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Crump LS, Floyd JL, Kuo LW, Post MD, Bickerdike M, O'Neill K, Sompel K, Jordan KR, Corr BR, Marjon N, Woodruff ER, Richer JK, Bitler BG. Targeting Tryptophan Catabolism in Ovarian Cancer to Attenuate Macrophage Infiltration and PD-L1 Expression. Cancer Res Commun 2024; 4:822-833. [PMID: 38451784 PMCID: PMC10946310 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) of the fallopian tube, ovary, and peritoneum is the most common type of ovarian cancer and is predicted to be immunogenic because the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes conveys a better prognosis. However, the efficacy of immunotherapies has been limited because of the immune-suppressed tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor metabolism and immune-suppressive metabolites directly affect immune cell function through the depletion of nutrients and activation of immune-suppressive transcriptional programs. Tryptophan (TRP) catabolism is a contributor to HGSC disease progression. Two structurally distinct rate-limiting TRP catabolizing enzymes, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (TDO2), evolved separately to catabolize TRP. IDO1/TDO2 are aberrantly expressed in carcinomas and metabolize TRP into the immune-suppressive metabolite kynurenine (KYN), which can engage the aryl hydrocarbon receptor to drive immunosuppressive transcriptional programs. To date, IDO inhibitors tested in clinical trials have had limited efficacy, but those inhibitors did not target TDO2, and we find that HGSC cell lines and clinical outcomes are more dependent on TDO2 than IDO1. To identify inflammatory HGSC cancers with poor prognosis, we stratified patient ascites samples by IL6 status, which correlates with poor prognosis. Metabolomics revealed that IL6-high patient samples had enriched KYN. TDO2 knockdown significantly inhibited HGSC growth and TRP catabolism. The orally available dual IDO1/TDO2 inhibitor, AT-0174, significantly inhibited tumor progression, reduced tumor-associated macrophages, and reduced expression of immune-suppressive proteins on immune and tumor cells. These studies demonstrate the importance of TDO2 and the therapeutic potential of AT-0174 to overcome an immune-suppressed TME. SIGNIFICANCE Developing strategies to improve response to chemotherapy is essential to extending disease-free intervals for patients with HGSC of the fallopian tube, ovary, and peritoneum. In this article, we demonstrate that targeting TRP catabolism, particularly with dual inhibition of TDO2 and IDO1, attenuates the immune-suppressive microenvironment and, when combined with chemotherapy, extends survival compared with chemotherapy alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsey S. Crump
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jessica L. Floyd
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Li-Wei Kuo
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Miriam D. Post
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Mike Bickerdike
- Antido Therapeutics, Melbourne, Australia
- BioTarget Consulting, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kathleen O'Neill
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kayla Sompel
- Division of Reproductive Sciences Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kimberly R. Jordan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Bradley R. Corr
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Nicole Marjon
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Elizabeth R. Woodruff
- Division of Reproductive Sciences Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jennifer K. Richer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin G. Bitler
- Division of Reproductive Sciences Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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Sottnik JL, Shackleford MT, Robinson SK, Villagomez FR, Bahnassy S, Oesterreich S, Hu J, Madak-Erdogan Z, Riggins RB, Corr BR, Cook LS, Treviño LS, Bitler BG, Sikora MJ. WNT4 Regulates Cellular Metabolism via Intracellular Activity at the Mitochondria in Breast and Gynecologic Cancers. Cancer Res Commun 2024; 4:134-151. [PMID: 38112643 PMCID: PMC10793200 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Wnt ligand WNT4 is critical in female reproductive tissue development, with WNT4 dysregulation linked to related pathologies including breast cancer (invasive lobular carcinoma, ILC) and gynecologic cancers. WNT4 signaling in these contexts is distinct from canonical Wnt signaling yet inadequately understood. We previously identified atypical intracellular activity of WNT4 (independent of Wnt secretion) regulating mitochondrial function, and herein examine intracellular functions of WNT4. We further examine how convergent mechanisms of WNT4 dysregulation impact cancer metabolism. In ILC, WNT4 is co-opted by estrogen receptor α (ER) via genomic binding in WNT4 intron 1, while in gynecologic cancers, a common genetic polymorphism (rs3820282) at this ER binding site alters WNT4 regulation. Using proximity biotinylation (BioID), we show canonical Wnt ligand WNT3A is trafficked for secretion, but WNT4 is localized to the cytosol and mitochondria. We identified DHRS2, mTOR, and STAT1 as putative WNT4 cytosolic/mitochondrial signaling partners. Whole metabolite profiling, and integrated transcriptomic data, support that WNT4 mediates metabolic reprogramming via fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. Furthermore, ovarian cancer cell lines with rs3820282 variant genotype are WNT4 dependent and have active WNT4 metabolic signaling. In protein array analyses of a cohort of 103 human gynecologic tumors enriched for patient diversity, germline rs3820282 genotype is associated with metabolic remodeling. Variant genotype tumors show increased AMPK activation and downstream signaling, with the highest AMPK signaling activity in variant genotype tumors from non-White patients. Taken together, atypical intracellular WNT4 signaling, in part via genetic dysregulation, regulates the distinct metabolic phenotypes of ILC and gynecologic cancers. SIGNIFICANCE WNT4 regulates breast and gynecologic cancer metabolism via a previously unappreciated intracellular signaling mechanism at the mitochondria, with WNT4 mediating metabolic remodeling. Understanding WNT4 dysregulation by estrogen and genetic polymorphism offers new opportunities for defining tumor biology, precision therapeutics, and personalized cancer risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L. Sottnik
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - Sydney K. Robinson
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Fabian R. Villagomez
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Shaymaa Bahnassy
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Steffi Oesterreich
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Junxiao Hu
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Zeynep Madak-Erdogan
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Cancer Center at Illinois, Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Rebecca B. Riggins
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Bradley R. Corr
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Linda S. Cook
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Lindsey S. Treviño
- Depratment of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Benjamin G. Bitler
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Matthew J. Sikora
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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Westrich JA, Warren CJ, Klausner MJ, Guo K, Liu CW, Santiago ML, Pyeon D. Human Papillomavirus 16 E7 Stabilizes APOBEC3A Protein by Inhibiting Cullin 2-Dependent Protein Degradation. J Virol 2018; 92:e01318-17. [PMID: 29367246 PMCID: PMC5972886 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01318-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
APOBEC3 (A3) mutation signatures have been observed in a variety of human cancer genomes, including those of cervical and head and neck cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, the driving forces that promote off-target A3 activity remain mostly unclear. Here, we report a mechanism for the dramatic increase of A3A protein levels in HPV-positive keratinocytes. We show that expression of the viral protein E7 from high-risk HPVs, but not E7 from low-risk HPVs, significantly prolongs the cellular half-life of A3A protein in human keratinocytes and HPV-positive cancer cell lines. We have mapped several residues within the cullin 2 (CUL2) binding motif of HPV16 E7 as being important for mediating A3A protein stabilization. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that both A3A and HPV16 E7 interact with CUL2, suggesting that the E7-CUL2 complex formed during HPV infection may regulate A3A protein levels in the cell. Using an in vitro cytidine deaminase assay, we show that E7-stabilized A3A remains catalytically active. Taken together, our findings suggest that the HPV oncoprotein E7 dysregulates endogenous A3A protein levels and thus provides novel mechanistic insight into cellular triggers of A3 mutations in HPV-positive cancers.IMPORTANCE Human papillomavirus (HPV) is causally associated with over 5% of all human malignancies. Several recent studies have shown that a subset of cancers, including HPV-positive head and neck and cervical cancers, have distinct mutational signatures potentially caused by members of the APOBEC3 cytidine deaminase family. However, the mechanism that induces APOBEC3 activity in cancer cells is poorly understood. Here, we report that the HPV oncoprotein E7 stabilizes the APOBEC3A (A3A) protein in human keratinocytes by inhibiting ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation in a cullin-dependent manner. Interestingly, the HPV E7-stabilized A3A protein maintains its deaminase activity. These findings provide a new insight into cancer mutagenesis enhanced by virus-induced A3A protein stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Westrich
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Cody J Warren
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Michael J Klausner
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Kejun Guo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Chang-Wei Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Mario L Santiago
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Dohun Pyeon
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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