Project description:Tumor heterogeneity of high-grade glioma (HGG) is recognized by four clinically relevant subtypes based on core gene signatures. However, molecular signaling in glioma stem cells (GSCs) in individual HGG subtypes is poorly characterized. Here we identified and characterized two mutually exclusive GSC subtypes with distinct dysregulated signaling pathways. Analysis of mRNA profiles distinguished proneural (PN) from mesenchymal (Mes) GSCs and revealed a pronounced correlation with the corresponding PN or Mes HGGs. Mes GSCs displayed more aggressive phenotypes in vitro and as intracranial xenografts in mice. Further, Mes GSCs were markedly resistant to radiation compared with PN GSCs. The glycolytic pathway, comprising aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) family genes and in particular ALDH1A3, were enriched in Mes GSCs. Glycolytic activity and ALDH activity were significantly elevated in Mes GSCs but not in PN GSCs. Expression of ALDH1A3 was also increased in clinical HGG compared with low-grade glioma or normal brain tissue. Moreover, inhibition of ALDH1A3 attenuated the growth of Mes but not PN GSCs. Last, radiation treatment of PN GSCs up-regulated Mes-associated markers and downregulated PN-associated markers, whereas inhibition of ALDH1A3 attenuated an irradiation-induced gain of Mes identity in PN GSCs. Taken together, our data suggest that two subtypes of GSCs, harboring distinct metabolic signaling pathways, represent intertumoral glioma heterogeneity and highlight previously unidentified roles of ALDH1A3-associated signaling that promotes aberrant proliferation of Mes HGGs and GSCs. Inhibition of ALDH1A3- mediated pathways therefore might provide a promising therapeutic approach for a subset of HGGs with the Mes signature.
Project description:SUMMARY Despite numerous genome-wide association studies involving glioblastoma (GBM), few therapeutic targets have been identified for this disease. Using patient derived glioma sphere cultures (GSCs), we have found that a subset of the proneural (PN) GSCs undergo transition to a mesenchymal (MES) state in a TNFa/NFkB dependent manner with an associated enrichment of CD44 sub-populations and radio-resistant phenotypes. To the contrary, MES GSCs exhibit constitutive NFkB activation, CD44 enrichment and radio-resistance. Patients whose tumors exhibit a higher MES metagene, increased expression of CD44, or activated NFkB were associated with poor radiation response and shorter survival. Our results indicate that NFkB activation mediated MES differentiation and radiation resistance presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM. SIGNIFICANCE In this study, we show plasticity between the proneural (PN) and mesenchymal (MES) transcriptome signatures observed in glioblastoma (GBM). Specifically, we show that PN glioma sphere cultures (GSCs) can be induced to a MES state with an associated enrichment of CD44 expressing cells and a gain of radio-resistance, which we implicate as NFkB- dependent. Newly diagnosed GBM samples show a direct correlation between radiation response, higher MES metagene, CD44 expression, and NFkB activation. This correlation is also observed in the subset of GBM samples that do not exhibit IDH1 mutation, a favorable prognostic marker. Our results uncover a previously unknown link between subtype plasticity that is regulated by NFkB. Inhibition of NFkB activation can directly impact radio-resistance and presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM. Gene expression data for 17 isolated Glioma Stem Cells
Project description:SUMMARY Despite numerous genome-wide association studies involving glioblastoma (GBM), few therapeutic targets have been identified for this disease. Using patient derived glioma sphere cultures (GSCs), we have found that a subset of the proneural (PN) GSCs undergo transition to a mesenchymal (MES) state in a TNFa/NFkB dependent manner with an associated enrichment of CD44 sub-populations and radio-resistant phenotypes. To the contrary, MES GSCs exhibit constitutive NFkB activation, CD44 enrichment and radio-resistance. Patients whose tumors exhibit a higher MES metagene, increased expression of CD44, or activated NFkB were associated with poor radiation response and shorter survival. Our results indicate that NFkB activation mediated MES differentiation and radiation resistance presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM. SIGNIFICANCE In this study, we show plasticity between the proneural (PN) and mesenchymal (MES) transcriptome signatures observed in glioblastoma (GBM). Specifically, we show that PN glioma sphere cultures (GSCs) can be induced to a MES state with an associated enrichment of CD44 expressing cells and a gain of radio-resistance, which we implicate as NFkB- dependent. Newly diagnosed GBM samples show a direct correlation between radiation response, higher MES metagene, CD44 expression, and NFkB activation. This correlation is also observed in the subset of GBM samples that do not exhibit IDH1 mutation, a favorable prognostic marker. Our results uncover a previously unknown link between subtype plasticity that is regulated by NFkB. Inhibition of NFkB activation can directly impact radio-resistance and presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM. 4 treatments
Project description:Glycoproteomic screening indicates that core fucosylation activation is more highly enhancedin mesenchymal (MES) than in proneural (PN) glioblastoma cancer stem cells (GSCs) and this pattern is retained in subgroup-specific xenograftsand human patients’ samples. Most MES-restricted core fucosylated proteins are involved in therapeutically relevant pathological processes, such as extracellular matrix interaction and tumor invasion.
Project description:SUMMARY Despite numerous genome-wide association studies involving glioblastoma (GBM), few therapeutic targets have been identified for this disease. Using patient derived glioma sphere cultures (GSCs), we have found that a subset of the proneural (PN) GSCs undergo transition to a mesenchymal (MES) state in a TNFa/NFkB dependent manner with an associated enrichment of CD44 sub-populations and radio-resistant phenotypes. To the contrary, MES GSCs exhibit constitutive NFkB activation, CD44 enrichment and radio-resistance. Patients whose tumors exhibit a higher MES metagene, increased expression of CD44, or activated NFkB were associated with poor radiation response and shorter survival. Our results indicate that NFkB activation mediated MES differentiation and radiation resistance presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM. SIGNIFICANCE In this study, we show plasticity between the proneural (PN) and mesenchymal (MES) transcriptome signatures observed in glioblastoma (GBM). Specifically, we show that PN glioma sphere cultures (GSCs) can be induced to a MES state with an associated enrichment of CD44 expressing cells and a gain of radio-resistance, which we implicate as NFkB- dependent. Newly diagnosed GBM samples show a direct correlation between radiation response, higher MES metagene, CD44 expression, and NFkB activation. This correlation is also observed in the subset of GBM samples that do not exhibit IDH1 mutation, a favorable prognostic marker. Our results uncover a previously unknown link between subtype plasticity that is regulated by NFkB. Inhibition of NFkB activation can directly impact radio-resistance and presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM.
Project description:SUMMARY Despite numerous genome-wide association studies involving glioblastoma (GBM), few therapeutic targets have been identified for this disease. Using patient derived glioma sphere cultures (GSCs), we have found that a subset of the proneural (PN) GSCs undergo transition to a mesenchymal (MES) state in a TNFa/NFkB dependent manner with an associated enrichment of CD44 sub-populations and radio-resistant phenotypes. To the contrary, MES GSCs exhibit constitutive NFkB activation, CD44 enrichment and radio-resistance. Patients whose tumors exhibit a higher MES metagene, increased expression of CD44, or activated NFkB were associated with poor radiation response and shorter survival. Our results indicate that NFkB activation mediated MES differentiation and radiation resistance presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM. SIGNIFICANCE In this study, we show plasticity between the proneural (PN) and mesenchymal (MES) transcriptome signatures observed in glioblastoma (GBM). Specifically, we show that PN glioma sphere cultures (GSCs) can be induced to a MES state with an associated enrichment of CD44 expressing cells and a gain of radio-resistance, which we implicate as NFkB- dependent. Newly diagnosed GBM samples show a direct correlation between radiation response, higher MES metagene, CD44 expression, and NFkB activation. This correlation is also observed in the subset of GBM samples that do not exhibit IDH1 mutation, a favorable prognostic marker. Our results uncover a previously unknown link between subtype plasticity that is regulated by NFkB. Inhibition of NFkB activation can directly impact radio-resistance and presents an attractive therapeutic target for GBM.
Project description:Genome-wide DNA methylation and trancription profiling of different subtypes in GBM (TCGA) and glioma stem cells (GSCs) were carried out using Illumina BeadChip HumanMethylation 450K array (450K array) to analyse over 485K CpG sites accross each samples. 450K array data for 94 GBM samples comprising 4 different subtypes i.e. Proneural (PN), Mesenchymal (MES), Classical (CL) and Neural (N) were used for GBM analysis. Similarly, 450K array for 23 GSCs and 1NHA, RNA seq for 29 GSCs and affimetrix microarray gene expression array for 12 GSCs were used for GBM data analyses.
Project description:SUMMARY Terminal differentiation has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma (GBM). Culturing of GBM derived tumor initiating glioma stem cells (GSCs) in fetal bovine serum containing media is a proposed mode of differentiation that is thought to induce loss of stem cell characteristics, promote neural lineage differentiation and a parallel loss of tumor initiation capacity. Here we show that GSCs retained both neurosphere formation and tumor initiation abilities after short or long term serum exposure. Under serum induced differentiating conditions, GSCs expressed both neural lineage and stem cell markers, highlighting the aberrant pseudo-differentiation state. GSCs maintained under adherent differentiating conditions continued to proliferate and initiate tumor formation with efficiencies similar to GSCs maintained under proliferating (neurosphere) conditions. Proneural (PN) GSCs under serum exposure showed an induction of mesenchymal (MES) gene expression signatures. Our data indicate that the tumor initiation ability of GSCs is independent of their differentiation state and that terminal differentiation as a therapeutic approach may not effectively negate tumorigenicity of GSCs. SIGNIFICANCE Terminal differentiation has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma (GBM). Culturing of GBM derived tumor initiating glioma stem cells (GSCs) in fetal bovine serum containing media is a proposed mode of differentiation that is thought to induce loss of stem cell characteristics, promote neural lineage differentiation and a parallel loss of tumor initiation capacity. Here we show that GSCs retained both neurosphere formation and tumor initiation abilities after short or long term serum exposure. Under serum induced differentiating conditions, GSCs expressed both neural lineage and stem cell markers, highlighting the aberrant pseudo-differentiation state. GSCs maintained under adherent differentiating conditions continued to proliferate and initiate tumor formation with efficiencies similar to GSCs maintained under proliferating (neurosphere) conditions. Proneural (PN) GSCs under serum exposure showed an induction of mesenchymal (MES) gene expression signatures. Our data indicate that the tumor initiation ability of GSCs is independent of their differentiation state and that terminal differentiation as a therapeutic approach may not effectively negate tumorigenicity of GSCs.
Project description:SUMMARY Terminal differentiation has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma (GBM). Culturing of GBM derived tumor initiating glioma stem cells (GSCs) in fetal bovine serum containing media is a proposed mode of differentiation that is thought to induce loss of stem cell characteristics, promote neural lineage differentiation and a parallel loss of tumor initiation capacity. Here we show that GSCs retained both neurosphere formation and tumor initiation abilities after short or long term serum exposure. Under serum induced differentiating conditions, GSCs expressed both neural lineage and stem cell markers, highlighting the aberrant pseudo-differentiation state. GSCs maintained under adherent differentiating conditions continued to proliferate and initiate tumor formation with efficiencies similar to GSCs maintained under proliferating (neurosphere) conditions. Proneural (PN) GSCs under serum exposure showed an induction of mesenchymal (MES) gene expression signatures. Our data indicate that the tumor initiation ability of GSCs is independent of their differentiation state and that terminal differentiation as a therapeutic approach may not effectively negate tumorigenicity of GSCs. SIGNIFICANCE Terminal differentiation has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma (GBM). Culturing of GBM derived tumor initiating glioma stem cells (GSCs) in fetal bovine serum containing media is a proposed mode of differentiation that is thought to induce loss of stem cell characteristics, promote neural lineage differentiation and a parallel loss of tumor initiation capacity. Here we show that GSCs retained both neurosphere formation and tumor initiation abilities after short or long term serum exposure. Under serum induced differentiating conditions, GSCs expressed both neural lineage and stem cell markers, highlighting the aberrant pseudo-differentiation state. GSCs maintained under adherent differentiating conditions continued to proliferate and initiate tumor formation with efficiencies similar to GSCs maintained under proliferating (neurosphere) conditions. Proneural (PN) GSCs under serum exposure showed an induction of mesenchymal (MES) gene expression signatures. Our data indicate that the tumor initiation ability of GSCs is independent of their differentiation state and that terminal differentiation as a therapeutic approach may not effectively negate tumorigenicity of GSCs.
Project description:SUMMARY Terminal differentiation has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma (GBM). Culturing of GBM derived tumor initiating glioma stem cells (GSCs) in fetal bovine serum containing media is a proposed mode of differentiation that is thought to induce loss of stem cell characteristics, promote neural lineage differentiation and a parallel loss of tumor initiation capacity. Here we show that GSCs retained both neurosphere formation and tumor initiation abilities after short or long term serum exposure. Under serum induced differentiating conditions, GSCs expressed both neural lineage and stem cell markers, highlighting the aberrant pseudo-differentiation state. GSCs maintained under adherent differentiating conditions continued to proliferate and initiate tumor formation with efficiencies similar to GSCs maintained under proliferating (neurosphere) conditions. Proneural (PN) GSCs under serum exposure showed an induction of mesenchymal (MES) gene expression signatures. Our data indicate that the tumor initiation ability of GSCs is independent of their differentiation state and that terminal differentiation as a therapeutic approach may not effectively negate tumorigenicity of GSCs. SIGNIFICANCE Terminal differentiation has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma (GBM). Culturing of GBM derived tumor initiating glioma stem cells (GSCs) in fetal bovine serum containing media is a proposed mode of differentiation that is thought to induce loss of stem cell characteristics, promote neural lineage differentiation and a parallel loss of tumor initiation capacity. Here we show that GSCs retained both neurosphere formation and tumor initiation abilities after short or long term serum exposure. Under serum induced differentiating conditions, GSCs expressed both neural lineage and stem cell markers, highlighting the aberrant pseudo-differentiation state. GSCs maintained under adherent differentiating conditions continued to proliferate and initiate tumor formation with efficiencies similar to GSCs maintained under proliferating (neurosphere) conditions. Proneural (PN) GSCs under serum exposure showed an induction of mesenchymal (MES) gene expression signatures. Our data indicate that the tumor initiation ability of GSCs is independent of their differentiation state and that terminal differentiation as a therapeutic approach may not effectively negate tumorigenicity of GSCs.