0000000000597804

AUTHOR

Alberto Villanueva

Abstract 3940: Inactivation of the PARD3 gene is a recurrent event in lung squamous cell carcinomas and affects STAT3 activity and tumor invasiveness

Abstract Correct apicobasal polarization and intercellular adhesions are essential for the appropriate development of normal epithelia. Here, we investigated the contribution of the partitioning defective 3 gene, PARD3, to the carcinogenesis of lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCCs). Tumor-specific PARD3 alterations were found in eight per cent of the tumors, placing PARD3 among the most common tumor suppressor genes in LSCC. Some PAR3 mutant proteins prevented the formation of contacts between neighboring cells, i.e. had reduced ability to form tight junctions and actin-based protrusions. This affected subsequent downstream signaling, i.e. binding to aPKC and activation of RAC1. Further, we…

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Gene Amplification-Associated Overexpression of the Selenoprotein tRNA Enzyme TRIT1 Confers Sensitivity to Arsenic Trioxide in Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Simple Summary Small-cell lung cancer accounts for approximately 13% of all new lung cancer diagnoses, but in contrast to non-small-cell lung cancer, the implementation of targeted treatments in small-cell lung cancer has been limited, with little improvement in the clinical outcome in the last several decades. Exploring new pathways for targeted therapy, we have observed that extra-copies of the tRNA modifier TRIT1, involved in the translation of selenoproteins, confers sensitivity to arsenic trioxide in small-cell lung cancer. This finding could open a new therapeutic niche for a tumor type with such a dismal clinical course. The alteration of RNA modification patterns is emerging as a co…

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Epigenetic activation of a cryptic TBC1D16 transcript enhances melanoma progression by targeting EGFR

Metastasis is respoMetastasis is responsible for most cancer-related deaths, and, among common tumor types, melanoma is one with great potential to metastasize. Here we study the contribution of epigenetic changes to the dissemination process by analyzing the changes that occur at the DNA methylation level between primary cancer cells and metastases. We found a hypomethylation event that reactivates a cryptic transcript of the Rab GTPase activating protein TBC1D16 (TBC1D16-47 kDa; referred to hereafter as TBC1D16-47KD) to be a characteristic feature of the metastatic cascade. This short isoform of TBC1D16 exacerbates melanoma growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. By combining imm…

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PARD3 Inactivation in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinomas Impairs STAT3 and Promotes Malignant Invasion.

Abstract Correct apicobasal polarization and intercellular adhesions are essential for the appropriate development of normal epithelia. Here, we investigated the contribution of the cell polarity regulator PARD3 to the development of lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC). Tumor-specific PARD3 alterations were found in 8% of LSCCs examined, placing PARD3 among the most common tumor suppressor genes in this malignancy. Most PAR3-mutant proteins exhibited a relative reduction in the ability to mediate formation of tight junctions and actin-based protrusions, bind atypical protein kinase C, activate RAC1, and activate STAT3 at cell confluence. Thus, PARD3 alterations prevented the formation of c…

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Genomic Profiling of Patient-Derived Xenografts for Lung Cancer Identifies B2M Inactivation Impairing Immunorecognition

Abstract Purpose: We aimed to maximize the performance of detecting genetic alterations in lung cancer using high-throughput sequencing for patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Experimental Design: We undertook an integrated RNA and whole-exome sequencing of 14 PDXs. We focused on the genetic and functional analysis of β2-microglobulin (B2M), a component of the HLA class-I complex. Results: We identified alterations in genes involved in various functions, such as B2M involved in immunosurveillance. We extended the mutational analysis of B2M to about 230 lung cancers. Five percent of the lung cancers carried somatic mutations, most of which impaired the correct formation of the HLA-I complex. …

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The oral KIF11 inhibitor 4SC‐205 exhibits antitumor activity and potentiates standard and targeted therapies in primary and metastatic neuroblastoma models

Inhibidor de KIF11; Terapias dirigidas; Metástasis Inhibidor de KIF11; Teràpies dirigides; Metàstasi KIF11 inhibitor; Targeted therapies; Metastasis In summary, our study provides a rationale for the future therapeutic integration in clinical trials of 4SC-205, an structurally distinct oral KIF11 inhibitor that shows potent antitumor activity in multiple preclinical neuroblastoma models and sensitizes neuroblastoma cells to standard chemotherapy and specific neuroblastoma-targeted therapies. The financial support for this research was provided by Instituto de Salud Calos III (PI20/00530 to Miguel F. Segura; PI20/01107 to Rosa Noguera; PI17/02248 and CPII18/00027 to Anna Santamaria; PI19/013…

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