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MYCN is an immunosuppressive oncogene dampening the expression of ligands for NK-cell-activating receptors in human high-risk neuroblastoma.

ABSTRACT: Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor occurring in childhood. Amplification of the MYCN oncogene is associated with poor prognosis. Downregulation on NB cells of ligands recognized by Natural Killer (NK) cell-activating receptors, involved in tumor cell recognition and lysis, may contribute to tumor progression and relapse. Here, we demonstrate that in human NB cell lines MYCN expression inversely correlates with that of ligands recognized by NKG2D and DNAM1 activating receptors in human NB cell lines. In the MYCN-inducible Tet-21/N cell line, downregulation of MYCN resulted in enhanced expression of the activating ligands MICA, ULBPs and PVR, which rendered tumor cells more susceptible to recognition and lysis mediated by NK cells. Conversely, a MYCN non-amplified NB cell line transfected with MYCN showed an opposite behavior compared with control cells. Consistent with these findings, an inverse correlation was detected between the expression of MYCN and that of ligands for NK-cell-activating receptors in 12 NB patient specimens both at mRNA and protein levels. Taken together, these results provide the first demonstration that MYCN acts as an immunosuppressive oncogene in NB cells that negatively regulates the expression of ligands for NKG2D and DNAM-1 NK-cell-activating receptors. Our study provides a clue to exploit MYCN expression levels as a biomarker to predict the efficacy of NK-cell-based immunotherapy in NB patients.

SUBMITTER: Brandetti E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5486189 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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MYCN is an immunosuppressive oncogene dampening the expression of ligands for NK-cell-activating receptors in human high-risk neuroblastoma.

Brandetti Elisa E Veneziani Irene I Melaiu Ombretta O Pezzolo Annalisa A Castellano Aurora A Boldrini Renata R Ferretti Elisa E Fruci Doriana D Moretta Lorenzo L Pistoia Vito V Locatelli Franco F Cifaldi Loredana L

Oncoimmunology 20170420 6

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor occurring in childhood. Amplification of the <i>MYCN</i> oncogene is associated with poor prognosis. Downregulation on NB cells of ligands recognized by Natural Killer (NK) cell-activating receptors, involved in tumor cell recognition and lysis, may contribute to tumor progression and relapse. Here, we demonstrate that in human NB cell lines MYCN expression inversely correlates with that of ligands recognized by NKG2D and DNAM1 activ ...[more]

PMID: 28680748

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Project description:BackgroundNeuroblastoma is the most common solid tumor in infants accounting for approximately 15% of all cancer-related deaths. Over 50% of high-risk neuroblastoma relapse, emphasizing the need of novel drug targets and therapeutic strategies. In neuroblastoma, chromosomal gains at chromosome 17q, including IGF2BP1, and MYCN amplification at chromosome 2p are associated with adverse outcome. Recent, pre-clinical evidence indicates the feasibility of direct and indirect targeting of IGF2BP1 and MYCN in cancer treatment.MethodsCandidate oncogenes on 17q were identified by profiling the transcriptomic/genomic landscape of 100 human neuroblastoma samples and public gene essentiality data. Molecular mechanisms and gene expression profiles underlying the oncogenic and therapeutic target potential of the 17q oncogene IGF2BP1 and its cross-talk with MYCN were characterized and validated in human neuroblastoma cells, xenografts and PDX as well as novel IGF2BP1/MYCN transgene mouse models.ResultsWe reveal a novel, druggable feedforward loop of IGF2BP1 (17q) and MYCN (2p) in high-risk neuroblastoma. This promotes 2p/17q chromosomal gains and unleashes an oncogene storm resulting in fostered expression of 17q oncogenes like BIRC5 (survivin). Conditional, sympatho-adrenal transgene expression of IGF2BP1 induces neuroblastoma at a 100% incidence. IGF2BP1-driven malignancies are reminiscent to human high-risk neuroblastoma, including 2p/17q-syntenic chromosomal gains and upregulation of Mycn, Birc5, as well as key neuroblastoma circuit factors like Phox2b. Co-expression of IGF2BP1/MYCN reduces disease latency and survival probability by fostering oncogene expression. Combined inhibition of IGF2BP1 by BTYNB, MYCN by BRD inhibitors or BIRC5 by YM-155 is beneficial in vitro and, for BTYNB, also.ConclusionWe reveal a novel, druggable neuroblastoma oncogene circuit settling on strong, transcriptional/post-transcriptional synergy of MYCN and IGF2BP1. MYCN/IGF2BP1 feedforward regulation promotes an oncogene storm harboring high therapeutic potential for combined, targeted inhibition of IGF2BP1, MYCN expression and MYCN/IGF2BP1-effectors like BIRC5.

Project description:Dozens of transplants generated from pluripotent stem cells are currently in clinical trials. The creation of patient-specific iPSCs makes personalized therapy possible due to their main advantage of immunotolerance. However, some reports have claimed recently that aberrant gene expression followed by proteome alterations and neoantigen formation can result in iPSCs recognition by autologous T-cells. Meanwhile, the possibility of NK-cell activation has not been previously considered. This study focused on the comparison of autologous and allogeneic immune response to iPSC-derived cells and isogeneic parental somatic cells used for reprogramming. We established an isogeneic cell model consisting of parental dermal fibroblasts, fibroblast-like iPSC-derivatives (iPS-fibro) and iPS-fibro lacking beta-2-microglobulin (B2M). Using the cells obtained from two patients, we analyzed the activation of autologous and allogeneic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells co-cultured with target cells. Here we report that cells differentiated from iPSCs can be recognized by NK-cells rather than by autologous T-cells. We observed that iPS-fibro elicited a high level of NK-cell degranulation and cytotoxicity, while isogeneic parental skin fibroblasts used to obtain iPSCs barely triggered an NK-cell response. iPSC-derivatives with B2M knockout did not cause an additional increase in NK-cell activation, although they were devoid of HLA-I, the major inhibitory molecules for NK-cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed a significant imbalance of ligands for activating and inhibitory NK-cell receptors in iPS-fibro. Compared to parental fibroblasts, iPSC-derivatives had a reduced expression of HLA-I simultaneously with an increased gene expression of major activating ligands, such as MICA, NECTIN2, and PVR. The lack of inhibitory signals might be due to insufficient maturity of cells differentiated from iPSCs. In addition, we showed that pretreatment of iPS-fibro with proinflammatory cytokine IFNγ restored the ligand imbalance, thereby reducing the degranulation and cytotoxicity of NK-cells. In summary, we showed that iPSC-derived cells can be sensitive to the cytotoxic potential of autologous NK-cells regardless of HLA-I status. Thus, the balance of ligands for NK-cell receptors should be considered prior to iPSC-based cell therapies. Trial registration Not applicable.

Project description:Dozens of transplants generated from pluripotent stem cells are currently in clinical trials. The creation of patient-specific iPSCs makes personalized therapy possible due to their main advantage of immunotolerance. However, some reports have claimed recently that aberrant gene expression followed by proteome alterations and neoantigen formation can result in iPSCs recognition by autologous T-cells. Meanwhile, the possibility of NK-cell activation has not been previously considered. This study focused on the comparison of autologous and allogeneic immune response to iPSC-derived cells and isogeneic parental somatic cells used for reprogramming. Here we report that cells differentiated from iPSCs can be recognized by NK-cells rather than by autologous T-cells. We observed that iPS-fibro elicited a high level of NK-cell degranulation and cytotoxicity, while isogeneic parental skin fibroblasts used to obtain iPSCs barely triggered an NK-cell response. iPSC-derivatives with B2M knockout did not cause an additional increase in NK-cell activation, although they were devoid of HLA-I, the major inhibitory molecules for NK-cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed a significant imbalance of ligands for activating and inhibitory NK-cell receptors in iPS-fibro. Compared to parental fibroblasts, iPSC-derivatives had a reduced expression of HLA-I simultaneously with an increased gene expression of major activating ligands, such as MICA, NECTIN2, and PVR. The lack of inhibitory signals might be due to insufficient maturity of cells differentiated from iPSCs. In addition, we showed that pretreatment of iPS-fibro with proinflammatory cytokine IFNγ restored the ligand imbalance, thereby reducing the degranulation and cytotoxicity of NK-cells. In summary, we showed that iPSC-derived cells can be sensitive to the cytotoxic potential of autologous NK-cells regardless of HLA-I status. Thus, the balance of ligands for NK-cell receptors should be considered prior to iPSC-based cell therapies.

Dataset Information

MYCN is an immunosuppressive oncogene dampening the expression of ligands for NK-cell-activating receptors in human high-risk neuroblastoma.

Publications

MYCN is an immunosuppressive oncogene dampening the expression of ligands for NK-cell-activating receptors in human high-risk neuroblastoma.

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