Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. While the pathways that are deregulated in MB remain to be fully characterized, amplification and/or overexpression of the MYCN gene, which is has a critical role in cerebellar development as a regulator of neural progenitor ce...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zai Ahmad, Lukasz Jasnos, Veronica Gil, Louise Howell, Albert Hallsworth, Kevin Petrie, Tomoyuki Sawado, Louis Chesler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119834
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850212921962921984
author Zai Ahmad
Lukasz Jasnos
Veronica Gil
Louise Howell
Albert Hallsworth
Kevin Petrie
Tomoyuki Sawado
Louis Chesler
author_facet Zai Ahmad
Lukasz Jasnos
Veronica Gil
Louise Howell
Albert Hallsworth
Kevin Petrie
Tomoyuki Sawado
Louis Chesler
author_sort Zai Ahmad
collection DOAJ
description Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. While the pathways that are deregulated in MB remain to be fully characterized, amplification and/or overexpression of the MYCN gene, which is has a critical role in cerebellar development as a regulator of neural progenitor cell fate, has been identified in several MB subgroups. Phenotypically, aberrant expression of MYCN is associated with the large-cell/anaplastic MB variant, which accounts for 5-15% of cases and is associated with aggressive disease and poor clinical outcome. To better understand the role of MYCN in MB in vitro and in vivo and to aid the development of MYCN-targeted therapeutics we established tumor-derived neurosphere cell lines from the GTML (Glt1-tTA/TRE-MYCN-Luc) genetically engineered mouse model. A fraction of GTML neurospheres were found to be growth factor independent, expressed CD133 (a marker of neural stem cells), failed to differentiate upon MYCN withdrawal and were highly tumorigenic when orthotopically implanted into the cerebellum. Principal component analyzes using single cell RNA assay data suggested that the clinical candidate aurora-A kinase inhibitor MLN8237 converts GTML neurospheres to resemble non-MYCN expressors. Correlating with this, MLN8237 significantly extended the survival of mice bearing GTML MB allografts. In summary, our results demonstrate that MYCN plays a critical role in expansion and survival of aggressive MB-propagating cells, and establish GTML neurospheres as an important resource for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
format Article
id doaj-art-4e535f01f3144360be1a8101b56cc570
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-4e535f01f3144360be1a8101b56cc5702025-08-20T02:09:14ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01103e011983410.1371/journal.pone.0119834Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.Zai AhmadLukasz JasnosVeronica GilLouise HowellAlbert HallsworthKevin PetrieTomoyuki SawadoLouis CheslerMedulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. While the pathways that are deregulated in MB remain to be fully characterized, amplification and/or overexpression of the MYCN gene, which is has a critical role in cerebellar development as a regulator of neural progenitor cell fate, has been identified in several MB subgroups. Phenotypically, aberrant expression of MYCN is associated with the large-cell/anaplastic MB variant, which accounts for 5-15% of cases and is associated with aggressive disease and poor clinical outcome. To better understand the role of MYCN in MB in vitro and in vivo and to aid the development of MYCN-targeted therapeutics we established tumor-derived neurosphere cell lines from the GTML (Glt1-tTA/TRE-MYCN-Luc) genetically engineered mouse model. A fraction of GTML neurospheres were found to be growth factor independent, expressed CD133 (a marker of neural stem cells), failed to differentiate upon MYCN withdrawal and were highly tumorigenic when orthotopically implanted into the cerebellum. Principal component analyzes using single cell RNA assay data suggested that the clinical candidate aurora-A kinase inhibitor MLN8237 converts GTML neurospheres to resemble non-MYCN expressors. Correlating with this, MLN8237 significantly extended the survival of mice bearing GTML MB allografts. In summary, our results demonstrate that MYCN plays a critical role in expansion and survival of aggressive MB-propagating cells, and establish GTML neurospheres as an important resource for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119834
spellingShingle Zai Ahmad
Lukasz Jasnos
Veronica Gil
Louise Howell
Albert Hallsworth
Kevin Petrie
Tomoyuki Sawado
Louis Chesler
Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.
PLoS ONE
title Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.
title_full Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.
title_fullStr Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.
title_full_unstemmed Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.
title_short Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma.
title_sort molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer propagating cells derived from mycn dependent medulloblastoma
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119834
work_keys_str_mv AT zaiahmad molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma
AT lukaszjasnos molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma
AT veronicagil molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma
AT louisehowell molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma
AT alberthallsworth molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma
AT kevinpetrie molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma
AT tomoyukisawado molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma
AT louischesler molecularandinvivocharacterizationofcancerpropagatingcellsderivedfrommycndependentmedulloblastoma