Purpose: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are deadly sarcomas that lack effective therapies. In most MPNSTs, the retinoblastoma (RB1) tumor suppressor is disabled by hyperactivation of cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs), commonly through loss of CDK inhibitory proteins such as p27(Kip1). RABL6A is an inhibitor of RB1 whose role in MPNSTs is unknown. To gain insight into MPNST development and establish new treatment options, we investigated RABL6A-RB1 signaling and CDK inhibitor-based therapy in MPNSTs.
Experimental Design:We examined patient-matched MPNSTs and precursor lesions by RNA-Seq and IHC. Molecular and biological effects of silencing RABL6A and/or p27 in MPNST lines and normal human Schwann cells were determined. Tumor suppressive effects of CDK inhibitors were measured in MPNST cells and orthotopic tumors.Results: RABL6A was dramatically upregulated in human MPNSTs compared to precursor lesions, which correlated inversely with p27 levels. Silencing RABL6A caused MPNST cell death and G1 arrest that coincided with p27 upregulation, CDK downregulation and RB1 activation. The growth suppressive effects of RABL6A loss, and its regulation of RB1, were largely rescued by p27 depletion. Importantly, reactivation of RB1 using a CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) killed MPNST cells in vitro in a RABL6A-dependent manner and suppressed MPNST growth in vivo. Low-dose combination of drugs targeting multiple RB1 kinases (CDK4/6, CDK2) had enhanced anti-tumorigenic activity associated with potential MPNST cell redifferentiation.Conclusions: RABL6A is a new driver of MPNST pathogenesis that acts in part through p27-RB1 inactivation. Our results suggest RB1 targeted therapy with multiple pathway drugs may effectively treat MPNSTs.
FOXO transcription factors are regulators of cellular homeostasis linked to increased lifespan and tumor suppression. FOXOs are activated by diverse cell stresses including serum starvation and oxidative stress. FOXO activity is regulated through post-translational modifications that control shuttling of FOXO proteins to the nucleus. In the nucleus, FOXOs upregulate genes in multiple, often conflicting pathways including cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. How cells control FOXO activity to ensure the proper response for a given stress is an open question. Using quantitative immunofluorescence and live-cell imaging we found that the dynamics of FOXO nuclear shuttling are stimulus dependent and correspond with cell fate. H2O2 treatment leads to an all-or-none response where some cells show no nuclear FOXO accumulation, while other cells show strong nuclear FOXO signal. The time that FOXO remains in the nucleus increases with dose and is linked with cell death. In contrast, serum starvation causes low amplitude pulses of nuclear FOXO and predominantly results in cell-cycle arrest. The accumulation of FOXO in the nucleus is linked with low AKT activity for both H2O2 and serum starvation. Our findings suggest the dynamics of FOXO nuclear shuttling is one way in which the FOXO pathway dictates different cellular outcomes. [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text]
<div>AbstractPurpose:<p>Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are deadly sarcomas that lack effective therapies. In most MPNSTs, the retinoblastoma (RB1) tumor suppressor is disabled by hyperactivation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), commonly through loss of CDK-inhibitory proteins such as p27(Kip1). RABL6A is an inhibitor of RB1 whose role in MPNSTs is unknown. To gain insight into MPNST development and establish new treatment options, we investigated RABL6A-RB1 signaling and CDK inhibitor–based therapy in MPNSTs.</p>Experimental Design:<p>We examined patient-matched MPNSTs and precursor lesions by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and IHC. Molecular and biological effects of silencing RABL6A and/or p27 in MPNST lines and normal human Schwann cells were determined. Tumor-suppressive effects of CDK inhibitors were measured in MPNST cells and orthotopic tumors.</p>Results:<p>RABL6A was dramatically upregulated in human MPNSTs compared with precursor lesions, which correlated inversely with p27 levels. Silencing RABL6A caused MPNST cell death and G<sub>1</sub> arrest that coincided with p27 upregulation, CDK downregulation, and RB1 activation. The growth-suppressive effects of RABL6A loss, and its regulation of RB1, were largely rescued by p27 depletion. Importantly, reactivation of RB1 using a CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) killed MPNST cells <i>in vitro</i> in an RABL6A-dependent manner and suppressed MPNST growth <i>in vivo</i>. Low-dose combination of drugs targeting multiple RB1 kinases (CDK4/6, CDK2) had enhanced antitumorigenic activity associated with potential MPNST cell redifferentiation.</p>Conclusions:<p>RABL6A is a new driver of MPNST pathogenesis that acts in part through p27-RB1 inactivation. Our results suggest RB1 targeted therapy with multiple pathway drugs may effectively treat MPNSTs.</p></div>
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