1. |
- Azimi, Alireza, et al.
(author)
-
Targeting CDK2 overcomes melanoma resistance against BRAF and Hsp90 inhibitors
- 2018
-
In: Molecular Systems Biology. - : EMBO. - 1744-4292. ; 14:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Novel therapies are undergoing clinical trials, for example, the Hsp90 inhibitor, XL888, in combination with BRAF inhibitors for the treatment of therapy-resistant melanomas. Unfortunately, our data show that this combination elicits a heterogeneous response in a panel of melanoma cell lines including PDX-derived models. We sought to understand the mechanisms underlying the differential responses and suggest a patient stratification strategy. Thermal proteome profiling (TPP) identified the protein targets of XL888 in a pair of sensitive and unresponsive cell lines. Unbiased proteomics and phosphoproteomics analyses identified CDK2 as a driver of resistance to both BRAF and Hsp90 inhibitors and its expression is regulated by the transcription factor MITF upon XL888 treatment. The CDK2 inhibitor, dinaciclib, attenuated resistance to both classes of inhibitors and combinations thereof. Notably, we found that MITF expression correlates with CDK2 upregulation in patients; thus, dinaciclib would warrant consideration for treatment of patients unresponsive to BRAF-MEK and/or Hsp90 inhibitors and/or harboring MITF amplification/overexpression.
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
|
|
4. |
- Das, Ishani, et al.
(author)
-
Inhibiting insulin and mTOR signaling by afatinib and crizotinib combination fosters broad cytotoxic effects in cutaneous malignant melanoma
- 2020
-
In: Cell Death and Disease. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-4889. ; 11:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Current treatment modalities for disseminated cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) improve survival, however disease progression commonly ensues. In a previous study we identified afatinib and crizotinib in combination as a novel potential therapy for CMM independent of BRAF/NRAS mutation status. Herein, we elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the combination treatment effect to find biomarkers and novel targets for development of therapy that may provide clinical benefit by proteomic analysis of CMM cell lines and xenografts using mass spectrometry based analysis and reverse phase protein array. Identified candidates were validated using immunoblotting or immunofluorescence. Our analysis revealed that mTOR/Insulin signaling pathways were significantly decreased by the afatinib and crizotinib combination treatment. Both in vitro and in vivo analyses showed that the combination treatment downregulated pRPS6KB1 and pRPS6, downstream of mTOR signaling, and IRS-1 in the insulin signaling pathway, specifically ablating IRS-1 nuclear signal. Silencing of RPS6 and IRS-1 alone had a similar effect on cell death, which was further induced when IRS-1 and RPS6 were concomitantly silenced in the CMM cell lines. Silencing of IRS-1 and RPS6 resulted in reduced sensitivity towards combination treatment. Additionally, we found that IRS-1 and RPS6KB1 expression levels were increased in advanced stages of CMM clinical samples. We could demonstrate that induced resistance towards combination treatment was reversible by a drug holiday. CD171/L1CAM, mTOR and PI3K-p85 were induced in the combination resistant cells whereas AXL and EPHA2, previously identified mediators of resistance to MAPK inhibitor therapy in CMM were downregulated. We also found that CD171/L1CAM and mTOR were increased at progression in tumor biopsies from two matched cases of patients receiving targeted therapy with BRAFi. Overall, these findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms behind the afatinib and crizotinib combination treatment effect and leverages a platform for discovering novel biomarkers and therapy regimes for CMM treatment.
|
|
5. |
- Falkenius, Johan, et al.
(author)
-
High expression of glycolytic and pigment proteins is associated with worse clinical outcome in stage III melanoma
- 2013
-
In: Melanoma research. - 0960-8931 .- 1473-5636. ; 23:6, s. 452-460
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There are insufficient numbers of prognostic factors available for prediction of clinical outcome in patients with stage III malignant cutaneous melanoma, even when known adverse pathological risk factors, such as macrometastasis, number of lymph node metastases, and ulceration are taken into consideration. The aim of this study was therefore to identify additional prognostic factors to better predict patients with a high risk of relapse, thus enabling us to better determine the need for adjuvant treatment in stage III disease. An RNA oligonucleotide microarray study was performed on first regional lymph node metastases in 42 patients with stage III melanoma: 23 patients with short-term survival (13 months) and 19 with long-term survival (60 months), to identify genes associated with clinical outcome. Candidate genes were validated by real-time PCR and immunohistochemical analysis. Several gene ontology (GO) categories were highly significantly differentially expressed including glycolysis (GO: 0006096; P<0.001) and the pigment biosynthetic process (GO: 0046148; P<0.001), in which overexpression was associated with short-disease-specific survival. Three overexpressed glycolytic genes, GAPDHS, GAPDH, and PKM2, and two pigment-related genes, TYRP1 and OCA2, were selected for validation. A significant difference in GAPDHS protein expression between short- and long-term survivors (P=0.021) and a trend for PKM2 (P=0.093) was observed in univariate analysis. Positive expression of at least two of four proteins (GAPDHS, GAPDH, PKM2, TYRP1) in immunohistochemical analysis was found to be an independent adverse prognostic factor for disease-specific survival (P=0.011). Our results indicate that this prognostic panel in combination with established risk factors may contribute to an improved prediction of patients with a high risk of relapse.
|
|
6. |
- Foukakis, Theodoros, et al.
(author)
-
Immune gene expression and response to chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer
- 2018
-
In: British Journal of Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0007-0920 .- 1532-1827. ; 118:4, s. 480-488
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background:Transcriptomic profiles have shown promise as predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to explore their predictive value in the advanced BC (ABC) setting.Methods:In a Phase 3 trial of first-line chemotherapy in ABC, a fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was obtained at baseline. Intrinsic molecular subtypes and gene modules related to immune response, proliferation, oestrogen receptor (ER) signalling and recurring genetic alterations were analysed for association with objective response to chemotherapy. Gene-set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of responders vs non-responders was performed independently. Lymphocytes were enumerated in FNAB smears and the absolute abundance of immune cell types was calculated using the Microenvironment Cell Populations counter method.Results:Gene expression data were available for 109 patients. Objective response to chemotherapy was statistically significantly associated with an immune module score (odds ratio (OR)=1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-2.64; P=0.04). Subgroup analysis showed that this association was restricted to patients with ER-positive or luminal tumours (OR=3.54; 95%, 1.43-10.86; P=0.012 and P for interaction=0.04). Gene-set enrichment analysis confirmed that in these subgroups, immune-related gene sets were enriched in responders.Conclusions:Immune-related transcriptional signatures may predict response to chemotherapy in ER-positive and luminal ABC.
|
|
7. |
- Georgoudaki, Anna-Maria, et al.
(author)
-
Reprogramming Tumor-Associated Macrophages by Antibody Targeting Inhibits Cancer Progression and Metastasis
- 2016
-
In: Cell Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-1247. ; 15:9, s. 2000-2011
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tumors are composed of multiple cell types besides the tumor cells themselves, including innate immune cells such as macrophages. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a heterogeneous population of myeloid cells present in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, they contribute to immunosuppression, enabling the establishment and persistence of solid tumors as well as metastatic dissemination. We have found that the pattern recognition scavenger receptor MARCO defines a subtype of suppressive TAMs and is linked to clinical outcome. An anti-MARCO monoclonal antibody was developed, which induces anti-tumor activity in breast and colon carcinoma, as well as in melanoma models through reprogramming-TAM-populations to a pro-inflammatory phenotype and increasing tumor immunogenicity. This anti-tumor activity is dependent on the inhibitory Fc-receptor, Fc gamma RIIB, and also enhances the efficacy of checkpoint therapy. These results demonstrate that immunotherapies using antibodies designed to modify myeloid cells of the TME represent a promising mode of cancer treatment.
|
|
8. |
- Hjerpe, Elisabet, et al.
(author)
-
Metabolic markers and HSP60 in chemonaive serous solid ovarian cancer versus ascites.
- 2014
-
In: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1048-891X .- 1525-1438. ; 24:8, s. 1389-1394
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Metabolic pathway alterations in cancer are thought to be dependent upon tumor type-specific oncogenic activation and local nutrient and oxygen supply during disease progression. In serous ovarian cancer, the typical peritoneal spread of disease is caused by shedding of tumor cells into the abdominal cavity, often along with ascites formation. Not much is known about the metabolic features of these detached serous tumor cells. In this study, we investigate the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of GAPDH (glycolytic glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase) and PKM2 (pyruvate kinase isoform M2), ATP5B (mitochondrial β-F1-ATPase), and heat shock protein 60 in matched serous solid tumor and corresponding ascites.MATERIALS/METHODS: Fresh samples from solid tumor and corresponding ascites were prospectively collected from 40 patients undergoing primary surgery for suspected advanced ovarian cancer. Of these, 25 met the study eligibility criteria, that is, stage IIC to IV disease of the serous (24) or endometrioid (1) subtype with solid and ascites specimens containing 50% or more tumor cells and with good quality and quantity mRNA yield. All but 2 patients (92%) had type II disease. GAPDH, PKM2, ATP5B, and HSP60 mRNA expressions were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. For each marker, the mRNA expression in solid tumor was pairwise compared with the corresponding expression in ascites using the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank sum test.RESULTS: In contrast to our hypothesis, the mRNA expression of analyzed metabolic markers and HSP60 did not significantly differ between matched solid tumor and malignant ascites.CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that further expression changes in genes related to glycolysis or oxidative phosphorylation are not a prerequisite for serous cancer cell survival after detachment.
|
|
9. |
- Hjerpe, Elisabet, et al.
(author)
-
Metabolic markers GAPDH, PKM2, ATP5B and BEC-index in advanced serous ovarian cancer.
- 2013
-
In: BMC Clinical Pathology. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1472-6890. ; 113:30
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: A deregulated energy metabolism is a hallmark of malignant disease that offers possible future targets for treatment. We investigated the prognostic value of the glycolytic enzymes glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and pyruvate kinase type M2 (PKM2), mitochondrial β-F1-ATPase (ATP5B) and the bioenergetic cellular (BEC) index in advanced ovarian cancer.METHODS: Fresh tumor samples were prospectively collected from 123 patients undergoing primary surgery for suspected advanced ovarian cancer. Of these, 57 met the eligibility criteria; stage IIC-IV, serous or endometrioid subtype, specimens containing ≥ 50% tumor cells and patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. An adequate amount of mRNA could be extracted in all but one case, with a resultant study population of 56 patients. Eighty-six percent of cases had serous tumors, and 93% were grade 2-3. GAPDH, PKM2 and ATP5B mRNA- and protein expression was assessed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. We estimated the association with platinum-free interval (PFI) and overall survival (OS) by Cox proportional hazards models. Median follow-up was 60 months.RESULTS: High GAPDH mRNA levels (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.0-4.5) and low BEC-index (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95) were both independently associated with shorter PFI. Median PFI for patients with high GAPDH mRNA was 5.0 months compared to 10.1 months for low expression cases (p = 0.031). Similarly, median PFI for patients with low BEC-index based on mRNA was 5.3 months compared to 9.8 months for high BEC-index cases (p = 0.028).CONCLUSIONS: High GAPDH or low BEC-index mRNA expression indicate early disease progression in advanced serous ovarian cancer.
|
|
10. |
- Karlsson, Max J., et al.
(author)
-
Inflammation and Apolipoproteins Are Potential Biomarkers for Stratification of Cutaneous Melanoma Patients for Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy
- 2021
-
In: Cancer Research. - : American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). - 0008-5472 .- 1538-7445. ; 81:9, s. 2545-2555
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Malignant cutaneous melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young adults. During the last decade, targeted and immunotherapies have significantly increased the overall survival of patients with malignant cutaneous melanoma. Nevertheless, disease progression is common, and a lack of predictive biomarkers of patient response to therapy hinders individualized treatment strategies. To address this issue, we performed a longitudinal study using an unbiased proteomics approach to identify and quantify proteins in plasma both before and during treatment from 109 patients treated with either targeted or immunotherapy. Linear modeling and machine learning approaches identified 43 potential prognostic and predictive biomarkers. A reverse correlation between apolipoproteins and proteins related to inflammation was observed. In the immunotherapy group, patients with low pretreatment expression of apolipoproteins and high expression of inflammation markers had shorter progression-free survival. Similarly, increased expression of LDHB during treatment elicited a significant impact on response to immunotherapy. Overall, we identified potential common and treatment-specific biomarkers in malignant cutaneous melanoma, paving the way for clinical use of these biomarkers following validation on a larger cohort. Significance: This study identifies a potential biomarker panel that could improve the selection of therapy for patients with cutaneous melanoma.
|
|