Katie M Leick1,2,3, Anthony B Rodriguez3,4, Marit M Melssen1,3,4, Mouadh Benamar5,6, Robin S Lindsay3,4, Rebeka Eki5,6, Kang-Ping Du5, Mahmut Parlak5, Tarek Abbas5,6,7, Victor H Engelhard3,4, Craig L Slingluff1,3. 1. Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. 2. Department of Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. 3. Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. 4. Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. 5. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. 6. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. 7. Center for Cell Signaling, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To understand role of barrier molecules in melanomas. BACKGROUND: We have reported poor patient survival and low immune infiltration of melanomas that overexpress a set of genes that include filaggrin (FLG), dystonin (DST), junction plakoglobin (JUP), and plakophilin-3 (PKP3), and are involved in cell-cell adhesions. We hypothesized that these associations are causal, either by interfering with immune cell infiltration or by enhancing melanoma cell growth. METHODS: FLG and DST were knocked out by CRISPR/Cas9 in human DM93 and murine B16-F1 melanoma cells. PKP3 and JUP were overexpressed in murine B16-AAD and human VMM39 melanoma cells by lentiviral transduction. These cell lines were evaluated in vitro for cell proliferation and in vivo for tumor burden, immune composition, cytokine expression, and vascularity. RESULTS: Immune infiltrates were not altered by these genes. FLG/DST knockout reduced proliferation of human DM93 melanoma in vitro, and decreased B16-F1 tumor burden in vivo. Overexpression of JUP, but not PKP3, in B16-AAD significantly increased tumor burden, increased VEGF-A, reduced IL-33, and enhanced vascularity. CONCLUSIONS: FLG and DST support melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Growth effects of JUP were only evident in vivo, and may be mediated, in part, by enhancing angiogenesis. In addition, growth-promoting effects of FLG and DST in vitro suggest that these genes may also support melanoma cell proliferation through angiogenesis-independent pathways. These findings identify FLG, DST, and JUP as novel therapeutic targets whose down-regulation may provide clinical benefit to patients with melanoma.
OBJECTIVE: To understand role of barrier molecules in melanomas. BACKGROUND: We have reported poor patient survival and low immune infiltration of melanomas that overexpress a set of genes that include filaggrin (FLG), dystonin (DST), junction plakoglobin (JUP), and plakophilin-3 (PKP3), and are involved in cell-cell adhesions. We hypothesized that these associations are causal, either by interfering with immune cell infiltration or by enhancing melanoma cell growth. METHODS:FLG and DST were knocked out by CRISPR/Cas9 in humanDM93 and murineB16-F1melanoma cells. PKP3 and JUP were overexpressed in murine B16-AAD and human VMM39 melanoma cells by lentiviral transduction. These cell lines were evaluated in vitro for cell proliferation and in vivo for tumor burden, immune composition, cytokine expression, and vascularity. RESULTS: Immune infiltrates were not altered by these genes. FLG/DST knockout reduced proliferation of humanDM93melanoma in vitro, and decreased B16-F1tumor burden in vivo. Overexpression of JUP, but not PKP3, in B16-AAD significantly increased tumor burden, increased VEGF-A, reduced IL-33, and enhanced vascularity. CONCLUSIONS:FLG and DST support melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Growth effects of JUP were only evident in vivo, and may be mediated, in part, by enhancing angiogenesis. In addition, growth-promoting effects of FLG and DST in vitro suggest that these genes may also support melanoma cell proliferation through angiogenesis-independent pathways. These findings identify FLG, DST, and JUP as novel therapeutic targets whose down-regulation may provide clinical benefit to patients with melanoma.
Authors: Xinqi Wu; Jingjing Li; Erin M Connolly; Xiaoyun Liao; Jing Ouyang; Anita Giobbie-Hurder; Donald Lawrence; David McDermott; George Murphy; Jun Zhou; Matthias Piesche; Glenn Dranoff; Scott Rodig; Margaret Shipp; F Stephen Hodi Journal: Cancer Immunol Res Date: 2017-05-04 Impact factor: 11.151
Authors: Sanjeev Mariathasan; Shannon J Turley; Dorothee Nickles; Alessandra Castiglioni; Kobe Yuen; Yulei Wang; Edward E Kadel; Hartmut Koeppen; Jillian L Astarita; Rafael Cubas; Suchit Jhunjhunwala; Romain Banchereau; Yagai Yang; Yinghui Guan; Cecile Chalouni; James Ziai; Yasin Şenbabaoğlu; Stephen Santoro; Daniel Sheinson; Jeffrey Hung; Jennifer M Giltnane; Andrew A Pierce; Kathryn Mesh; Steve Lianoglou; Johannes Riegler; Richard A D Carano; Pontus Eriksson; Mattias Höglund; Loan Somarriba; Daniel L Halligan; Michiel S van der Heijden; Yohann Loriot; Jonathan E Rosenberg; Lawrence Fong; Ira Mellman; Daniel S Chen; Marjorie Green; Christina Derleth; Gregg D Fine; Priti S Hegde; Richard Bourgon; Thomas Powles Journal: Nature Date: 2018-02-14 Impact factor: 49.962