MELK is a novel therapeutic target in high-risk neuroblastoma.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Guan S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5788662 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
MELK is a novel therapeutic target in high-risk neuroblastoma.
Guan Shan S Lu Jiaxiong J Zhao Yanling Y Yu Yang Y Li Hui H Chen Zhenghu Z Shi Zhongcheng Z Liang Haoqian H Wang Mopei M Guo Kevin K Chen Xiangmei X Sun Wenjing W Bieerkehazhi Shayahati S Xu Xin X Sun Surong S Agarwal Saurabh S Yang Jianhua J
Oncotarget 20171220 2
Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is known to modulate intracellular signaling and control cellular processes. However, the role of MELK in oncogenesis is not well defined. In this study, using two microarray datasets of neuroblastoma (NB) patients, we identified that MELK expression is significantly correlated to poor overall survival, unfavorable prognosis, and high-risk status. We found that MELK is a direct transcription target of MYCN and MYC in NB, and MYCN increases MELK exp ...[more]
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Project description:Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour in childhood and prognosis remains poor for high-risk cases despite the use of multimodal treatment. Analysis of public drug sensitivity data showed neuroblastoma lines to be particularlysensitive to indisulam, a molecular glue that selectively targets the RNA splicing factor RBM39 for proteosomal degradation via DCAF15-E3-ubiquitin ligase. In neuroblastoma models indisulam induced rapid loss of RBM39, accumulation of splicing errors and growth inhibition in a DCAF15-dependent manner. Integrative analysis of RNAseq and proteomics data highlighted a particular disruption to cell cycle and metabolism. Metabolic profiling demonstrated metabolome perturbations and mitochondrial dysfunction resulting from indisulam. Complete tumour without relapse was observed in both xenografts and the Th-MYCN transgenic model of neuroblastoma after indisulam treatment, with RBM39 loss confirmed in vivo. Our data imply that dual targeting of metabolism and RNA splicing with anti-cancer sulfonamides such as indisulam is promising therapeutic approach for high-risk neuroblastoma.
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Project description:Fewer than 50% of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma survive five years after diagnosis with current treatment protocols. Molecular targeted therapies are expected to improve survival. Although MDM2 has been validated as a promising target in preclinical models, no MDM2 inhibitors have yet entered clinical trials for neuroblastoma patients. Toxic side effects, poor bioavailability and low efficacy of the available MDM2 inhibitors that have entered phase I/II trials drive the development of novel MDM2 inhibitors with an improved risk-benefit profile. We investigated the effect of the novel MDM2 small molecular inhibitor, DS-3032b, on viability, proliferation, senescence, migration, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a panel of six neuroblastoma cell lines with different TP53 and MYCN genetic backgrounds, and assessed efficacy in a murine subcutaneous model for high-risk neuroblastoma. Re-analysis of existing expression data from 476 primary neuroblastomas showed that high-level MDM2 expression correlated with poor patient survival. DS-3032b treatment enhanced TP53 target gene expression and induced G1 cell cycle arrest, senescence and apoptosis. CRISPR-mediated MDM2 knockout in neuroblastoma cells mimicked DS-3032b treatment. TP53 signaling was selectively activated by DS-3032b in neuroblastoma cells with wildtype TP53, regardless of the presence of MYCN amplification, but was significantly reduced by TP53 mutations or expression of a dominant-negative TP53 mutant. Oral DS-3032b administration inhibited xenograft tumor growth and prolonged mouse survival. Our in vitro and in vivo data demonstrate that DS-3032b reactivates TP53 signaling even in the presence of MYCN amplification in neuroblastoma cells, to reduce proliferative capacity and cause cytotoxicity.
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