Project description:Purpose: Alterations in the KEAP1/NFE2L2 (NRF2)/CUL3 pathway occur in ~20% of human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) and are associated with resistance to standard-of-care therapy. However, this pathway's role in radiotherapy resistance in HNSCC has not been well-studied. Experimental Design: We generated genetically engineered mouse models and developed primary murine cancer cell lines harboring mutations commonly observed in human HNSCC, including inducible activation of PIK3CA and deletion of Trp53, with or without Keap1 loss. Primary tumors were initiated via 4-hydroxytamoxifen injection ± the tobacco carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) into the oral buccal mucosa. Tumors were analyzed using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and subjected to fractionated radiation therapy to investigate the role of the KEAP1/NRF2 pathway in radioresistance and modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment. Results: BAP exposure accelerated primary tumor formation within one month, with histological analysis confirming invasive squamous cell carcinoma, validated by cytokeratin and differentiation marker expression. Primary cell lines derived from Keap1-haploinsufficient tumors exhibited upregulation of NRF2 target genes and a radioresistant phenotype, which was reversed post-Nrf2 knockdown in vitro. Bulk RNA-seq revealed that Keap1 haploinsufficiency correlated with NRF2 pathway activation, increased myeloid infiltration, and enhanced angiogenic signatures. In vivo, Keap1 haploinsufficiency promoted accelerated tumor growth and decreased survival. Finally, using fractionated radiotherapy, we showed that Keap1 haploinsufficient primary tumors were significantly more radioresistant than Keap1-proficient tumors, regardless of BAP exposure. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that Keap1 haploinsufficiency in HNSCC is linked to unfavorable tumor immune microenvironment, aggressive growth, and a radioresistant phenotype.
Project description:The NFE2L2/NRF2 oncogene and transcription factor drives a gene expression program that promotes cancer progression, metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion and chemoradiation resistance. Patient stratification by NRF2 activity may guide treatment decisions to improve outcome. Here, we developed a mass spectrometry (MS)-based targeted proteomics assay based on internal standard triggered parallel reaction monitoring (IS-PRM) to quantify 69 NRF2 pathway components and targets as well as 21 proteins of broad clinical significance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We improved the existing IS-PRM acquisition algorithm, called SureQuantTM, to increase throughput, sensitivity, and precision. Testing the optimized platform on 27 lung and upper aerodigestive cancer cell models revealed 35 NRF2 responsive proteins. In formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) HNSCCs, NRF2 signaling intensity positively correlated with NRF2 activating mutations and with SOX2 protein expression. PD-L2/CD273 and protein markers of T-cell infiltration correlated positively with one another and with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection status. p16/CDKN2A protein expression positively correlated with the HPV oncogenic E7 protein, and confirmed the presence of translationally active virus. This work establishes a clinically actionable HNSCC protein biomarker assay capable of quantifying over 600 peptides from frozen or FFPE archived tissues in under 90 minutes.
Project description:The NFE2L2/NRF2 oncogene and transcription factor drives a gene expression program that promotes cancer progression, metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion and chemoradiation resistance. Patient stratification by NRF2 activity may guide treatment decisions to improve outcome. Here, we developed a mass spectrometry (MS)-based targeted proteomics assay based on internal standard triggered parallel reaction monitoring (IS-PRM) to quantify 69 NRF2 pathway components and targets as well as 21 proteins of broad clinical significance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We improved the existing IS-PRM acquisition algorithm, called SureQuantTM, to increase throughput, sensitivity, and precision. Testing the optimized platform on 27 lung and upper aerodigestive cancer cell models revealed 35 NRF2 responsive proteins. In formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) HNSCCs, NRF2 signaling intensity positively correlated with NRF2 activating mutations and with SOX2 protein expression. PD-L2/CD273 and protein markers of T-cell infiltration correlated positively with one another and with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection status. p16/CDKN2A protein expression positively correlated with the HPV oncogenic E7 protein, and confirmed the presence of translationally active virus. This work establishes a clinically actionable HNSCC protein biomarker assay capable of quantifying over 600 peptides from frozen or FFPE archived tissues in under 90 minutes.
Project description:The NFE2L2/NRF2 oncogene and transcription factor drives a gene expression program that promotes cancer progression, metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion and chemoradiation resistance. Patient stratification by NRF2 activity may guide treatment decisions to improve outcome. Here, we developed a mass spectrometry (MS)-based targeted proteomics assay based on internal standard triggered parallel reaction monitoring (IS-PRM) to quantify 69 NRF2 pathway components and targets as well as 21 proteins of broad clinical significance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We improved the existing IS-PRM acquisition algorithm, called SureQuantTM, to increase throughput, sensitivity, and precision. Testing the optimized platform on 27 lung and upper aerodigestive cancer cell models revealed 35 NRF2 responsive proteins. In formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) HNSCCs, NRF2 signaling intensity positively correlated with NRF2 activating mutations and with SOX2 protein expression. PD-L2/CD273 and protein markers of T-cell infiltration correlated positively with one another and with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection status. p16/CDKN2A protein expression positively correlated with the HPV oncogenic E7 protein, and confirmed the presence of translationally active virus. This work establishes a clinically actionable HNSCC protein biomarker assay capable of quantifying over 600 peptides from frozen or FFPE archived tissues in under 90 minutes.
Project description:Neuroinflammation is a common feature of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neuroinflammation is induced by dysregulated glial activation, and astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells, become reactive upon neuroinflammatory cytokines released from microglia, and actively contribute to neuronal loss. Therefore, blocking reactive astrocyte functions is a viable strategy to manage neurodegenerative disorders. However, factors or therapeutics directly regulating astrocyte subtype remain unexplored. Here, we identified transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as a therapeutic target in neurotoxic reactive astrocytes upon neuroinflammation. We found that the absence of Nrf2 promoted the activation of reactive astrocytes in the brain tissue samples obtained from AD model 5xFAD mice, whereas enhanced Nrf2 expression blocked the induction of reactive astrocyte gene expression by counteracting NF-kB subunit p65 recruitment. Neuroinflammatory astrocytes robustly upregulated genes associated with type I interferon and the antigen-presenting pathway, which were suppressed by Nrf2 pathway activation. Moreover, impaired cognitive behaviors observed in AD mice were rescued upon ALGERNON2 treatment, which potentiated Nrf2 pathway and reduced the induction of neurotoxic reactive astrocytes. Thus, we highlight the potential of astrocyte-targeting therapy by promoting the Nrf2 pathway signaling for neuroinflammation-triggered neurodegeneration.
Project description:Neuroinflammation is a common feature of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neuroinflammation is induced by dysregulated glial activation, and astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells, become reactive upon neuroinflammatory cytokines released from microglia, and actively contribute to neuronal loss. Therefore, blocking reactive astrocyte functions is a viable strategy to manage neurodegenerative disorders. However, factors or therapeutics directly regulating astrocyte subtype remain unexplored. Here, we identified transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as a therapeutic target in neurotoxic reactive astrocytes upon neuroinflammation. We found that the absence of Nrf2 promoted the activation of reactive astrocytes in the brain tissue samples obtained from AD model 5xFAD mice, whereas enhanced Nrf2 expression blocked the induction of reactive astrocyte gene expression by counteracting NF-kB subunit p65 recruitment. Neuroinflammatory astrocytes robustly upregulated genes associated with type I interferon and the antigen-presenting pathway, which were suppressed by Nrf2 pathway activation. Moreover, impaired cognitive behaviors observed in AD mice were rescued upon ALGERNON2 treatment, which potentiated Nrf2 pathway and reduced the induction of neurotoxic reactive astrocytes. Thus, we highlight the potential of astrocyte-targeting therapy by promoting the Nrf2 pathway signaling for neuroinflammation-triggered neurodegeneration.