Small‐molecule Hedgehog inhibitor attenuates the leukemia‐initiation potential of acute myeloid leukemia cells

Aberrant activation of the Hedgehog signaling pathway has been implicated in the maintenance of leukemia stem cell populations in several model systems. PF‐04449913 (PF‐913) is a selective, small‐molecule inhibitor of Smoothened, a membrane protein that regulates the Hedgehog pathway. However, details of the proof‐of‐concept and mechanism of action of PF‐913 following administration to patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are unclear. This study examined the role of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in AML cells, and evaluated the in vitro and in vivo effects of the Smoothened inhibitor PF‐913. In primary AML cells, activation of the Hedgehog signaling pathway was more pronounced in CD34⁺ cells than CD34^? cells. In vitro treatment with PF‐913 induced a decrease in the quiescent cell population accompanied by minimal cell death. In vivo treatment with PF‐913 attenuated the leukemia‐initiation potential of AML cells in a serial transplantation mouse model, while limiting reduction of tumor burden in a primary xenotransplant system. Comprehensive gene set enrichment analysis revealed that PF‐913 modulated self‐renewal signatures and cell cycle progression. Furthermore, PF‐913 sensitized AML cells to cytosine arabinoside, and abrogated resistance to cytosine arabinoside in AML cells cocultured with HS‐5 stromal cells. These findings imply that pharmacologic inhibition of Hedgehog signaling attenuates the leukemia‐initiation potential, and also enhanced AML therapy by sensitizing dormant leukemia stem cells to chemotherapy and overcoming resistance in the bone marrow microenvironment.     

Knockdown of Gli1 by small-interfering RNA enhances the effects of BCNU on the proliferation and apoptosis of glioma U251 cells

Aims: The present study is to investigate the effect of the combination of small-interfering RNA (siRNA) treatment with bis-chloroethylnitrosourea (BCNU) on the proliferation and apoptosis of glioma cells. Methods: According to different treatments, glioma U251 cells were randomly divided into blank group, Lipofectamine group, siRNA-Gli1 group, BCNU group and combination group. After treatments, the morphology of U251 cells was visualized under the microscope. Afterwards, semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to determine Gli1, Bcl-2, Bax and cyclin D1 mRNA levels and protein expression, respectively. MTT assay was used detect the proliferation of U251 cells, while flow cytometry was performed to determine cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Results: The combination of siRNA-Gli1 and BCNU caused more severe damages to U251 cell shapes compared with siRNA-Gli1 or BCNU alone. The combination of BCNU and siRNA-Gli1 altered mRNA level and protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax, but not those of Gli1 and cyclin D1. The combination of siRNA-Gli1 and BCNU promoted U251 cell apoptosis. The combination of siRNA-Gli1 and BCNU enhanced the arrestment of U251 cells in G0/G1 phase. The combination of siRNA-Gli1 and BCNU significantly inhibited U251 cell proliferation. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that combined treatment with siRNA-Gli1 and BCNU significantly inhibits the proliferation and promotes the apoptosis of glioma U251 cells, possibly by the up-regulation of Bax and the down-regulation of Bcl-2. The combination of siRNA-Gli1 and BCNU enhances the inhibition of cell cycles, but does not down-regulate the expression of cell cycle protein cyclin D1.     

NCTD通过靶向Hedgehog/SOX2 axis抑制急性髓系白血病HL60细胞的增殖

目的:研究去甲斑蝥素(NCTD)通过抑制Hedgehog信号通路(SHH)关键调节因子及其下游转录因子SOX2对急性髓系白血病细胞增殖的影响.方法:HL60和NB4细胞系经NCTD、SMO和GLI1抑制剂培养24 h后,用CCK8检测细胞数目;HL60细胞系经NCTD处理后,利用免疫印迹法检测GLI1、SMO、SOX2...     

Assessment of the stromal contribution to Sonic Hedgehog-dependent pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies. It is typically detected at an advanced stage, at which the therapeutic options are very limited. One remarkable feature of PDAC that contributes to its resilience to treatment is the extreme stromal activation seen in these tumors. Often, the vast majority of tumor bulk consists of non-tumor cells that together provide a tumor-promoting environment. One of the signals that maintains and activates the stroma is the developmental protein Sonic Hedgehog (SHH). As the disease progresses, tumor cells produce increasing amounts of SHH, which activates the surrounding stroma to aid in tumor progression. To better understand this response and identify targets for inhibition, we aimed to elucidate the proteins that mediate the SHH-driven stromal response in PDAC. For this a novel mixed-species coculture model was set up in which the cancer cells are human, and the stroma is modeled by mouse fibroblasts. In conjunction with next-generation sequencing we were able to use the sequence difference between these species to genetically distinguish between the epithelial and stromal responses to SHH. The stromal SHH-dependent genes from this analysis were validated and their relevance for human disease was subsequently determined in two independent patient cohorts. In non-microdissected tissue from PDAC patients, in which a large amount of stroma is present, the targets were confirmed to associate with tumor stroma versus normal pancreatic tissue. Patient survival analysis and immunohistochemistry identified CDA, EDIL3, ITGB4, PLAUR and SPOCK1 as SHH-dependent stromal factors that are associated with poor prognosis in PDAC patients. Summarizing, the presented data provide insight into the role of the activated stroma in PDAC, and how SHH acts to mediate this response. In addition, the study has yielded several candidates that are interesting therapeutic targets for a disease for which treatment options are still inadequate.     

Hedgehog signaling inhibitors in solid and hematological cancers

BackgroundThe hedgehog signaling pathway is normally tightly regulated. Mutations in hedgehog pathway components may lead to abnormal activation. Aberrantly activated hedgehog signaling plays a major role in the development of solid and hematological cancer. In recent years, inhibitors have been developed that attenuate hedgehog signaling; 2 have been approved for use in basal cell carcinoma (BCC), while others are under development or in clinical trials. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of known hedgehog inhibitors (HHIs) and their potential for the treatment of hematological cancers and solid tumors beyond BCC.DesignPublished literature was searched to identify articles relating to HHIs in noncutaneous cancer. Both preclinical and clinical research articles were included. In addition, relevant clinical trial results were identified from www.clinicaltrials.gov. Information on the pharmacology of HHIs is also included.ResultsHHIs show activity in a variety of solid and hematological cancers. In preclinical studies, HHIs demonstrated efficacy in pancreatic cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma, breast cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In clinical studies, HHIs showed activity in medulloblastoma, as well as prostate, pancreatic, and hematological cancers. Current clinical trials testing the efficacy of HHIs are underway for prostate, pancreatic, and breast cancers, as well as multiple myeloma and AML.ConclusionsAs clinical trial results become available, it will be possible to discern which additional tumor types are suited to HHI mono- or combination therapy with other anticancer agents. The latter strategy may be useful for delaying or overcoming drug resistance.     

GLI1-induced mammary gland tumours are transplantable and maintain major molecular features

Increased expression of GLI1, the main Hedgehog signalling pathway effector, is related to unfavourable prognosis and progressive disease of certain breast cancer subtypes. We used conditional transgenic mice induced to overexpress GLI1 in the mammary epithelium either alone or in combination with deletion of one Trp53 allele to address the role of elevated GLI1 expression in breast tumour initiation and progression. Induced GLI1 expression facilitates mammary gland tumour formation and this was further increased upon heterozygous deletion of Trp53. The GLI1-induced primary tumours were of different murine molecular subtypes, including Normal-like^Ex, Class8^Ex, Claudin-Low^Ex and Erbb2-like^Ex. The gene expression profiles of some of the tumours correlated well with the PAM50 subtypes for human breast cancer. Whole-exome sequencing revealed somatic mutation profiles with only little overlap between the primary tumours. Orthotopically serially transplanted GLI1-induced tumours maintained the main morphological characteristics of the primary tumours for ≥10 generations. Independent of Trp53 status and molecular subtype, the serially transplanted GLI1-induced tumours were able to grow both in the absence of transgenic GLI1 expression and in the presence of the GLI1 inhibitor GANT61. These data suggest that elevated GLI1 expression has a determinant role in tumour initiation; however, additional genetic events are required for tumour progression.     

肿瘤干细胞的调控机制研究进展

肿瘤干细胞是一群未分化、具有自我更新、多系分化潜能的细胞.现有的研究表明肿瘤干细胞的自我更新、分化、转移、致瘤性受到Wnt、Notch、Hedgehog、CXCR4-SDF-1轴、PTEN等多种信号传导通路的调控.而肿瘤干细胞与间充质干细胞分别构成肿瘤的上皮部分与间质部分,它们之间可能也存在着相互调控.深入研究肿瘤干细胞的调控机制,对于开发以肿瘤干细胞为靶点的新型靶向治疗药物,最终根除肿瘤具有重要意义.     

Hedgehog pathway inhibition as a therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia

Introduction: The Hedgehog (HH) pathway constitutes a collection of signaling molecules which critically influence embryogenesis. In adults, however, the HH pathway remains integral to the proliferation, maintenance, and apoptosis of adult stem cells including hematopoietic stem cells.

Areas covered: We discuss the current understanding of the HH pathway as it relates to normal hematopoiesis, the pathology of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the rationale for and data from combination therapies including HH pathway inhibitors, and ultimately the prospects that might offer promise in targeting this pathway in AML.

Expert opinion: Efforts to target the HH pathway have been focused on impeding this disposition and restoring chemosensitivity to conventional myeloid neoplasm therapies. The year 2018 saw the first approval of a HH pathway inhibitor (glasdegib) for AML, though for an older population and in combination with an uncommonly-used therapy. Several other clinical trials with agents targeting modulators of HH signaling in AML and MDS are underway. Further study and understanding of the interplay between the numerous aspects of HH signaling and how it relates to the augmented survival of AML will provide a more reliable substrate for therapeutic strategies in patients with this poor-risk disease.