RESUMO
We previously identified an association of rapid engraftment of patient-derived leukemia cells transplanted into NOD/SCID mice with early relapse in B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). In a search for the cellular and molecular profiles associated with this phenotype, we investigated the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in different engraftment phenotypes and patient outcomes. We found high expression of miR-497 and miR-195 (hereafter miR-497/195) in patient-derived xenograft samples with slow engraftment derived from patients with favorable outcome. In contrast, epigenetic repression and low expression of these miRNAs was observed in rapidly engrafting samples associated with early relapse. Overexpression of miR-497/195 in patient-derived leukemia cells suppressed in vivo growth of leukemia and prolonged recipient survival. Conversely, inhibition of miR-497/195 led to increased leukemia cell growth. Key cell cycle regulators were downregulated upon miR-497/195 overexpression, and we identified cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4)- and cyclin-D3 (CCND3)-mediated control of G1/S transition as a principal mechanism for the suppression of BCP-ALL progression by miR-497/195. The critical role for miR-497/195-mediated cell cycle regulation was underscored by finding (in an additional independent series of patient samples) that high expression of miR-497/195 together with a full sequence for CDKN2A and CDKN2B (CDKN2A/B) was associated with excellent outcome, whereas deletion of CDKN2A/B together with low expression of miR-497/195 was associated with clearly inferior relapse-free survival. These findings point to the cooperative loss of cell cycle regulators as a new prognostic factor indicating possible therapeutic targets for pediatric BCP-ALL.
Assuntos
Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p15/genética , Inibidor p16 de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina/genética , MicroRNAs/genética , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/genética , Animais , Criança , Epigênese Genética , Regulação Leucêmica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Camundongos Endogâmicos NOD , Camundongos SCID , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) is phosphorylated (AMPK-P) in response to low energy through allosteric activation by Adenosine mono- or diphosphate (AMP/ADP). Folliculin (FLCN) and the FLCN-interacting proteins 1 and 2 (FNIP1, 2) modulate AMPK. FNIP1 deficiency patients have a AMPK-P gain of function phenotype with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Wolff-Parkinson-White pre-excitation syndrome, myopathy of skeletal muscles and combined immunodeficiency.
Assuntos
Cardiomiopatias , Proteínas de Transporte , Genes Recessivos , Síndromes de Imunodeficiência , Mutação , Síndromes de Pré-Excitação , Cardiomiopatias/genética , Cardiomiopatias/imunologia , Cardiomiopatias/patologia , Proteínas de Transporte/genética , Proteínas de Transporte/imunologia , Feminino , Humanos , Síndromes de Imunodeficiência/genética , Síndromes de Imunodeficiência/imunologia , Síndromes de Imunodeficiência/patologia , Masculino , Síndromes de Pré-Excitação/genética , Síndromes de Pré-Excitação/imunologia , Síndromes de Pré-Excitação/patologiaRESUMO
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play dual roles in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as both tumor suppressors and oncogenes, and miRNA expression profiles can be used for patient risk stratification. Precise assessment of miRNA levels is crucial for understanding their role and function in gene regulation. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a reliable, rapid, and cost-effective method for analyzing miRNA expression, assuming that appropriate normalization to stable references is performed to ensure valid data. In this study, we evaluated the stability of six commonly used miRNA references (5sRNA, SNORD44, RNU6, RNU1A1, miR-103a-3p, and miR-532-5p) across nine B-cell precursor (BCP) ALL cell lines, 22 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) BCP ALL samples from different organ compartments of leukemia bearing mice, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from six healthy donors. We used four different algorithms (Normfinder, ∆CT, geNorm, and BestKeeper) to assess the most stably expressed reference across all samples. Moreover, we validated our data in an additional set of 13 PDX ALL samples and six healthy controls, identifying miR-103a-3p and miR-532-5p as the most stable references for miRNA normalization in BCP ALL studies. Additionally, we demonstrated the critical importance of using a stable reference to accurately interpret miRNA data.
Assuntos
MicroRNAs , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras B , MicroRNAs/genética , Humanos , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras B/genética , Animais , Camundongos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica/métodos , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica/normas , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/normas , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/métodos , Regulação Leucêmica da Expressão Gênica , Padrões de ReferênciaRESUMO
Deregulated apoptosis signaling is characteristic for many cancers and contributes to leukemogenesis and treatment failure in B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). Apoptosis is controlled by different pro- and anti-apoptotic molecules. Inhibition of anti-apoptotic molecules like B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) has been developed as therapeutic strategy. Venetoclax (VEN), a selective BCL-2 inhibitor has shown clinical activity in different lymphoid malignancies and is currently evaluated in first clinical trials in BCP-ALL. However, insensitivity to VEN has been described constituting a major clinical concern. Here, we addressed and modeled VEN-resistance in BCP-ALL, investigated the underlying mechanisms in cell lines and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) samples and identified potential strategies to overcome VEN-insensitivity. Leukemia lines with VEN-specific resistance were generated in vitro and further characterized using RNA-seq analysis. Interestingly, gene sets annotated to the citric/tricarboxylic acid cycle and the respiratory electron transport chain were significantly enriched and upregulated, indicating increased mitochondrial metabolism in VEN-resistant ALL. Metabolic profiling showed sustained high mitochondrial metabolism in VEN-resistant lines as compared to control lines. Accordingly, primary PDX-ALL samples with intrinsic VEN-insensitivity showed higher oxygen consumption and ATP production rates, further highlighting that increased mitochondrial activity is a characteristic feature of VEN-resistant ALL. VEN-resistant PDX-ALL showed significant higher mitochondrial DNA content and differed in mitochondria morphology with significantly larger and elongated structures, further corroborating our finding of augmented mitochondrial metabolism upon VEN-resistance. Using Oligomycin, an inhibitor of the complex V/ATPase subunit, we found synergistic activity and apoptosis induction in VEN-resistant BCP-ALL cell lines and PDX samples, demonstrating that acquired and intrinsic VEN-insensitivity can be overcome by co-targeting BCL-2 and the OxPhos pathway. These findings of reprogrammed, high mitochondrial metabolism in VEN-resistance and synergistic activity upon co-targeting BCL-2 and oxidative phosphorylation strongly suggest further preclinical and potential clinical evaluation in VEN-resistant BCP-ALL.
Assuntos
Compostos Bicíclicos Heterocíclicos com Pontes , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Mitocôndrias , Fosforilação Oxidativa , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras , Sulfonamidas , Compostos Bicíclicos Heterocíclicos com Pontes/farmacologia , Humanos , Fosforilação Oxidativa/efeitos dos fármacos , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Mitocôndrias/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Sulfonamidas/farmacologia , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/metabolismo , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/patologia , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/tratamento farmacológico , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/genética , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Camundongos , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/genéticaRESUMO
Targeting BCL-2, a key regulator of survival in B-cell malignancies including precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, has become a promising treatment strategy. However, given the redundancy of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins (BCL-2, BCL-XL, MCL-1), single targeting may not be sufficient. When analyzing the effects of BH3-mimetics selectively targeting BCL-XL and MCL-1 alone or in combination with the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax, heterogeneous sensitivity to either of these inhibitors was found in ALL cell lines and in patient-derived xenografts. Interestingly, some venetoclax-resistant leukemias were sensitive to the MCL-1-selective antagonist S63845 and/or BCL-XL-selective A-1331852 suggesting functional mutual substitution. Consequently, co-inhibition of BCL-2 and MCL-1 or BCL-XL resulted in synergistic apoptosis induction. Functional analysis by BH3-profiling and analysis of protein complexes revealed that venetoclax-treated ALL cells are dependent on MCL-1 and BCL-XL, indicating that MCL-1 or BCL-XL provide an Achilles heel in BCL-2-inhibited cells. The effect of combining BCL-2 and MCL-1 inhibition by venetoclax and S63845 was evaluated in vivo and strongly enhanced anti-leukemia activity was found in a pre-clinical patient-derived xenograft model. Our study offers in-depth molecular analysis of mutual substitution of BCL-2 family proteins in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and provides targets for combination treatment in vivo and in ongoing clinical studies.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2 , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Apoptose , Proteínas Reguladoras de Apoptose , Compostos Bicíclicos Heterocíclicos com Pontes/farmacologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Humanos , Proteína de Sequência 1 de Leucemia de Células Mieloides , Proteína bcl-X/metabolismoRESUMO
White matter lesions (WMLs) are a common manifestation of small vessel disease (SVD) in the elderly population. They are associated with an enhanced risk of developing gait abnormalities, poor executive function, dementia, and stroke with high mortality. Hypoperfusion and the resulting endothelial damage are thought to contribute to the development of WMLs. The focus of the present study was the analysis of the microvascular bed in SVD patients with deep WMLs (DWMLs) by using double- and triple-label immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Simultaneous visualization of collagen IV (COLL4)-positive membranes and the endothelial glycocalyx in thick sections allowed us to identify endothelial recession in different types of string vessels, and two new forms of small vessel/capillary pathology, which we called vascular bagging and ghost string vessels. Vascular bags were pouches and tubes that were attached to vessel walls and were formed by multiple layers of COLL4-positive membranes. Vascular bagging was most severe in the DWMLs of cases with pure SVD (no additional vascular brain injury, VBI). Quantification of vascular bagging, string vessels, and the density/size of CD68-positive cells further showed widespread pathological changes in the frontoparietal and/or temporal white matter in SVD, including pure SVD and SVD with VBI, as well as a significant effect of the covariate age. Plasma protein leakage into vascular bags and the white matter parenchyma pointed to endothelial damage and basement membrane permeability. Hypertrophic IBA1-positive microglial cells and CD68-positive macrophages were found in white matter areas covered with networks of ghost vessels in SVD, suggesting phagocytosis of remnants of string vessels. However, the overall vessel density was not altered in our SVD cohort, which might result from continuous replacement of vessels. Our findings support the view that SVD is a progressive and generalized disease process, in which endothelial damage and vascular bagging drive remodeling of the microvasculature.