CD99 triggering induces a novel processes of death in Ewing's sarcoma cells involving reactivation of p53 functions and RAS upregulation.
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ABSTRACT: CD99 is a transmembrane protein, whose expression is constantly associated to Ewing’s Sarcoma (EWS), a class of pediatric bone tumors with particular poor prognosis. We previously reported that engagement of CD99 leads to massive and rapid EWS cell death through a non-canonical path. Here we report that death occurs through a novel mechanism starting from classical apoptotic features, such as phosphatydilserine exposure on cell surface and mitochondrial depolarization and ending with massive cytoplasmic hypervacuolization (autophagosomes and micropinosomes). Mechanistically, CD99 induces upregulation of IGFI-R and RAS and rapid MDM2 degradation, which leads to p53 reactivation. We propose that upon CD99 engagement and subsequent p53 reactivation, the EWS-ets oncogene becomes insufficient to sustain EWS transformation; in this context, up-regulated RAS, deprived of a cooperating oncogenic stimulus, might contribute to the delivery of fatal rather than pro-survival signal. The most CD99-responsive EWS cells have either wild type or transcriptional active P53, though mutated, and greatly benefit from MDM2 degradation. Due to the low rate of P53 inactivating mutations in EWS patients, these findings sustain CD99-targeting with specific MAbs either to directly kill EWS cells or to increase sensitivity to chemotherapy. By recruiting also RAS, CD99 delivers a signal which exceeds that of drugs designed exclusive to reactivate p53 functions, besides being easily druggable
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE36097 | GEO | 2015/02/01
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA151803
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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