12 is rapidly internalized and traffics to the lysosome, rendering it an attractive vehicle for targeted intracellular delivery of cytotoxic cargo. Consequently, we engineered a B12–MMAE antibody–drug conjugate and provide proof-of-concept evidence that it has increased leukemia cell killing abilities as compared with the naked antibody. Our studies serve as a stepping stone for the development of novel targeted therapies in T-ALL and other diseases where IL-7Rα has a pathological role.

Dysfunctional Mechanism of Liver Cancer Mediated by Transcription Factor and Non-coding RNA

Background:

There have been numerous experiments and studies on liver cancer by biomedical scientists, while no comprehensive and systematic exploration has yet been conducted. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically dissect the transcriptional and non-coding RNAmediated mechanisms of liver cancer dysfunction.

Method:

At first, we collected 974 liver cancer associated genes from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM). Afterwards, their interactors were recruited from STRING database so as to identify 18 co-expression modules in liver cancer patient expression profile. Crosstalk analysis showed the interactive relationship between these modules. In addition, core drivers for modules were identified, including 111 transcription factors (STAT3, JUN and NFKB1, etc.) and 1492 ncRNAs (FENDRR and miR-340-5p, etc.).

Results:

In view of the results of enrichment, we found that these core drivers were significantly involved in Notch signaling, Wnt / β-catenin pathways, cell proliferation, apoptosis-related functions and pathways, suggesting they can affect the development of liver cancer. Furthermore, a global effect on bio-network associated with liver cancer has been integrated from the ncRNA and TF pivot network, module crosstalk network, module-function/pathways network. It involves various development and progression of cancer.

Conclusion:

Overall, our analysis further suggests that comprehensive network analysis will help us to not only understand in depth the molecular mechanisms, but also reveal the influence of related gene dysfunctional modules on the occurrence and progression of liver cancer. It provides a valuable reference for the design of liver cancer diagnosis and treatment.

IL-7R-mediated signaling in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: An update

Interleukin 7 (IL-7) and its receptor (IL-7R, a heterodimer of IL-7Rα and γc) are essential for normal lymphoid development. In their absence, severe combined immunodeficiency occurs. By contrast, excessive IL-7/IL-7R-mediated signaling can drive lymphoid leukemia development, disease acceleration and resistance to chemotherapy. IL-7 and IL-7R activate three main pathways: STAT5, PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MEK/Erk, ultimately leading to the promotion of leukemia cell viability, cell cycle progression and growth. However, the contribution of each of these pathways towards particular functional outcomes is still not completely known and appears to differ between normal and malignant states. For example, IL-7 upregulates Bcl-2 in a PI3K/Akt/mTOR-dependent and STAT5-independent manner in T-ALL cells. This is a ‘symmetric image’ of what apparently happens in normal lymphoid cells, where PI3K/Akt/mTOR does not impact on Bcl-2 and regulates proliferation rather than survival. In this review, we provide an updated summary of the knowledge on IL-7/IL-7R-mediated signaling in the context of cancer, focusing mainly on T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, where this axis has been more extensively studied.

Therapeutic Targeting of mTOR in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: An Update

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive blood malignancy that arises from the clonal expansion of transformed T-cell precursors. Although T-ALL prognosis has significantly improved due to the development of intensive chemotherapeutic protocols, primary drug-resistant and relapsed patients still display a dismal outcome. In addition, lifelong irreversible late effects from conventional therapy are a growing problem for leukemia survivors. Therefore, novel targeted therapies are required to improve the prognosis of high-risk patients. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is the kinase subunit of two structurally and functionally distinct multiprotein complexes, which are referred to as mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2. These two complexes regulate a variety of physiological cellular processes including protein, lipid, and nucleotide synthesis, as well as autophagy in response to external cues. However, mTOR activity is frequently deregulated in cancer, where it plays a key oncogenetic role driving tumor cell proliferation, survival, metabolic transformation, and metastatic potential. Promising preclinical studies using mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in many human cancer types, including T-ALL. Here, we highlight our current knowledge of mTOR signaling and inhibitors in T-ALL, with an emphasis on emerging evidence of the superior efficacy of combinations consisting of mTOR inhibitors and either traditional or targeted therapeutics.

Therapeutic targeting of CK2 in acute and chronic leukemias

CK2 is a ubiquitously expressed, constitutively active Ser/Thr protein kinase, which is considered the most pleiotropic protein kinase in the human kinome. Such a pleiotropy explains the involvement of CK2 in many cellular events. However, its predominant roles are stimulation of cell growth and prevention of apoptosis. High levels of CK2 messenger RNA and protein are associated with CK2 pathological functions in human cancers. Over the last decade, basic and translational studies have provided evidence of CK2 as a pivotal molecule driving the growth of different blood malignancies. CK2 overexpression has been demonstrated in nearly all the types of hematological cancers, including acute and chronic leukemias, where CK2 is a key regulator of signaling networks critical for cell proliferation, survival and drug resistance. The findings that emerged from these studies suggest that CK2 could be a valuable therapeutic target in leukemias and supported the initiation of clinical trials using CK2 antagonists. In this review, we summarize the recent advances on the understanding of the signaling pathways involved in CK2 inhibition-mediated effects with a particular emphasis on the combinatorial use of CK2 inhibitors as novel therapeutic strategies for treating both acute and chronic leukemia patients.

From the outside, from within: Biological and therapeutic relevance of signal transduction in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological cancer that arises from clonal expansion of transformed T-cell precursors. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on the external stimuli and cell-intrinsic lesions that drive aberrant activation of pivotal, pro-tumoral intracellular signaling pathways in T-cell precursors, driving transformation, leukemia expansion, spread or resistance to therapy. In addition to their pathophysiological relevance, receptors and kinases involved in signal transduction are often attractive candidates for targeted drug development. As such, we discuss also the potential of T-ALL signaling players as targets for therapeutic intervention.