Project description:We undertook a comprehensive clinical and biological investigation of serial medulloblastoma biopsies obtained at diagnosis and relapse. Combined MYC gene family amplifications and P53 pathway defects commonly emerged at relapse, and all patients in this molecular group died of rapidly progressive disease post-relapse. To study this genetic interaction, we investigated a transgenic model of MYCN-driven medulloblastoma and found spontaneous development of Trp53 inactivating mutations. Abrogation of Trp53 function in this model produced aggressive tumors that mimicked the characteristics of relapsed human tumors with combined P53-MYC dysfunction. Restoration of p53 activity, genetic and therapeutic suppression of MYCN all reduced tumor growth and prolonged survival. Our findings identify P53–MYC interactions which emerge at medulloblastoma relapse as biomarkers of clinically aggressive disease that may be targeted therapeutically. Using this dataset, assignation of medulloblastoma molecular subgroup by Illumina 450k microarray was performed for diagnostic and relapsed medulloblastoma samples to compare subgroup membership at diagnosis and relapse. We investigated the DNA methylation profiles of 18 diagnostic and 22 relapsing samples (including 15 diagnostic / relapse pairs) using the Illumina 450k methylation microarray
Project description:We undertook a comprehensive clinical and biological investigation of serial medulloblastoma biopsies obtained at diagnosis and relapse. Combined MYC gene family amplifications and P53 pathway defects commonly emerged at relapse, and all patients in this molecular group died of rapidly progressive disease post-relapse. To study this genetic interaction, we investigated a transgenic model of MYCN-driven medulloblastoma and found spontaneous development of Trp53 inactivating mutations. Abrogation of Trp53 function in this model produced aggressive tumors that mimicked the characteristics of relapsed human tumors with combined P53-MYC dysfunction. Restoration of p53 activity, genetic and therapeutic suppression of MYCN all reduced tumor growth and prolonged survival. Our findings identify P53–MYC interactions which emerge at medulloblastoma relapse as biomarkers of clinically aggressive disease that may be targeted therapeutically. Using this dataset, assignation of medulloblastoma molecular subgroup by Illumina 450k microarray was performed for diagnostic and relapsed medulloblastoma samples to compare subgroup membership at diagnosis and relapse.
Project description:Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Patients whose tumors exhibit overexpression or amplification of the MYC oncogene (c-MYC) usually have an extremely poor prognosis, but there are no animal models of this subtype of the disease. Here we show that cerebellar stem cells expressing Myc and mutant Trp53 (p53) generate aggressive tumors following orthotopic transplantation. These tumors consist of large, pleiomorphic cells and resemble human MYC-driven MB at a molecular level. Notably, antagonists of PI3K/mTOR signaling, but not Hedgehog signaling, inhibit growth of tumor cells. These findings suggest that cerebellar stem cells can give rise to MYC-driven MB, and identify a novel model that can be used to test therapies for this devastating disease. To gain insight into the pathways that control growth of MYC-driven MB, we compared gene expression profiles of murine Myc/DNp53 (MP) tumor cells to those of freshly isolated cerebellar stem cells (Prom1+Lin- cells) and of tumors from Ptch1 mutant mice (a model for Sonic Hedgehog-associated MB). RNA was isolated from stem cells and tumor cells using the RNAqueous kit (Ambion). RNA was labeled and hybridized to Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430 2.0 arrays. 19 mouse cell samples (stem cells and tumor cells) were analyzed. There are four groups of samples, three with five biological replicates and the last with four (one outlier was removed). To gain insight into the mechanisms of transformation into tumors, we compared the gene expression profiles of MP tumor cells derived from stem cells (Myc/DNp53-infected Prom1+Lin- cells, designated MP-pl) or progenitors (Myc/DNp53-infected Prom1+ cells, designated MP-p) to gene expression profiles of uninfected stem cells (designated NSC) and profiles from a distinct model of medulloblastoma, the patched mutant mouse (designated ptch1).
Project description:Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Patients whose tumors exhibit overexpression or amplification of the MYC oncogene (c-MYC) usually have an extremely poor prognosis, but there are no animal models of this subtype of the disease. Here we show that cerebellar stem cells expressing Myc and mutant Trp53 (p53) generate aggressive tumors following orthotopic transplantation. These tumors consist of large, pleiomorphic cells and resemble human MYC-driven MB at a molecular level. Notably, antagonists of PI3K/mTOR signaling, but not Hedgehog signaling, inhibit growth of tumor cells. These findings suggest that cerebellar stem cells can give rise to MYC-driven MB, and identify a novel model that can be used to test therapies for this devastating disease. To gain insight into the pathways that control growth of MYC-driven MB, we compared gene expression profiles of murine Myc/DNp53 (MP) tumor cells to those of freshly isolated cerebellar stem cells (Prom1+Lin- cells) and of tumors from Ptch1 mutant mice (a model for Sonic Hedgehog-associated MB). RNA was isolated from stem cells and tumor cells using the RNAqueous kit (Ambion). RNA was labeled and hybridized to Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430 2.0 arrays.
Project description:Drugs that modify the epigenome are powerful tools for treating cancer, but these drugs often have pleiotropic effects, and identifying patients who will benefit from them remains a major clinical challenge. Here we show that medulloblastomas driven by the transcription factor Gfi1 are exquisitely dependent on the enzyme lysine demethylase 1 (Kdm1a/Lsd1). We demonstrate that Lsd1 physically associates with Gfi1, and that these proteins cooperate to inhibit genes involved in neuronal commitment and differentiation. We also show that Lsd1 is essential for Gfi1-mediated transformation: Gfi1 proteins that cannot recruit Lsd1 are unable to drive tumorigenesis and genetic ablation of Lsd1 markedly impairs tumor growth in vivo. Finally, pharmacological inhibitors of Lsd1 potently inhibit growth of Gfi1-driven tumors. These studies provide important insight into the mechanisms by which Gfi1 contributes to tumorigenesis, and identify Lsd1 inhibitors as promising therapeutic agents for Gfi1-driven medulloblastoma. ChIP-seq data generated for n=2 MG (Myc/Gfi1) murine medulloblastomas. ChIP was independently performed for Gfi1 and Lsd1 on the same chromatin extracts.
Project description:MYC is a driver oncogene in many cancers. Inhibition of MYC promises high therapeutic potential, but specific MYC inhibitors remain unavailable for clinical use. Previous studies suggest that MYC amplified Medulloblastoma cells are vulnerable to HDAC inhibition. Using co-immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry and ChIP-sequencing we show that HDAC2 is a cofactor of MYC in MYC amplified primary medulloblastoma and cell lines. The MYC-HDAC2 complex is bound to genes defining the MYC-dependent transcriptional profile. Class I HDAC inhibition leads to stabilization and reduced DNA binding of MYC protein inducing a down-regulation of MYC activated genes (MAGs) and up-regulation of MYC repressed genes (MRGs). MAGs and MRGs are characterized by opposing biological functions and distinct E-box distribution. We conclude that MYC and HDAC2 (class I) are localized in a complex in MYC amplified medulloblastoma and drive a MYC-specific transcriptional program, which is reversed by the class I HDAC inhibitor entinostat. Thus, the development of HDAC inhibitors for treatment of MYC amplified medulloblastoma should include HDAC2 in its profile in order to directly target MYC´s trans-activating and trans-repressing function.
Project description:MYC is a driver oncogene in many cancers. Inhibition of MYC promises high therapeutic potential, but specific MYC inhibitors remain unavailable for clinical use. Previous studies suggest that MYC amplified Medulloblastoma cells are vulnerable to HDAC inhibition. Using co-immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry and ChIP-sequencing we show that HDAC2 is a cofactor of MYC in MYC amplified primary medulloblastoma and cell lines. The MYC-HDAC2 complex is bound to genes defining the MYC-dependent transcriptional profile. Class I HDAC inhibition leads to stabilization and reduced DNA binding of MYC protein inducing a down-regulation of MYC activated genes (MAGs) and up-regulation of MYC repressed genes (MRGs). MAGs and MRGs are characterized by opposing biological functions and distinct E-box distribution. We conclude that MYC and HDAC2 (class I) are localized in a complex in MYC amplified medulloblastoma and drive a MYC-specific transcriptional program, which is reversed by the class I HDAC inhibitor entinostat. Thus, the development of HDAC inhibitors for treatment of MYC amplified medulloblastoma should include HDAC2 in its profile in order to directly target MYC´s trans-activating and trans-repressing function.
Project description:MYC is a driver oncogene in many cancers. Inhibition of MYC promises high therapeutic potential, but specific MYC inhibitors remain unavailable for clinical use. Previous studies suggest that MYC amplified Medulloblastoma cells are vulnerable to HDAC inhibition. Using co-immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry and ChIP-sequencing we show that HDAC2 is a cofactor of MYC in MYC amplified primary medulloblastoma and cell lines. The MYC-HDAC2 complex is bound to genes defining the MYC-dependent transcriptional profile. Class I HDAC inhibition leads to stabilization and reduced DNA binding of MYC protein inducing a down-regulation of MYC activated genes (MAGs) and up-regulation of MYC repressed genes (MRGs). MAGs and MRGs are characterized by opposing biological functions and distinct E-box distribution. We conclude that MYC and HDAC2 (class I) are localized in a complex in MYC amplified medulloblastoma and drive a MYC-specific transcriptional program, which is reversed by the class I HDAC inhibitor entinostat. Thus, the development of HDAC inhibitors for treatment of MYC amplified medulloblastoma should include HDAC2 in its profile in order to directly target MYC´s trans-activating and trans-repressing function.
Project description:Group 3 medulloblastoma is often associated with MYC amplification or overexpression, while whether MYC overexpression alone is sufficient to induce tumorigenesis is unknown and the cell type(s) which can be transformed by MYC is unclear. Here, by generating a new mouse model, we demonstrated that overexpression of Myc alone is sufficient to transform astrocyte progenitors and granule neuron progenitors (GNP) in the early postnatal cerebellum following orthotopic transplantation. The resulting tumors resemble human Group 3 medulloblastoma in terms of both histology and gene expression profiles. Using these models we found that inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) significantly reduced both murine and human MYC-driven tumor growth, but did not affect SHH medulloblastoma, indicating that LDHA is potential and specific therapeutic target for MYC-driven medulloblastoma.