Project description:Targetable programs of adult cancer are ontogenically rooted within early cell fate trajectories of human pluripotent state [array]
Project description:Molecular similarities between pluripotency and cancer have recently been underscored by multi-omics campaigns revealing stemness networks that are shared between human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and tumors, as well as tumor types that cluster based on tissue origins. Informed by these in silico studies, we now demonstrate that hPSCs serve as a cellular source to define properties of adult tissue oncogenesis. Single cell deconstruction of hPSCs allowed germ layer primed subsets to be identified that corresponded to lineage specified adult cancers. Functionally, chemical probes that induce hPSC germ layer specification suppressed adult cancer growth, but were restricted to tumors that correspond with shared germ layer origins. For example, metallothioneins induced mesoderm differentiation of hPSC and showed exclusive ability to overcome differentiation block of human leukemia. Our study provides causal evidence for oncogenic reprogramming to define a relationship between pluripotent state and human cancers that can identify covert targets for cancer therapies.
Project description:Recognized molecular similarities between pluripotency and cancer have recently been underscored with multi-omics campaigns revealing stemness networks that are shared between human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and tumors, where tumors types cluster based on tissue origins. Informed by these in silico studies, we now demonstrate hPSCs serve as a source of networks that define properties of adult tissue oncogenesis. Single cell deconstruction of hPSCs allowed germ layer primed subsets to be identified that corresponded to lineage specified adult cancers. Chemical probes that induced germ layer differentiation of hPSCs also suppressed adult cancers, but were restricted to tumors of shared origin with germ layer specification. Metallothioneines induced mesoderm differentiation of hPSC with exclusive ability to overcome differentiation block of human leukemia. Our study provides causal evidence for a relationship between pluripotent state and human cancer that defines oncogenic reprogramming and thereby identify covert targets for cancer therapy
Project description:Recognized molecular similarities between pluripotency and cancer have recently been underscored with multi-omics campaigns revealing stemness networks that are shared between human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and tumors, where tumors types cluster based on tissue origins. Informed by these in silico studies, we now demonstrate hPSCs serve as a source of networks that define properties of adult tissue oncogenesis. Single cell deconstruction of hPSCs allowed germ layer primed subsets to be identified that corresponded to lineage specified adult cancers. Chemical probes that induced germ layer differentiation of hPSCs also suppressed adult cancers, but were restricted to tumors of shared origin with germ layer specification. Metallothioneines induced mesoderm differentiation of hPSC with exclusive ability to overcome differentiation block of human leukemia. Our study provides causal evidence for a relationship between pluripotent state and human cancer that defines oncogenic reprogramming and thereby identify covert targets for cancer therapy.
Project description:Cancer metabolism adapts the metabolic network of its tissue-of-origin. However, breast cancer is not a disease of a singular origin. Multiple epithelial populations serve as the culprit cell-of-origin for specific breast cancer subtypes, yet our knowledge of the metabolic network of normal mammary epithelial cells is limited. Using a multi-OMIC approach, here we identify the diverse metabolic programs operating in normal mammary populations. The proteomes of basal, luminal progenitor, and mature luminal cell populations revealed enrichment of glycolysis in basal cells and of oxidative phosphorylation in luminal progenitors. Single-cell transcriptomes corroborated lineage-specific metabolic identities and additional intra-lineage heterogeneity. Mitochondrial form-and-function differed across lineages, with clonogenicity correlating to mitochondrial activity. Targeting oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis with inhibitors exposed lineage-rooted metabolic vulnerabilities of mammary progenitors. Bioinformatics indicated breast cancer subtypes retain metabolic features of their putative cell-of-origin. Thus, lineage-rooted metabolic identities of normal mammary cells may underlie breast cancer metabolic heterogeneity and targeting these vulnerabilities could advance breast cancer therapy.
Project description:This GEO series contains human scRNA-seq data of Neuroblastoma patients, used in two manuscripts. n=7 paired samples, primary tumour vs. bone marrow metastases n=2 non-paired samples, bone marrow metastases Titles: Article 1 PUBLISHED: Neuroblastoma plasticity during metastatic progression stems from the dynamics of an early sympathetic transcriptomic trajectory See Citation and PubMed ID below. Article 2 UNDER REVIEW: Single-cell analyses of paired primary neuroblastoma tumor and bone marrow metastases reveals intra-patient heterogeneity and therapy-resistant subpopulations Abstract of article 1: Despite their indisputable importance in neuroblastoma (NB) pathology, knowledge of the bases of NB plasticity and heterogeneity remains incomplete. They may be rooted in developmental trajectories of their lineage of origin, the sympatho-adrenal neural crest. We found that implanting human NB cells in the neural crest of the avian embryo allows recapitulating the metastatic sequence until bone marrow involvement. Using deep single cell RNA sequencing, we characterized transcriptome states of NB cells and their dynamics over time and space, and compared them to those of fetal sympatho-adrenal tissues and patient tumors and bone marrow samples. Here we report remarkable transcriptomic proximities restricted to an early sympathetic neuroblast branch that co-exist with phenotypical adaptations over disease progression and recapitulate intratumor and interpatient heterogeneity. Combining avian and patient datasets, we identified a list of genes upregulated upon bone marrow involvement and associated with growth dependency, validating the relevance of our multimodal approach. Despite being key pathological features, Neuroblastoma (NB) plasticity and Heterogeneity remain largely misunderstood. They may be rooted in complex developmental trajectories of their embryonic lineage of origin, the sympatho-adrenal neural crest. We found that implanting human NB cells in the neural crest of the avian embryo allows recapitulating the metastatic sequence until bone marrow involvement. Using deep single cell RNA sequencing, we characterized transcriptional states of NB cells and their dynamics over time and space, and compared them to those of fetal sympatho-adrenal tissues and patient tumors, including matched primary tumor and bone marrow samples. We found remarkable transcriptomic proximities restricted to an early sympathetic neuroblast branch that co-exist with phenotypical adaptations over disease progression and recapitulate intratumor and interpatient heterogeneity. Combining avian model and patient datasets, we identified a list of candidate genes upon bone marrow involvement associated with NB growth dependency, validating the relevance of our multimodal approach.