Project description:Grainyhead-like transcription factor 3 (GRHL3) is known to affect cancer development depending on subtypes in various entities. Here, we analyzed the subtype-specific role of GRHL3 in bladder carcinogenesis comparing common urothelial carcinoma (UC) with squamous bladder cancers (sq-BLCA). We examined GRHL3 mRNA and protein expression in cohorts of patient samples, its prognostic role as well as its functional impact on tumorigeneses in different molecular and histopathological subtypes of bladder cancer. We showed for GRHL3 a reverse expression in squamous and urothelial bladder cancer subtypes. Stably GRHL3 overexpressing EJ28 and SCaBER in vitro models revealed a tumor suppressive function in squamous and a oncogenic role in the urothelial cancer cells affecting cell migratory and invasive capacities. Transcriptomic profiling demonstrated highly subtype specific GRHL3 regulated expression networks coined by enrichment of genes involved in integrin mediated pathways. In SCaBER loss of RhoA GTPase activity was demonstrated associated with co-regulation of EIF4E3, a potential tumor suppressor gene. Thus, our data provide for the first time a detailed insight into the role of the transcription factor GRHL3 in different histopathological subtypes of bladder cancer.
Project description:Mutations of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) family members are frequently observed in metastatic bladder cancer. The development of erdafitinib, a pan-FGFR inhibitor, provides a significant therapeutic advance in bladder cancer, but resistance still limits its efficacy. In this study, we perform an unbiased whole-genome CRISPR-Cas9 synthetic lethal screen on FGFR-mutant bladder cancer cell lines treated with erdafitinib-targeted therapy and identify SRM as a critical contributor to erdafitinib resistance. In polyamine metabolism, SRM catalyzes the production of spermidine, which subsequently promotes the hypusination of eukaryotic translation factor 5A (eIF5A). Moreover, we demonstrate that hypusinated eIF5A (eIF5AHyp) facilitates the efficient translation of HMGA2, which in turn promotes EGFR expression. Notably, pharmacologic inhibition of SRM using MCHA enhances the efficacy of erdafitinib both in vitro and in vivo. Together, these results offer evidence of the synthetic lethality between SRM inhibition and erdafitinib, suggesting that combination treatment is a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome erdafitinib resistance for FGFR-mutant bladder cancer.
Project description:Mutations of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) family members are frequently observed in metastatic bladder cancer. The development of erdafitinib, a pan-FGFR inhibitor, provides a significant therapeutic advance in bladder cancer, but resistance still limits its efficacy. In this study, we perform an unbiased whole-genome CRISPR-Cas9 synthetic lethal screen on FGFR-mutant bladder cancer cell lines treated with erdafitinib-targeted therapy and identify SRM as a critical contributor to erdafitinib resistance. In polyamine metabolism, SRM catalyzes the production of spermidine, which subsequently promotes the hypusination of eukaryotic translation factor 5A (eIF5A). Moreover, we demonstrate that hypusinated eIF5A (eIF5AHyp) facilitates the efficient translation of HMGA2, which in turn promotes EGFR expression. Notably, pharmacologic inhibition of SRM using MCHA enhances the efficacy of erdafitinib both in vitro and in vivo. Together, these results offer evidence of the synthetic lethality between SRM inhibition and erdafitinib, suggesting that combination treatment is a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome erdafitinib resistance for FGFR-mutant bladder cancer.
Project description:Stage T1 bladder cancers have the highest progression and recurrence rates of all non-muscle invasive bladder tumors. T1 tumors are heterogeneous; while most T1 patients are treated with BCG, many will progress and die from bladder cancer, and particularly aggressive tumors could be treated by early cystectomy. To better understand the molecular heterogeneity of T1 cancers, we performed transcriptome profiling and unsupervised clustering, identifying five consensus subtypes of T1 tumors treated with reTUR, induction and maintenance BCG. The T1-LumGU subtype was associated with CIS (6/13, 46% of all CIS), had high E2F1 and EZH2 expression, and enriched E2F target and G2M checkpoint Hallmarks. T1-Inflam was inflamed and infiltrated with immune cells. While most T1 tumors were classified as luminal papillary, the T1-TLum subtype had the highest median Luminal Papillary score and FGFR3 expression, no recurrence events, and the fewest copy number gains. T1-Myc and T1-Early subtypes had the most recurrences (14/30 within 24 months), highest median MYC expression, and, when combined, had significantly worse recurrence-free survival than the other three subtypes. T1-Early had 5 (38%) recurrences within the first 6 months of BCG, and repressed IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma Hallmarks and inflammation. We developed a single-patient T1 classifier and validated our subtype biology in a second cohort of T1 tumors. Future research will be necessary to validate the proposed T1 subtypes and to determine if therapies can be individualized for each subtype.
Project description:Three subtypes of small cell/neuroendocrine bladder cancers (SCBCs) were identified: ASCL1, NEUROD1, and POU2F3. These subtypes are with neuroendocrine (NE) level, immune signature, and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) target implications.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a lethal disease with a 5-year survival of 4%. A key hallmark of PDAC is extensive stromal involvement, which makes capturing precise tumor-specific molecular information difficult. Here, we have overcome this problem by applying blind source separation to a diverse collection of PDAC gene expression microarray data, which includes primary, metastatic, and normal samples. By digitally separating tumor, stroma, and normal gene expression, we have identified and validated two tumor-specific subtypes including a “basal-like†subtype which has worse outcome, and is molecularly similar to basal tumors in bladder and breast cancer. Furthermore, we define 'normal' and 'activated' stromal subtypes which are independently prognostic. Our results provide new insight into the molecular composition of PDAC which may be used to tailor therapies or provide decision support in a clinical setting where the choice and timing of therapies is critical. Analysis of the landscape of gene expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Data include 145 primary and 61 metastatic PDAC tumors, 17 cell lines, 46 pancreas and 88 distant site adjacent normal samples. Arrays represent distinct samples. The SPOT column in the raw data file (linked to each sample record) contains Agilent feature extraction numbers (included in the 'GPL4133-20424.txt' linked to the platform records).
Project description:Metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder is associated with multiple somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs). We evaluated SCNAs to identify predictors of poor survival in patients with metastatic UC treated with platinum chemotherapy.