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Sak M, Williams BJ, Zumbar CT, Teer L, Al-Kawaaz MNG, Kakar A, Hey AJ, Wilson MJ, Schier LM, Chen J, Lehman NL. The CNS-penetrating taxane drug TPI 287 potentiates antiglioma activity of the AURKA inhibitor alisertib in vivo. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2023; 91:191-201. [PMID: 36694044 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-023-04503-0] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Glioblastoma (GBM) has a very poor prognosis despite current treatment. We previously found cytotoxic synergy between the AURKA inhibitor alisertib and the CNS-penetrating taxane TPI 287 against GBM tumor cells in vitro. METHODS We used an orthotopic human GBM xenograft mouse model to test if TPI 287 potentiates alisertib in vivo. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, siRNA knockdown, annexin V binding, and 3-dimensional Matrigel invasion assays were used to investigate potential mechanisms of alisertib and TPI 287 treatment interactions. RESULTS Alisertib + TPI 287 combination therapy significantly prolonged animal survival compared to vehicle (p = 0.011), but only marginally compared to alisertib alone. Alisertib, TPI 287, and combined alisertib + TPI 287 reduced animal tumor volume compared to vehicle-treated controls. This was statistically significant for the combination therapy at 4 weeks (p < 0.0001). Alisertib + TPI 287 treatment decreased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein levels in vivo and in vitro. Expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bak was significantly increased by combination treatment (p < 0.0001). Pro-apoptotic Bim and Bak knockdown by siRNA decreased apoptosis by alisertib + TPI 287 in GB9, GB30, and U87 cells (p = 0.0005 to 0.0381). Although alisertib and TPI 287 significantly reduced GBM cell invasion (p < 0.0001), their combination was no more effective than TPI 287 alone. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that apoptosis is the dominant mechanism of potentiation of GBM growth inhibition by alisertib + TPI 287, in part through effects on Bcl-2 family proteins, providing a rationale for further laboratory testing of an AURKA inhibitor plus TPI 287 as a potential therapy against GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Müge Sak
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, 505 S Hancock St, KY, 40202, Louisville, USA
| | - Brian J Williams
- Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
- The Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Cory T Zumbar
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Landon Teer
- Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Mustafa N G Al-Kawaaz
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Aastha Kakar
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Andrew J Hey
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Megan J Wilson
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Leslie M Schier
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Joseph Chen
- Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Norman L Lehman
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, 505 S Hancock St, KY, 40202, Louisville, USA.
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
- The Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
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Lehman NL, Spassky N, Sak M, Webb A, Zumbar CT, Usubalieva A, Alkhateeb KJ, McElroy JP, Maclean KH, Fadda P, Liu T, Gangalapudi V, Carver J, Abdullaev Z, Timmers C, Parker JR, Pierson CR, Mobley BC, Gokden M, Hattab EM, Parrett T, Cooke RX, Lehman TD, Costinean S, Parwani A, Williams BJ, Jensen RL, Aldape K, Mistry AM. Astroblastomas exhibit radial glia stem cell lineages and differential expression of imprinted and X-inactivation escape genes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2083. [PMID: 35440587 PMCID: PMC9018799 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29302-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Astroblastomas (ABs) are rare brain tumors of unknown origin. We performed an integrative genetic and epigenetic analysis of AB-like tumors. Here, we show that tumors traceable to neural stem/progenitor cells (radial glia) that emerge during early to later brain development occur in children and young adults, respectively. Tumors with MN1-BEND2 fusion appear to present exclusively in females and exhibit overexpression of genes expressed prior to 25 post-conception weeks (pcw), including genes enriched in early ventricular zone radial glia and ependymal tumors. Other, histologically classic ABs overexpress or harbor mutations of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway genes, outer and truncated radial glia genes, and genes expressed after 25 pcw, including neuronal and astrocyte markers. Findings support that AB-like tumors arise in the context of epigenetic and genetic changes in neural progenitors. Selective gene fusion, variable imprinting and/or chromosome X-inactivation escape resulting in biallelic overexpression may contribute to female predominance of AB molecular subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman L Lehman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
- The Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
| | - Nathalie Spassky
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Inserm, CNRS, École Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Müge Sak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Amy Webb
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Cory T Zumbar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Aisulu Usubalieva
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Khaled J Alkhateeb
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Joseph P McElroy
- Center for Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | | | - Paolo Fadda
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Tom Liu
- Solid Tumor Translational Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Vineela Gangalapudi
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jamie Carver
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Zied Abdullaev
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Cynthia Timmers
- Solid Tumor Translational Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - John R Parker
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Christopher R Pierson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Bret C Mobley
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Murat Gokden
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Services, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Eyas M Hattab
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Timothy Parrett
- Department of Pathology and Anatomic Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Ralph X Cooke
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Trang D Lehman
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Contra Costa County Health System, Martinez, CA, 94553, USA
| | - Stefan Costinean
- Department of Pathology, Banner Gateway Medical Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Tempe, AZ, 85284, USA
| | - Anil Parwani
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Brian J Williams
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Randy L Jensen
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Kenneth Aldape
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Akshitkumar M Mistry
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
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Alkhateeb KJ, Crane JE, Sak M, Jorgensen CJ, O'Donnell JP, Zumbar CT, Wozniak JA, Salazar CR, Parwani AV, Lehman NL. Aurora-A kinase is differentially expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm in normal Müllerian epithelium and benign, borderline and malignant serous ovarian neoplasms. Diagn Pathol 2021; 16:98. [PMID: 34706741 PMCID: PMC8549328 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-021-01158-4] [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: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aurora-A kinase is important for cellular proliferation and is implicated in the tumorigenesis of several malignancies, including of the ovary. Information regarding the expression patterns of Aurora-A in normal Müllerian epithelium as well as benign, borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian neoplasms is limited. Methods We investigated Aurora-A expression by immunohistochemistry in 15 benign, 19 borderline and 17 malignant ovarian serous tumors, and 16 benign, 8 borderline, and 2 malignant ovarian mucinous tumors. Twelve fimbriae from seven patients served as normal Müllerian epithelium controls. We also examined Aurora-A protein expression by western blot in normal fimbriae and tumor specimens. Results All normal fimbriae (n = 12) showed nuclear but not cytoplasmic Aurora-A immunoreactivity by immunohistochemistry. Benign ovarian tumors also showed strong nuclear Aurora-A immunoreactivity. Forty-eight percent (13/27) of borderline tumors demonstrated nuclear Aurora-A immunoreactivity, while the remainder (52%, 14/27) lacked Aurora-A staining. Nuclear Aurora-A immunoreactivity was absent in all malignant serous tumors, however, 47% (8/17) demonstrated perinuclear cytoplasmic staining. These results were statistically significant when tumor class (benign/borderline/malignant) was compared to immunoreactivity localization or intensity (Fisher Exact Test, p < 0.01). Western blot analysis confirmed the greater nuclear Aurora-A expression in control Müllerian epithelium compared to borderline and malignant tumors. Conclusion Aurora-A kinase is differentially expressed across normal Müllerian epithelium, benign and borderline serous and mucinous ovarian epithelial neoplasms and malignant serous ovarian tumors., with nuclear expression of unphosphorylated Aurora-A being present in normal and benign neoplastic epithelium, and lost in malignant serous neoplasms. Further studies of the possible biological and clinical implications of the loss of nuclear Aurora-A expression in ovarian tumors, and its role in ovarian carcinogenesis are warranted. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13000-021-01158-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled J Alkhateeb
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Jason E Crane
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital Detroit, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Müge Sak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Caitlin J Jorgensen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital Detroit, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - James P O'Donnell
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital Detroit, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Cory T Zumbar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Jason A Wozniak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital Detroit, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Clarence R Salazar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital Detroit, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Anil V Parwani
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Norman L Lehman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA. .,Department of Pathology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA. .,The Brown Cancer Center, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
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Sak M, Zumbar CT, King PD, Li X, Mifsud CS, Usubalieva A, Anderson CD, Chesnick HM, McElroy JP, Chakravarti A, Burton EC, Lehman NL. Cytotoxic synergy between alisertib and carboplatin versus alisertib and irinotecan are inversely dependent on MGMT levels in glioblastoma cells. J Neurooncol 2019; 143:231-240. [PMID: 31011934 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-019-03164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Glioblastoma remains difficult to treat and patients whose tumors express high levels of O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) usually respond poorly to standard temozolomide chemotherapy. We have previously shown that the selective AURKA inhibitor alisertib potently inhibits growth of glioblastoma cells. METHODS We used colony formation assays, annexin V binding, and western blotting to examine the effects of alisertib on the antiproliferative capabilities of carboplatin and irinotecan in glioblastoma cells. RESULTS In colony formation assays, alisertib potentiated the antiproliferative effects of both carboplatin and irinotecan, often synergistically, including against glioblastoma tumor stem-like cells, as demonstrated by Chou-Talalay and Bliss statistical analyses. Western blotting showed that high MGMT expression in cell lines correlated with more pronounced potentiation of carboplatin's growth inhibitory effects by alisertib, while low MGMT expression correlated with stronger potentiation of irinotecan by alisertib. This pattern was also observed when these drug combinations were tested for their ability to induce apoptosis via annexin V binding assays. MGMT knockdown increased apoptosis caused by combined alisertib and irinotecan, while exogenous MGMT overexpression increased apoptosis from alisertib and carboplatin combination treatment. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that tumor MGMT expression levels may be predictive of patient response to these drug combinations, and importantly that the combination of alisertib and carboplatin may be selectively effective in glioblastoma patients with high tumor MGMT who are resistant to standard therapy. Since clinical experience with alisertib, carboplatin and irinotecan as single agents already exists, these findings may provide rationale for the design of clinical trials for their use in combination treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Müge Sak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Cory T Zumbar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Paul D King
- The Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Xiaohui Li
- The Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Caroline S Mifsud
- The Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Aisulu Usubalieva
- The Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Charles D Anderson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Hailey M Chesnick
- The Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Joseph P McElroy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Arnab Chakravarti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Eric C Burton
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Norman L Lehman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA. .,The Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
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5
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Zumbar CT, Usubalieva A, King PD, Li X, Mifsud CS, Dalton HM, Sak M, Urio S, Bryant WM, McElroy JP, Farmer G, Lehman NL. The CNS penetrating taxane TPI 287 and the AURKA inhibitor alisertib induce synergistic apoptosis in glioblastoma cells. J Neurooncol 2018; 137:481-492. [PMID: 29396807 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-018-2755-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a highly malignant disease in critical need of expanded treatment options. The AURKA inhibitor alisertib exhibits antiproliferative activity against glioblastoma in vitro and in vivo. Unlike current clinically used taxane drugs, the novel taxane TPI 287 penetrates the CNS. We tested for interactions between three selective AURKA inhibitors and TPI 287 against standard U87 and U1242 cells and primary glioblastoma neurospheres using colony formation assays. Bliss and Chou-Talalay analyses were utilized to statistically test for synergism. Morphological analysis, flow cytometry and annexin V binding were employed to examine cell cycle and apoptotic effects of these drug combinations. TPI 287 not only potentiated the cytotoxicity of the AURKA inhibitors alisertib, MLN8054 and TC-A2317, but was often potently synergistic. Morphologic and biochemical analysis of the combined effects of alisertib and TPI 287 consistently revealed synergistic induction of apoptosis. While each agent alone induces a mitotic block, slippage occurs allowing some tumor cells to avoid apoptosis. Combination treatment greatly attenuated mitotic slippage, committing the majority of cells to apoptosis. Alisertib and TPI 287 demonstrate significant synergism against glioblastoma cells largely attributable to a synergistic effect in inducing apoptosis. These results provide compelling rationale for clinical testing of alisertib and/or other AURKA inhibitors for potential combination use with TPI 287 against glioblastoma and other CNS neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory T Zumbar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, 505 S Hancock St, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.,James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Aisulu Usubalieva
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Paul D King
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Caroline S Mifsud
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Hailey M Dalton
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Muge Sak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, 505 S Hancock St, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.,James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | - Sara Urio
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - William M Bryant
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Joseph P McElroy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | | | - Norman L Lehman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, 505 S Hancock St, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA. .,James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA. .,Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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