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Howard GC, Wang J, Rose KL, Jones C, Patel P, Tsui T, Florian AC, Vlach L, Lorey SL, Grieb BC, Smith BN, Slota MJ, Reynolds EM, Goswami S, Savona MR, Mason FM, Lee T, Fesik S, Liu Q, Tansey WP. Ribosome subunit attrition and activation of the p53-MDM4 axis dominate the response of MLL-rearranged cancer cells to WDR5 WIN site inhibition. eLife 2024; 12:RP90683. [PMID: 38682900 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The chromatin-associated protein WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) is a promising target for cancer drug discovery, with most efforts blocking an arginine-binding cavity on the protein called the 'WIN' site that tethers WDR5 to chromatin. WIN site inhibitors (WINi) are active against multiple cancer cell types in vitro, the most notable of which are those derived from MLL-rearranged (MLLr) leukemias. Peptidomimetic WINi were originally proposed to inhibit MLLr cells via dysregulation of genes connected to hematopoietic stem cell expansion. Our discovery and interrogation of small-molecule WINi, however, revealed that they act in MLLr cell lines to suppress ribosome protein gene (RPG) transcription, induce nucleolar stress, and activate p53. Because there is no precedent for an anticancer strategy that specifically targets RPG expression, we took an integrated multi-omics approach to further interrogate the mechanism of action of WINi in human MLLr cancer cells. We show that WINi induce depletion of the stock of ribosomes, accompanied by a broad yet modest translational choke and changes in alternative mRNA splicing that inactivate the p53 antagonist MDM4. We also show that WINi are synergistic with agents including venetoclax and BET-bromodomain inhibitors. Together, these studies reinforce the concept that WINi are a novel type of ribosome-directed anticancer therapy and provide a resource to support their clinical implementation in MLLr leukemias and other malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Caleb Howard
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
| | - Kristie L Rose
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Camden Jones
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Purvi Patel
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Tina Tsui
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Andrea C Florian
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Logan Vlach
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
| | - Shelly L Lorey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Brian C Grieb
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
| | - Brianna N Smith
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
| | - Macey J Slota
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Elizabeth M Reynolds
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Soumita Goswami
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Michael R Savona
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
| | - Frank M Mason
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
| | - Taekyu Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Stephen Fesik
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
| | - William P Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
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2
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Howard GC, Wang J, Rose KL, Jones C, Patel P, Tsui T, Florian AC, Vlach L, Lorey SL, Grieb BC, Smith BN, Slota MJ, Reynolds EM, Goswami S, Savona MR, Mason FM, Lee T, Fesik SW, Liu Q, Tansey WP. Ribosome subunit attrition and activation of the p53-MDM4 axis dominate the response of MLL-rearranged cancer cells to WDR5 WIN site inhibition. bioRxiv 2024:2023.07.26.550648. [PMID: 37546802 PMCID: PMC10402127 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.26.550648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The chromatin-associated protein WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) is a promising target for cancer drug discovery, with most efforts blocking an arginine-binding cavity on the protein called the "WIN" site that tethers WDR5 to chromatin. WIN site inhibitors (WINi) are active against multiple cancer cell types in vitro, the most notable of which are those derived from MLL-rearranged (MLLr) leukemias. Peptidomimetic WINi were originally proposed to inhibit MLLr cells via dysregulation of genes connected to hematopoietic stem cell expansion. Our discovery and interrogation of small molecule WIN site inhibitors, however, revealed that they act in MLLr cell lines to suppress ribosome protein gene (RPG) transcription, induce nucleolar stress, and activate p53. Because there is no precedent for an anti-cancer strategy that specifically targets RPG expression, we took an integrated multi-omics approach to further interrogate the mechanism of action of WINi in MLLr cancer cells. We show that WINi induce depletion of the stock of ribosomes, accompanied by a broad yet modest translational choke and changes in alternative mRNA splicing that inactivate the p53 antagonist MDM4. We also show that WINi are synergistic with agents including venetoclax and BET-bromodomain inhibitors. Together, these studies reinforce the concept that WINi are a novel type of ribosome-directed anti-cancer therapy and provide a resource to support their clinical implementation in MLLr leukemias and other malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory C. Howard
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Kristie Lindsey Rose
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Camden Jones
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Purvi Patel
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Tina Tsui
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Andrea C. Florian
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Current address: Department of Biology, Belmont University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Logan Vlach
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Shelly L. Lorey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Brian C. Grieb
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Brianna N. Smith
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Macey J. Slota
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Current address: Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco CA 94143, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Reynolds
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Soumita Goswami
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Michael R. Savona
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Frank M. Mason
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Taekyu Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Stephen W. Fesik
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - William P. Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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Couwenberg AM, Varvoglis DN, Grieb BC, Marijnen CA, Ciombor KK, Guillem JG. New Opportunities for Minimizing Toxicity in Rectal Cancer Management. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2023; 43:e389558. [PMID: 37307515 PMCID: PMC10450577 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_389558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Advances in multimodal management of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), consisting of preoperative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy followed by surgery with or without adjuvant chemotherapy, have improved local disease control and patient survival but are associated with significant risk for acute and long-term morbidity. Recently published trials, evaluating treatment dose intensification via the addition of preoperative induction or consolidation chemotherapy (total neoadjuvant therapy [TNT]), have demonstrated improved tumor response rates while maintaining acceptable toxicity. In addition, TNT has led to an increased number of patients achieving a clinical complete response and thus eligible to pursue a nonoperative, organ-preserving, watch and wait approach, thereby avoiding toxicities associated with surgery, such as bowel dysfunction and stoma-related complications. Ongoing trials using immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with mismatch repair-deficient tumors suggest that this subgroup of patients with LARC could potentially be treated with immunotherapy alone, sparing them the toxicity associated with preoperative treatment and surgery. However, the majority of rectal cancers are mismatch repair-proficient and less responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors and require multimodal management. The synergy noted in preclinical studies between immunotherapy and radiotherapy on immunogenic tumor cell death has led to the design of ongoing clinical trials that explore the benefit of combining radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy (mainly of immune checkpoint inhibitors) and aim to increase the number of patients eligible for organ preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M. Couwenberg
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Brian C. Grieb
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center/Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Corrie A.M. Marijnen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kristen K. Ciombor
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center/Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Jose G. Guillem
- Department of Surgery, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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Teuscher KB, Chowdhury S, Meyers KM, Tian J, Sai J, Van Meveren M, South TM, Sensintaffar JL, Rietz TA, Goswami S, Wang J, Grieb BC, Lorey SL, Howard GC, Liu Q, Moore WJ, Stott GM, Tansey WP, Lee T, Fesik SW. Structure-based discovery of potent WD repeat domain 5 inhibitors that demonstrate efficacy and safety in preclinical animal models. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2211297120. [PMID: 36574664 PMCID: PMC9910433 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2211297120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) is a core scaffolding component of many multiprotein complexes that perform a variety of critical chromatin-centric processes in the nucleus. WDR5 is a component of the mixed lineage leukemia MLL/SET complex and localizes MYC to chromatin at tumor-critical target genes. As a part of these complexes, WDR5 plays a role in sustaining oncogenesis in a variety of human cancers that are often associated with poor prognoses. Thus, WDR5 has been recognized as an attractive therapeutic target for treating both solid and hematological tumors. Previously, small-molecule inhibitors of the WDR5-interaction (WIN) site and WDR5 degraders have demonstrated robust in vitro cellular efficacy in cancer cell lines and established the therapeutic potential of WDR5. However, these agents have not demonstrated significant in vivo efficacy at pharmacologically relevant doses by oral administration in animal disease models. We have discovered WDR5 WIN-site inhibitors that feature bicyclic heteroaryl P7 units through structure-based design and address the limitations of our previous series of small-molecule inhibitors. Importantly, our lead compounds exhibit enhanced on-target potency, excellent oral pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles, and potent dose-dependent in vivo efficacy in a mouse MV4:11 subcutaneous xenograft model by oral dosing. Furthermore, these in vivo probes show excellent tolerability under a repeated high-dose regimen in rodents to demonstrate the safety of the WDR5 WIN-site inhibition mechanism. Collectively, our results provide strong support for WDR5 WIN-site inhibitors to be utilized as potential anticancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B. Teuscher
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Somenath Chowdhury
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Kenneth M. Meyers
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Jianhua Tian
- Molecular Design and Synthesis Center, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232-0142
| | - Jiqing Sai
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Mayme Van Meveren
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Taylor M. South
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - John L. Sensintaffar
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Tyson A. Rietz
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Soumita Goswami
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN37232-0004
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN37232-0004
| | - Brian C. Grieb
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN37232-0011
| | - Shelly L. Lorey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Gregory C. Howard
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN37232-0004
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN37232-0004
| | - William J. Moore
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702-1201
| | - Gordon M. Stott
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD21701-4907
| | - William P. Tansey
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Taekyu Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
| | - Stephen W. Fesik
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232-0146
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232-0146
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5
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Grieb BC, Eischen CM. MTBP and MYC: A Dynamic Duo in Proliferation, Cancer, and Aging. Biology (Basel) 2022; 11:biology11060881. [PMID: 35741402 PMCID: PMC9219613 DOI: 10.3390/biology11060881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The oncogenic transcription factor c-MYC (MYC) is highly conserved across species and is frequently overexpressed or dysregulated in human cancers. MYC regulates a wide range of critical cellular and oncogenic activities including proliferation, metabolism, metastasis, apoptosis, and differentiation by transcriptionally activating or repressing the expression of a large number of genes. This activity of MYC is not carried out in isolation, instead relying on its association with a myriad of protein cofactors. We determined that MDM Two Binding Protein (MTBP) indirectly binds MYC and is a novel MYC transcriptional cofactor. MTBP promotes MYC-mediated transcriptional activity, proliferation, and cellular transformation by binding in a protein complex with MYC at MYC-bound promoters. This discovery provided critical context for data linking MTBP to aging as well as a rapidly expanding body of evidence demonstrating MTBP is overexpressed in many human malignancies, is often linked to poor patient outcomes, and is necessary for cancer cell survival. As such, MTBP represents a novel and potentially broad reaching oncologic drug target, particularly when MYC is dysregulated. Here we have reviewed the discovery of MTBP and the initial controversy with its function as well as its associations with proliferation, MYC, DNA replication, aging, and human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Grieb
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA;
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Christine M. Eischen
- Department of Cancer Biology and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Correspondence:
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Florian AC, Woodley CM, Wang J, Grieb BC, Slota MJ, Guerrazzi K, Hsu CY, Matlock B, Flaherty D, Lorey S, Fesik SW, Howard G, Liu Q, Weissmiller A, Tansey W. Synergistic action of WDR5 and HDM2 inhibitors in SMARCB1-deficient cancer cells. NAR Cancer 2022; 4:zcac007. [PMID: 35252869 PMCID: PMC8892060 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhabdoid tumors (RT) are rare and deadly pediatric cancers driven by loss of SMARCB1, which encodes the SNF5 component of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler. Loss of SMARCB1 is associated with a complex set of phenotypic changes including vulnerability to inhibitors of protein synthesis and of the p53 ubiquitin-ligase HDM2. Recently, we discovered small molecule inhibitors of the 'WIN' site of WDR5, which in MLL-rearranged leukemia cells decrease the expression of a set of genes linked to protein synthesis, inducing a translational choke and causing p53-dependent inhibition of proliferation. Here, we characterize how WIN site inhibitors act in RT cells. As in leukemia cells, WIN site inhibition in RT cells causes the comprehensive displacement of WDR5 from chromatin, resulting in a decrease in protein synthesis gene expression. Unlike leukemia cells, however, the growth response of RT cells to WIN site blockade is independent of p53. Exploiting this observation, we demonstrate that WIN site inhibitor synergizes with an HDM2 antagonist to induce p53 and block RT cell proliferation in vitro. These data reveal a p53-independent action of WIN site inhibitors and forecast that future strategies to treat RT could be based on dual WDR5/HDM2 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Florian
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Chase M Woodley
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Brian C Grieb
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Macey J Slota
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kiana Guerrazzi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Chih-Yuan Hsu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Brittany K Matlock
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
| | - David K Flaherty
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
| | - Shelly L Lorey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Stephen W Fesik
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Gregory C Howard
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - April M Weissmiller
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - William P Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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7
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Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers represent the third leading cause of malignancy-associated death worldwide. Approximately 15-20% of these adenocarcinomas overexpress the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a pro-proliferative receptor tyrosine kinase that has been therapeutically exploited in other disease contexts. The landmark ToGA trial demonstrated that trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 antibody, could improve overall survival for patients with HER2 overexpressing advanced gastric and GEJ adenocarcinomas. In the ensuing decade, great effort has been made to refine and expand this therapeutic strategy through a variety of avenues including optimization of chemotherapy backbones, identifying potential synergy with immune checkpoint inhibition, deployment of alternative HER2-targeted antibodies, use of small molecule inhibitors, and development of HER2-directed antibody drug conjugates. While the results of these efforts have had variable success, they have led to a greater understanding of the mechanisms of both primary and acquired resistance to HER2-directed therapies, laying the groundwork for future investigations. Recently, KEYNOTE-811 and DESTINY-Gastric01 have led to the FDA approvals of pembrolizumab in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy in the 1st-line advanced setting and trastuzumab deruxtecan (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki) in the 2nd-line setting, respectively. Herein, we review these significant works as well as discuss the ongoing investigations they have inspired, which aim to find and utilize additional means for targeting HER2 in gastric and GEJ cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Grieb
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rajiv Agarwal
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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8
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Grieb BC, Goff LW, Goyal L, Denlinger CS. Evolving Landscape of Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Breakthroughs, Toxicities, and Future Frontiers. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2019; 39:248-260. [PMID: 31099615 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_237555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The incidence and death rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are rising. For more than a decade, the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib was the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved systemic therapy for HCC. However, since 2017, five additional agents have been approved in the first- or second-line setting. Although this represents an incredible victory for the field, there are no clear guidelines for agent selection on the basis of either patient or tumor characteristics. Here, we review the available systemic therapy options for advanced HCC and reported clinical data for each. We outline each agent's unique toxicity profile, potential impact on patient quality of life, monitoring recommendations, and supportive strategies. Last, we review molecular and immunologic classifications of HCC as well as preclinical data that may serve as a basis for future biomarker enriched clinical trials to enable precision oncology care in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Grieb
- 1 Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Laura W Goff
- 1 Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Lipika Goyal
- 2 Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Crystal S Denlinger
- 3 Department of Hematology/Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA
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9
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Grieb BC, Boyd K, Mitra R, Eischen CM. Haploinsufficiency of the Myc regulator Mtbp extends survival and delays tumor development in aging mice. Aging (Albany NY) 2016; 8:2590-2602. [PMID: 27803394 PMCID: PMC5115908 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/15/2016] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Alterations of specific genes can modulate aging. Myc, a transcription factor that regulates the expression of many genes involved in critical cellular functions was shown to have a role in controlling longevity. Decreased expression of Myc inhibited many of the deleterious effects of aging and increased lifespan in mice. Without altering Myc expression, reduced levels of Mtbp, a recently identified regulator of Myc, limit Myc transcriptional activity and proliferation, while increased levels promote Myc-mediated effects. To determine the contribution of Mtbp to the effects of Myc on aging, we studied a large cohort of Mtbp heterozygous mice and littermate matched wild-type controls. Mtbp haploinsufficiency significantly increased longevity and maximal survival in mice. Reduced levels of Mtbp did not alter locomotor activity, litter size, or body size, but Mtbp heterozygous mice did exhibit elevated markers of metabolism, particularly in the liver. Mtbp+/- mice also had a significant delay in spontaneous cancer development, which was most prominent in the hematopoietic system, and an altered tumor spectrum compared to Mtbp+/+ mice. Therefore, the data suggest Mtbp is a regulator of longevity in mice that mimics some, but not all, of the properties of Myc in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Grieb
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Kelli Boyd
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Ramkrishna Mitra
- Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Christine M. Eischen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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10
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Thomas LR, Foshage AM, Weissmiller AM, Popay TM, Grieb BC, Qualls SJ, Ng V, Carboneau B, Lorey S, Eischen CM, Tansey WP. Interaction of MYC with host cell factor-1 is mediated by the evolutionarily conserved Myc box IV motif. Oncogene 2015; 35:3613-8. [PMID: 26522729 PMCID: PMC4853269 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Revised: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The MYC family of oncogenes encodes a set of three related transcription factors that are overexpressed in many human tumors and contribute to the cancer-related deaths of more than 70,000 Americans every year. MYC proteins drive tumorigenesis by interacting with co-factors that enable them to regulate the expression of thousands of genes linked to cell growth, proliferation, metabolism, and genome stability. One effective way to identify critical cofactors required for MYC function has been to focus on sequence motifs within MYC that are conserved throughout evolution, on the assumption that their conservation is driven by protein-protein interactions that are vital for MYC activity. In addition to their DNA-binding domains, MYC proteins carry five regions of high sequence conservation known as Myc boxes (Mb). To date, four of the Myc box motifs (MbI, MbII, MbIIIa, and MbIIIb) have had a molecular function assigned to them, but the precise role of the remaining Myc box, MbIV, and the reason for its preservation in vertebrate Myc proteins, is unknown. Here, we show that MbIV is required for the association of MYC with the abundant transcriptional coregulator host cell factor 1 (HCF-1). We show that the invariant core of MbIV resembles the tetrapeptide HCF-binding motif (HBM) found in many HCF-interaction partners, and demonstrate that MYC interacts with HCF in a manner indistinguishable from the prototypical HBM-containing protein VP16. Finally, we show that rationalized point mutations in MYC that disrupt interaction with HCF-1 attenuate the ability of MYC to drive tumorigenesis in mice. Together, these data expose a molecular function for MbIV and indicate that HCF-1 is an important co-factor for MYC.
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Affiliation(s)
- L R Thomas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - A M Foshage
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - A M Weissmiller
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - T M Popay
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt International Scholar Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - B C Grieb
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - S J Qualls
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - V Ng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - B Carboneau
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - S Lorey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - C M Eischen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - W P Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
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11
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Thomas LR, Wang Q, Grieb BC, Phan J, Foshage AM, Sun Q, Olejniczak ET, Clark T, Dey S, Lorey S, Alicie B, Howard GC, Cawthon B, Ess KC, Eischen CM, Zhao Z, Fesik SW, Tansey WP. Interaction with WDR5 promotes target gene recognition and tumorigenesis by MYC. Mol Cell 2015; 58:440-52. [PMID: 25818646 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2015.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Revised: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
MYC is an oncoprotein transcription factor that is overexpressed in the majority of malignancies. The oncogenic potential of MYC stems from its ability to bind regulatory sequences in thousands of target genes, which depends on interaction of MYC with its obligate partner, MAX. Here, we show that broad association of MYC with chromatin also depends on interaction with the WD40-repeat protein WDR5. MYC binds WDR5 via an evolutionarily conserved "MYC box IIIb" motif that engages a shallow, hydrophobic cleft on the surface of WDR5. Structure-guided mutations in MYC that disrupt interaction with WDR5 attenuate binding of MYC at ∼80% of its chromosomal locations and disable its ability to promote induced pluripotent stem cell formation and drive tumorigenesis. Our data reveal WDR5 as a key determinant for MYC recruitment to chromatin and uncover a tractable target for the discovery of anticancer therapies against MYC-driven tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance R Thomas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Qingguo Wang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Brian C Grieb
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jason Phan
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Audra M Foshage
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Edward T Olejniczak
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Travis Clark
- VANTAGE, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Soumyadeep Dey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Shelly Lorey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Bethany Alicie
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Gregory C Howard
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Bryan Cawthon
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kevin C Ess
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Christine M Eischen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Stephen W Fesik
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - William P Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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12
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a clinically aggressive subtype of breast cancer commonly resistant to therapeutics that have been successful in increasing survival in patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)) and HER2(+) breast cancer. As such, identifying factors that contribute to poor patient outcomes and mediate the growth and survival of TNBC cells remain important areas of investigation. MTBP (MDM2-binding protein), a gene linked to cellular proliferation and a transcriptional target of the MYC oncogene, is overexpressed in human malignancies, yet its contribution to cancer remains unresolved. Evaluation of mRNA expression and copy number variation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed that MTBP is commonly overexpressed in breast cancer and 19% show amplification of MTBP. Increased transcript or gene amplification of MTBP significantly correlated with reduced breast cancer patient survival. Further analysis revealed that while MTBP mRNA is overexpressed in both ER(+) and HER2(+) breast cancers, its expression is highest in TNBC. MTBP mRNA and protein levels were also significantly elevated in a panel of human TNBC cell lines. Knockdown of MTBP in TNBC cells induced apoptosis and significantly reduced TNBC cell growth and soft agar colony formation, which was rescued by expression of shRNA-resistant Mtbp. Notably, inducible knockdown of MTBP expression significantly impaired TNBC tumor growth, in vivo, including in established tumors. Thus, these data emphasize that MTBP is important for the growth and survival of TNBC and warrants further investigation as a potential novel therapeutic target. IMPLICATIONS MTBP significantly contributes to breast cancer survival and is a potential novel therapeutic target in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Grieb
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Christine M Eischen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
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13
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Grieb BC, Gramling MW, Arrate MP, Chen X, Beauparlant SL, Haines DS, Xiao H, Eischen CM. Oncogenic protein MTBP interacts with MYC to promote tumorigenesis. Cancer Res 2014; 74:3591-602. [PMID: 24786788 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-2149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite its involvement in most human cancers, MYC continues to pose a challenge as a readily tractable therapeutic target. Here we identify the MYC transcriptional cofactors TIP48 and TIP49 and MYC as novel binding partners of Mdm2-binding protein (MTBP), a functionally undefined protein that we show is oncogenic and overexpressed in many human cancers. MTBP associated with MYC at promoters and increased MYC-mediated transcription, proliferation, neoplastic transformation, and tumor development. In breast cancer specimens, we determined overexpression of both MYC and MTBP was associated with a reduction in 10-year patient survival compared with MYC overexpression alone. MTBP was also frequently co-amplified with MYC in many human cancers. Mechanistic investigations implicated associations with TIP48/TIP49 as well as MYC in MTBP function in cellular transformation and the growth of human breast cancer cells. Taken together, our findings show MTBP functions with MYC to promote malignancy, identifying this protein as a novel general therapeutic target in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Grieb
- Authors' Affiliations: Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and
| | - Mark W Gramling
- Authors' Affiliations: Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and
| | - Maria Pia Arrate
- Authors' Affiliations: Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and
| | - Xi Chen
- Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Stephen L Beauparlant
- Department of Biochemistry, Temple University; Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Dale S Haines
- Department of Biochemistry, Temple University; Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Hua Xiao
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Christine M Eischen
- Authors' Affiliations: Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and
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