参考文献

The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/MNNG HOS transforming gene (MET) pathway regulates cell growth,survival,and migration. MET is mutated or amplified in several malignancies. In myeloma,MET is not mutated,but patients have high plasma concentrations of HGF,high levels of MET expression,and gene copy number,which are associated with poor prognosis and advanced disease. Our previous studies demonstrated that MET is critical for myeloma cell survival and its knockdown induces apoptosis. In our current study,we tested tivantinib (ARQ 197),a small-molecule pharmacological MET inhibitor. At clinically achievable concentrations,tivantinib induced apoptosis by textgreater50% in all 12 human myeloma cell lines tested. This biologic response was associated with down-regulation of MET signaling and inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathways,which are downstream of the HGF/MET axis. Tivantinib was equally effective in inducing apoptosis in myeloma cell lines resistant to standard chemotherapy (melphalan,dexamethasone,bortezomib,and lenalidomide) as well as in cells that were co-cultured with a protective bone marrow microenvironment or with exogenous cytokines. Tivantinib induced apoptosis in CD138+ plasma cells from patients and demonstrated efficacy in a myeloma xenograft mouse model. On the basis of these data,we initiated a clinical trial for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). In conclusion,MET inhibitors may be an attractive target-based strategy for the treatment of MM. View Publication

TOX is a nuclear factor essential for the development of CD4(+) T cells in the thymus. It is normally expressed in low amounts in mature CD4(+) T cells of the skin and the peripheral blood. We have recently discovered that the transcript levels of TOX were significantly increased in mycosis fungoides,the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL),as compared to normal skin or benign inflammatory dermatoses. However,its involvement in advanced CTCL and its biological effects on CTCL pathogenesis have not been explored. In this study,we demonstrate that TOX expression is also enhanced significantly in primary CD4(+)CD7(-) cells from patients with Sézary syndrome,a leukemic variant of CTCL,and that high TOX transcript levels correlate with increased disease-specific mortality. Stable knockdown of TOX in CTCL cells promoted apoptosis and reduced cell cycle progression,leading to less cell viability and colony-forming ability in vitro and to reduced tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore,TOX knockdown significantly increased 2 cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors,CDKN1B and CDKN1C. Lastly,blocking CDKN1B and CDKN1C reversed growth inhibition of TOX knockdown. Collectively,these findings provide strong evidence that aberrant TOX activation is a critical oncogenic event for CTCL. View Publication

Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSCs) have many potential therapeutic applications including therapies for cancers and tissue damages caused by cancers or radical cancer treatments. However,tissue-derived MSCs such as bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) may promote cancer progression and have considerable donor variations and limited expandability. These issues hinder the potential applications of MSCs,especially those in cancer patients. To circumvent these issues,we derived MSCs from transgene-free human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) efficiently with a modified protocol that eliminated the need of flow cytometric sorting. Our iPSC-derived MSCs were readily expandable,but still underwent senescence after prolonged culture and did not form teratomas. These iPSC-derived MSCs homed to cancers with efficiencies similar to BM-MSCs but were much less prone than BM-MSCs to promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition,invasion,stemness,and growth of cancer cells. The observations were probably explained by the much lower expression of receptors for interleukin-1 and TGFβ,downstream protumor factors,and hyaluronan and its cofactor TSG6,which all contribute to the protumor effects of BM-MSCs. The data suggest that iPSC-derived MSCs prepared with the modified protocol are a safer and better alternative to BM-MSCs for therapeutic applications in cancer patients. The protocol is scalable and can be used to prepare the large number of cells required for off-the-shelf" therapies and bioengineering applications." View Publication

The purpose of this study is to characterize the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS-RPE). MiRNAs have been demonstrated to play critical roles in both maintaining pluripotency and facilitating differentiation. Gene expression networks accountable for maintenance and induction of pluripotency are linked and share components with those networks implicated in oncogenesis. Therefore,we hypothesize that miRNA expression profiling will distinguish iPS cells from their iPS-RPE progeny. To identify and analyze differentially expressed miRNAs,RPE was derived from iPS using a spontaneous differentiation method. MiRNA microarray analysis identified 155 probes that were statistically differentially expressed between iPS and iPS-RPE cells. Up-regulated miRNAs including miR-181c and miR-129-5p may play a role in promoting differentiation,while down-regulated miRNAs such as miR-367,miR-18b,and miR-20b are implicated in cell proliferation. Subsequent miRNA-target and network analysis revealed that these miRNAs are involved in cellular development,cell cycle progression,cell death,and survival. A systematic interrogation of temporal and spatial expression of iPS-RPE miRNAs and their associated target mRNAs will provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis,eye differentiation and development. View Publication

PURPOSE: This first-in-human dose-escalation trial evaluated the safety,tolerability,maximal-tolerated dose (MTD),dose-limiting toxicities (DLT),pharmacokinetics,pharmacodynamics,and preliminary clinical activity of pictilisib (GDC-0941),an oral,potent,and selective inhibitor of the class I phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3K). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with solid tumors received pictilisib at 14 dose levels from 15 to 450 mg once-daily,initially on days 1 to 21 every 28 days and later,using continuous dosing for selected dose levels. Pharmacodynamic studies incorporated (18)F-FDG-PET,and assessment of phosphorylated AKT and S6 ribosomal protein in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and tumor tissue. RESULTS: Pictilisib was well tolerated. The most common toxicities were grade 1-2 nausea,rash,and fatigue,whereas the DLT was grade 3 maculopapular rash (450 mg,2 of 3 patients; 330 mg,1 of 7 patients). The pharmacokinetic profile was dose-proportional and supported once-daily dosing. Levels of phosphorylated serine-473 AKT were suppressed textgreater90% in PRP at 3 hours after dose at the MTD and in tumor at pictilisib doses associated with AUC textgreater20 htextperiodcenteredμmol/L. Significant increase in plasma insulin and glucose levels,and textgreater25% decrease in (18)F-FDG uptake by PET in 7 of 32 evaluable patients confirmed target modulation. A patient with V600E BRAF-mutant melanoma and another with platinum-refractory epithelial ovarian cancer exhibiting PTEN loss and PIK3CA amplification demonstrated partial response by RECIST and GCIG-CA125 criteria,respectively. CONCLUSION: Pictilisib was safely administered with a dose-proportional pharmacokinetic profile,on-target pharmacodynamic activity at dose levels ≥100 mg and signs of antitumor activity. The recommended phase II dose was continuous dosing at 330 mg once-daily. View Publication

Without effective therapy,chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) evolves into an acute leukemia (blast crisis [BC]) that displays either myeloid or B-lymphoid characteristics. This transition is often preceded by a clinically recognized,but biologically poorly characterized,accelerated phase (AP). Here,we report that IKAROS protein is absent or reduced in bone marrow blasts from most CML patients with advanced myeloid disease (AP or BC). This contrasts with primitive CP-CML cells and BCR-ABL1-negative acute myeloid leukemia blasts,which express readily detectable IKAROS. To investigate whether loss of IKAROS contributes to myeloid disease progression in CP-CML,we examined the effects of forced expression of a dominant-negative isoform of IKAROS (IK6) in CP-CML patients' CD34(+) cells. We confirmed that IK6 disrupts IKAROS activity in transduced CP-CML cells and showed that it confers on them features of AP-CML,including a prolonged increased output in vitro and in xenografted mice of primitive cells with an enhanced ability to differentiate into basophils. Expression of IK6 in CD34(+) CP-CML cells also led to activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 and transcriptional repression of its negative regulators. These findings implicate loss of IKAROS as a frequent step and potential diagnostic harbinger of progressive myeloid disease in CML patients. View Publication

Gastric diseases,including peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer,affect 10% of the world's population and are largely due to chronic Helicobacter pylori infection. Species differences in embryonic development and architecture of the adult stomach make animal models suboptimal for studying human stomach organogenesis and pathogenesis,and there is no experimental model of normal human gastric mucosa. Here we report the de novo generation of three-dimensional human gastric tissue in vitro through the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. We show that temporal manipulation of the FGF,WNT,BMP,retinoic acid and EGF signalling pathways and three-dimensional growth are sufficient to generate human gastric organoids (hGOs). Developing hGOs progressed through molecular and morphogenetic stages that were nearly identical to the developing antrum of the mouse stomach. Organoids formed primitive gastric gland- and pit-like domains,proliferative zones containing LGR5-expressing cells,surface and antral mucous cells,and a diversity of gastric endocrine cells. We used hGO cultures to identify novel signalling mechanisms that regulate early endoderm patterning and gastric endocrine cell differentiation upstream of the transcription factor NEUROG3. Using hGOs to model pathogenesis of human disease,we found that H. pylori infection resulted in rapid association of the virulence factor CagA with the c-Met receptor,activation of signalling and induction of epithelial proliferation. Together,these studies describe a new and robust in vitro system for elucidating the mechanisms underlying human stomach development and disease. View Publication

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is up-regulated in thyroid cancer and small molecule FAK scaffolding inhibitor,Y15,was shown to decrease cancer growth in vitro and in vivo. We sought to test the effectiveness of Y15 in thyroid cancer cell lines,profile gene expression with Y15 compared with clinical trial FAK inhibitor PF-04554878,and use Y15 in novel drug combinations. Cell viability was decreased in a dose dependent manner in four thyroid cancer cell lines with Y15 and with higher doses in PF-04554878. Y397 FAK and total FAK were decreased with Y15 and decreased less with PF-04554878. Detachment and necrosis were increased in a dose-dependent manner in all cell lines with Y15. Clonogenicity was decreased in a dose-dependent manner for both Y15 and PF-04554878. We compared gene profiles between papillary thyroid cell lines,TPC1,BCPAP and K1,and 380,109,and 74 genes were significantly textgreater2-fold changed with Y15 treatment,respectively. Common up-regulated genes were involved in apoptosis,cell cycle,transcription and heat shock; down-regulated genes were involved in cell cycle,cell-to-cell interactions,and cancer stem cell markers. We also compared gene profiles of TT cells treated with Y15 versus PF-04554878. Y15 caused 144 genes to change over 4 fold and PF-04554878 caused 208 gene changes textgreater4-fold (ptextless0.05). Among genes changed 4 fold,11 were shared between the treatments,including those involved in metabolism,cell cycle,migration and transcription. Y15 demonstrated synergy with PF-04554878 in TT cells and also synergy with Cabozantinib,Sorafenib,Pazopanib,and strong synergy with Sunitinib in resistant K1 cells. This report revealed the biological effect of Y15 inhibitor,detected the unique and common gene signature profiles in response to Y15 in 4 different thyroid cancer cell lines,demonstrated differential response changes with Y15 and PF-04554878 treatment,and showed the synergy of Y15 with PF-04554878,Cabozantinib,Sorafenib,Pazopanib,and Sunitinib. View Publication

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) tend to acquire genomic aberrations in culture,the most common of which is trisomy of chromosome 12. Here we dissect the cellular and molecular implications of this trisomy in hPSCs. Global gene expression analyses reveal that trisomy 12 profoundly affects the gene expression profile of hPSCs,inducing a transcriptional programme similar to that of germ cell tumours. Comparison of proliferation,differentiation and apoptosis between diploid and aneuploid hPSCs shows that trisomy 12 significantly increases the proliferation rate of hPSCs,mainly as a consequence of increased replication. Furthermore,trisomy 12 increases the tumorigenicity of hPSCs in vivo,inducing transcriptionally distinct teratomas from which pluripotent cells can be recovered. Last,a chemical screen of 89 anticancer drugs discovers that trisomy 12 raises the sensitivity of hPSCs to several replication inhibitors. Together,these findings demonstrate the extensive effect of trisomy 12 and highlight its perils for successful hPSC applications. View Publication

Constant deregulation of Id1 and Id3 has been implicated in a wide range of carcinomas. However,underlying molecular evidence for the joint role of Id1 and Id3 in the tumorigenicity of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is sparse. Investigating the biological significance of elevated expression in SCLC cells,we found that Id1 and Id3 co-suppression resulted in significant reduction of proliferation rate,invasiveness and anchorage-independent growth. Suppressing both Id1 and Id3 expression also greatly reduced the average size of tumors produced by transfectant cells when inoculated subcutaneously into nude mice. Further investigation revealed that suppressed expression of Id1 and Id3 was accompanied by decreased angiogenesis and increased apoptosis. Therefore,the SCLC tumorigenicity suppression effect of double knockdown of Id1 and Id3 may be regulated through pathways of apoptosis and angiogenesis. View Publication