Project description:To analyze mRNA expression of Myc/NrasG12V and Myc/Akt1 driven liver tumors (HCC), we generated HCCs with elevated MYC expression and activated Raf-MEK-ERK or Akt1 signaling. To trigger tumor development, we co-delivered transposable elements encoding for Myc and oncogenic NrasG12V or myristoylated Akt1 via hydrodynamic injection into the hepatocytes of C57BL/6 wildtype mice and analyzed the transcriptomes of the developed tumors.
Project description:To profile determinants of sensitivity and resistance towards the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib in liver cancer (HCC), we generated HCCs with elevated MYC expression and activated Raf-MEK-ERK signaling. To trigger tumor development, we co-delivered transposable elements encoding for Myc and oncogenic NrasG12V via hydrodynamic injection into the hepatocytes of C57BL/6 wildtype mice. To characterize the response of Myc/NrasG12V HCCs towards sorafenib, we analyzed their transcriptomes after three weeks of sorafenib or carrier treatment.
Project description:To identify proteomic signatures associated with hepatocellular carcinoma driven by MYC overexpression, proteomics was performed on the LAP-tTA/tetO-MYC mouse conditional liver cancer model. Upon MYC activation, mice form liver cancer. Differential proteomics was performed in "MYC on" (MYC-HCC) mouse liver tumors versus mouse control normal liver tissue (where MYC was not overexpressed to drive tumorigenesis -- "MYC off").
Project description:MicroRNAs regulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) target genes that contribute to the inflammatory phenotype. Here we showed that the protein kinase Akt1, which is activated by LPS, positively regulated miRNAs let-7e, miR-181c but negatively regulated miR-155 and miR-125b. In silico analyses and transfection studies revealed that let-7e repressed Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) whereas miR-155 repressed SOCS1, two proteins critical for LPS-driven TLR signalling, which regulate endotoxin sensitivity and tolerance. As a result, Akt1-/- macrophages exhibited increased responsiveness to LPS in culture and Akt1-/- mice did not develop endotoxin tolerance in vivo. Overexpression of let-7e and suppression of miR-155 in Akt1-/- macrophages restored sensitivity and tolerance to LPS in culture and in animals. These results indicate that Akt1 regulates the response of macrophages to LPS by controlling miRNA expression. The data deposited here contain the entire analysis of miRNA profile of Akt1+/+ and Akt1-/- thioglycollate elicited peritoneal macrophages following stimulation with LPS for 3 hours in culture.
Project description:MicroRNAs regulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) target genes that contribute to the inflammatory phenotype. Here we showed that the protein kinase Akt1, which is activated by LPS, positively regulated miRNAs let-7e, miR-181c but negatively regulated miR-155 and miR-125b. In silico analyses and transfection studies revealed that let-7e repressed Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) whereas miR-155 repressed SOCS1, two proteins critical for LPS-driven TLR signalling, which regulate endotoxin sensitivity and tolerance. As a result, Akt1-/- macrophages exhibited increased responsiveness to LPS in culture and Akt1-/- mice did not develop endotoxin tolerance in vivo. Overexpression of let-7e and suppression of miR-155 in Akt1-/- macrophages restored sensitivity and tolerance to LPS in culture and in animals. These results indicate that Akt1 regulates the response of macrophages to LPS by controlling miRNA expression. The data deposited here contain the entire analysis of miRNA profile of Akt1+/+ and Akt1-/- thioglycollate elicited peritoneal macrophages following stimulation with LPS for 3 hours in culture. Thioglycollate elicited macrophages were cultured in complete DMEM medium, stimulated with LPS for 3 hours and RNA was extracted. Samples were analyzed using Taq-man PCR miRNA arrays (Dana Farber microarray Facility).
Project description:Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Patients whose tumors exhibit overexpression or amplification of the MYC oncogene (c-MYC) usually have an extremely poor prognosis, but there are no animal models of this subtype of the disease. Here we show that cerebellar stem cells expressing Myc and mutant Trp53 (p53) generate aggressive tumors following orthotopic transplantation. These tumors consist of large, pleiomorphic cells and resemble human MYC-driven MB at a molecular level. Notably, antagonists of PI3K/mTOR signaling, but not Hedgehog signaling, inhibit growth of tumor cells. These findings suggest that cerebellar stem cells can give rise to MYC-driven MB, and identify a novel model that can be used to test therapies for this devastating disease. To gain insight into the pathways that control growth of MYC-driven MB, we compared gene expression profiles of murine Myc/DNp53 (MP) tumor cells to those of freshly isolated cerebellar stem cells (Prom1+Lin- cells) and of tumors from Ptch1 mutant mice (a model for Sonic Hedgehog-associated MB). RNA was isolated from stem cells and tumor cells using the RNAqueous kit (Ambion). RNA was labeled and hybridized to Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430 2.0 arrays. 19 mouse cell samples (stem cells and tumor cells) were analyzed. There are four groups of samples, three with five biological replicates and the last with four (one outlier was removed). To gain insight into the mechanisms of transformation into tumors, we compared the gene expression profiles of MP tumor cells derived from stem cells (Myc/DNp53-infected Prom1+Lin- cells, designated MP-pl) or progenitors (Myc/DNp53-infected Prom1+ cells, designated MP-p) to gene expression profiles of uninfected stem cells (designated NSC) and profiles from a distinct model of medulloblastoma, the patched mutant mouse (designated ptch1).
Project description:Tumor cells must rewire nucleotide synthesis to satisfy the demands of unbridled proliferation. Meanwhile, they exhibit augmented reactive oxygen species (ROS) production which paradoxically damages DNA and free dNTPs. How these metabolic processes are integrated to fuel tumorigenesis remains to be investigated. MYC family oncoproteins are central regulators that coordinate nucleotide synthesis and ROS generation to drive the development of numerous human cancers. We herein performed a CRISPR-based functional screen targeting metabolic genes and identified nudix hydrolase 1 (NUDT1) as a MYC-driven metabolic dependency. Mechanistically, MYC orchestrated the balance of two metabolic pathways that act in parallel, the NOX4-ROS pathway and the PLK1-NUDT1 nucleotide-sanitizing pathway. We describe LC-1-40 as the first-in-class degrader that potently and selectively depletes NUDT1 in vivo. Administration of LC-1-40 disrupted MYC-controlled metabolic homeostasis, resulting in excessive nucleotide oxidation, cytotoxicity and therapeutic responses in patient-derived xenografts. Thus, pharmacological targeting of NUDT1 represents an actionable MYC-driven metabolic liability.
Project description:Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Patients whose tumors exhibit overexpression or amplification of the MYC oncogene (c-MYC) usually have an extremely poor prognosis, but there are no animal models of this subtype of the disease. Here we show that cerebellar stem cells expressing Myc and mutant Trp53 (p53) generate aggressive tumors following orthotopic transplantation. These tumors consist of large, pleiomorphic cells and resemble human MYC-driven MB at a molecular level. Notably, antagonists of PI3K/mTOR signaling, but not Hedgehog signaling, inhibit growth of tumor cells. These findings suggest that cerebellar stem cells can give rise to MYC-driven MB, and identify a novel model that can be used to test therapies for this devastating disease. To gain insight into the pathways that control growth of MYC-driven MB, we compared gene expression profiles of murine Myc/DNp53 (MP) tumor cells to those of freshly isolated cerebellar stem cells (Prom1+Lin- cells) and of tumors from Ptch1 mutant mice (a model for Sonic Hedgehog-associated MB). RNA was isolated from stem cells and tumor cells using the RNAqueous kit (Ambion). RNA was labeled and hybridized to Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430 2.0 arrays.