Project description:Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a malignancy of mature CD4+ T-cells caused by human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Recently, it has been noted that some epigenome abnormalities including DNA methylation and tri-methylation at histone H3Lys27 (H3K27me3) contribute to malignant transformation of ATL. Hence, we investigate the combined effect of DNA demethylating agents and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), which catalyze H3K27me3, inhibitors in ATL. Methylaome analyse revealed that OR21 and the combination changes DNA methylation.
Project description:Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a malignancy of mature CD4+ T-cells caused by human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Recently, it has been noted that some epigenome abnormalities including DNA methylation and tri-methylation at histone H3Lys27 (H3K27me3) contribute to malignant transformation of ATL. Hence, we investigate the combined effect of DNA demethylating agents and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), which catalyze H3K27me3, inhibitors in ATL. Gene expression microarray analyses revealed that the combination changes gene expressions stronger than the single treatment.
Project description:Treatment with demethylating agents in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors have shown improved molecular responses and survival benefits in patients with TKI-resistant or advanced-phase CML. However, little is known regarding underlying mechanism of the combination anti-tumor effect of demethylating agents and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. To analyze the combination effect, we have compared gene expression profiles among chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cell lines (K562, KBM5) treated with imatinib (IM), a new demethylating agent, OR-2100 (OR21), and these combination therapy.
Project description:Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a rare and highly aggressive pediatric tumor. The average survival time after diagnosis is less than one year. Currently, there are no effective treatments. Characteristic of DIPG is a mutation in histone H3 which leads to a substitution of Lysine 27 to Methionine (H3K27M) which deregulates Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), including enzymatic activity of EZH2. Previous studies have shown that inhibition of EZH2 by chemical agents decreases DIPG cell proliferation and inhibits tumor growth in vivo. My thesis project aims to confirm that EZH2 could be a therapeutic target using chemical EZH2 inhibitors, small interfering RNAs and a CRISPR/Cas9 approach in a series of DIPG tumor cell lines and to determine underlying molecular mechanisms of action.
Project description:The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex is altered in ~20% of human cancers. ARID1A, a component of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, is the most frequently mutated epigenetic regulator in human cancers. Inactivation of the SWI/SNF complex is synthetically lethal with inhibition of EZH2 activity. EZH2 inhibitors are entering clinical trials for specific tumor types with SWI/SNF mutations. However, mechanisms of de novo or acquired resistance to EZH2 inhibitors in cancers with inactivating SWI/SNF mutations are unknown. Here we show that the switch of the SWI/SNF catalytic subunits from SMARCA4 to SMARCA2 drives resistance to EZH2 inhibitors in ARID1A-mutated ovarian cancer cells.
Project description:The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex is altered in ~20% of human cancers. ARID1A, a component of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, is the most frequently mutated epigenetic regulator in human cancers. Inactivation of the SWI/SNF complex is synthetically lethal with inhibition of EZH2 activity. EZH2 inhibitors are entering clinical trials for specific tumor types with SWI/SNF mutations. However, mechanisms of de novo or acquired resistance to EZH2 inhibitors in cancers with inactivating SWI/SNF mutations are unknown. Here we show that the switch of the SWI/SNF catalytic subunits from SMARCA4 to SMARCA2 drives resistance to EZH2 inhibitors in ARID1A-mutated ovarian cancer cells.
Project description:Silencing of genes that suppress the malignant phenotype by DNA methylation spurred an interest in the clinical use of epigenetic reprogramming agents. Single therapy is unlikely to be curative in the context of a heterogeneous disease such as Diffuse Large B cell Lymphomas (DLBCL). The combination of DNA demethylating drugs could increase the chance to respond to classical and new treatments. We found that DLBCL cell lines respond heterogeneously to DNA demethylating agents. In sensitive cell lines, 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine induced a genomic signature similar to that of doxorubicin, the most important drug of the combinatorial chemotherapy regimen for DLBCL treatment. Accordingly, the combination of 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine and doxorubicin proved to be synergistic in cell killing in vitro and in vivo for DLBCL cell lines individually responsive to these drugs. In doxorubicin resistant cell lines, long-term exposure to low-dose of 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine induces DNA demethylation and subsequent doxorubicin sensitization in vitro and in vivo. This later effect correlates with SMAD1 demethylation. SMAD1 is epigenetically silenced in doxorubicin-resistant DLBCL cells and DLBCL patients with poor prognostic. In addition, we found that DNA demethylating agents can sensitize primary DLBCL cells to doxorubicin. Primary cells obtained from a DLBCL patient treated with 5-azacytidine shows SMAD1 demethylation and ex vivo sensitization to multiple drugs. Therefore, DNA demethylating drugs can reprogram otherwise resistant DLBCL cells to respond to chemotherapy agents without increasing the toxicity to normal tissues. Our data also indicate that DNA methylation and consequent suppression of SMAD1 expression represent a previously undescribed molecular mechanism of chemoresistance in DLBCL that can be further exploit for therapy.