1
|
Sivick Gauthier KE, Piovesan D, de Groot AE, Reiner GL, Schweickert PG, Soriano F, Chen A, Singh H, Zhao X, Seitz L, Reddy A, Young SW, Walker N, Walters MJ. Anti-TIGIT antibodies promote immune activation relevant to targeting stem-like and tumor-specific T cells in combination with anti-PD-1. The Journal of Immunology 2022. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.120.13] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
TIGIT is an inhibitory receptor expressed primarily on NK and T cell subsets, and binding to its cognate receptor ligand, CD155, results in multiple mechanisms of immunosuppression. Blocking the TIGIT-CD155 interaction in the context of cancer promotes anti-tumor immunity. We characterized cellular subsets that TIGIT blockade may impact and the pharmacology of two anti-TIGIT antibodies - representing functional (AB308) and non-functional (AB154) Fc domain classes - undergoing clinical evaluation. Surrogate antibodies were leveraged to interrogate TIGIT biology in mouse syngeneic tumor models. Human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from a variety of cancer types expressed appreciable levels of TIGIT on relevant immune populations, including Tregs and CD8+ T cells with tumor reactive or pre-dysfunctional stem-like phenotypes. Both antibodies potently bound TIGIT and blocked the TIGIT-CD155 interaction as well as displayed the predicted phenotypes in terms of Fcγ receptor (FcγR) engagement. In line with FcγRIII binding, AB308 demonstrated a capacity to induce ADCC against TIGIT-expressing target cells. Combination of anti-TIGIT antibodies with other therapeutic approaches that promote T cell activation resulted in enhanced immune responses. In mice, while combining Fc-silent or Fc-enabled anti-mouse TIGIT antibody with anti-PD-1 resulted in greater tumor growth inhibition than with anti-PD-1 alone, the activity of Fc-enabled anti-TIGIT was associated with intratumoral Treg depletion. These data provide a rationale for combination with immune-activating agents and support ongoing clinical evaluation of AB154 and AB308 with biomarker strategies focused on understanding the role of Fc functionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lisa Seitz
- 2Translational Sciences, Arcus Biosciences
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gauthier KES, Piovesan D, Cho S, Lawson KV, Schweickert PG, Lopez A, Liu S, Park T, Mailyan A, Fournier JTA, Beatty JW, Drew SL, Kalisiak J, Gal B, Mata G, Wang Z, Rosen BR, Hardman C, Epplin MP, Yu K, Haelsig KT, Jin L, Ginn E, Au J, Meleza CA, Tencer J, Pham A, Kwon HJ, Young SW, Leleti M, Powers JP, Walters MJ. Abstract P206: AB521 potently and selectively inhibits pro-tumorigenic gene transcription by Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-2α in vitro and in vivo. Mol Cancer Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.targ-21-p206] [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
Cells in the solid tumor microenvironment are frequently exposed to hypoxic conditions, necessitating molecular adaptations for survival. Of particular importance are transcriptional changes mediated by heterodimeric Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF) proteins that consist of an oxygen-regulated α monomer (either HIF-1α, -2α, and -3α) coupled to a constitutively expressed β monomer (HIF-1β/ARNT). In normal oxygen conditions, HIF-2α is degraded following ubiquitination by the von Hippel-Lindau (pVHL) E3-ubiquitin ligase complex. Exposure to hypoxia, VHL mutation, or epigenetic silencing of pVHL leads to HIF-2α stabilization and transcription of pro-tumorigenic gene sets in both cancer and non-cancer cells. Inhibition of HIF-2α has been shown clinically to be an effective strategy to mitigate tumor growth, particularly in patients suffering from VHL disease or clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), a cancer that has a particularly high prevalence of pVHL dysfunction. Applying a pharmacophore mapping and structure-based design approach, we identified a novel and potent small molecule HIF-2α inhibitor, AB521. AB521 avidly binds the HIF-2α PAS-B domain, preventing HIF-2α-mediated gene transcription. AB521 is characterized by a favorable preclinical pharmacokinetic profile and is projected to be suitable for once-daily dosing in humans. When delivered orally in mice, AB521 significantly regressed established 786-O xenograft tumors and decreased pharmacodynamic markers associated with HIF-2α in a dose-dependent manner. In vitro, AB521 potently inhibited HIF-2α-specific luciferase reporter transcription under high-serum conditions, VEGF protein secretion, colony formation in soft agar, and did not exhibit off-target cytotoxicity in 786-O cells. AB521 selectively inhibited HIF-2α-, but not HIF-1α-, mediated gene expression in hypoxic Hep3B hepatocellular carcinoma cells. AB521 also inhibited the transcriptional activity of endogenous HIF-2α in relevant human primary cell types, including endothelial cells and pro-tumorigenic M2-polarized macrophages. Importantly, inhibiting HIF-2α did not impact functionality of activated hypoxic human T cells, suggesting that AB521 would be favorable combination partner for I-O therapeutic agents. Indeed, expression of CD73, the primary enzyme responsible for synthesis of the immunosuppressive metabolite adenosine, was highly correlated with hypoxic signatures across several indications in publicly available bioinformatic datasets, suggesting combinations with adenosine pathway antagonists in ccRCC and beyond. In summary, AB521 is a novel and selective HIF-2α inhibitor with potent anti-tumor activity. Clinical evaluation of this molecule is expected to begin in the latter part of 2021.
Citation Format: Kelsey E. Sivick Gauthier, Dana Piovesan, Soonweng Cho, Kenneth V. Lawson, Patrick G. Schweickert, Alejandra Lopez, Suan Liu, Timothy Park, Artur Mailyan, Jeremy T. A. Fournier, Joel W. Beatty, Samuel L. Drew, Jarek Kalisiak, Balint Gal, Guillaume Mata, Zhang Wang, Brandon R. Rosen, Clayton Hardman, Matthaw P. Epplin, Kai Yu, Karl T. Haelsig, Lixia Jin, Elaine Ginn, Jennie Au, Cesar A. Meleza, Joel Tencer, Amber Pham, Hyock J. Kwon, Stephen W. Young, Manmohan Leleti, Jay P. Powers, Matthew J. Walters. AB521 potently and selectively inhibits pro-tumorigenic gene transcription by Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-2α in vitro and in vivo [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2021 Oct 7-10. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2021;20(12 Suppl):Abstract nr P206.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kai Yu
- Arcus Biosciences, Hayward, CA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Schweickert PG, Wang N, Sandefur SL, Lloyd ME, Konieczny SF, Frye CC, Cheng Z. CRISPR/Cas12a-mediated CHO genome engineering can be effectively integrated at multiple stages of the cell line generation process for bioproduction. Biotechnol J 2021; 16:e2000308. [PMID: 33369118 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202000308] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Most biopharmaceuticals produced today are generated using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, therefore significant attention is focused on methods to improve CHO cell productivity and product quality. The discovery of gene-editing tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9, offers new opportunities to improve CHO cell bioproduction through cell line engineering. Recently an additional CRISPR-associated protein, Cas12a (Cpf1), was shown to be effective for gene editing in eukaryotic cells, including CHO. In this study, we demonstrate the successful application of CRISPR/Cas12a for the generation of clonally derived CHO knockout (KO) cell lines with improved product quality attributes. While we found Cas12a efficiency to be highly dependent on the targeting RNA used, we were able to generate CHO KO cell lines using small screens of only 96-320 clonally derived cell lines. Additionally, we present a novel bulk culture analysis approach that can be used to quickly assess CRISPR RNA efficiency and determine ideal screen sizes for generating genetic KO cell lines. Most critically, we find that Cas12a can be directly integrated into the cell line generation process through cotransfection with no negative impact on titer or screen size. Overall, our results show CRISPR/Cas12a to be an efficient and effective CHO genome editing tool.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick G Schweickert
- Department of Biological Sciences and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Ning Wang
- Bioprocess Research and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Stephanie L Sandefur
- Bioprocess Research and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Michael E Lloyd
- Bioprocess Research and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Stephen F Konieczny
- Department of Biological Sciences and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Christopher C Frye
- Bioprocess Research and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Zhuo Cheng
- Bioprocess Research and Development, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Schweickert PG, Yang Y, White EE, Cresswell GM, Elzey BD, Ratliff TL, Arumugam P, Antoniak S, Mackman N, Flick MJ, Konieczny SF. Thrombin-PAR1 signaling in pancreatic cancer promotes an immunosuppressive microenvironment. J Thromb Haemost 2021; 19:161-172. [PMID: 33064371 PMCID: PMC7790967 DOI: 10.1111/jth.15115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Essentials Elimination of PDAC tumor cell PAR1 increased cytotoxic T cells and reduced tumor macrophages. PAR1KO PDAC cells are preferentially eliminated from growing tumors. Thrombin-PAR1 signaling in PDAC tumor cells drives an immunosuppressive gene signature. Csf2 and Ptgs2 are thrombin-PAR1 downstream immune suppressor genes in PDAC tumor cells. ABSTRACT: Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a prothrombotic state and a lack of host antitumor immune responsiveness. Linking these two key features, we previously demonstrated that tumor-derived coagulation activity promotes immune evasion. Specifically, thrombin-protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) signaling in mouse PDAC cells drives tumor growth by evading cytotoxic CD8a+ cells. Methods Syngeneic mixed cell tumor growth, transcriptional analyses, and functional tests of immunosuppressive response genes were used to identify cellular and molecular immune evasion mechanisms mediated by thrombin-PAR-1 signaling in mouse PDAC tumor cells. Results Elimination of tumor cell PAR1 in syngeneic graft studies increased cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) infiltration and decreased tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. Co-injection of PAR1-expressing and PAR1-knockout (PAR-1KO ) tumor cells into immunocompetent mice resulted in preferential elimination of PAR-1KO cells from developing tumors, suggesting that PAR1-dependent immune evasion is not reliant on CTL exclusion. Transcriptomics analyses revealed no PAR1-dependent changes in the expression of immune checkpoint proteins and no difference in major histocompatibility complex-I cell surface expression. Importantly, thrombin-PAR1 signaling in PDAC cells upregulated genes linked to immunosuppression, including Csf2 and Ptgs2. Functional analyses confirmed that both Csf2 and Ptgs2 are critical for PDAC syngeneic graft tumor growth and overexpression of each factor partially restored tumor growth of PAR1KO cells in immunocompetent mice. Conclusions Our results provide novel insight into the mechanisms of a previously unrecognized pathway coupling coagulation to PDAC immune evasion by identifying PAR1-dependent changes in the tumor microenvironment, a PAR1-driven immunosuppressive gene signature, and Csf2 and Ptgs2 as critical PAR1 downstream targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick G. Schweickert
- Purdue University, Department of Biological Sciences and
the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Yi Yang
- University of North Carolina, Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine, the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the UNC Blood
Research Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Emily E. White
- Purdue University, Department of Biological Sciences and
the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Gregory M. Cresswell
- Purdue University, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Bennett D. Elzey
- Purdue University, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Timothy L. Ratliff
- Purdue University, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Paritha Arumugam
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center,
Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Silvio Antoniak
- University of North Carolina, Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine, the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the UNC Blood
Research Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nigel Mackman
- University of North Carolina, Department of Medicine and
the UNC Blood Research Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew J. Flick
- University of North Carolina, Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine, the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the UNC Blood
Research Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephen F. Konieczny
- Purdue University, Department of Biological Sciences and
the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
|
6
|
Yang Y, Stang A, Schweickert PG, Lanman NA, Paul EN, Monia BP, Revenko AS, Palumbo JS, Mullins ES, Elzey BD, Janssen EM, Konieczny SF, Flick MJ. Thrombin Signaling Promotes Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma through PAR-1-Dependent Immune Evasion. Cancer Res 2019; 79:3417-3430. [PMID: 31048498 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with robust activity of the coagulation system. To determine mechanisms by which clotting factors influence PDAC tumor progression, we generated and characterized C57Bl/6-derived KPC (KRasG12D, TRP53R172H ) cell lines. Tissue factor (TF) and protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) were highly expressed in primary KPC pancreatic lesions and KPC cell lines similar to expression profiles observed in biopsies of patients with PDAC. In allograft studies, tumor growth and metastatic potential were significantly diminished by depletion of TF or Par-1 in cancer cells or by genetic or pharmacologic reduction of the coagulation zymogen prothrombin in mice. Notably, PAR-1-deleted KPC cells (KPC-Par-1KO) failed to generate sizable tumors, a phenotype completely rescued by restoration of Par-1 expression. Expression profiling of KPC and KPC-Par-1KO cells indicated that thrombin-PAR-1 signaling significantly altered immune regulation pathways. Accordingly, KPC-Par-1KO cells failed to form tumors in immune-competent mice but displayed robust tumor growth comparable to that observed with control KPC cells in immune-compromised NSG mice. Immune cell depletion studies indicated that CD8 T cells, but not CD4 cells or natural killer cells, mediated elimination of KPC-Par-1KO tumor cells in C57Bl/6 mice. These results demonstrate that PDAC is driven by activation of the coagulation system through tumor cell-derived TF, circulating prothrombin, and tumor cell-derived PAR-1 and further indicate that one key mechanism of thrombin/PAR-1-mediated tumor growth is suppression of antitumor immunity in the tumor microenvironment. SIGNIFICANCE: The tissue factor-thrombin-PAR-1 signaling axis in tumor cells promotes PDAC growth and disease progression with one key mechanism being suppression of antitumor immunity in the microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yang
- Department of Biological Science and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Amanda Stang
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Patrick G Schweickert
- Department of Biological Science and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Nadia A Lanman
- Department of Biological Science and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Erin N Paul
- Department of Biological Science and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Brett P Monia
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Antisense Drug Discovery, Carlsbad, California
| | - Alexey S Revenko
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Antisense Drug Discovery, Carlsbad, California
| | - Joseph S Palumbo
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Eric S Mullins
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Bennett D Elzey
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Edith M Janssen
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Stephen F Konieczny
- Department of Biological Science and the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.
| | - Matthew J Flick
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Morman RE, Schweickert PG, Konieczny SF, Taparowsky EJ. BATF regulates the expression of Nfil3, Wnt10a and miR155hg for efficient induction of antibody class switch recombination in mice. Eur J Immunol 2018; 48:1492-1505. [PMID: 29898247 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201747360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BATF functions in T cells and B cells to control the host response to antigen and promote the production of class switched immunoglobulins. In this study, we demonstrate that BATF expression increases rapidly, and transiently, following B cell stimulation and use an inducible murine model of BATF deletion to show that this induction is necessary, and sufficient, for immunoglobulin (Ig) class switch recombination (CSR). We examine two genes (Nfil3 and miR155gh) that are positively regulated, and one gene (Wnt10a) that is negatively regulated by BATF during CSR. These genes play essential roles in CSR and each impacts the expression and/or function of the others. Our observations allow these targets of BATF regulation to be positioned in a network upstream of the activation of germline transcripts (GLT) from the IgH locus and of transcriptional activation of Aicda - the gene encoding the enzyme directing Ig gene rearrangements. This work extends the knowledge of the molecular control of CSR and, importantly, positions the induction and function of BATF as an early event in this process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary E Morman
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Patrick G Schweickert
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Stephen F Konieczny
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Taparowsky
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Jakubison BL, Schweickert PG, Moser SE, Yang Y, Gao H, Scully K, Itkin-Ansari P, Liu Y, Konieczny SF. Induced PTF1a expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells activates acinar gene networks, reduces tumorigenic properties, and sensitizes cells to gemcitabine treatment. Mol Oncol 2018; 12:1104-1124. [PMID: 29719936 PMCID: PMC6026875 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 01/21/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic acinar cells synthesize, package, and secrete digestive enzymes into the duodenum to aid in nutrient absorption and meet metabolic demands. When exposed to cellular stresses and insults, acinar cells undergo a dedifferentiation process termed acinar-ductal metaplasia (ADM). ADM lesions with oncogenic mutations eventually give rise to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In healthy pancreata, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) factors MIST1 and PTF1a coordinate an acinar-specific transcription network that maintains the highly developed differentiation status of the cells, protecting the pancreas from undergoing a transformative process. However, when MIST1 and PTF1a gene expression is silenced, cells are more prone to progress to PDAC. In this study, we tested whether induced MIST1 or PTF1a expression in PDAC cells could (i) re-establish the transcriptional program of differentiated acinar cells and (ii) simultaneously reduce tumor cell properties. As predicted, PTF1a induced gene expression of digestive enzymes and acinar-specific transcription factors, while MIST1 induced gene expression of vesicle trafficking molecules as well as activation of unfolded protein response components, all of which are essential to handle the high protein production load that is characteristic of acinar cells. Importantly, induction of PTF1a in PDAC also influenced cancer-associated properties, leading to a decrease in cell proliferation, cancer stem cell numbers, and repression of key ATP-binding cassette efflux transporters resulting in heightened sensitivity to gemcitabine. Thus, activation of pancreatic bHLH transcription factors rescues the acinar gene program and decreases tumorigenic properties in pancreatic cancer cells, offering unique opportunities to develop novel therapeutic intervention strategies for this deadly disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brad L Jakubison
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Patrick G Schweickert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Sarah E Moser
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Hongyu Gao
- Laboratory for Computational Genomics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kathleen Scully
- Development and Aging Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Pamela Itkin-Ansari
- Development and Aging Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Laboratory for Computational Genomics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Stephen F Konieczny
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Liu X, Pitarresi JR, Cuitiño MC, Kladney RD, Woelke SA, Sizemore GM, Nayak SG, Egriboz O, Schweickert PG, Yu L, Trela S, Schilling DJ, Halloran SK, Li M, Dutta S, Fernandez SA, Rosol TJ, Lesinski GB, Shakya R, Ludwig T, Konieczny SF, Leone G, Wu J, Ostrowski MC. Genetic ablation of Smoothened in pancreatic fibroblasts increases acinar-ductal metaplasia. Genes Dev 2016; 30:1943-55. [PMID: 27633013 PMCID: PMC5066238 DOI: 10.1101/gad.283499.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [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: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Liu et al. show that disruption of paracrine Hedgehog signaling via genetic ablation of Smoothened (Smo) in stromal fibroblasts in a KrasG12D mouse model increased acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM). Smo-deleted fibroblasts had higher expression of transforming growth factor-α (Tgfα) mRNA and secreted higher levels of TGFα, leading to activation of EGFR signaling in acinar cells and increased ADM. The contribution of the microenvironment to pancreatic acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), a preneoplastic transition in oncogenic Kras-driven pancreatic cancer progression, is currently unclear. Here we show that disruption of paracrine Hedgehog signaling via genetic ablation of Smoothened (Smo) in stromal fibroblasts in a KrasG12D mouse model increased ADM. Smo-deleted fibroblasts had higher expression of transforming growth factor-α (Tgfa) mRNA and secreted higher levels of TGFα, leading to activation of EGFR signaling in acinar cells and increased ADM. The mechanism involved activation of AKT and noncanonical activation of the GLI family transcription factor GLI2. GLI2 was phosphorylated at Ser230 in an AKT-dependent fashion and directly regulated Tgfa expression in fibroblasts lacking Smo. Additionally, Smo-deleted fibroblasts stimulated the growth of KrasG12D/Tp53R172H pancreatic tumor cells in vivo and in vitro. These results define a non-cell-autonomous mechanism modulating KrasG12D-driven ADM that is balanced by cross-talk between Hedgehog/SMO and AKT/GLI2 pathways in stromal fibroblasts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Jason R Pitarresi
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Maria C Cuitiño
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Raleigh D Kladney
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Sarah A Woelke
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Gina M Sizemore
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Sunayana G Nayak
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Onur Egriboz
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Patrick G Schweickert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; the Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Lianbo Yu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics' Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Stefan Trela
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Daniel J Schilling
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Shannon K Halloran
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Maokun Li
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Shourik Dutta
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Soledad A Fernandez
- Department of Biomedical Informatics' Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Thomas J Rosol
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Gregory B Lesinski
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Reena Shakya
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Thomas Ludwig
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Stephen F Konieczny
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; the Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Jinghai Wu
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li J, Wang R, Schweickert PG, Karki A, Yang Y, Kong Y, Ahmad N, Konieczny SF, Liu X. Plk1 inhibition enhances the efficacy of gemcitabine in human pancreatic cancer. Cell Cycle 2016; 15:711-9. [PMID: 26890815 PMCID: PMC4845940 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2016.1148838] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Gemcitabine is the standard-of-care for chemotherapy in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and it can directly incorporate into DNA or inhibit ribonucleotide reductase to prevent DNA replication and, thus, tumor cell growth. Most pancreatic tumors, however, develop resistance to gemcitabine. Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), a critical regulator in many cell cycle events, is significantly elevated in human pancreatic cancer. In this study, we show that Plk1 is required for the G1/S transition and that inhibition of Plk1 significantly reduces the DNA synthesis rate in human pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, the combined effect of a specific Plk1 inhibitor GSK461364A with gemcitabine was examined. We show that inhibition of Plk1 significantly potentiates the anti-neoplastic activity of gemcitabine in both cultured pancreatic cancer cells and Panc1-derived orthotopic pancreatic cancer xenograft tumors. Overall, our study demonstrates that co-targeting Plk1 can significantly enhance the efficacy of gemcitabine, offering a promising new therapeutic option for the treatment of gemcitabine-resistant human pancreatic cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Ruixin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | | | - Anju Karki
- Department of Biological Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Biological Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Yifan Kong
- Department of Biological Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Nihal Ahmad
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Stephen F. Konieczny
- Department of Biological Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Xiaoqi Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|