1
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Arribas AJ, Napoli S, Cascione L, Barnabei L, Sartori G, Cannas E, Gaudio E, Tarantelli C, Mensah AA, Spriano F, Zucchetto A, Rossi FM, Rinaldi A, Castro de Moura M, Jovic S, Bordone Pittau R, Stathis A, Stussi G, Gattei V, Brown JR, Esteller M, Zucca E, Rossi D, Bertoni F. ERBB4-Mediated Signaling Is a Mediator of Resistance to PI3K and BTK Inhibitors in B-cell Lymphoid Neoplasms. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:368-380. [PMID: 38052765 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0068] [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: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
BTK and PI3K inhibitors are among the drugs approved for the treatment of patients with lymphoid neoplasms. Although active, their ability to lead to long-lasting complete remission is rather limited, especially in the lymphoma setting. This indicates that tumor cells often develop resistance to the drugs. We started from a marginal zone lymphoma cell line, Karpas-1718, kept under prolonged exposure to the PI3Kδ inhibitor idelalisib until acquisition of resistance, or with no drug. Cells underwent transcriptome, miRNA and methylation profiling, whole-exome sequencing, and pharmacologic screening, which led to the identification of the overexpression of ERBB4 and its ligands HBEGF and NRG2 in the resistant cells. Cellular and genetic experiments demonstrated the involvement of this axis in blocking the antitumor activity of various BTK/PI3K inhibitors, currently used in the clinical setting. Addition of recombinant HBEGF induced resistance to BTK/PI3K inhibitors in parental cells and in additional lymphoma models. Combination with the ERBB inhibitor lapatinib was beneficial in resistant cells and in other lymphoma models already expressing the identified resistance factors. An epigenetic reprogramming sustained the expression of the resistance-related factors, and pretreatment with demethylating agents or EZH2 inhibitors overcame the resistance. Resistance factors were also shown to be expressed in clinical specimens. In conclusion, we showed that the overexpression of ERBB4 and its ligands represents a novel mechanism of resistance for lymphoma cells to bypass the antitumor activity of BTK and PI3K inhibitors and that targeted pharmacologic interventions can restore sensitivity to the small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto J Arribas
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sara Napoli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luciano Cascione
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laura Barnabei
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Giulio Sartori
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Eleonora Cannas
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Tarantelli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Afua A Mensah
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Spriano
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Andrea Rinaldi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Castro de Moura
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sandra Jovic
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | - Anastasios Stathis
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Georg Stussi
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Valter Gattei
- Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano - CRO, Aviano, Italy
| | - Jennifer R Brown
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Center, Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Manel Esteller
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red Cancer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
- Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Emanuele Zucca
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Davide Rossi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
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2
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Sartori G, Tarantelli C, Spriano F, Gaudio E, Cascione L, Mascia M, Barreca M, Arribas AJ, Licenziato L, Golino G, Ferragamo A, Pileri S, Damia G, Zucca E, Stathis A, Politz O, Wengner AM, Bertoni F. The ATR inhibitor elimusertib exhibits anti-lymphoma activity and synergizes with the PI3K inhibitor copanlisib. Br J Haematol 2024; 204:191-205. [PMID: 38011941 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.19218] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The DNA damage response (DDR) is the cellular process of preserving an intact genome and is often deregulated in lymphoma cells. The ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) kinase is a crucial factor of DDR in the response to DNA single-strand breaks. ATR inhibitors are agents that have shown considerable clinical potential in this context. We characterized the activity of the ATR inhibitor elimusertib (BAY 1895344) in a large panel of lymphoma cell lines. Furthermore, we evaluated its activity combined with the clinically approved PI3K inhibitor copanlisib in vitro and in vivo. Elimusertib exhibits potent anti-tumour activity across various lymphoma subtypes, which is associated with the expression of genes related to replication stress, cell cycle regulation and, as also sustained by CRISPR Cas9 experiments, CDKN2A loss. In several tumour models, elimusertib demonstrated widespread anti-tumour activity stronger than ceralasertib, another ATR inhibitor. This activity is present in both DDR-proficient and DDR-deficient lymphoma models. Furthermore, a combination of ATR and PI3K inhibition by treatment with elimusertib and copanlisib has in vitro and in vivo anti-tumour activity, providing a potential new treatment option for lymphoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Sartori
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Tarantelli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Spriano
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luciano Cascione
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michele Mascia
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Marilia Barreca
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alberto J Arribas
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luca Licenziato
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Gaetanina Golino
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Adele Ferragamo
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Pileri
- Division of Diagnostic Haematopathology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Damia
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Oncology, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuele Zucca
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, EOC, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Anastasios Stathis
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, EOC, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Politz
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Antje M Wengner
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, EOC, Bellinzona, Switzerland
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3
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Babbar R, Vanya, Bassi A, Arora R, Aggarwal A, Wal P, Dwivedi SK, Alolayan S, Gulati M, Vargas-De-La-Cruz C, Behl T, Ojha S. Understanding the promising role of antibody drug conjugates in breast and ovarian cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21425. [PMID: 38027672 PMCID: PMC10660083 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A nascent category of anticancer therapeutic drugs called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) relate selectivity of aimed therapy using chemotherapeutic medicines with high cytotoxic power. Progressive linker technology led to the advancement of more efficacious and safer treatments. It offers neoteric as well as encouraging therapeutic strategies for treating cancer. ADCs selectively administer a medication by targeting antigens which are abundantly articulated on the membrane surface of tumor cells. Tumor-specific antigens are differently expressed in breast and ovarian cancers and can be utilized to direct ADCs. Compared to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, this approach enables optimal tumor targeting while minimizing systemic damage. A cleavable linker improves the ADCs because it allows the toxic payload to be distributed to nearby cells that do not express the target protein, operating on assorted tumors with dissimilar cell aggregation. Presently fifteen ADCs are being studied in breast and ovarian carcinoma preclinically, and assortment of few have already undergone promising early-phase clinical trial testing. Furthermore, Phase I and II studies are investigating a wide variety of ADCs, and preliminary findings are encouraging. An expanding sum of ADCs will probably become feasible therapeutic choices as solo agents or in conjunction with chemotherapeutic agents. This review accentuates the most recent preclinical findings, pharmacodynamics, and upcoming applications of ADCs in breast and ovarian carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritchu Babbar
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, 140401, India
| | - Vanya
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, 140401, India
| | - Aarti Bassi
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, 140401, India
| | - Rashmi Arora
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, 140401, India
| | - Ankur Aggarwal
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Pranay Wal
- Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, Pharmacy, NH-19 Bhauti, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Salma Alolayan
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraidah, 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Monica Gulati
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 1444411, India
- ARCCIM, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 20227, Australia
| | - Celia Vargas-De-La-Cruz
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Bromatology and Toxicology, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, 150001, Peru
- E-Health Research Center, Universidad de Ciencias y Humanidades, Lima, 15001, Peru
| | - Tapan Behl
- Amity School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amity University, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Shreesh Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
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Chung EYL, Sartori G, Ponzoni M, Cascione L, Priebe V, Xu-Monette ZY, Fang X, Zhang M, Visco C, Tzankov A, Rinaldi A, Sgrignani J, Zucca E, Rossi D, Cavalli A, Inghirami G, Scott DW, Young KH, Bertoni F. ETS1 phosphorylation at threonine 38 is associated with the cell of origin of diffuse large B cell lymphoma and sustains the growth of tumour cells. Br J Haematol 2023; 203:244-254. [PMID: 37584198 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.19018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The transcriptional factor ETS1 is upregulated in 25% of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Here, we studied the role of ETS1 phosphorylation at threonine 38, a marker for ETS1 activation, in DLBCL cellular models and clinical specimens. p-ETS1 was detected in activated B cell-like DLBCL (ABC), not in germinal centre B-cell-like DLBCL (GCB) cell lines and, accordingly, it was more common in ABC than GCB DLBCL diagnostic biopsies. MEK inhibition decreased both baseline and IgM stimulation-induced p-ETS1 levels. Genetic inhibition of phosphorylation of ETS1 at threonine 38 affected the growth and the BCR-mediated transcriptome program in DLBCL cell lines. Our data demonstrate that ETS1 phosphorylation at threonine 38 is important for the growth of DLBCL cells and its pharmacological inhibition could benefit lymphoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Y L Chung
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Giulio Sartori
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Maurilio Ponzoni
- IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital Scientific Institute, Vita Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Luciano Cascione
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valdemar Priebe
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | - Xiaosheng Fang
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mingzhi Zhang
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Carlo Visco
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alexandar Tzankov
- Pathology, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Rinaldi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Jacopo Sgrignani
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Emanuele Zucca
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Davide Rossi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Inghirami
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - David W Scott
- Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, BC Cancer, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ken H Young
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
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5
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Guidetti F, Arribas AJ, Sartori G, Spriano F, Barnabei L, Tarantelli C, Von Roemeling R, Martinez E, Zucca E, Bertoni F. Targeting IRAK4 with Emavusertib in Lymphoma Models with Secondary Resistance to PI3K and BTK Inhibitors. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12020399. [PMID: 36675328 PMCID: PMC9864368 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12020399] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) represent a recognized option for the treatment of patients affected by indolent B cell lymphomas. However, small molecules as single agents show limited success in their ability in inducing complete responses, with only partial remission achieved in most patients, suggesting the need for combination therapies. IRAK4 is a protein kinase downstream of the Toll-like receptor signaling (TLR), a driver pathway of secondary tumor° resistance in both hematological and solid tumor malignancies. Activation of IRAK4 upon TLRs and IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) stimulation and through the adaptor protein MYD88 initiates a signaling cascade that induces cytokine and survival factor expression mediated by the transcription factor NF-κB. MYD88-L265P encoding mutations occur in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, in lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas and in few marginal zone lymphomas (MZL). The IRAK4 inhibitor emavusertib (CA-4948) has shown early safety and clinical activity in lymphoma and leukemia patients. In this preclinical study, we assessed emavusertib effectiveness in MZL, both as single agent and in combination with targeted agents, with a particular focus on its capability to overcome resistance to BTK and PI3K inhibitors. We showed that the presence of MYD88 L265P mutation in bona fide MZL cell lines confers sensitivity to the IRAK4 inhibitor emavusertib as single agent. Emavusertib-based combinations improved the sensitivity of MZL cells to BTK and PI3K inhibitors, including cells with a secondary resistance to these agents. Emavusertib exerted its activity via inhibition of NF-κB signaling and induction of apoptosis. Considering the early safety data from clinical trials, our study identifies the IRAK4 inhibitor emavusertib as a novel compound to be explored in trials for patients with MYD88-mutated indolent B cell lymphomas as single agent and as combination partner with BTK or PI3K inhibitors in unselected populations of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Guidetti
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Alberto J. Arribas
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giulio Sartori
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Spriano
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Laura Barnabei
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Tarantelli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Emanuele Zucca
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-58-666-7206
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6
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Arribas AJ, Napoli S, Cascione L, Barnabei L, Sartori G, Cannas E, Gaudio E, Tarantelli C, Mensah AA, Spriano F, Zucchetto A, Rossi FM, Rinaldi A, de Moura MC, Jovic S, Pittau RB, Stathis A, Stussi G, Gattei V, Brown JR, Esteller M, Zucca E, Rossi D, Bertoni F. ERBB4-mediated signaling is a mediator of resistance to BTK and PI3K inhibitors in B cell lymphoid neoplasms. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.01.522017. [PMID: 36711490 PMCID: PMC9881865 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.01.522017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BTK and PI3K inhibitors are among the drugs approved for the treatment of patients with lymphoid neoplasms. Although active, their ability to lead as single agents to long-lasting complete remission is rather limited especially in the lymphoma setting. This indicates that tumor cells often develop resistance to the drugs. Here, we show that the overexpression of ERBB4 and its ligands represents a modality for B cell neoplastic cells to bypass the anti-tumor activity of BTK and PI3K inhibitors and that targeted pharmacological interventions can restore sensitivity to the small molecules. We started from a marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) cell line, Karpas-1718, kept under prolonged exposure to the PI3Kδ inhibitor idelalisib until acquisition of resistance, or with no drug. Cells underwent transcriptome, miRNA and methylation profiling, whole exome sequencing, and pharmacological screening which led to the identification of the overexpression of ERBB4 and its ligands HBEGF and NRG2 in the resistant cells. Cellular and genetic experiments demonstrated the involvement of this axis in blocking the anti-tumor activity of various BTK and PI3K inhibitors, currently used in the clinical setting. Addition of recombinant HBEGF induced resistance to BTK and PI3K inhibitors in parental cells but also in additional lymphoma models. Combination with the ERBB inhibitor lapatinib was beneficial in resistant cells and in other lymphoma models already expressing the identified resistance factors. Multi-omics analysis underlined that an epigenetic reprogramming affected the expression of the resistance-related factors, and pretreatment with demethylating agents or EZH2 inhibitors overcame the resistance. Resistance factors were shown to be expressed in clinical samples, further extending the findings of the study. In conclusions, we identified a novel ERBB4-driven mechanism of resistance to BTK and PI3K inhibitors and treatments that appear to overcome it. Key points A mechanism of secondary resistance to the PI3Kδ and BTK inhibitors in B cell neoplasms driven by secreted factors.Resistance can be reverted by targeting ERBB signaling.
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7
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Barreca M, Lang N, Tarantelli C, Spriano F, Barraja P, Bertoni F. Antibody-drug conjugates for lymphoma patients: preclinical and clinical evidences. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2022; 3:763-794. [PMID: 36654819 PMCID: PMC9834635 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2022.00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a recent, revolutionary approach for malignancies treatment, designed to provide superior efficacy and specific targeting of tumor cells, compared to systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy. Their structure combines highly potent anti-cancer drugs (payloads or warheads) and monoclonal antibodies (Abs), specific for a tumor-associated antigen, via a chemical linker. Because the sensitive targeting capabilities of monoclonal Abs allow the direct delivery of cytotoxic payloads to tumor cells, these agents leave healthy cells unharmed, reducing toxicity. Different ADCs have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of a wide range of malignant conditions, both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, including for lymphoma patients. Over 100 ADCs are under preclinical and clinical investigation worldwide. This paper it provides an overview of approved and promising ADCs in clinical development for the treatment of lymphoma. Each component of the ADC design, their mechanism of action, and the highlights of their clinical development progress are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barreca
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Noémie Lang
- Division of Oncology, Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Tarantelli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Spriano
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Paola Barraja
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
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8
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Tarantelli C, Bertoni F. United we stand: Double targeting of CD79B and CD20 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Br J Haematol 2022; 199:169-170. [PMID: 35917107 PMCID: PMC9804191 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Polatuzumab vedotin is antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting CD79B approved for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma when given in combination with bendamustine and rituximab. The report by Kawasaki et al. provide hints on what might be happening in lymphoma cells exposed to polatuzumab vedotin and to rituximab and on potential mechanism of resistance to the ADC. Commentary on: Kawasaki et al. The molecular rationale for the combination of polatuzumab vedotin plus rituximab in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Br J Haematol 2022;199:245-255.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tarantelli
- Faculty of Biomedical SciencesInstitute of Oncology ResearchBellinzonaSwitzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Faculty of Biomedical SciencesInstitute of Oncology ResearchBellinzonaSwitzerland,Department of OncologyOncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero CantonaleBellinzonaSwitzerland
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9
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Jin Y, Edalatian Zakeri S, Bahal R, Wiemer AJ. New Technologies Bloom Together for Bettering Cancer Drug Conjugates. Pharmacol Rev 2022; 74:680-711. [PMID: 35710136 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.121.000499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug conjugates, including antibody-drug conjugates, are a step toward realizing Paul Ehrlich's idea from over 100 years ago of a "magic bullet" for cancer treatment. Through balancing selective targeting molecules with highly potent payloads, drug conjugates can target specific tumor microenvironments and kill tumor cells. A drug conjugate consists of three parts: a targeting agent, a linker, and a payload. In some conjugates, monoclonal antibodies act as the targeting agent, but new strategies for targeting include antibody derivatives, peptides, and even small molecules. Linkers are responsible for connecting the payload to the targeting agent. Payloads impact vital cellular processes to kill tumor cells. At present, there are 12 antibody-drug conjugates on the market for different types of cancers. Research on drug conjugates is increasing year by year to solve problems encountered in conjugate design, such as tumor heterogeneity, poor circulation, low drug loading, low tumor uptake, and heterogenous expression of target antigens. This review highlights some important preclinical research on drug conjugates in recent years. We focus on three significant areas: improvement of antibody-drug conjugates, identification of new conjugate targets, and development of new types of drug conjugates, including nanotechnology. We close by highlighting the critical barriers to clinical translation and the open questions going forward. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The development of anticancer drug conjugates is now focused in three broad areas: improvements to existing antibody drug conjugates, identification of new targets, and development of new conjugate forms. This article focuses on the exciting preclinical studies in these three areas and advances in the technology that improves preclinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Jin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | | | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Andrew J Wiemer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
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10
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Teicher BA, Morris J. Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targets, Drugs and Linkers. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2022; 22:463-529. [PMID: 35209819 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220224110538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates offer the possibility of directing powerful cytotoxic agents to a malignant tumor while sparing normal tissue. The challenge is to select an antibody target expressed exclusively or at highly elevated levels on the surface of tumor cells and either not all or at low levels on normal cells. The current review explores 78 targets that have been explored as antibody-drug conjugate targets. Some of these targets have been abandoned, 9 or more are the targets of FDA-approved drugs, and most remain active clinical interest. Antibody-drug conjugates require potent cytotoxic drug payloads, several of these small molecules are discussed, as are the linkers between the protein component and small molecule components of the conjugates. Finally, conclusions regarding the elements for the successful antibody-drug conjugate are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly A Teicher
- Developmental Therapeutics Program, DCTD, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892,United States
| | - Joel Morris
- Developmental Therapeutics Program, DCTD, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892,United States
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11
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Tarantelli C, Cannas E, Ekeh H, Moscatello C, Gaudio E, Cascione L, Napoli S, Rech C, Testa A, Maniaci C, Rinaldi A, Zucca E, Stathis A, Ciulli A, Bertoni F. The bromodomain and extra-terminal domain degrader MZ1 exhibits preclinical anti-tumoral activity in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the activated B cell-like type. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2021; 2:586-601. [PMID: 36046113 PMCID: PMC9400774 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2021.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim Bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins are epigenetic readers that play a fundamental role in transcription regulation. Preclinical and early clinical evidence sustain BET targeting as an anti-cancer approach. BET degraders are chimeric compounds comprising of a BET inhibitor, which allows the binding to BET bromodomains, linked to a small molecule, binder for an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, triggering BET proteins degradation via the proteasome. These degraders, called proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), can exhibit greater target specificity compared to BET inhibitors and overcome some of their limitations, such as the upregulation of the BET proteins themselves. Here are presented data on the anti-tumor activity and the mechanism of action of the BET degrader MZ1 in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the activated B-cell like (ABC, ABC DLBCL), using a BET inhibitor as a comparison. Methods Established lymphoma cell lines were exposed for 72 h to increasing doses of the compounds. Cell proliferation was evaluated by using an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay. Fluorescent-Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) analysis was performed to measure apoptotic activation and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to study the transcriptional changes induced by the compounds. Results MZ1, and not its negative control epimer cisMZ1, was very active with a median half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 49 nmol/L. MZ1 was more in vitro active than the BET inhibitor birabresib (OTX015). Importantly, MZ1 induced cell death in all the ABC DLBCL cell lines, while the BET inhibitor was cytotoxic only in a fraction of them. BET degrader and inhibitor shared partially similar changes at transcriptome level but the MZ1 effect was stronger and overlapped with that caused cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) inhibition. Conclusions The BET degrader MZ1 had strong cytotoxic activity in all the ABC DLBCL cell lines that were tested, and, at least in vitro, it elicited more profound effects than BET inhibitors, and encourages further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tarantelli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Eleonora Cannas
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Hillarie Ekeh
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Carmelo Moscatello
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luciano Cascione
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sara Napoli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Cesare Rech
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Testa
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
| | - Chiara Maniaci
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
| | - Andrea Rinaldi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Emanuele Zucca
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Anastasios Stathis
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
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12
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Sartori G, Napoli S, Cascione L, Chung EYL, Priebe V, Arribas AJ, Mensah AA, Dall'Angelo M, Falzarano C, Barnabei L, Forcato M, Rinaldi A, Bicciato S, Thome M, Bertoni F. ASB2 is a direct target of FLI1 that sustains NF-κB pathway activation in germinal center-derived diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:357. [PMID: 34763718 PMCID: PMC8582153 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02159-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) comprises at least two main biologically distinct entities: germinal center B-cell (GCB) and activated B-cell (ABC) subtype. Albeit sharing common lesions, GCB and ABC DLBCL present subtype-specific oncogenic pathway perturbations. ABC DLBCL is typically characterized by a constitutively active NF-kB. However, the latter is seen in also 30% of GCB DLBCL. Another recurrent lesion in DLBCL is an 11q24.3 gain, associated with the overexpression of two ETS transcription factors, ETS1 and FLI1. Here, we showed that FLI1 is more expressed in GCB than ABC DLBCL and we characterized its transcriptional network. Methods Gene expression data were obtained from public datasets GSE98588, phs001444.v2.p1, GSE95013 and GSE10846. ChIP-Seq for FLI1 paired with transcriptome analysis (RNA-Seq) after FLI1 silencing (siRNAs) was performed. Sequencing was carried out using the NextSeq 500 (Illumina). Detection of peaks was done using HOMER (v2.6); differential expressed genes were identified using moderated t-test (limma R-package) and functionally annotated with g:Profiler. ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq data from GCB DLBCL cell lines after FLI1 downregulation were integrated to identify putative direct targets of FLI1. Results Analysis of clinical DLBCL specimens showed that FLI1 gene was more frequently expressed at higher levels in GCB than in ABC DLBCL and its protein levels were higher in GCB than in ABC DLBCL cell lines. Genes negatively regulated by FLI1 included tumor suppressor genes involved in negative regulation of cell cycle and hypoxia. Among positively regulated targets of FLI1, we found genes annotated for immune response, MYC targets, NF-κB and BCR signaling and NOTCH pathway genes. Of note, direct targets of FLI1 overlapped with genes regulated by ETS1, the other transcription factor gained at the 11q24.3 locus in DLBCL, suggesting a functional convergence within the ETS family. Positive targets of FLI1 included the NF-κB-associated ASB2, a putative essential gene for DLBCL cell survival. ASB2 gene downregulation was toxic in GCB DLBCL cell lines and induced NF-κB inhibition via downregulation of RelB and increased IκBα. Additionally, downregulation of FLI1, but not ASB2, caused reduction of NF-κB1 and RelA protein levels. Conclusions We conclude that FLI1 directly regulates a network of biologically crucial genes and processes in GCB DLBCL. FLI1 regulates both the classical NF-κB pathway at the transcriptional level, and the alternative NF-κB pathway, via ASB2. FLI1 and ASB2 inhibition represents a potential novel therapeutic approach for GCB DLBCL. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-02159-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Sartori
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Sara Napoli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luciano Cascione
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elaine Yee Lin Chung
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Valdemar Priebe
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Alberto Jesus Arribas
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Afua Adjeiwaa Mensah
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Michela Dall'Angelo
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Falzarano
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Laura Barnabei
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Mattia Forcato
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Andrea Rinaldi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Silvio Bicciato
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Margot Thome
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland. .,Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona, Switzerland.
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13
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Napoli S, Cascione L, Rinaldi A, Spriano F, Guidetti F, Zhang F, Cacciapuoti MT, Mensah AA, Sartori G, Munz N, Forcato M, Bicciato S, Chiappella A, Ghione P, Elemento O, Cerchietti L, Inghirami G, Bertoni F. Characterization of GECPAR, a noncoding RNA that regulates the transcriptional program of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Haematologica 2021; 107:1131-1143. [PMID: 34162177 PMCID: PMC9052922 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2020.267096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are regulatory regions of DNA, which play a key role in cell-type specific differentiation and development. Most active enhancers are transcribed into enhancer RNA (eRNA) that can regulate transcription of target genes by means of in cis as well as in trans action. eRNA stabilize contacts between distal genomic regions and mediate the interaction of DNA with master transcription factors. Here, we characterized an enhancer eRNA, GECPAR (germinal center proliferative adapter RNA), which is specifically transcribed in normal and neoplastic germinal center B cells from the super-enhancer of POU2AF1, a key regulatory gene of the germinal center reaction. Using diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell line models, we demonstrated the tumor suppressor activity of GECPAR, which is mediated via its transcriptional regulation of proliferation and differentiation genes, particularly MYC and the Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Napoli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland,SARA NAPOLI
| | - Luciano Cascione
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland,SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Rinaldi
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Spriano
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Francesca Guidetti
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Fangwen Zhang
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | - Afua Adjeiwaa Mensah
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Giulio Sartori
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Munz
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Mattia Forcato
- Center for Genome Research, Department of Life Sciences University of Modena and Reggio, Modena, Italy
| | - Silvio Bicciato
- Center for Genome Research, Department of Life Sciences University of Modena and Reggio, Modena, Italy
| | - Annalisa Chiappella
- Ematologia, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Ghione
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Olivier Elemento
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Leandro Cerchietti
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giorgio Inghirami
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland,Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland,FRANCESCO BERTONI
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14
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Chu Y, Zhou X, Wang X. Antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of lymphoma: clinical advances and latest progress. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:88. [PMID: 34090506 PMCID: PMC8180036 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01097-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a promising class of immunotherapies with the potential to specifically target tumor cells and ameliorate the therapeutic index of cytotoxic drugs. ADCs comprise monoclonal antibodies, cytotoxic payloads with inherent antitumor activity, and specialized linkers connecting the two. In recent years, three ADCs, brentuximab vedotin, polatuzumab vedotin, and loncastuximab tesirine, have been approved and are already establishing their place in lymphoma treatment. As the efficacy and safety of ADCs have moved in synchrony with advances in their design, a plethora of novel ADCs have garnered growing interest as treatments. In this review, we provide an overview of the essential elements of ADC strategies in lymphoma and elucidate the up-to-date progress, current challenges, and novel targets of ADCs in this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurou Chu
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Xiangxiang Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Lymphoma, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 251006, China.
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Lymphoma, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 251006, China.
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15
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Study of the antilymphoma activity of pracinostat reveals different sensitivities of DLBCL cells to HDAC inhibitors. Blood Adv 2021; 5:2467-2480. [PMID: 33999145 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020003566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are antitumor agents with distinct efficacy in hematologic tumors. Pracinostat is a pan-HDACi with promising early clinical activity. However, similar to other HDACis, its activity as a single agent is limited. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) includes distinct molecular subsets or metabolically defined subtypes that rely in different ways on the B-cell receptor signaling pathway, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis for their survival. The antitumor activity of pracinostat has not been determined in lymphomas. We performed preclinical in vitro activity screening of 60 lymphoma cell lines that included 25 DLBCLs. DLBCL cells belonging to distinct metabolic subtypes were treated with HDACis for 6 hours or 14 days followed by transcriptional profiling. DLBCL xenograft models enabled assessment of the in vivo antilymphoma activity of pracinostat. Combination treatments with pracinostat plus 10 other antilymphoma agents were performed. Western blot was used to assess acetylation levels of histone and nonhistone proteins after HDACi treatment. Robust antiproliferative activity was observed across all lymphoma histotypes represented. Focusing on DLBCL, we identified a low-sensitivity subset that almost exclusively consists of the oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos)-DLBCL metabolic subtype. OxPhos-DLBCL cells also showed poorer sensitivity to other HDACis, including vorinostat. Transcriptomic analysis revealed fewer modulated transcripts but an enrichment of antioxidant pathway genes after HDACi treatment of OxPhos-DLBCLs compared with high-sensitivity B-cell receptor (BCR)-DLBCLs. Pharmacologic inhibition of antioxidant production rescued sensitivity of OxPhos-DLBCLs to pracinostat whereas BCR-DLBCLs were unaffected. Our study provides novel insights into the antilymphoma activity of pracinostat and identifies a differential response of DLBCL metabolic subtypes to HDACis.
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16
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Dean AQ, Luo S, Twomey JD, Zhang B. Targeting cancer with antibody-drug conjugates: Promises and challenges. MAbs 2021; 13:1951427. [PMID: 34291723 PMCID: PMC8300931 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2021.1951427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a rapidly expanding class of biotherapeutics that utilize antibodies to selectively deliver cytotoxic drugs to the tumor site. As of May 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ten ADCs, namely Adcetris®, Kadcyla®, Besponsa®, Mylotarg®, Polivy®, Padcev®, Enhertu®, Trodelvy®, Blenrep®, and Zynlonta™ as monotherapy or combinational therapy for breast cancer, urothelial cancer, myeloma, acute leukemia, and lymphoma. In addition, over 80 investigational ADCs are currently being evaluated in approximately 150 active clinical trials. Despite the growing interest in ADCs, challenges remain to expand their therapeutic index (with greater efficacy and less toxicity). Recent advances in the manufacturing technology for the antibody, payload, and linker combined with new bioconjugation platforms and state-of-the-art analytical techniques are helping to shape the future development of ADCs. This review highlights the current status of marketed ADCs and those under clinical investigation with a focus on translational strategies to improve product quality, safety, and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Q. Dean
- Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Shen Luo
- Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Julianne D. Twomey
- Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Baolin Zhang
- Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
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17
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Rieke DT, Keller U. A CD205-directed antibody drug conjugate – lymphoma precision oncology or sophisticated chemotherapy? Haematologica 2020; 105:2504-2506. [PMID: 33131240 PMCID: PMC7604558 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2020.261073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Damian T Rieke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 12203 Berlin; Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10178 Berlin
| | - Ulrich Keller
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 12203 Berlin; Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, 13092 Berlin, Germany.
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18
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Barreca M, Stathis A, Barraja P, Bertoni F. An overview on anti-tubulin agents for the treatment of lymphoma patients. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 211:107552. [PMID: 32305312 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Anti-tubulin agents constitute a large class of compounds with broad activity both in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, due to the interference with microtubule dynamics. Since microtubules play crucial roles in the regulation of the mitotic spindles, the interference with their function usually leads to a block in cell division with arrest at the metaphase/anaphase junction of mitosis, followed to apoptosis. This explains the reason why tubulin-binding agents (TBAs) proved to be extremely active in patients with cancer. Several anti-tubulin agents are indicated in the treatment of patients with lymphomas both alone and in combination chemotherapy regimens. The article reviews the literature on classic and more recent anti-tubulin agents, providing an insight into their mechanisms of action and their use in the treatment of lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barreca
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Anastasios Stathis
- Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland,; Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Paola Barraja
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Bellinzona, Switzerland,; Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland,.
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