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Tumor cells generate astrocytes that contribute to SHH-driven medulloblastoma relapse

ABSTRACT: Astrocytes, a major glial cell type in the brain, play a critical role in supporting the progression of medulloblastoma (MB), the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. By lineage tracing analyses and single cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrate that astrocytes are predominately derived from the transdifferentiation of tumor cells in relapsed MB (but not in primary MB), although MB cells are generally believed to be neuronal-lineage committed. Such transdifferentiation of MB cells relies on Sox9, a transcription factor critical for gliogenesis. Our studies further reveal that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) stimulate the transdifferentiation of MB cells by inducing the phosphorylation of Sox9. Pharmaceutical inhibition of BMP signaling represses MB cell transdifferentiation into astrocytes, and suppresses tumor relapse. Our studies establish the distinct cellular sources of astrocytes in primary and relapsed MB, and provide an avenue to prevent and treat MB relapse by targeting tumor cell transdifferentiation.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE175416 | GEO | 2021/06/24

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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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. There are currently no effective therapies for children with relapsed medulloblastoma. While clinical and biological features of the disease at diagnosis are increasingly well understood, biopsy is rarely performed at relapse and few biological data are available to guide more effective treatments. Here, we show that medulloblastomas develop altered biology at relapse which is predictive of disease course and cannot be detected at diagnosis. We have discovered the emergence of P53–MYC interactions at relapse, as biomarkers of clinically aggressive relapsed disease, which can be modelled and targeted therapeutically in genetically-engineered mice. These data provide clear precedent for the incorporation of biopsy at relapse into routine clinical practice, to direct palliative care and the development of improved treatment strategies. mouse model expression profiles from various mouse Medulloblastoma models MYCN/MYC overexpressing with/without p53 Mutations were compared to human MB expression profiles using Non-negative Matrix Factorization projection in order to sub-type the mouse models

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Tumor cells generate astrocytes that contribute to SHH-driven medulloblastoma relapse

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