An autocrine ActivinB mechanism drives TGF?/Activin signaling in Group 3 medulloblastoma
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ABSTRACT: Medulloblastoma (MB) is a pediatric tumor of the cerebellum divided in four groups. Group 3 is of bad prognosis and remains poorly characterized. While the current treatment involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy often fails, no alternative therapy is yet available. Few recurrent genomic alterations that can be therapeutically targeted have been identified. Amplifications of receptors of the TGF?/Activin pathway occur at very low frequency in Group 3 MB. However, neither their functional relevance, nor activation of the downstream signaling pathway have been studied. We showed that this pathway is activated in Group 3 MB with some samples showing a very strong activation. Beside genetic alterations, we demonstrated that an ActivinB autocrine stimulation is responsible for pathway activation in a subset of Group 3 MB characterized by high PMEPA1 levels. Importantly, Galunisertib, a kinase inhibitor of the cognate receptors currently tested in clinical trials for glioblastoma patients, showed efficacy on orthotopically grafted MB PDX. Our data demonstrate that the TGF?/Activin pathway is active in a subset of Group 3 MB and can be therapeutically targeted.
SUBMITTER: Dr. Celio Pouponnot
PROVIDER: S-SCDT-EMM-2018-09830 | biostudies-other |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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