Michael Rosemann

Genomic Alterations and Allelic Imbalances Are Strong Prognostic Predictors in Osteosarcoma

Purpose: Osteosarcoma, the most common primary malignant tumor of the bone, is characterized by complex karyotypes with numerous structural and numerical alterations. Despite attempts to establish molecular prognostic markers at the time of diagnosis, the most accepted predictive factor remains the histologic evaluation of necrosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The present approach was carried out to search for genome-wide recurrent loss of heterozygosity and copy number variations that could have prognostic and therapeutic impact for osteosarcoma patients. Experimental Design: Pretherapeutic biopsy samples of 45 osteosarcoma patients were analyzed using Affymetrix 10K2 high-density single nucleotide polymorphism arrays. Numerical aberrations and allelic imbalances were correlated with the histologically assessed response to therapy and clinical follow-up. Results: The most frequent genomic alterations included amplifications of chromosome 6p21 (15.6%), 8q24 (15.6%, harboring MYC), and 12q14 (11.1%, harboring CDK4), as well as loss of heterozygosity of 10q21.1 (44.4%). All these aberrations and the total degree of heterozygosity of each tumor were significantly associated with an adverse outcome of patients and were used to define a chromosomal alteration staging system with a superior predictive potential compared with the histologic regression grading. Conclusions: Structural chromosomal alterations detected by single nucleotide polymorphism analysis provide a simple but robust parameter to anticipate response to chemotherapy. The proposed chromosomal alteration staging system might therefore help to better predict the clinical course of osteosarcoma patients at the time of initial diagnosis and to adapt neoadjuvant treatment in patients resistant to the current protocols. Clin Cancer Res; 16(16); 4256–67. ©2010 AACR.

Silencing of RB1 but not of RB2/P130 induces cellular senescence and impairs the differentiation potential of human mesenchymal stem cells

Stem cell senescence is considered deleterious because it may impair tissue renewal and function. On the other hand, senescence may arrest the uncontrolled growth of transformed stem cells and protect organisms from cancer. This double function of senescence is strictly linked to the activity of genes that the control cell cycle such as the retinoblastoma proteins RB1, RB2/P130, and P107. We took advantage of the RNA interference technique to analyze the role of these proteins in the biology of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Cells lacking RB1 were prone to DNA damage. They showed elevated levels of p53 and p21cip1 and increased regulation of RB2/P130 and P107 expression. These cells gradually adopted a senescent phenotype with impairment of self-renewal properties. No significant modification of cell growth was observed as it occurs in other cell types or systems. In cells with silenced RB2/P130, we detected a reduction of DNA damage along with a higher proliferation rate, an increase in clonogenic ability, and the diminution of apoptosis and senescence. Cells with silenced RB2/P130 were cultivated for extended periods of time without adopting a transformed phenotype. Of note, acute lowering of P107 did not induce relevant changes in the in vitro behavior of MSC. We also analyzed cell commitment and the osteo-chondro-adipogenic differentiation process of clones derived by MSC cultures. In all clones obtained from cells with silenced retinoblastoma genes, we observed a reduction in the ability to differentiate compared with the control clones. In summary, our data show evidence that the silencing of the expression of RB1 or RB2/P130 is not compensated by other gene family members, and this profoundly affects MSC functions.

MicroRNA profiling with correlation to gene expression revealed the oncogenic miR-17-92 cluster to be up-regulated in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcomas are genetically complex tumors with abundant structural and numerical alterations. The molecular pathogenesis of the disease is, however, still poorly understood. Aside from various oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to influence tumor development and biology. We therefore investigated six well-established osteosarcoma cell lines (HOS58, U2-OS, Saos-2, MNNG/HOS, SJSA-1, and MG-63) for genome-wide miRNA expression (miRBase Version 15.0, http://www.mirbase.org/) and correlated our findings with gene expression. Cultured osteoblasts (hFOB 1.19) and mesenchymal stem cells (L87/4) were used as normal references. Focusing only on miRNAs that were deregulated in the majority of osteosarcoma cell lines, we identified several miRNAs with oncogenic and tumor suppressor properties, including various members of the oncogenic miR-17-92 cluster. In addition, several genes involved in differentiation (RGMB, LRRC17), cell cycle control (CCNE1), and apoptosis (LIMA1, CAMK2N1) were found to be deregulated in osteosarcoma cell lines, most likely due to altered miRNA expression patterns. Our findings indicate a crucial impact of deregulated miRNAs with consecutive changes in gene expression in osteosarcomas, which strongly suggests pathogenetic and potentially therapeutic implications.

Mapping of a novel MEN-like syndrome locus to rat Chromosome 4

Multiple endocrine neoplasia-like syndrome (MENX) is a hereditary cancer syndrome in the rat characterized by inborn cataract and multiple tumors affecting the neuroendocrine system developed within the first year of life. The spectrum of affected organs is intermediate between MEN type 1 (MEN1) and MEN type 2 (MEN2) syndromes in human, but, in contrast to them, MENX is inherited in a recessive fashion. Here we report the mapping of the MENX locus to rat Chromosome (Chr) 4 by a genome-wide linkage analysis. This analysis was done in 41 animals obtained from a (Wistar/Nhg × SDwe) × SDwe interstrain backcross, where SDwe (Sprague-Dawley white eye) indicates the affected animals. The MENX disease locus was ultimately mapped to a ~22-cM interval on Chr 4 that includes the rat homolog of the human RET proto-oncogene. As activating point mutations of RET are known to be responsible for MEN2 in human, we analyzed several markers located in the proximity of Ret for linkage to the disease phenotype. Our data exclude Ret involvement in MENX and establish that a second gene, playing a role in endocrine tumor formation, lies within the distal part of rat Chr 4. Although heritable human endocrine tumors are quite rare, sporadic tumors of MEN-affected tissues occur at a much higher frequency, and their pathogenesis is poorly understood. The identification of the MENX gene should contribute to our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of neuroendocrine tissue tumorigenesis and may assist in developing new and more appropriate therapeutic strategies for these diseases.

Strong expression of CXCL12 is associated with a favorable outcome in osteosarcoma.

Hematogenous spread determines the outcome of osteosarcoma (OS) patients, but the pathogenesis of developing metastatic disease is still unclear. Chemokines are critical regulators of cell trafficking and adhesion, and have been reported to be aberrantly expressed and to correlate with an unfavorable prognosis and metastatic spread in several malignant tumors. The chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7 together with their common ligand CXCL12 form one of the most important chemokine axes in this context. To investigate a potential role of these chemokines in OSs, we analyzed their expression in a series of 223 well-characterized and pretherapeutic OS samples. Interestingly, we found the expression of CXCL12 and CXCR4 to correlate with a better long-term outcome and with a lower prevalence of metastases. These findings suggest a distinct role of CXCR4/CXCR7/CXCL12 signaling in the tumors of bone, as has also been previously described in acute leukemia. As many malignant tumors metastasize to bone, and tumor cells are thought to be directed to bone in response to CXCL12, OS cells expressing both CXCL12 and the corresponding receptors might be detained at their site of origin. The disruption of CXCR4/CXCR7/CXCL12 signaling could therefore be crucial in OSs for the migration of tumor cells from bone into circulation and for developing systemic disease.

Microphthalmia, parkinsonism, and enhanced nociception in Pitx3 ( 416insG ) mice.

A new spontaneous mouse mutant was characterized by closed eyelids at weaning and without apparent eyes (provisional gene name, eyeless; provisional gene symbol, eyl). The mutation follows a recessive pattern of inheritance and was mapped to the region of chromosome 19 containing Pitx3. Genetic complementation tests using Pitx3ak/+ mice confirmed eyl as a new allele of Pitx3 (Pitx3eyl). Sequencing of the Pitx3 gene in eyl mutants identified an inserted G after cDNA position 416 (416insG; exon 4). The shifted open reading frame is predicted to result in a hybrid protein still containing the Pitx3 homeobox, but followed by 121 new amino acids. The novel Pitx3eyl/eyl mutants expressed ophthalmological and brain defects similar to Pitx3ak/ak mice: microphthalmia or anophthalmia and loss of dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra. In addition, we observed in the homozygous eyeless mutants increased extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen, frequently liver steatosis, and reduced body weight. There were also several behavioral changes in the homozygous mutants, including reduced forelimb grip strength and increased nociception. In addition to these alterations in both sexes, we observed in female Pitx3eyl/eyl mice increased anxiety-related behavior, reduced locomotor activity, reduced object exploration, and increased social contacts; however, we observed decreased anxiety-related behavior and increased arousal in males. Most of these defects identified in the new Pitx3 mutation are observed in Parkinson patients, making the Pitx3eyl mutant a valuable new model. It is the first mouse mutant carrying a point mutation within the coding region of Pitx3.

Two novel tumor suppressor gene loci on chromosome 6q and 15q in human osteosarcoma identified through comparative study of allelic imbalances in mouse and man

We have performed a comparative study of allelic imbalances in human and murine osteosarcomas to identify genetic changes critical for osteosarcomagenesis. Two adjacent but discrete loci on mouse chromosome 9 were found to show high levels of allelic imbalance in radiation-induced osteosarcomas arising in (BALB/c×CBA/CA) F1 hybrid mice. The syntenic human chromosomal regions were investigated in 42 sporadic human osteosarcomas. For the distal locus (OSS1) on mouse chromosome 9 the syntenic human locus was identified on chromosome 6q14 and showed allelic imbalance in 77% of the cases. Comparison between the human and mouse syntenic regions narrowed the locus down to a 4 Mbp fragment flanked by the marker genes ME1 and SCL35A1. For the proximal locus (OSS2) on mouse chromosome 9, a candidate human locus was mapped to chromosome 15q21 in a region showing allelic imbalance in 58% of human osteosarcomas. We have used a combination of synteny and microsatellite mapping to identify two potential osteosarcoma suppressor gene loci. This strategy represents a powerful tool for the identification of new genes important for the formation of human tumors.

Effects of Simultaneous Knockdown of HER2 and PTK6 on Malignancy and Tumor Progression in Human Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women of the Western world. One prominent feature of breast cancer is the co- and overexpression of HER2 and protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6). According to the current clinical cancer therapy guidelines, HER2-overexpressing tumors are routinely treated with trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting HER2. Approximately, 30% of HER2-overexpressing breast tumors at least initially respond to the anti-HER2 therapy, but a subgroup of these tumors develops resistance shortly after the administration of trastuzumab. A PTK6-targeted therapy does not yet exist. Here, we show for the first time that the simultaneous knockdown in vitro, compared with the single knockdown of HER2 and PTK6, in particular in the trastuzumab-resistant JIMT-1 cells, leads to a significantly decreased phosphorylation of crucial signaling proteins: mitogen-activated protein kinase 1/3 (MAPK 1/3, ERK 1/2) and p38 MAPK, and (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten) PTEN that are involved in tumorigenesis. In addition, dual knockdown strongly reduced the migration and invasion of the JIMT-1 cells. Moreover, the downregulation of HER2 and PTK6 led to an induction of p27, and the dual knockdown significantly diminished cell proliferation in JIMT-1 and T47D cells. In vivo experiments showed significantly reduced levels of tumor growth following HER2 or PTK6 knockdown. Our results indicate a novel strategy also for the treatment of trastuzumab resistance in tumors. Thus, the inhibition of these two signaling proteins may lead to a more effective control of breast cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 11(4); 381–92. ©2013 AACR.

Multilocus inheritance determines predisposition to α‐radiation induced bone tumourigenesis in mice

In a recent study, we presented evidence for genetic predisposition governing radiation osteosarcomagenesis in mice. Following the incorporation of the bone‐seeking α emitter 227Th, ˜25% of the variance in osteosarcoma incidence was determined by inherited genetic factors. We have now mapped 5 susceptibility loci in crosses between the more susceptible BALB/c and the more resistant CBA/Ca strains. The major QTL on chromosome 14 overlaps with a locus that was already found in our previous study, using different strains of mice. Here, we investigate the effect by which the major susceptibility locus and 4 minor modifier loci interact to influence osteosarcoma predisposition. Following incorporation of the bone‐seeking isotope, 100% of mice that harbour high‐risk genotypes at all 5 susceptibility loci develop osteosarcoma with an average of 472 days latency times. In 10 mice inheriting exclusively low‐risk genotypes only 1 osteosarcoma was found, arising after 733 days latency time. Inheritance of distinct combinations of BALB/c and CBA/Ca alleles at the susceptibility loci confer more extreme phenotypes in terms of susceptibility or resistance than observed in either of the two parental inbred strains. From the present study, we demonstrate that additive effects of multiple alleles, each making only a minor phenotypic contribution, can combine and significantly alter tumour risk. This mechanism can be of particular importance in genetically heterogeneous populations such as man.

Bone Tumorigenesis Induced by Alpha-Particle Radiation: Mapping of Genetic Loci Influencing Predisposition in Mice

Abstract Rosemann, M., Lintrop, M., Favor, J. and Atkinson, M. J. Bone Tumorigenesis Induced by Alpha-Particle Radiation: Mapping of Genetic Loci Influencing Predisposition in Mice. Radiat. Res. 157, 426–434 (2002). The present study was carried out to determine the extent to which genetic factors modify the incidence of radiation-induced bone tumorigenesis in mice, and to map putative susceptibility genes. We conducted a genome-wide linkage analysis in a cohort of 47 interstrain backcrossed mice. After the mice were injected with the bone-seeking α-particle-emitting radionuclide 227Th, 21 of the mice developed osteosarcomas. Two loci, one on chromosome 7 close to D7Mit145 and a second on chromosome 14 (D14Mit125), exhibited suggestive linkage to osteosarcoma predisposition, with LOD scores of 1.37 and 1.05, respectively. The LOD score increased considerably when interaction between these two loci was taken into account (LOD = 3.48). Nine of 12 mice inheriting a susceptibility allele at both loci developed osteosarcomas after 227Th injection, compared to only four osteosarcomas in 18 animals that did not inherit either of the susceptibility alleles. Variance component analysis revealed that these genetic factors determine approximately one-fifth of the total incidence of osteosarcomas. This study demonstrates the presence of a genetic component that modulates predisposition to radiation-induced osteosarcoma.