Project description:Radiotherapy is a highly effective tool for the treatment of brain cancer. However, radiation also causes detrimental effects in the healthy tissue, leading to neurocognitive sequelae that compromise the quality of life of brain cancer survivors. Despite the recognition of this serious complication, no satisfactory solutions exist at present. Here we investigated the effects of intranasal administration of human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSCs) as a neuroprotective strategy for cranial radiation in mice. Our results demonstrated that intranasally delivered hMSCs promote radiation-induced brain injury repair, improving neurological function. The molecular analysis revealed that hMSC administration reduces persistent activation of damage-induced c-AMP response element-binding signaling in the irradiated neurogenic niches. Furthermore, hMSC treatment did not compromise survival of glioma-bearing mice. Our findings encourage the therapeutic use of hMSCs as an effective and non-invasive approach to prevent neurological complications of radiotherapy, improving the quality of life of brain tumor survivors.
Project description:Here we perform bulk RNA sequencing of immune cells of aged AD mice bearing knock-in of human APOE variants in the murine APOE locus.
Project description:Pediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor in children and can be subclassified into multiple entities. Fusion genes activating the MET receptor tyrosine kinase often occur in infant-type hemispheric glioma (iHG) but also in other pHGGs, and are associated with devastating morbidity and mortality. To identify new treatment options, we established and characterized two novel orthotopic mouse models harboring distinct MET fusions. These included an immunocompetent, murine allograft model and patient-derived orthotopic xenografts (PDOX) from a MET-fusion iHG patient who failed conventional therapy and targeted therapy with cabozantinib. With these models, we analyzed the efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties of three MET inhibitors, capmatinib, crizotinib and cabozantinib, alone or combined with radiotherapy (RT). The PDOX models recapitulated the poor efficacy of cabozantinib experienced by the patient. In contrast, capmatinib showed superior brain pharmacokinetic properties and greater in vitro and in vivo efficacy than cabozantinib or crizotinib. Strikingly, capmatinib treated mice displayed long-term progression-free survival (PFS) when combined with radiotherapy in two complementary mouse models. Molecular analysis of the treated tumors revealed impaired DNA repair after MET inhibition as a plausible mechanism of radiosensitization. We comprehensively investigated the combination of MET inhibition and radiotherapy as a novel treatment option for MET-driven pHGG. Our seminal preclinical data package includes pharmacokinetic characterization, recapitulation of clinical outcomes, coinciding results from multiple complementing in vivo studies and a plausible molecular mechanism. We thereby demonstrate the groundbreaking efficacy of capmatinib and radiation, as a highly promising concept for future clinical trials.
Project description:Background: Pediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor in children and can be subclassified into multiple entities. Fusion genes activating the MET receptor tyrosine kinase often occur in infant-type hemispheric glioma (IHG) but also in other pHGGs, and are associated with devastating morbidity and mortality. Methods: To identify new treatment options, we established and characterized two novel orthotopic mouse models harboring distinct MET fusions. These included an immunocompetent, murine allograft model and patient-derived orthotopic xenografts (PDOX) from a MET-fusion iHG patient who failed conventional therapy and targeted therapy with cabozantinib. With these models, we analyzed the efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties of three MET inhibitors, capmatinib, crizotinib and cabozantinib, alone or combined with radiotherapy (RT). Results: The PDOX models recapitulated the poor efficacy of cabozantinib experienced by the patient. In contrast, capmatinib showed superior brain pharmacokinetic properties and greater in vitro and in vivo efficacy than cabozantinib or crizotinib. Strikingly, capmatinib treated mice displayed long-term progression-free survival (PFS) when combined with radiotherapy in two complementary mouse models. Molecular analysis of the treated tumors revealed impaired DNA repair after MET inhibition as a plausible mechanism of radiosensitization Conclusions: We comprehensively investigated the combination of MET inhibition and radiotherapy as a novel treatment option for MET-driven pHGG. Our seminal preclinical data package includes pharmacokinetic characterization, recapitulation of clinical outcomes, coinciding results from multiple complementing in vivo studies and a plausible molecular mechanism. We thereby demonstrate the groundbreaking efficacy of capmatinib and radiation, as a highly promising concept for future clinical trials.
Project description:Background: Pediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor in children and can be subclassified into multiple entities. Fusion genes activating the MET receptor tyrosine kinase often occur in infant-type hemispheric glioma (IHG) but also in other pHGGs, and are associated with devastating morbidity and mortality. Methods: To identify new treatment options, we established and characterized two novel orthotopic mouse models harboring distinct MET fusions. These included an immunocompetent, murine allograft model and patient-derived orthotopic xenografts (PDOX) from a MET-fusion iHG patient who failed conventional therapy and targeted therapy with cabozantinib. With these models, we analyzed the efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties of three MET inhibitors, capmatinib, crizotinib and cabozantinib, alone or combined with radiotherapy (RT). Results: The PDOX models recapitulated the poor efficacy of cabozantinib experienced by the patient. In contrast, capmatinib showed superior brain pharmacokinetic properties and greater in vitro and in vivo efficacy than cabozantinib or crizotinib. Strikingly, capmatinib treated mice displayed long-term progression-free survival (PFS) when combined with radiotherapy in two complementary mouse models. Molecular analysis of the treated tumors revealed impaired DNA repair after MET inhibition as a plausible mechanism of radiosensitization Conclusions: We comprehensively investigated the combination of MET inhibition and radiotherapy as a novel treatment option for MET-driven pHGG. Our seminal preclinical data package includes pharmacokinetic characterization, recapitulation of clinical outcomes, coinciding results from multiple complementing in vivo studies and a plausible molecular mechanism. We thereby demonstrate the groundbreaking efficacy of capmatinib and radiation, as a highly promising concept for future clinical trials.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of tumor-infiltrating antigen-presenting myeloid subsets and CD8 T cells in mice bearing MC38-OVA tumors treated with or without radiotherapy, αSIRPα, and/or αPD-1 treatment
Project description:The aim of the experiment was to identify differences in gene expression in the microglia due to the presence of a brain tumor, at 14 days after a stereotactic injection of 5 x 10E4 rat C6 glioma cells into the right striatum of the rat. The control (naive) animals were left untreated. The brain hemispheres from the control animals, or the tumor-bearing hemispheres were dissected, gently dissociated into cells and the microglia (CD11b+CD45low cells) were sorted out.
Project description:In order to further understand how glioma-derived IL-33 is orchestrating changes within the tumor microenvironment and based on the significant increase of anti-inflammatory mediators including a number of signaling molecules observed in IL-33+ tumors, we performed phospho-proteomic analysis using mass spectrometry on the brains of tumor-bearing mice.