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Van Hulst AM, Van der Zwet JCG, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Smits WK, Fiocco M, Pieters R, Van Leeuwen FN, Van den Heuvel-Eibrink MM, Van den Akker ELT, Meijerink JPP. The role of the mineralocorticoid receptor in steroid-induced cytotoxicity in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Haematologica 2024. [PMID: 38205521 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.282928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Not available.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Marta Fiocco
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands; Department of Biomedical data Science, Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Centre
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht
| | | | - Marry M Van den Heuvel-Eibrink
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Child Health, UMCU-Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht.
| | | | - Jules P P Meijerink
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Presently working at Acerta-Pharma (AstraZeneca), Oss
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2
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Kimura S, Polonen P, Montefiori L, Park CS, Iacobucci I, Yeoh AE, Attarbaschi A, Moore AS, Brown A, Manabe A, Buldini B, Freeman BB, Chen C, Cheng C, Kean Hui C, Li CK, Pui CH, Qu C, Tomizawa D, Teachey DT, Varotto E, Paietta EM, Arnold ED, Locatelli F, Escherich G, Elisa Muhle H, Marquart HV, de Groot-Kruseman HA, Rowe JM, Stary J, Trka J, Choi JK, Meijerink JPP, Yang JJ, Takita J, Pawinska-Wasikowska K, Roberts KG, Han K, Caldwell KJ, Schmiegelow K, Crews KR, Eguchi M, Schrappe M, Zimmerman M, Takagi M, Maybury M, Svaton M, Reiterova M, Kicinski M, Prater MS, Kato M, Reyes N, Spinelli O, Thomas P, Mazilier P, Gao Q, Masetti R, Kotecha RS, Pieters R, Elitzur S, Luger SM, Mitchell S, Pruett-Miller SM, Shen S, Jeha S, Köhrer S, Kornblau SM, Skoczeń S, Miyamura T, Vincent TL, Imamura T, Conter V, Tang Y, Liu YC, Chang Y, Gu Z, Cheng Z, Yinmei Z, Inaba H, Mullighan CG. Biologic and clinical features of childhood gamma delta T-ALL: identification of STAG2/LMO2 γδ T-ALL as an extremely high risk leukemia in the very young. medRxiv 2023:2023.11.06.23298028. [PMID: 37986997 PMCID: PMC10659466 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.06.23298028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gamma delta T-cell receptor-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (γδ T-ALL) is a high-risk but poorly characterized disease. METHODS We studied clinical features of 200 pediatric γδ T-ALL, and compared the prognosis of 93 cases to 1,067 protocol-matched non-γδ T-ALL. Genomic features were defined by transcriptome and genome sequencing. Experimental modeling was used to examine the mechanistic impacts of genomic alterations. Therapeutic vulnerabilities were identified by high throughput drug screening of cell lines and xenografts. RESULTS γδ T-ALL in children under three was extremely high-risk with 5-year event-free survival (33% v. 70% [age 3-<10] and 73% [age ≥10], P =9.5 x 10 -5 ) and 5-year overall survival (49% v. 78% [age 3-<10] and 81% [age ≥10], P =0.002), differences not observed in non-γδ T-ALL. γδ T-ALL in this age group was enriched for genomic alterations activating LMO2 activation and inactivating STAG2 inactivation ( STAG2/LMO2 ). Mechanistically, we show that inactivation of STAG2 profoundly perturbs chromatin organization by altering enhancer-promoter looping resulting in deregulation of gene expression associated with T-cell differentiation. Drug screening showed resistance to prednisolone, consistent with clinical slow treatment response, but identified a vulnerability in DNA repair pathways arising from STAG2 inactivation, which was efficaciously targeted by Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition, with synergism with HDAC inhibitors. Ex-vivo drug screening on PDX cells validated the efficacy of PARP inhibitors as well as other potential targets including nelarabine. CONCLUSION γδ T-ALL in children under the age of three is extremely high-risk and enriched for STAG2/LMO2 ALL. STAG2 loss perturbs chromatin conformation and differentiation, and STAG2/LMO2 ALL is sensitive to PARP inhibition. These data provide a diagnostic and therapeutic framework for pediatric γδ T-ALL. SUPPORT The authors are supported by the American and Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities of St Jude Children's Research Hospital, NCI grants R35 CA197695, P50 CA021765 (C.G.M.), the Henry Schueler 41&9 Foundation (C.G.M.), and a St. Baldrick's Foundation Robert J. Arceci Innovation Award (C.G.M.), Gabriella Miller Kids First X01HD100702 (D.T.T and C.G.M.) and R03CA256550 (D.T.T. and C.G.M.), F32 5F32CA254140 (L.M.), and a Garwood Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Hematological Malignancies Program of the St Jude Children's Research Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center (S.K.). This project was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under the following award numbers: U10CA180820, UG1CA189859, U24CA114766, U10CA180899, U10CA180866 and U24CA196173. DISCLAIMER The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The funding agencies were not directly involved in the design of the study, gathering, analysis and interpretation of the data, writing of the manuscript, or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
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Smits WK, Vermeulen C, Hagelaar R, Kimura S, Vroegindeweij EM, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, van de Geer E, Verstegen MJAM, Splinter E, van Reijmersdal SV, Buijs A, Galjart N, van Eyndhoven W, van Min M, Kuiper R, Kemmeren P, Mullighan CG, de Laat W, Meijerink JPP. Elevated enhancer-oncogene contacts and higher oncogene expression levels by recurrent CTCF inactivating mutations in acute T cell leukemia. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112373. [PMID: 37060567 PMCID: PMC10750298 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112373] [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] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoallelic inactivation of CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) in human cancer drives altered methylated genomic states, altered CTCF occupancy at promoter and enhancer regions, and deregulated global gene expression. In patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), we find that acquired monoallelic CTCF-inactivating events drive subtle and local genomic effects in nearly half of t(5; 14) (q35; q32.2) rearranged patients, especially when CTCF-binding sites are preserved in between the BCL11B enhancer and the TLX3 oncogene. These solitary intervening sites insulate TLX3 from the enhancer by inducing competitive looping to multiple binding sites near the TLX3 promoter. Reduced CTCF levels or deletion of the intervening CTCF site abrogates enhancer insulation by weakening competitive looping while favoring TLX3 promoter to BCL11B enhancer looping, which elevates oncogene expression levels and leukemia burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem K Smits
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Carlo Vermeulen
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rico Hagelaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Shunsuke Kimura
- Laboratory of Pathology, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Memphis TN, USA
| | | | | | - Ellen van de Geer
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marjon J A M Verstegen
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Arjan Buijs
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Niels Galjart
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Roland Kuiper
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Patrick Kemmeren
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Charles G Mullighan
- Laboratory of Pathology, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Memphis TN, USA
| | - Wouter de Laat
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Van der Zwet JCG, Cordo' V, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Hagelaar R, Smits WK, Vroegindeweij E, Graus LTM, Poort V, Nulle M, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. STAT5 does not drive steroid resistance in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia despite the activation of BCL2 and BCLXL following glucocorticoid treatment. Haematologica 2023; 108:732-746. [PMID: 35734930 PMCID: PMC9973477 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2021.280405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Physiological and pathogenic interleukin-7-receptor (IL7R)-induced signaling provokes glucocorticoid resistance in a subset of patients with pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Activation of downstream STAT5 has been suggested to cause steroid resistance through upregulation of anti-apoptotic BCL2, one of its downstream target genes. Here we demonstrate that isolated STAT5 signaling in various T-ALL cell models is insufficient to raise cellular steroid resistance despite upregulation of BCL2 and BCL-XL. Upregulation of anti-apoptotic BCL2 and BCLXL in STAT5-activated T-ALL cells requires steroid-induced activation of NR3C1. For the BCLXL locus, this is facilitated by a concerted action of NR3C1 and activated STAT5 molecules at two STAT5 regulatory sites, whereas for the BCL2 locus this is facilitated by binding of NR3C1 at a STAT5 binding motif. In contrast, STAT5 occupancy at glucocorticoid response elements does not affect the expression of NR3C1 target genes. Strong upregulation of BIM, a NR3C1 pro-apoptotic target gene, upon prednisolone treatment can counterbalance NR3C1/STAT5-induced BCL2 and BCL-XL expression downstream of IL7- induced or pathogenic IL7R signaling. This explains why isolated STAT5 activation does not directly impair the steroid response. Our study suggests that STAT5 activation only contributes to steroid resistance in combination with cellular defects or alternative signaling routes that disable the pro-apoptotic and steroid-induced BIM response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rico Hagelaar
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht
| | | | | | | | - Vera Poort
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht
| | - Marloes Nulle
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht
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Kroeze E, Arias Padilla L, Bakker M, Boer JM, Hagleitner MM, Burkhardt B, Mori T, Attarbaschi A, Verdú-Amorós J, Pillon M, Anderzhanova L, Kabíčková E, Chiang AKS, Kebudi R, Mellgren K, Lazic J, Jazbec J, Meijerink JPP, Beishuizen A, Loeffen JLC. Pediatric Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Malignancies: From Extramedullary to Medullary Involvement. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14163895. [PMID: 36010889 PMCID: PMC9405801 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14163895] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (BCP-LBL) and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) are the malignant counterparts of immature B-cells. BCP-ALL is the most common hematological malignancy in childhood, while BCP-LBL accounts for only 1% of all hematological malignancies in children. Therefore, BCP-ALL has been well studied and treatment protocols have changed over the last decades, whereas treatment for BCP-LBL has stayed roughly the same. Clinical characteristics of 364 pediatric patients with precursor B-cell malignancies were studied, consisting of BCP-LBL (n = 210) and BCP-ALL (n = 154) patients. Our results indicate that based on the clinical presentation of disease, B-cell malignancies probably represent a spectrum ranging from complete isolated medullary disease to apparent complete extramedullary disease. Hepatosplenomegaly and peripheral blood involvement are the most important discriminators, as both seen in 80% and 95% of the BCP-ALL patients and in 2% of the BCP-LBL patients, respectively. In addition, we show that the overall survival rates in this cohort differ significantly between BCP-LBL and BCP-ALL patients aged 1−18 years (p = 0.0080), and that the outcome for infants (0−1 years) with BCP-LBL is significantly decreased compared to BCP-LBL patients of all other pediatric ages (p < 0.0001).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Kroeze
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Arias Padilla
- NHL-BFM Study Center and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Max Bakker
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Judith M. Boer
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Birgit Burkhardt
- NHL-BFM Study Center and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Takeshi Mori
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children’s Hospital, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Andishe Attarbaschi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, St. Anna Children’s Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jaime Verdú-Amorós
- Pediatric Oncology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Pillon
- Clinic of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 46010 Padova, Italy
| | - Liliya Anderzhanova
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Edita Kabíčková
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Charles University, 2nd Medical School and University Hospital Motol, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alan K. S. Chiang
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Rejin Kebudi
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Istanbul University, Oncology Institute, 34452 İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Karin Mellgren
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jelena Lazic
- Department for Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Janez Jazbec
- Division of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Auke Beishuizen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children’s Hospital, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan L. C. Loeffen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
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Cordo’ V, Meijer MT, Hagelaar R, de Goeij-de Haas RR, Poort VM, Henneman AA, Piersma SR, Pham TV, Oshima K, Ferrando AA, Zaman GJR, Jimenez CR, Meijerink JPP. Phosphoproteomic profiling of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia reveals targetable kinases and combination treatment strategies. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1048. [PMID: 35217681 PMCID: PMC8881579 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28682-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein kinase inhibitors are amongst the most successful cancer treatments, but targetable kinases activated by genomic abnormalities are rare in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nevertheless, kinases can be activated in the absence of genetic defects. Thus, phosphoproteomics can provide information on pathway activation and signaling networks that offer opportunities for targeted therapy. Here, we describe a mass spectrometry-based global phosphoproteomic profiling of 11 T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines to identify targetable kinases. We report a comprehensive dataset consisting of 21,000 phosphosites on 4,896 phosphoproteins, including 217 kinases. We identify active Src-family kinases signaling as well as active cyclin-dependent kinases. We validate putative targets for therapy ex vivo and identify potential combination treatments, such as the inhibition of the INSR/IGF-1R axis to increase the sensitivity to dasatinib treatment. Ex vivo validation of selected drug combinations using patient-derived xenografts provides a proof-of-concept for phosphoproteomics-guided design of personalized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Cordo’
- grid.487647.ePrincess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mariska T. Meijer
- grid.487647.ePrincess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rico Hagelaar
- grid.487647.ePrincess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Richard R. de Goeij-de Haas
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vera M. Poort
- grid.487647.ePrincess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alex A. Henneman
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sander R. Piersma
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thang V. Pham
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Koichi Oshima
- grid.239585.00000 0001 2285 2675Institute for Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - Adolfo A. Ferrando
- grid.239585.00000 0001 2285 2675Institute for Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | | | - Connie R. Jimenez
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227OncoProteomics Laboratory, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jules P. P. Meijerink
- grid.487647.ePrincess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands ,Present Address: Acerta Pharma (member of the AstraZeneca group), Oss, The Netherlands
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Kroeze E, Weijers DD, Hagleitner MM, de Groot-Kruseman HA, Jongmans MCJ, Kuiper RP, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP, Loeffen JLC. High Prevalence of Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency in a Pediatric T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma Cohort. Hemasphere 2021; 6:e668. [PMID: 34964038 PMCID: PMC8697338 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This study describes the clinical characteristics of a complete Dutch T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) cohort, including second primary malignancies and comorbidities. We show that over 10% of patients in this complete T-LBL cohort have been diagnosed with a cancer predisposition syndrome (CPS), consisting almost exclusively of constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD). The clinical characteristics of sporadic T-LBL patients were compared with T-LBL patients that have been diagnosed with CMMRD. This shows that disease presentation is comparable but that disease localization in CMMRD patients might be more localized. The percentage of CPS seems reliable considering the completeness of the cohort of Dutch T-LBL patients and might even be an underestimation (possibility of undiagnosed CPS patients in cohort). As the frequency of an underlying predisposition syndrome among T-LBL patients may be underestimated at present, we advocate for screening all pediatric T-LBL patients for the presence of germline mutations in mismatch repair genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Kroeze
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dilys D Weijers
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Marjolijn C J Jongmans
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roland P Kuiper
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jan L C Loeffen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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van der Zwet JCG, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Cordo' V, Debets DO, Smits WK, Chen Z, Dylus J, Zaman GJR, Altelaar M, Oshima K, Bornhauser B, Bourquin JP, Cools J, Ferrando AA, Vormoor J, Pieters R, Vormoor B, Meijerink JPP. MAPK-ERK is a central pathway in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia that drives steroid resistance. Leukemia 2021; 35:3394-3405. [PMID: 34007050 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01291-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [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] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
(Patho-)physiological activation of the IL7-receptor (IL7R) signaling contributes to steroid resistance in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Here, we show that activating IL7R pathway mutations and physiological IL7R signaling activate MAPK-ERK signaling, which provokes steroid resistance by phosphorylation of BIM. By mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that phosphorylated BIM is impaired in binding to BCL2, BCLXL and MCL1, shifting the apoptotic balance toward survival. Treatment with MEK inhibitors abolishes this inactivating phosphorylation of BIM and restores its interaction with anti-apoptotic BCL2-protein family members. Importantly, the MEK inhibitor selumetinib synergizes with steroids in both IL7-dependent and IL7-independent steroid resistant pediatric T-ALL PDX samples. Despite the anti-MAPK-ERK activity of ruxolitinib in IL7-induced signaling and JAK1 mutant cells, ruxolitinib only synergizes with steroid treatment in IL7-dependent steroid resistant PDX samples but not in IL7-independent steroid resistant PDX samples. Our study highlights the central role for MAPK-ERK signaling in steroid resistance in T-ALL patients, and demonstrates the broader application of MEK inhibitors over ruxolitinib to resensitize steroid-resistant T-ALL cells. These findings strongly support the enrollment of T-ALL patients in the current phase I/II SeluDex trial (NCT03705507) and contributes to the optimization and stratification of newly designed T-ALL treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Valentina Cordo'
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Donna O Debets
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center of Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Willem K Smits
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Zhongli Chen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jelle Dylus
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, the Netherlands
| | - Guido J R Zaman
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center of Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Koichi Oshima
- Institute of Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Beat Bornhauser
- Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Pierre Bourquin
- Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Cools
- KU Leuven Center for Human Genetics & VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adolfo A Ferrando
- Institute of Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Josef Vormoor
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Britta Vormoor
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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9
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Tottone L, Lancho O, Loh JW, Singh A, Kimura S, Roels J, Kuchmiy A, Strubbe S, Lawlor MA, da Silva-Diz V, Luo S, Gachet S, García-Prieto CA, Hagelaar R, Esteller M, Meijerink JPP, Soulier J, Taghon T, Van Vlierberghe P, Mullighan CG, Khiabanian H, Rocha PP, Herranz D. A Tumor Suppressor Enhancer of PTEN in T-cell development and leukemia. Blood Cancer Discov 2020; 2:92-109. [PMID: 33458694 DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.bcd-20-0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-range oncogenic enhancers play an important role in cancer. Yet, whether similar regulation of tumor suppressor genes is relevant remains unclear. Loss of expression of PTEN is associated with the pathogenesis of various cancers, including T-cell leukemia (T-ALL). Here, we identify a highly conserved distal enhancer (PE) that interacts with the PTEN promoter in multiple hematopoietic populations, including T-cells, and acts as a hub of relevant transcription factors in T-ALL. Consistently, loss of PE leads to reduced PTEN levels in T-ALL cells. Moreover, PE-null mice show reduced Pten levels in thymocytes and accelerated development of NOTCH1-induced T-ALL. Furthermore, secondary loss of PE in established leukemias leads to accelerated progression and a gene expression signature driven by Pten loss. Finally, we uncovered recurrent deletions encompassing PE in T-ALL, which are associated with decreased PTEN levels. Altogether, our results identify PE as the first long-range tumor suppressor enhancer directly implicated in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Tottone
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Olga Lancho
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Jui-Wan Loh
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Center for Systems and Computational Biology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Amartya Singh
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Center for Systems and Computational Biology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Shunsuke Kimura
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Juliette Roels
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anna Kuchmiy
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven Strubbe
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Matthew A Lawlor
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Victoria da Silva-Diz
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Shirley Luo
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Stéphanie Gachet
- INSERM U944 and University de Paris, Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Carlos A García-Prieto
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Rico Hagelaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Manel Esteller
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cancer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
- Physiological Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Jean Soulier
- INSERM U944 and University de Paris, Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Tom Taghon
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pieter Van Vlierberghe
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Charles G Mullighan
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Hossein Khiabanian
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Center for Systems and Computational Biology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Pedro P Rocha
- Unit on Genome Structure and Regulation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Daniel Herranz
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
- Department of Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
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10
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Canté-Barrett K, Holtzer L, van Ooijen H, Hagelaar R, Cordo’ V, Verhaegh W, van de Stolpe A, Meijerink JPP. A Molecular Test for Quantifying Functional Notch Signaling Pathway Activity in Human Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12113142. [PMID: 33120947 PMCID: PMC7692325 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Notch signal transduction pathway is important for various physiological processes, including immune responses, and plays a role in many diseases, for example cancer. We have developed a new assay to quantitatively measure Notch pathway activity, and we validated it using data from various human cancer cell lines. The assay can be applied across different cell types, and offers numerous possibilities to explore the contribution of the Notch pathway to tumor formation and the stratification of cancer patients. We assessed Notch pathway activity in a cohort of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patient samples, and found that the pathway activity score more accurately reflects Notch pathway activity than a prediction on the basis of NOTCH1 mutations alone. Finally, we found that patients with low Notch pathway activity had a significantly shorter event-free survival compared to patients who had T-ALL cells with higher activity. Abstract Background: The Notch signal transduction pathway is pivotal for various physiological processes, including immune responses, and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The effectiveness of various targeted Notch pathway inhibitors may vary due to variabilities in Notch pathway activity among individual patients. The quantitative measurement of Notch pathway activity is therefore essential to identify patients who could benefit from targeted treatment. Methods: We here describe a new assay that infers a quantitative Notch pathway activity score from the mRNA levels of generally conserved direct NOTCH target genes. Following the calibration and biological validation of our Notch pathway activity model over a wide spectrum of human cancer types, we assessed Notch pathway activity in a cohort of T-ALL patient samples and related it to biological and clinical parameters, including outcome. Results: We developed an assay using 18 select direct target genes and high-grade serous ovarian cancer for calibration. For validation, seven independent human datasets (mostly cancer series) were used to quantify Notch activity in agreement with expectations. For T-ALL, the median Notch pathway activity was highest for samples with strong NOTCH1-activating mutations, and T-ALL patients of the TLX subtype generally had the highest levels of Notch pathway activity. We observed a significant relationship between ICN1 levels and the absence/presence of NOTCH1-activating mutations with Notch pathway activity scores. Patients with the lowest Notch activity scores had the shortest event-free survival compared to other patients. Conclusions: High Notch pathway activity was not limited to T-ALL samples harboring strong NOTCH1 mutations, including juxtamembrane domain mutations or hetero-dimerization combined with PEST-domain or FBXW7 mutations, indicating that additional mechanisms may activate Notch signaling. The measured Notch pathway activity was related to intracellular NOTCH levels, indicating that the pathway activity score more accurately reflects Notch pathway activity than when it is predicted on the basis of NOTCH1 mutations. Importantly, patients with low Notch pathway activity had a significantly shorter event-free survival compared to patients showing higher activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Canté-Barrett
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (K.C.-B.); (R.H.); (V.C.)
| | - Laurent Holtzer
- Philips Molecular Pathway Dx, Royal Philips, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands; (L.H.); (A.v.d.S.)
| | - Henk van Ooijen
- Philips Research, Royal Philips, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands; (H.v.O.); (W.V.)
| | - Rico Hagelaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (K.C.-B.); (R.H.); (V.C.)
| | - Valentina Cordo’
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (K.C.-B.); (R.H.); (V.C.)
| | - Wim Verhaegh
- Philips Research, Royal Philips, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands; (H.v.O.); (W.V.)
| | - Anja van de Stolpe
- Philips Molecular Pathway Dx, Royal Philips, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands; (L.H.); (A.v.d.S.)
| | - Jules P. P. Meijerink
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; (K.C.-B.); (R.H.); (V.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-6-15064275
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11
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van der Zwet JCG, Cordo' V, Canté-Barrett K, Meijerink JPP. Multi-omic approaches to improve outcome for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Adv Biol Regul 2019; 74:100647. [PMID: 31523030 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2019.100647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the last decade, tremendous progress in curative treatment has been made for T-ALL patients using high-intensive, risk-adapted multi-agent chemotherapy. Further treatment intensification to improve the cure rate is not feasible as it will increase the number of toxic deaths. Hence, about 20% of pediatric patients relapse and often die due to acquired therapy resistance. Personalized medicine is of utmost importance to further increase cure rates and is achieved by targeting specific initiation, maintenance or resistance mechanisms of the disease. Genomic sequencing has revealed mutations that characterize genetic subtypes of many cancers including T-ALL. However, leukemia may have various activated pathways that are not accompanied by the presence of mutations. Therefore, screening for mutations alone is not sufficient to identify all molecular targets and leukemic dependencies for therapeutic inhibition. We review the extent of the driving type A and the secondary type B genomic mutations in pediatric T-ALL that may be targeted by specific inhibitors. Additionally, we review the need for additional screening methods on the transcriptional and protein levels. An integrated 'multi-omic' screening will identify potential targets and biomarkers to establish significant progress in future individualized treatment of T-ALL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentina Cordo'
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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12
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Kampen KR, Sulima SO, Verbelen B, Girardi T, Vereecke S, Fancello L, Rinaldi G, Verbeeck J, Op de Beeck J, Uyttebroeck A, Meijerink JPP, Moorman AV, Harrison CJ, Spincemaille P, Cools J, Cassiman D, Fendt SM, Vermeersch P, De Keersmaecker K. Correction: The ribosomal RPL10 R98S mutation drives IRES-dependent BCL-2 translation in T-ALL. Leukemia 2019; 33:1055-1062. [PMID: 30850735 PMCID: PMC6756081 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-019-0424-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kim R Kampen
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sergey O Sulima
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benno Verbelen
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tiziana Girardi
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stijn Vereecke
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Fancello
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gianmarco Rinaldi
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle Verbeeck
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joyce Op de Beeck
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anne Uyttebroeck
- Department of Pediatric Oncology & Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Anthony V Moorman
- Leukaemia Research Cytogenetics Group, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Christine J Harrison
- Leukaemia Research Cytogenetics Group, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Pieter Spincemaille
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology and Metabolic Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Cools
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Leukemia, Center for Human Genetics, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Leukemia, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Cassiman
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology and Metabolic Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah-Maria Fendt
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Vermeersch
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kim De Keersmaecker
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium.
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13
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Kampen KR, Sulima SO, Verbelen B, Girardi T, Vereecke S, Rinaldi G, Verbeeck J, Op de Beeck J, Uyttebroeck A, Meijerink JPP, Moorman AV, Harrison CJ, Spincemaille P, Cools J, Cassiman D, Fendt SM, Vermeersch P, De Keersmaecker K. The ribosomal RPL10 R98S mutation drives IRES-dependent BCL-2 translation in T-ALL. Leukemia 2019; 33:319-332. [PMID: 29930300 PMCID: PMC6169730 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-018-0176-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The R98S mutation in ribosomal protein L10 (RPL10 R98S) affects 8% of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cases, and was previously described to impair cellular proliferation. The current study reveals that RPL10 R98S cells accumulate reactive oxygen species which promotes mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced ATP levels, causing the proliferation defect. RPL10 R98S mutant leukemia cells can survive high oxidative stress levels via a specific increase of IRES-mediated translation of the anti-apoptotic factor B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), mediating BCL-2 protein overexpression. RPL10 R98S selective sensitivity to the clinically available Bcl-2 inhibitor Venetoclax (ABT-199) was supported by suppression of splenomegaly and the absence of human leukemia cells in the blood of T-ALL xenografted mice. These results shed new light on the oncogenic function of ribosomal mutations in cancer, provide a novel mechanism for BCL-2 upregulation in leukemia, and highlight BCL-2 inhibition as a novel therapeutic opportunity in RPL10 R98S defective T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim R Kampen
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sergey O Sulima
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benno Verbelen
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tiziana Girardi
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stijn Vereecke
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gianmarco Rinaldi
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle Verbeeck
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joyce Op de Beeck
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anne Uyttebroeck
- Department of Pediatric Oncology & Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Anthony V Moorman
- Leukaemia Research Cytogenetics Group, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Christine J Harrison
- Leukaemia Research Cytogenetics Group, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Pieter Spincemaille
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology and Metabolic Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Cools
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Leukemia, Center for Human Genetics, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Leukemia, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Cassiman
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology and Metabolic Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah-Maria Fendt
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Vermeersch
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kim De Keersmaecker
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium.
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14
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Libouban MAA, de Roos JADM, Uitdehaag JCM, Willemsen-Seegers N, Mainardi S, Dylus J, de Man J, Tops B, Meijerink JPP, Storchová Z, Buijsman RC, Medema RH, Zaman GJR. Stable aneuploid tumors cells are more sensitive to TTK inhibition than chromosomally unstable cell lines. Oncotarget 2018; 8:38309-38325. [PMID: 28415765 PMCID: PMC5503534 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the spindle assembly checkpoint kinase TTK causes chromosome mis-segregation and tumor cell death. However, high levels of TTK correlate with chromosomal instability (CIN), which can lead to aneuploidy. We show that treatment of tumor cells with the selective small molecule TTK inhibitor NTRC 0066-0 overrides the mitotic checkpoint, irrespective of cell line sensitivity. In stable aneuploid cells NTRC 0066-0 induced acute CIN, whereas in cells with high levels of pre-existing CIN there was only a small additional fraction of cells mis-segregating their chromosomes. In proliferation assays stable aneuploid cells were more sensitive than cell lines with pre-existing CIN. Tetraploids are thought to be an intermediate between diploid and unstable aneuploid cells. TTK inhibitors had the same potency on post-tetraploid and parental diploid cells, which is remarkable because the post-tetraploids are more resistant to mitotic drugs. Finally, we confirm that the reference compound reversine is a TTK inhibitor and like NTRC 0066-0, inhibits the proliferation of patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids. In contrast, treatment with TTK inhibitor did not reduce the viability of non-proliferating T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells samples. Consequently, TTK inhibitor therapy is expected to spare non-dividing cells, and may be used to target stable aneuploid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion A A Libouban
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Sara Mainardi
- Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jelle Dylus
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, The Netherlands
| | - Jos de Man
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, The Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan Tops
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Rogier C Buijsman
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, The Netherlands
| | - René H Medema
- Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guido J R Zaman
- Netherlands Translational Research Center B.V., Oss, The Netherlands
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15
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Pajcini KV, Xu L, Shao L, Petrovic J, Palasiewicz K, Ohtani Y, Bailis W, Lee C, Wertheim GB, Mani R, Muthusamy N, Li Y, Meijerink JPP, Blacklow SC, Faryabi RB, Cherry S, Pear WS. MAFB enhances oncogenic Notch signaling in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Sci Signal 2017; 10:10/505/eaam6846. [PMID: 29138297 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aam6846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Activating mutations in the gene encoding the cell-cell contact signaling protein Notch1 are common in human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALLs). However, expressing Notch1 mutant alleles in mice fails to efficiently induce the development of leukemia. We performed a gain-of-function screen to identify proteins that enhanced signaling by leukemia-associated Notch1 mutants. The transcription factors MAFB and ETS2 emerged as candidates that individually enhanced Notch1 signaling, and when coexpressed, they synergistically increased signaling to an extent similar to that induced by core components of the Notch transcriptional complex. In mouse models of T-ALL, MAFB enhanced leukemogenesis by the naturally occurring Notch1 mutants, decreased disease latency, and increased disease penetrance. Decreasing MAFB abundance in mouse and human T-ALL cells reduced the expression of Notch1 target genes, including MYC and HES1, and sustained MAFB knockdown impaired T-ALL growth in a competitive setting. MAFB bound to ETS2 and interacted with the acetyltransferases PCAF and P300, highlighting its importance in recruiting coactivators that enhance Notch1 signaling. Together, these data identify a mechanism for enhancing the oncogenic potential of weak Notch1 mutants in leukemia models, and they reveal the MAFB-ETS2 transcriptional axis as a potential therapeutic target in T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostandin V Pajcini
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. .,Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lanwei Xu
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lijian Shao
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Jelena Petrovic
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Karol Palasiewicz
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yumi Ohtani
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Will Bailis
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Curtis Lee
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gerald B Wertheim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rajeswaran Mani
- The James, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Natarajan Muthusamy
- The James, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Yunlei Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Stephen C Blacklow
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Robert B Faryabi
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sara Cherry
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Warren S Pear
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. .,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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16
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Mendes RD, Canté-Barrett K, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. The relevance of PTEN-AKT in relation to NOTCH1-directed treatment strategies in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Haematologica 2017; 101:1010-7. [PMID: 27582570 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2016.146381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) negatively regulates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT signaling and is often inactivated by mutations (including deletions) in a variety of cancer types, including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Here we review mutation-associated mechanisms that inactivate PTEN together with other molecular mechanisms that activate AKT and contribute to T-cell leukemogenesis. In addition, we discuss how Pten mutations in mouse models affect the efficacy of gamma-secretase inhibitors to block NOTCH1 signaling through activation of AKT. Based on these models and on observations in primary diagnostic samples from patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, we speculate that PTEN-deficient cells employ an intrinsic homeostatic mechanism in which PI3K-AKT signaling is dampened over time. As a result of this reduced PI3K-AKT signaling, the level of AKT activation may be insufficient to compensate for NOTCH1 inhibition, resulting in responsiveness to gamma-secretase inhibitors. On the other hand, de novo acquired PTEN-inactivating events in NOTCH1-dependent leukemia could result in temporary, strong activation of PI3K-AKT signaling, increased glycolysis and glutaminolysis, and consequently gamma-secretase inhibitor resistance. Due to the central role of PTEN-AKT signaling and in the resistance to NOTCH1 inhibition, AKT inhibitors may be a promising addition to current treatment protocols for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui D Mendes
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kirsten Canté-Barrett
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Pieters
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jules P P Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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17
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Canté-Barrett K, Mendes RD, Li Y, Vroegindeweij E, Pike-Overzet K, Wabeke T, Langerak AW, Pieters R, Staal FJT, Meijerink JPP. Loss of CD44 dim Expression from Early Progenitor Cells Marks T-Cell Lineage Commitment in the Human Thymus. Front Immunol 2017; 8:32. [PMID: 28163708 PMCID: PMC5247458 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell development is less well studied than its murine counterpart due to the lack of genetic tools and the difficulty of obtaining cells and tissues. Here, we report the transcriptional landscape of 11 immature, consecutive human T-cell developmental stages. The changes in gene expression of cultured stem cells on OP9-DL1 match those of ex vivo isolated murine and human thymocytes. These analyses led us to define evolutionary conserved gene signatures that represent pre- and post-αβ T-cell commitment stages. We found that loss of dim expression of CD44 marks human T-cell commitment in early CD7+CD5+CD45dim cells, before the acquisition of CD1a surface expression. The CD44−CD1a− post-committed thymocytes have initiated in frame T-cell receptor rearrangements that are accompanied by loss of capacity to differentiate toward myeloid, B- and NK-lineages, unlike uncommitted CD44dimCD1a− thymocytes. Therefore, loss of CD44 represents a previously unrecognized human thymocyte stage that defines the earliest committed T-cell population in the thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Canté-Barrett
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rui D Mendes
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital , Rotterdam , Netherlands
| | - Yunlei Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital , Rotterdam , Netherlands
| | - Eric Vroegindeweij
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Karin Pike-Overzet
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden , Netherlands
| | - Tamara Wabeke
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center , Rotterdam , Netherlands
| | - Anton W Langerak
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center , Rotterdam , Netherlands
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Frank J T Staal
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden , Netherlands
| | - Jules P P Meijerink
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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18
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Li Y, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Canté-Barrett K, Stubbs AP, Vroegindeweij EM, Smits WK, van Marion R, Dinjens WNM, Horstmann M, Kuiper RP, Buijsman RC, Zaman GJR, van der Spek PJ, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. IL-7 Receptor Mutations and Steroid Resistance in Pediatric T cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Genome Sequencing Study. PLoS Med 2016; 13:e1002200. [PMID: 27997540 PMCID: PMC5172551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in children. T cell ALL (T-ALL) represents about 15% of pediatric ALL cases and is considered a high-risk disease. T-ALL is often associated with resistance to treatment, including steroids, which are currently the cornerstone for treating ALL; moreover, initial steroid response strongly predicts survival and cure. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying steroid resistance in T-ALL patients are poorly understood. In this study, we combined various genomic datasets in order to identify candidate genetic mechanisms underlying steroid resistance in children undergoing T-ALL treatment. METHODS AND FINDINGS We performed whole genome sequencing on paired pre-treatment (diagnostic) and post-treatment (remission) samples from 13 patients, and targeted exome sequencing of pre-treatment samples from 69 additional T-ALL patients. We then integrated mutation data with copy number data for 151 mutated genes, and this integrated dataset was tested for associations of mutations with clinical outcomes and in vitro drug response. Our analysis revealed that mutations in JAK1 and KRAS, two genes encoding components of the interleukin 7 receptor (IL7R) signaling pathway, were associated with steroid resistance and poor outcome. We then sequenced JAK1, KRAS, and other genes in this pathway, including IL7R, JAK3, NF1, NRAS, and AKT, in these 69 T-ALL patients and a further 77 T-ALL patients. We identified mutations in 32% (47/146) of patients, the majority of whom had a specific T-ALL subtype (early thymic progenitor ALL or TLX). Based on the outcomes of these patients and their prednisolone responsiveness measured in vitro, we then confirmed that these mutations were associated with both steroid resistance and poor outcome. To explore how these mutations in IL7R signaling pathway genes cause steroid resistance and subsequent poor outcome, we expressed wild-type and mutant IL7R signaling molecules in two steroid-sensitive T-ALL cell lines (SUPT1 and P12 Ichikawa cells) using inducible lentiviral expression constructs. We found that expressing mutant IL7R, JAK1, or NRAS, or wild-type NRAS or AKT, specifically induced steroid resistance without affecting sensitivity to vincristine or L-asparaginase. In contrast, wild-type IL7R, JAK1, and JAK3, as well as mutant JAK3 and mutant AKT, had no effect. We then performed a functional study to examine the mechanisms underlying steroid resistance and found that, rather than changing the steroid receptor's ability to activate downstream targets, steroid resistance was associated with strong activation of MEK-ERK and AKT, downstream components of the IL7R signaling pathway, thereby inducing a robust antiapoptotic response by upregulating MCL1 and BCLXL expression. Both the MEK-ERK and AKT pathways also inactivate BIM, an essential molecule for steroid-induced cell death, and inhibit GSK3B, an important regulator of proapoptotic BIM. Importantly, treating our cell lines with IL7R signaling inhibitors restored steroid sensitivity. To address clinical relevance, we treated primary T-ALL cells obtained from 11 patients with steroids either alone or in combination with IL7R signaling inhibitors; we found that including a MEK, AKT, mTOR, or dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor strongly increased steroid-induced cell death. Therefore, combining these inhibitors with steroid treatment may enhance steroid sensitivity in patients with ALL. The main limitation of our study was the modest cohort size, owing to the very low incidence of T-ALL. CONCLUSIONS Using an unbiased sequencing approach, we found that specific mutations in IL7R signaling molecules underlie steroid resistance in T-ALL. Future prospective clinical studies should test the ability of inhibitors of MEK, AKT, mTOR, or PI3K/mTOR to restore or enhance steroid sensitivity and improve clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlei Li
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jessica G. C. A. M. Buijs-Gladdines
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kirsten Canté-Barrett
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew P. Stubbs
- Department of Bioinformatics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric M. Vroegindeweij
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Willem K. Smits
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald van Marion
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Martin Horstmann
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Clinic of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Co-operative Study Group for Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roland P. Kuiper
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Rob Pieters
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jules P. P. Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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19
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Shen Y, Park CS, Suppipat K, Mistretta TA, Puppi M, Horton TM, Rabin K, Gray NS, Meijerink JPP, Lacorazza HD. Inactivation of KLF4 promotes T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and activates the MAP2K7 pathway. Leukemia 2016; 31:1314-1324. [PMID: 27872496 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2016.339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological malignancy with a high incidence of relapse in pediatric ALL. Although most T-ALL patients exhibit activating mutations in NOTCH1, the cooperating genetic events required to accelerate the onset of leukemia and worsen disease progression are largely unknown. Here, we show that the gene encoding the transcription factor KLF4 is inactivated by DNA methylation in children with T-ALL. In mice, loss of KLF4 accelerated the development of NOTCH1-induced T-ALL by enhancing the G1-to-S transition in leukemic cells and promoting the expansion of leukemia-initiating cells. Mechanistically, KLF4 represses the gene encoding the kinase MAP2K7. Our results showed that in murine and pediatric T-ALL, loss of KLF4 leads to aberrant activation of MAP2K7 and of the downstream effectors JNK and ATF2. As a proof-of-concept for the development of a targeted therapy, administration of JNK inhibitors reduced the expansion of leukemia cells in cell-based and patient-derived xenograft models. Collectively, these data uncover a novel function for KLF4 in regulating the MAP2K7 pathway in T-ALL cells, which can be targeted to eradicate leukemia-initiating cells in T-ALL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Shen
- Department of Pathology &Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - C S Park
- Department of Pathology &Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - K Suppipat
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - T-A Mistretta
- Department of Pathology &Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M Puppi
- Department of Pathology &Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - T M Horton
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - K Rabin
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - N S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J P P Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam and the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H D Lacorazza
- Department of Pathology &Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
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20
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Canté-Barrett K, Mendes RD, Smits WK, van Helsdingen-van Wijk YM, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. Lentiviral gene transfer into human and murine hematopoietic stem cells: size matters. BMC Res Notes 2016; 9:312. [PMID: 27306375 PMCID: PMC4910193 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-016-2118-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [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: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Contemporary biomedical research increasingly depends on techniques to induce or to inhibit expression of genes in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or other primary cells to assess their roles on cellular processes including differentiation, apoptosis and migration. Surprisingly little information is available to optimize lentiviral transduction of HSCs. We have therefore carefully optimized transduction of murine and human HSCs by optimizing vector design, serum-free virus production and virus quantitation. We conclude that the viral RNA length, even in relatively small vectors, is an important factor affecting the lentiviral gene transfer on the level of both the virus production and the cellular transduction efficiency. Efficient transfer of large gene sequences into difficult-to-transduce primary cells will benefit from reducing the lentiviral construct size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Canté-Barrett
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rui D Mendes
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem K Smits
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yvette M van Helsdingen-van Wijk
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Máxima Center of Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jules P P Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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21
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Stein SJ, Mack EA, Rome KS, Pajcini KV, Ohtani T, Xu L, Li Y, Meijerink JPP, Faryabi RB, Pear WS. Trib2 Suppresses Tumor Initiation in Notch-Driven T-ALL. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155408. [PMID: 27191957 PMCID: PMC4871414 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Trib2 is highly expressed in human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and is a direct transcriptional target of the oncogenic drivers Notch and TAL1. In human TAL1-driven T-ALL cell lines, Trib2 is proposed to function as an important survival factor, but there is limited information about the role of Trib2 in primary T-ALL. In this study, we investigated the role of Trib2 in the initiation and maintenance of Notch-dependent T-ALL. Trib2 had no effect on the growth and survival of murine T-ALL cell lines in vitro when expression was blocked by shRNAs. To test the function of Trib2 on leukemogenesis in vivo, we generated Trib2 knockout mice. Mice were born at the expected Mendelian frequencies without gross developmental anomalies. Adult mice did not develop pathology or shortened survival, and hematopoiesis, including T cell development, was unperturbed. Using a retroviral model of Notch-induced T-ALL, deletion of Trib2 unexpectedly decreased the latency and increased the penetrance of T-ALL development in vivo. Immunoblotting of primary murine T-ALL cells showed that the absence of Trib2 increased C/EBPα expression, a known regulator of cell proliferation, and did not alter AKT or ERK phosphorylation. Although Trib2 was suggested to be highly expressed in T-ALL, transcriptomic analysis of two independent T-ALL cohorts showed that low Trib2 expression correlated with the TLX1-expressing cortical mature T-ALL subtype, whereas high Trib2 expression correlated with the LYL1-expressing early immature T-ALL subtype. These data indicate that Trib2 has a complex role in the pathogenesis of Notch-driven T-ALL, which may vary between different T-ALL subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Stein
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Ethan A. Mack
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Kelly S. Rome
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Kostandin V. Pajcini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Takuya Ohtani
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Lanwei Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Yunlei Li
- The Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jules P. P. Meijerink
- The Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robert B. Faryabi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Warren S. Pear
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Medicine and Engineering, Institute for Immunology, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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22
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Canté-Barrett K, Uitdehaag JCM, Meijerink JPP. Structural modeling of JAK1 mutations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia reveals a second contact site between pseudokinase and kinase domains. Haematologica 2016; 101:e189-91. [PMID: 26819051 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2015.138248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Canté-Barrett
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jules P P Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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23
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Noesel MMV, Duijkers FAM, Menezes RXD, Stumpel DJPM, Admiraal P, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. Abstract A19: Epigenetic drug combination induces genome-wide demethylation and altered gene expression in neuro-ectodermal tumor-derived cell lines. Cancer Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.pedcan-a19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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
Abstract
Background: Epigenetic alterations are inherent to cancer cells, and epigenetic drugs are currently primarily used to treat hematological malignancies. Pediatric neuro-ectodermal tumors originate from neural crest cells and also exhibit epigenetic alterations involving e.g. apoptotic pathways, which suggests that also these tumors may be sensitive to epigenetic drugs. This notion prompted us to assess molecular and functional effects of low dosage epigenetic drugs in neuro-ectodermal tumor-derived cell lines of pediatric origin.
Results: In 17 neuroblastoma (NBL) and 5 peripheral primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor (PNET) cell lines a combination treatment of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC) and Trichostatin A (TSA) at nanomolar dosages was found to reduce proliferation and to induce wide-spread DNA demethylation, accompanied by major changes in gene expression profiles. Approximately half of the genes that were significantly up-regulated upon treatment exhibited a significant demethylation in their promoter regions. In the NBL cell lines, almost every cellular pathway (193/200) investigated showed expression alterations after treatment, especially a marked up-regulation of genes in the p53 pathway. The combination treatment also resulted in up-regulation of known epigenetically regulated genes such as X-chromosomal genes, tissue-specific genes and a limited number of imprinted genes, as well as known tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes.
Conclusions: Nanomolar dosages of epigenetic drugs have a dramatic impact on the genomes of neuro-ectodermal tumor derived cell lines, including alterations in DNA methylation and concomitant alterations in gene expression.
Citation Format: Max M. van Noesel, Floor A M Duijkers, Renee X. de Menezes, Dominique J. P. M. Stumpel, Pieter Admiraal, Rob Pieters, Jules P P Meijerink. Epigenetic drug combination induces genome-wide demethylation and altered gene expression in neuro-ectodermal tumor-derived cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pediatric Cancer at the Crossroads: Translating Discovery into Improved Outcomes; Nov 3-6, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;74(20 Suppl):Abstract nr A19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pieter Admiraal
- 1Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands,
| | - Rob Pieters
- 1Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands,
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24
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Farahbakhshian E, Verstegen MM, Visser TP, Kheradmandkia S, Geerts D, Arshad S, Riaz N, Grosveld F, van Til NP, Meijerink JPP. Angiopoietin-like protein 3 promotes preservation of stemness during ex vivo expansion of murine hematopoietic stem cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105642. [PMID: 25170927 PMCID: PMC4149469 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantations from umbilical cord blood or autologous HSCs for gene therapy purposes are hampered by limited number of stem cells. To test the ability to expand HSCs in vitro prior to transplantation, two growth factor cocktails containing stem cell factor, thrombopoietin, fms-related tyrosine kinase-3 ligand (STF) or stem cell factor, thrombopoietin, insulin-like growth factor-2, fibroblast growth factor-1 (STIF) either with or without the addition of angiopoietin-like protein-3 (Angptl3) were used. Culturing HSCs in STF and STIF media for 7 days expanded long-term repopulating stem cells content in vivo by ∼6-fold and ∼10-fold compared to freshly isolated stem cells. Addition of Angptl3 resulted in increased expansion of these populations by ∼17-fold and ∼32-fold, respectively, and was further supported by enforced expression of Angptl3 in HSCs through lentiviral transduction that also promoted HSC expansion. As expansion of highly purified lineage-negative, Sca-1+, c-Kit+ HSCs was less efficient than less pure lineage-negative HSCs, Angptl3 may have a direct effect on HCS but also an indirect effect on accessory cells that support HSC expansion. No evidence for leukemia or toxicity was found during long-term follow up of mice transplanted with ex vivo expanded HSCs or manipulated HSC populations that expressed Angptl3. We conclude that the cytokine combinations used in this study to expand HSCs ex vivo enhances the engraftment in vivo. This has important implications for allogeneic umbilical cord-blood derived HSC transplantations and autologous HSC applications including gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elnaz Farahbakhshian
- The Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Monique M Verstegen
- The Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Department of Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Trudi P Visser
- The Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sima Kheradmandkia
- The Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dirk Geerts
- The Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Shazia Arshad
- The Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Noveen Riaz
- The Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank Grosveld
- The Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Niek P van Til
- The Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jules P P Meijerink
- The Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Sarmento LM, Póvoa V, Nascimento R, Real G, Antunes I, Martins LR, Moita C, Alves PM, Abecasis M, Moita LF, Parkhouse RME, Meijerink JPP, Barata JT. CHK1 overexpression in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is essential for proliferation and survival by preventing excessive replication stress. Oncogene 2014; 34:2978-90. [PMID: 25132270 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2014.248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is a key component of the ATR (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated and Rad3-related)-dependent DNA damage response pathway that protect cells from replication stress, a cell intrinsic phenomenon enhanced by oncogenic transformation. Here, we show that CHK1 is overexpressed and hyperactivated in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). CHEK1 mRNA is highly abundant in patients of the proliferative T-ALL subgroup and leukemia cells exhibit constitutively elevated levels of the replication stress marker phospho-RPA32 and the DNA damage marker γH2AX. Importantly, pharmacologic inhibition of CHK1 using PF-004777736 or CHK1 short hairpin RNA-mediated silencing impairs T-ALL cell proliferation and viability. CHK1 inactivation results in the accumulation of cells with incompletely replicated DNA, ensuing DNA damage, ATM/CHK2 activation and subsequent ATM- and caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. In contrast to normal thymocytes, primary T-ALL cells are sensitive to therapeutic doses of PF-004777736, even in the presence of stromal or interleukin-7 survival signals. Moreover, CHK1 inhibition significantly delays in vivo growth of xenotransplanted T-ALL tumors. We conclude that CHK1 is critical for T-ALL proliferation and viability by downmodulating replication stress and preventing ATM/caspase-3-dependent cell death. Pharmacologic inhibition of CHK1 may be a promising therapeutic alternative for T-ALL treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Sarmento
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - V Póvoa
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - R Nascimento
- Infections and Immunity Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - G Real
- 1] iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal [2] Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - I Antunes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - L R Martins
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - C Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - P M Alves
- 1] iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal [2] Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - M Abecasis
- Cardiologia Pediátrica Medico-Cirúrgica, Hospital Sta. Cruz, Carnaxide, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - L F Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - R M E Parkhouse
- Infections and Immunity Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - J P P Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J T Barata
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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26
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Larmonie NSD, Dik WA, Meijerink JPP, Homminga I, van Dongen JJM, Langerak AW. Breakpoint sites disclose the role of the V(D)J recombination machinery in the formation of T-cell receptor (TCR) and non-TCR associated aberrations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Haematologica 2014; 98:1173-84. [PMID: 23904235 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2012.082156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant recombination between T-cell receptor genes and oncogenes gives rise to chromosomal translocations that are genetic hallmarks in several subsets of human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias. The V(D)J recombination machinery has been shown to play a role in the formation of these T-cell receptor translocations. Other, non-T-cell receptor chromosomal aberrations, such as SIL-TAL1 deletions, have likewise been recognized as V(D)J recombination associated aberrations. Despite the postulated role of V(D)J recombination, the extent of the V(D)J recombination machinery involvement in the formation of T-cell receptor and non-T-cell receptor aberrations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is still poorly understood. We performed a comprehensive in silico and ex vivo evaluation of 117 breakpoint sites from 22 different T-cell receptor translocation partners as well as 118 breakpoint sites from non-T-cell receptor chromosomal aberrations. Based on this extensive set of breakpoint data, we provide a comprehensive overview of T-cell receptor and oncogene involvement in T-ALL. Moreover, we assessed the role of the V(D)J recombination machinery in the formation of chromosomal aberrations, and propose an up-dated mechanistic classification on how the V(D)J recombination machinery contributes to the formation of T-cell receptor and non-T-cell receptor aberrations in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole S D Larmonie
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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27
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Zuurbier L, Gutierrez A, Mullighan CG, Canté-Barrett K, Gevaert AO, de Rooi J, Li Y, Smits WK, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Sonneveld E, Look AT, Horstmann M, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. Immature MEF2C-dysregulated T-cell leukemia patients have an early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia gene signature and typically have non-rearranged T-cell receptors. Haematologica 2013; 99:94-102. [PMID: 23975177 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2013.090233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Three distinct immature T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia entities have been described including cases that express an early T-cell precursor immunophenotype or expression profile, immature MEF2C-dysregulated T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cluster cases based on gene expression analysis (immature cluster) and cases that retain non-rearranged TRG@ loci. Early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases exclusively overlap with immature cluster samples based on the expression of early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia signature genes, indicating that both are featuring a single disease entity. Patients lacking TRG@ rearrangements represent only 40% of immature cluster cases, but no further evidence was found to suggest that cases with absence of bi-allelic TRG@ deletions reflect a distinct and even more immature disease entity. Immature cluster/early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases are strongly enriched for genes expressed in hematopoietic stem cells as well as genes expressed in normal early thymocyte progenitor or double negative-2A T-cell subsets. Identification of early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases solely by defined immunophenotypic criteria strongly underestimates the number of cases that have a corresponding gene signature. However, early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia samples correlate best with a CD1 negative, CD4 and CD8 double negative immunophenotype with expression of CD34 and/or myeloid markers CD13 or CD33. Unlike various other studies, immature cluster/early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients treated on the COALL-97 protocol did not have an overall inferior outcome, and demonstrated equal sensitivity levels to most conventional therapeutic drugs compared to other pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.
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Duijkers FAM, Meijerink JPP, Pieters R, van Noesel MM. Downregulation of Axl in non-MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cell lines reduces migration. Gene 2013; 521:62-8. [PMID: 23523856 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuroblastomas (NBL) are common pediatric solid tumors with a variable clinical course. At diagnosis half of all neuroblastoma patients presents with metastatic disease. The mechanisms of metastasis are largely unknown. Gene expression profiles (HU133plus2.0 arrays, Affymetrix) of 17 NBL and 5 peripheral neuro-ectodermal cell lines were used to identify a subgroup of non-MYCN amplified (non-NMA) NBL cell lines with a distinct gene expression profile and characterized by high expression of AXL. Axl is a tyrosine kinase receptor which plays a role in the metastatic process of several types of cancer. We hypothesized that Axl contributes to the metastasizing potential of non-NMA NBL and tested if AXL silencing diminishes malignant properties of high Axl expressing cell lines. AXL was silenced in two non-NMA NBL cell lines by using a lentiviral shRNA construct that was able to transduce these cell lines with more than 90% infection efficiency. Axl mRNA and protein level were efficiently knocked-down resulting in a decrease of migration of Axl positive cell lines GI-M-EN and SH-EP-2, and decreased invasion of GI-M-EN. Morphologically, Axl knockdown induced more rounded cells with a loss of contact. Intracellularly, we observed induction of stress fibers (immunofluorescence F-actin). These changes in cytoskeleton were associated with decreased migration, but were not accompanied by changes in genes involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transition such as CDH2, VIM or MMP9. No effects were observed for cell proliferation, apoptosis or downstream pathways. In conclusion, AXL is identified as a possible mediator of NBL metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floor A M Duijkers
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Dr. Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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29
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Di Cello F, Dhara S, Hristov AC, Kowalski J, Elbahloul O, Hillion J, Roy S, Meijerink JPP, Winter SS, Larson RS, Huso DL, Resar L. Inactivation of the Cdkn2a locus cooperates with HMGA1 to drive T-cell leukemogenesis. Leuk Lymphoma 2013; 54:1762-8. [PMID: 23311322 DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2013.764422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive leukemia with high relapse rates compared to B-lineage ALL. We previously showed that HMGA1a transgenic mice develop aggressive T-ALL, indicating that HMGA1 causes leukemic transformation in vivo. HMGA1 is also highly expressed in embryonic stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells and diverse, refractory human cancers. Disruption of the CDKN2A tumor suppressor locus occurs in most cases of T-ALL and is thought to contribute to leukemic transformation. To determine whether loss of function of CDKN2A cooperates with HMGA1 in T-ALL, we crossed HMGA1a transgenics onto a Cdkn2a null background. We discovered that T-ALL is markedly accelerated in HMGA1a transgenic Cdkn2a null mice. In addition, these mice recapitulate salient clinical and pathologic features of human T-ALL. HMGA1 is also highly overexpressed in human T-ALL. These findings suggest that HMGA1 plays a causative role in T-ALL and could represent a rational therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francescopaolo Di Cello
- Hematology Division, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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30
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Tiemessen MM, Baert MRM, Schonewille T, Brugman MH, Famili F, Salvatori DCF, Meijerink JPP, Ozbek U, Clevers H, van Dongen JJM, Staal FJT. The nuclear effector of Wnt-signaling, Tcf1, functions as a T-cell-specific tumor suppressor for development of lymphomas. PLoS Biol 2012. [PMID: 23185135 PMCID: PMC3502537 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Tcf1 is known to function as a transcriptional activator of Wnt-induced proliferation during T cell development in the thymus. Evidence for an additional contrasting role for Tcf1 as a T-cell specific tumor suppressor gene is now presented. The HMG-box factor Tcf1 is required during T-cell development in the thymus and mediates the nuclear response to Wnt signals. Tcf1−/− mice have previously been characterized and show developmental blocks at the CD4−CD8− double negative (DN) to CD4+CD8+ double positive transition. Due to the blocks in T-cell development, Tcf1−/− mice normally have a very small thymus. Unexpectedly, a large proportion of Tcf1−/− mice spontaneously develop thymic lymphomas with 50% of mice developing a thymic lymphoma/leukemia at the age of 16 wk. These lymphomas are clonal, highly metastatic, and paradoxically show high Wnt signaling when crossed with Wnt reporter mice and have high expression of Wnt target genes Lef1 and Axin2. In wild-type thymocytes, Tcf1 is higher expressed than Lef1, with a predominance of Wnt inhibitory isoforms. Loss of Tcf1 as repressor of Lef1 leads to high Wnt activity and is the initiating event in lymphoma development, which is exacerbated by activating Notch1 mutations. Thus, Notch1 and loss of Tcf1 functionally act as collaborating oncogenic events. Tcf1 deficiency predisposes to the development of thymic lymphomas by ectopic up-regulation of Lef1 due to lack of Tcf1 repressive isoforms and frequently by cooperating activating mutations in Notch1. Tcf1 therefore functions as a T-cell–specific tumor suppressor gene, besides its established role as a Wnt responsive transcription factor. Thus, Tcf1 acts as a molecular switch between proliferative and repressive signals during T-lymphocyte development in the thymus. Cancers often develop as a consequence of deregulated expression of key factors that operate during normal development. T-cell factor 1 (Tcf1) has an established role in the nuclear response to Wnt signaling during normal T-cell development in the thymus. Here we show in mice that the absence of Tcf1 can trigger tumorigenesis. As expected from previous work, lack of Tcf1 results in a small thymus with several partial blocks in T-cell development in the thymus. Surprisingly, we observe that a large proportion of Tcf1−/− mice spontaneously develop thymic lymphomas. Thorough investigation of these thymic-derived tumors revealed that the mechanism underlying these lymphomas is, paradoxically, increased levels of Wnt-signaling. We propose that Wnt-signaling in these tumors is mediated by up-regulated expression of the Tcf1-homologue, Lef1, and specifically its long isoform. Furthermore, we have evidence to propose that in a normal thymus, short isoforms of Tcf1 that cannot respond to Wnt signals act as repressors of Lef1-mediated Wnt-signaling. Thus, we propose that Tcf1 has a dual function developing T cells in mice: it functions as a T-cell–specific tumor suppressor gene in addition to its established role as a transcriptional activator of Wnt-induced proliferation. Whether loss of function of Tcf-1 as a tumor suppressor gene actually occurs in human T-cell lymphoblastic leukemias is currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Machteld M. Tiemessen
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department Immunology, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Miranda R. M. Baert
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department Immunology, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tom Schonewille
- Department Immunology, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn H. Brugman
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Farbod Famili
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daniela C. F. Salvatori
- Central Laboratory Animal Facility, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jules P. P. Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia's Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ugur Ozbek
- Department of Genetics, Institute for Experimental Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | | | - Frank J. T. Staal
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department Immunology, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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31
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van Iterson M, Duijkers FAM, Meijerink JPP, Admiraal P, van Ommen GJB, Boer JM, van Noesel MM, Menezes RX. A novel and fast normalization method for high-density arrays. Stat Appl Genet Mol Biol 2012; 11:/j/sagmb.2012.11.issue-4/1544-6115.1753/1544-6115.1753.xml. [PMID: 22850064 DOI: 10.1515/1544-6115.1753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among the most commonly applied microarray normalization methods are intensity-dependent normalization methods such as lowess or loess algorithms. Their computational complexity makes them slow and thus less suitable for normalization of large datasets. Current implementations try to circumvent this problem by using a random subset of the data for normalization, but the impact of this modification has not been previously assessed. We developed a novel intensity-dependent normalization method for microarrays that is fast, simple and can include weighing of observations. RESULTS Our normalization method is based on the P-spline scatterplot smoother using all data points for normalization. We show that using a random subset of the data for normalization should be avoided as unstable results can be produced. However, in certain cases normalization based on an invariant subset is desirable, for example, when groups of samples before and after intervention are compared. We show in the context of DNA methylation arrays that a constant weighted P-spline normalization yields a more reliable normalization curve than the one obtained by normalization on the invariant subset only. CONCLUSIONS Our novel intensity-dependent normalization method is simpler and faster than current loess algorithms, and can be applied to one- and two-colour array data, similar to normalization based on loess. AVAILABILITY An implementation of the method is currently available as an R package called TurboNorm from www.bioconductor.org.
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32
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Blink M, van den Heuvel-Eibrink MM, Aalbers AM, Balgobind BV, Hollink IHIM, Meijerink JPP, van der Velden VHJ, Beverloo BH, de Haas V, Hasle H, Reinhardt D, Klusmann JH, Pieters R, Calado RT, Zwaan CM. High frequency of copy number alterations in myeloid leukaemia of Down syndrome. Br J Haematol 2012; 158:800-3. [PMID: 22775985 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2012.09224.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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33
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Zuurbier L, Petricoin EF, Vuerhard MJ, Calvert V, Kooi C, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Smits WK, Sonneveld E, Veerman AJP, Kamps WA, Horstmann M, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. The significance of PTEN and AKT aberrations in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Haematologica 2012; 97:1405-13. [PMID: 22491738 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2011.059030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND PI3K/AKT pathway mutations are found in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but their overall impact and associations with other genetic aberrations is unknown. PTEN mutations have been proposed as secondary mutations that follow NOTCH1-activating mutations and cause cellular resistance to γ-secretase inhibitors. DESIGN AND METHODS The impact of PTEN, PI3K and AKT aberrations was studied in a genetically well-characterized pediatric T-cell leukemia patient cohort (n=146) treated on DCOG or COALL protocols. RESULTS PTEN and AKT E17K aberrations were detected in 13% and 2% of patients, respectively. Defective PTEN-splicing was identified in incidental cases. Patients without PTEN protein but lacking exon-, splice-, promoter mutations or promoter hypermethylation were present. PTEN/AKT mutations were especially abundant in TAL- or LMO-rearranged leukemia but nearly absent in TLX3-rearranged patients (P=0.03), the opposite to that observed for NOTCH1-activating mutations. Most PTEN/AKT mutant patients either lacked NOTCH1-activating mutations (P=0.006) or had weak NOTCH1-activating mutations (P=0.011), and consequently expressed low intracellular NOTCH1, cMYC and MUSASHI levels. T-cell leukemia patients without PTEN/AKT and NOTCH1-activating mutations fared well, with a cumulative incidence of relapse of only 8% versus 35% for PTEN/AKT and/or NOTCH1-activated patients (P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS PI3K/AKT pathway aberrations are present in 18% of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Absence of strong NOTCH1-activating mutations in these cases may explain cellular insensitivity to γ-secretase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Zuurbier
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC Rotterdam-Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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34
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Buitenkamp TD, Pieters R, Gallimore NE, van der Veer A, Meijerink JPP, Beverloo HB, Zimmermann M, de Haas V, Richards SM, Vora AJ, Mitchell CD, Russell LJ, Schwab C, Harrison CJ, Moorman AV, van den Heuvel-Eibrink MM, den Boer ML, Zwaan CM. Outcome in children with Down's syndrome and acute lymphoblastic leukemia: role of IKZF1 deletions and CRLF2 aberrations. Leukemia 2012; 26:2204-11. [PMID: 22441210 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2012.84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Children with Down's syndrome (DS) have an increased risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and have a low frequency of established genetic aberrations. We aimed to determine which genetic abnormalities are involved in DS ALL. We studied the frequency and prognostic value of deletions in B-cell development genes and aberrations of janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and cytokine receptor-like factor 2 (CRLF2) using array-comparative genomic hybridization, and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification in a population-based cohort of 34 Dutch Childhood Oncology Group DS ALL samples. A population-based cohort of 88 DS samples from the UK trials was used to validate survival estimates for IKZF1 and CRLF2 abnormalities. In total, 50% of DS ALL patients had ≥1 deletion in the B-cell development genes: PAX5 (12%), VPREB1 (18%) and IKZF1 (35%). JAK2 was mutated in 15% of patients, genomic CRLF2 rearrangements in 62%. Outcome was significantly worse in patients with IKZF1 deletions (6-year event-free survival (EFS) 45 ± 16% vs 95 ± 4%; P=0.002), which was confirmed in the validation cohort (6-year EFS 21 ± 12% vs 58 ± 11%; P=0.002). This IKZF1 deletion was a strong independent predictor for outcome (hazard ratio EFS 3.05; P=0.001). Neither CRLF2 nor JAK2 were predictors for worse prognosis. If confirmed in prospective series, IKZF1 deletions may be used for risk-group stratification in DS ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- T D Buitenkamp
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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35
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Larmonie NSD, Dik WA, van der Velden VHJ, Hoogeveen PG, Beverloo HB, Meijerink JPP, van Dongen JJM, Langerak AW. Correct interpretation of T-ALL oncogene expression relies on normal human thymocyte subsets as reference material. Br J Haematol 2011; 157:142-6. [PMID: 22053714 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2011.08926.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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36
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Homminga I, Vuerhard MJ, Langerak AW, Buijs-Gladdines J, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. Characterization of a pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient with simultaneous LYL1 and LMO2 rearrangements. Haematologica 2011; 97:258-61. [PMID: 22058201 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2011.051722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Translocation of the LYL1 oncogene are rare in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, whereas the homologous TAL1 gene is rearranged in approximately 20% of patients. Previous gene-expression studies have identified an immature T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia subgroup with high LYL1 expression in the absence of chromosomal aberrations. Molecular characterization of a t(7;19)(q34;p13) in a pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient led to the identification of a translocation between the TRB@ and LYL1 loci. Similar to incidental T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases with synergistic, double translocations affecting TAL1/2 and LMO1/2 oncogenes, this LYL1-translocated patient also had an LMO2 rearrangement pointing to oncogenic cooperation between LYL1 and LMO2. In hierarchical cluster analyses based on gene-expression data, this sample consistently clustered along with cases having TAL1 or LMO2 rearrangements. Therefore, LYL1-rearranged cases are not necessarily associated with immature T-cell development, despite high LYL1 levels, but elicit a TALLMO expression signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Homminga
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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37
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Homminga I, Pieters R, Langerak AW, de Rooi JJ, Stubbs A, Verstegen M, Vuerhard M, Buijs-Gladdines J, Kooi C, Klous P, van Vlierberghe P, Ferrando AA, Cayuela JM, Verhaaf B, Beverloo HB, Horstmann M, de Haas V, Wiekmeijer AS, Pike-Overzet K, Staal FJT, de Laat W, Soulier J, Sigaux F, Meijerink JPP. Integrated transcript and genome analyses reveal NKX2-1 and MEF2C as potential oncogenes in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Cell 2011; 19:484-97. [PMID: 21481790 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2011.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 274] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Revised: 11/15/2010] [Accepted: 02/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
To identify oncogenic pathways in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), we combined expression profiling of 117 pediatric patient samples and detailed molecular-cytogenetic analyses including the Chromosome Conformation Capture on Chip (4C) method. Two T-ALL subtypes were identified that lacked rearrangements of known oncogenes. One subtype associated with cortical arrest, expression of cell cycle genes, and ectopic NKX2-1 or NKX2-2 expression for which rearrangements were identified. The second subtype associated with immature T cell development and high expression of the MEF2C transcription factor as consequence of rearrangements of MEF2C, transcription factors that target MEF2C, or MEF2C-associated cofactors. We propose NKX2-1, NKX2-2, and MEF2C as T-ALL oncogenes that are activated by various rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Homminga
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Szczepanski T, van der Velden VHJ, Waanders E, Kuiper RP, Van Vlierberghe P, Gruhn B, Eckert C, Panzer-Grümayer R, Basso G, Cavé H, Stadt UZ, Campana D, Schrauder A, Sutton R, van Wering E, Meijerink JPP, van Dongen JJM. Late recurrence of childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia frequently represents a second leukemia rather than a relapse: first evidence for genetic predisposition. J Clin Oncol 2011; 29:1643-9. [PMID: 21357790 DOI: 10.1200/jco.2010.30.2877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Relapse of childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) often occurs during treatment, but in some cases, leukemia re-emerges off therapy. On the basis of previous analyses of T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement patterns, we hypothesized that some late recurrences of T-ALL might in fact represent second leukemias. PATIENTS AND METHODS In 22 patients with T-ALL who had late relapses (at least 2.5 years from diagnosis), we studied TCR gene rearrangement status at first and second presentation, NOTCH1 gene mutations, and the presence of the SIL-TAL1 gene fusion. We performed genome-wide copy number and homozygosity analysis by using oligonucleotide- and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -based arrays. RESULTS We found evidence of a common clonal origin between diagnosis and relapse in 14 patients (64%). This was based on concordant TCR gene rearrangements (12 patients) or concordant genetic aberrations, as revealed by genome-wide copy number analysis (two patients). In the remaining eight patients (36%), TCR gene rearrangement sequences had completely changed between diagnosis and relapse, and gene copy number analysis showed markedly different patterns of genomic aberrations, suggesting a second T-ALL rather than a resurgence of the original clone. Moreover, NOTCH1 mutation patterns were different at diagnosis and relapse in five of these eight patients. In one patient with a second T-ALL, SNP analysis revealed a germline del(11)(p12;p13), a known recurrent aberration in T-ALL. CONCLUSION More than one third of late T-ALL recurrences are, in fact, second leukemias. Germline genetic abnormalities might contribute to the susceptibility of some patients to develop T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Szczepanski
- Erasmus Medical Center, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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De Keersmaecker K, Real PJ, Gatta GD, Palomero T, Sulis ML, Tosello V, Van Vlierberghe P, Barnes K, Castillo M, Sole X, Hadler M, Lenz J, Aplan PD, Kelliher M, Kee BL, Pandolfi PP, Kappes D, Gounari F, Petrie H, Van der Meulen J, Speleman F, Paietta E, Racevskis J, Wiernik PH, Rowe JM, Soulier J, Avran D, Cavé H, Dastugue N, Raimondi S, Meijerink JPP, Cordon-Cardo C, Califano A, Ferrando AA. The TLX1 oncogene drives aneuploidy in T cell transformation. Nat Med 2010; 16:1321-7. [PMID: 20972433 PMCID: PMC2974790 DOI: 10.1038/nm.2246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [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: 03/31/2010] [Accepted: 09/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The TLX1 transcription factor oncogene plays an important role in the pathogenesis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). However, the specific mechanisms of T-cell transformation downstream of TLX1 remain to be elucidated. Here we show that forced expression of TLX1 in transgenic mice induces T-ALL tumors with frequent deletions and mutations in Bcl11b, and identify the presence of recurrent mutations and deletions in BCL11B in 16% of human T-ALLs. Most notably, mouse TLX1 tumors were typically aneuploid and showed a marked defect in the activation of the mitotic checkpoint. Mechanistically, TLX1 directly downregulates the expression of CHEK1 and additional mitotic control genes and induces loss of the mitotic checkpoint in non transformed preleukemic thymocytes. These results identify a novel mechanism contributing to chromosomal missegregation and aneuploidy active at the earliest stages of tumor development in the pathogenesis of cancer.
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Schotte D, Lange-Turenhout EAM, Stumpel DJPM, Stam RW, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Meijerink JPP, Pieters R, Den Boer ML. Expression of miR-196b is not exclusively MLL-driven but is especially linked to activation of HOXA genes in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Haematologica 2010; 95:1675-82. [PMID: 20494936 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2010.023481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deregulation of microRNA may contribute to hematopoietic malignancies. MicroRNA-196b (miR-196b) is highly expressed in MLL-rearranged leukemia and has been shown to be activated by MLL and MLL-fusion genes. DESIGN AND METHODS In order to determine whether high expression of miR-196b is restricted to MLL-rearranged leukemia, we used quantitative stem-loop reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to measure the expression of this microRNA in 72 selected cases of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia i.e. MLL-rearranged and non-MLL-rearranged precursor B-cell and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias. We also determined the expression of HOXA-genes flanking miR-196 by microarray and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, we used CpG island-arrays to explore the DNA methylation status of miR-196b and HOXA. RESULTS We demonstrated that high expression of miR-196b is not unique to MLL-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia but also occurs in patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients carrying CALM-AF10, SET-NUP214 and inversion of chromosome 7. Like MLL-rearrangements, these abnormalities have been functionally linked with up-regulation of HOXA. In correspondence, miR-196b expression in these patients correlated strongly with the levels of HOXA family genes (Spearman's correlation coefficient ≥ 0.7; P≤0.005). Since miR-196b is encoded on the HOXA cluster, these data suggest co-activation of miR-196b and HOXA genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Up-regulation of miR-196b coincides with reduced DNA methylation at CpG islands in the promoter regions of miR-196b and the entire HOXA cluster in MLL-rearranged cases compared to in cases of non-MLL precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and normal bone marrow (P<0.05), suggesting an epigenetic origin for miR-196b over-expression. Although patients with MLL-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia are highly resistant to prednisolone and L-asparaginase, this resistance was not attributed to miR-196b expression. CONCLUSIONS High expression of miR-196b is not exclusively MLL-driven but can also be found in other types of leukemia with aberrant activation of HOXA genes. Since miR-196b has been shown by others to exert oncogenic activity in bone marrow progenitor cells, the findings of the present study imply a potential role for miR-196b in the underlying biology of all HOXA-activated leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Schotte
- Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Dept. of Pediatric, Oncology and Hematology, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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41
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Abstract
Numerous genetic abnormalities have been identified in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here we review the recurrent abnormalities with emphasis on those recently discovered, and discuss their association with chemotherapy resistance or sensitivity and with clinical response to therapy. Also, the role of genetic abnormalities in leukemogenesis and their potential as therapeutic targets will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules P P Meijerink
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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42
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Zuna J, Prouzova Z, Kalina T, Lizcova L, Zemanova Z, Muzikova K, Rahmatova S, Meijerink JPP, Trka J. Backtracking of ALL to cord blood. Leuk Res 2009; 33:e107-8. [PMID: 19201469 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2009.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2008] [Revised: 01/12/2009] [Accepted: 01/14/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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van Grotel M, van den Heuvel-Eibrink MM, van Wering ER, van Noesel MM, Kamps WA, Veerman AJP, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. CD34 expression is associated with poor survival in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008; 51:737-40. [PMID: 18683236 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.21707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) have an inferior outcome with combination chemotherapy compared to B-lineage ALL, and still about 30% of the patients relapse within the first 2 years following diagnosis. As CD34 has been related with poor outcome in ALL in general, we investigated the prognostic significance of the stem cell marker CD34, as well as the association of CD34 positivity with the expression of several multidrug resistance (MDR) genes. PROCEDURE In this retrospective study, we investigated the prognostic significance of the expression of the early T-cell differentiation marker CD34 and the expression of MDR genes in relation to outcome in a cohort of 72 newly diagnosed pediatric T-ALL patients. RESULTS CD34 expression was related to a poor 5-year disease-free-survival and a poor 5-year overall survival. Using the Cox proportional hazard model, CD34 expression predicted for increased risk for relapse and death. Expression of CD34 was associated with elevated MDR1 and MRP1 mRNA expression levels. For the entire T-ALL cohort, these expression levels of MDR1 or MRP1 did not independently predict for poor outcome. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that CD34-positive T-ALL has a relatively poor survival that is not explained by the mRNA expression levels of MDR1, LRP, or MRP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine van Grotel
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Paediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive malignancy of thymocytes that accounts for about 15% of ALL cases and for which treatment outcome remains inferior compared to B-lineage acute leukaemias. In T-ALL, leukemic transformation of maturating thymocytes is caused by a multistep pathogenesis involving numerous genetic abnormalities that drive normal T-cells into uncontrolled cell growth and clonal expansion. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on onco- and tumor suppressor genes in T-ALL and suggests a classification of these genetic defects into type A and type B abnormalities. Type A abnormalities may delineate distinct molecular-cytogenetic T-ALL subgroups, whereas type B abnormalities are found in all major T-ALL subgroups and synergize with these type A mutations during T-cell pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Van Vlierberghe
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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45
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Van Vlierberghe P, Homminga I, Zuurbier L, Gladdines-Buijs J, van Wering ER, Horstmann M, Beverloo HB, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. Cooperative genetic defects in TLX3 rearranged pediatric T-ALL. Leukemia 2008; 22:762-70. [PMID: 18185524 DOI: 10.1038/sj.leu.2405082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive neoplastic disorder, in which multiple genetic abnormalities cooperate in the malignant transformation of thymocytes. About 20% of pediatric T-ALL cases are characterized by TLX3 expression due to a cryptic translocation t(5;14)(q35;q32). Although a number of collaborating genetic events have been identified in TLX3 rearranged T-ALL patients (NOTCH1 mutations, p15/p16 deletions, NUP214-ABL1 amplifications), further elucidation of additional genetic lesions could provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this specific T-ALL subtype. In this study, we used array-CGH to screen TLX3 rearranged T-ALL patients for new chromosomal imbalances. Array-CGH analysis revealed five recurrent genomic deletions in TLX3 rearranged T-ALL, including del(1)(p36.31), del(5)(q35), del(13)(q14.3), del(16)(q22.1) and del(19)(p13.2). From these, the cryptic deletion, del(5)(q35), was exclusively identified in about 25% of TLX3 rearranged T-ALL cases. In addition, 19 other genetic lesions were detected once in TLX3 rearranged T-ALL cases, including a cryptic WT1 deletion and a deletion covering the FBXW7 gene, an U3-ubiquitin ligase that mediates the degradation of NOTCH1, MYC, JUN and CyclinE. This study provides a genome-wide overview of copy number changes in TLX3 rearranged T-ALL and offers great new challenges for the identification of new target genes that may play a role in the pathogenesis of T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Van Vlierberghe
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Van Vlierberghe P, Beverloo HB, Buijs-Gladdines J, van Wering ER, Horstmann M, Pieters R, Meijerink JPP. Monoallelic or biallelic LMO2 expression in relation to the LMO2 rearrangement status in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 2007; 22:1434-7. [DOI: 10.1038/sj.leu.2405063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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van Grotel M, Meijerink JPP, van Wering ER, Langerak AW, Beverloo HB, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, Burger NB, Passier M, van Lieshout EM, Kamps WA, Veerman AJP, van Noesel MM, Pieters R. Prognostic significance of molecular-cytogenetic abnormalities in pediatric T-ALL is not explained by immunophenotypic differences. Leukemia 2007; 22:124-31. [PMID: 17928886 DOI: 10.1038/sj.leu.2404957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is characterized by chromosomal rearrangements possibly enforcing arrest at specific development stages. We studied the relationship between molecular-cytogenetic abnormalities and T-cell development stage to investigate whether arrest at specific stages can explain the prognostic significance of specific abnormalities. We extensively studied 72 pediatric T-ALL cases for genetic abnormalities and expression of transcription factors, NOTCH1 mutations and expression of specific CD markers. HOX11 cases were CD1 positive consistent with a cortical stage, but as 4/5 cases lacked cytoplasmatic-beta expression, developmental arrest may precede beta-selection. HOX11L2 was especially confined to immature and pre-AB developmental stages, but 3/17 HOX11L2 mature cases were restricted to the gammadelta-lineage. TAL1 rearrangements were restricted to the alphabeta-lineage with most cases being TCR-alphabeta positive. NOTCH1 mutations were present in all molecular-cytogenetic subgroups without restriction to a specific developmental stage. CALM-AF10 was associated with early relapse. TAL1 or HOX11L2 rearrangements were associated with trends to good and poor outcomes, respectively. Also cases with high vs low TAL1 expression levels demonstrated a trend toward good outcome. Most cases with lower TAL1 levels were HOX11L2 or CALM-AF10 positive. NOTCH1 mutations did not predict for outcome. Classification into T-cell developmental subgroups was not predictive for outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- M van Grotel
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Lahortiga I, De Keersmaecker K, Van Vlierberghe P, Graux C, Cauwelier B, Lambert F, Mentens N, Beverloo HB, Pieters R, Speleman F, Odero MD, Bauters M, Froyen G, Marynen P, Vandenberghe P, Wlodarska I, Meijerink JPP, Cools J. Duplication of the MYB oncogene in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nat Genet 2007; 39:593-5. [PMID: 17435759 DOI: 10.1038/ng2025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2007] [Accepted: 03/14/2007] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
We identified a duplication of the MYB oncogene in 8.4% of individuals with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and in five T-ALL cell lines. The duplication is associated with a threefold increase in MYB expression, and knockdown of MYB expression initiates T cell differentiation. Our results identify duplication of MYB as an oncogenic event and suggest that MYB could be a therapeutic target in human T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idoya Lahortiga
- Human Genome Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Developmental Genetics, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Leuven, Belgium
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Tissing WJE, den Boer ML, Meijerink JPP, Menezes RX, Swagemakers S, van der Spek PJ, Sallan SE, Armstrong SA, Pieters R. Genomewide identification of prednisolone-responsive genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Blood 2007; 109:3929-35. [PMID: 17218380 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2006-11-056366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are keystone drugs in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). To get more insight in signal transduction pathways involved in glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis, Affymetrix U133A GeneChips were used to identify transcriptionally regulated genes on 3 and 8 hours of prednisolone exposure in leukemic cells of 13 children as compared with nonexposed cells. Following 3 hours of exposure no significant changes in gene expression could be identified. Following 8 hours of exposure, 51 genes were differentially expressed (P < .001 and false discovery rate < 10%) with 39 genes being up-regulated (median, 2.4-fold) and 12 genes were down-regulated (median, 1.7-fold). Twenty-one of those genes have not been identified before to be transcriptionally regulated by prednisolone. Two of the 3 most highly up-regulated genes were tumor suppressor genes, that is, thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP; 3.7-fold) and zinc finger and BTB domain containing 16 (ZBTB16; 8.8-fold). About 50% of the differentially expressed genes were functionally categorized in 3 major routes, namely MAPK pathways (9 genes), NF-kappaB signaling (11 genes), and carbohydrate metabolism (5 genes). Biologic characterization of these genes and pathways might elucidate the action of glucocorticoids in ALL cells, possibly suggesting causes of glucocorticoid resistance and new potential targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wim J E Tissing
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Dr Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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50
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van Grotel M, Meijerink JPP, Beverloo HB, Langerak AW, Buys-Gladdines JGCAM, Schneider P, Poulsen TS, den Boer ML, Horstmann M, Kamps WA, Veerman AJP, van Wering ER, van Noesel MM, Pieters R. The outcome of molecular-cytogenetic subgroups in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a retrospective study of patients treated according to DCOG or COALL protocols. Haematologica 2006; 91:1212-21. [PMID: 16956820] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Subgroups of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), defined according to recurrent cytogenetic aberrations, may have different prognoses. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic relevance of molecular-cytogenetic abnormalities in pediatric patients using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization. DESIGN AND METHODS The patients were assigned to TAL1, HOX11/TLX1, HOX11L2/TLX3, or CALM-AF10 subgroups. The cytogenetic subgroups were characterized in relation to immunophenotype and the expression of aberrantly expressed transcription factors. RESULTS In our cohort study, CALM-AF10 was associated with an immature immunophenotype and poor outcome (p=0.005). HOX11L2 was associated with both immunophenotypically immature cases as well as cases committed to the gammadelta-lineage. HOX11L2 was significantly associated with poor outcome (p=0.01), independently of the expression of CD1 or the presence of NOTCH1 mutations. TAL1 abnormalities were associated with alphabeta-lineage commitment, and tended to be associated with a good outcome. Cells in HOX11 cases resembled early CD1-positive cortical thymocytes without expression of Cytbeta and TCR molecules. In relation to the expression of early T-cell transcription factors, high TAL1 levels were found in immunophenotypically-advanced cases, whereas high LYL1 levels were found in immature subgroups. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS The reported outcomes for HOX11L2-rearranged T-ALL cases are conflicting; the prognostic impact may depend on the therapy given. In our cohort, this cytogenetic aberration was associated with a poor outcome. Our data on CALM-AF10 rearranged T-ALL, albeit based on only three patients, suggest that this type of leukemia is associated with a poor outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine van Grotel
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, room Sp2456, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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