Background Early detection and intervention research is expected to improve the outcomes for patients with high grade muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma (InvUC). With limited patients in suitable high-risk study cohorts, relevant animal model research is critical. Experimental animal models often fail to adequately represent human cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability of dogs with high breed-associated risk for naturally-occurring InvUC to serve as relevant models for early detection and intervention research. The feasibility of screening and early intervention, and similarities and differences between canine and human tumors, and early and later canine tumors were determined. Methods STs (n=120) ≥ 6 years old with no outward evidence of urinary disease were screened at 6-month intervals for 3 years with physical exam, ultrasonography, and urinalysis with sediment exam. Cystoscopic biopsy was performed in dogs with positive screening tests. The pathological, clinical, and molecular characteristics of the “early” cancer detected by screening were determined. Transcriptomic signatures were compared between the early tumors and published findings in human InvUC, and to more advanced “later” canine tumors from STs who had the typical presentation of hematuria and urinary dysfunction. An early intervention trial of an oral cyclooxygenase inhibitor, deracoxib, was conducted in dogs with cancer detected through screening. Results Biopsy-confirmed bladder cancer was detected in 32 (27%) of 120 STs including InvUC (n=29, three starting as dysplasia), grade 1 noninvasive cancer (n=2), and carcinoma in situ (n=1). Transcriptomic signatures including druggable targets such as EGFR and the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, were very similar between canine and human InvUC, especially within luminal and basal molecular subtypes. Marked transcriptomic differences were noted between early and later canine tumors, particularly within luminal subtype tumors. The deracoxib remission rate (42% CR+PR) compared very favorably to that with single-agent cyclooxygenase inhibitors in more advanced canine InvUC (17-25%), supporting the value of early intervention. Conclusions The study defined a novel naturally-occurring animal model to complement experimental models for early detection and intervention research in InvUC. Research incorporating the canine model is expected to lead to improved outcomes for humans, as well as pet dogs, facing bladder cancer.

/pdf/identification-of-a-naturally-occurring-canine-model-for-3u9vsnzl.pdf

Identification of a naturally-occurring canine model for early detection and intervention research in high grade urothelial carcinoma

The EPHA3 protein tyrosine kinase, a member of the ephrin receptor family, regulates cell fate, cell motility, and cell-cell interaction. These cellular events are critical for tissue development, immunological responses, and the processes of tumorigenesis. Earlier studies revealed that signaling via the STK4-encoded MST1 serine-threonine protein kinase, a core component of the Hippo pathway, attenuated EPHA3 expression. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which MST1 regulates EPHA3. Our findings have revealed that the transcriptional regulators YAP1 and TEAD1 are crucial activators of EPHA3 transcription. Silencing YAP1 and TEAD1 suppressed the EPHA3 protein and mRNA levels. In addition, we identified putative TEAD enhancers in the distal EPHA3 promoter, where YAP1 and TEAD1 bind and promote EPHA3 expression. Furthermore, EPHA3 knockout by CRISPR/Cas9 technology reduced cell-cell interaction and cell motility. These findings demonstrate that EPHA3 is transcriptionally regulated by YAP1/TEAD1 of the Hippo pathway, suggesting that it is sensitive to cell contact-dependent interactions. 

/pdf/the-hippo-effector-yap1-tead1-regulates-epha3-expression-to-3i7asitz.pdf

The Hippo effector YAP1/TEAD1 regulates EPHA3 expression to control cell contact and motility

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a negative regulator of T-cell receptor signaling. While HPK1 is considered as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy, no small-molecule HPK1 inhibitors have been approved for cancer treatment. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of new HPK1 inhibitors with a 5-aminopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-one scaffold. The most potent compound 9f inhibited HPK1 kinase activity with an IC50 of 0.32 nM in the time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assays, while displayed reasonable selectivity in a panel of 416 kinases. Cellular engagement of HPK1 by compound 9f was confirmed through the nano-bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (Nano-BRET) experiments. Compound 9f effectively reduced the phosphorylation of the downstream protein SLP-76 in primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and human T lymphocytic leukemia Jurkat cells. Compound 9f also enhanced the IL-2 and IFN-γ secretion in PBMCs. Furthermore, the binding mode of compound 9f with HPK1 was confirmed by the resolved cocrystal structure. Taken together, this study provides HPK1 inhibitors with a novel scaffold and clear binding mode for further development of HPK1-targeted therapeutic agents. 

Discovery of 5-aminopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-one derivatives as new hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors

Gastric carcinoma has a poor prognosis and low survival rate. PRIM1 is closely associated with the origin of DNA replication and serves as a carcinogenic factor in multiple tumors. This study aimed to explore the functions of PRIM1 in the progression of gastric carcinoma. The luciferase reporter assay examined the regulatory effect of YAP1/TEAD4 on PRIM1. A xenograft tumor mouse model was constructed to observe cancer cell proliferation in vivo. The upregulation of PRIM1 was found in gastric carcinoma cells and tissues, and it was associated with poor prognosis. Silencing PRIM1 inhibited cell proliferation, arrested the cell cycle, and upregulated Cdc25, Cyclin B, and Cdc2 expression. In addition, apoptosis was increased upon PRIM1 knockdown, accompanied by increased protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-8. In vivo, knockdown of PRIM1 suppressed the growth of xenograft tumors formed by gastric carcinoma cells. Moreover, PRIM1 silencing elevated the chemosensitivity of gastric carcinoma cells. By investigating molecular events downstream of the Hippo signaling pathway, we found that PRIM1 was a target gene of the YAP1/TEAD4 transcriptional regulatory complex. PRIM1 represents a novel target for gastric carcinoma therapeutic approaches. 

YAP/TEAD-induced PRIM1 contributes to the progression and poor prognosis of gastric carcinoma

http://www.cell.com/article/S2405844022033904/pdf

Integrated molecular analyses of an interferon-γ based subtype with regard to outcome, immune characteristics, and immunotherapy in bladder cancer and experimental verification

The Hippo pathway controls several biological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, motility, stemness, cell contact, immune cell maturation, organ size, and tumorigenesis. The Hippo pathway core kinases MST1/2 and LATS1/2 in mammals phosphorylate and inactivate YAP1 signaling. Increasing evidence indicates that loss of MST1/2 and LATS1/2 function is linked to the biology of many cancer types with poorer outcomes, likely due to the activation of oncogenic YAP1/TEAD signaling. Therefore, there is a renewed interest in blocking the YAP1/TEAD functions to prevent cancer growth. This review introduces the Hippo pathway components and examines their role and therapeutic potentials in prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer.

The Hippo pathway: an emerging role in urologic cancers.


 Advanced prostate cancer (PC) is the leading cause of death in the US because there is no effective treatment due to the poorly understood disease mechanism. Sex comb on midleg-like-2 (SCML2) is a member of Polycomb repressive complex 1 and regulates homeotic gene expression during development. Using proteomic approaches, we have identified SCML2 as a binding partner of the YAP1 protein complexes isolated from PC cell lines. Both SCML2 and YAP1 regulate basic cellular biology, including stem cell maintenance and carcinogenesis; however, whether SCML2 and YAP1 cooperate to contribute to the aggressive PC in humans remains unknown. We showed that AR-positive cell lines express high levels of SCML2 with a significant increase in castration-resistant PC cells compared to its castration-sensitive cell counter, suggesting a possible role of SCML2 in PC progression. We also showed that androgens regulated the protein-protein interaction between SCML2 and YAP1, as evaluated by proximity ligation assay. In addition, the GST-pulldown assay revealed that SCML2 interacted with the WW/SH3 domain of YAP1, where AR also binds. Besides, our RNAi-aided gene silencing experiment demonstrated that YAP1 and SCML2 might be functionally antagonistic. Moreover, gene silencing and growth assays showed that SCML2 might act as a growth suppressor in castration-sensitive PC cells while acting as a growth mediator or survival factor in castration-resistant PC cells. Furthermore, our analysis of the cancer genome atlas PC data set has indicated that amplification of SCML2 is associated with reduced progression-free survival. These observations suggest that SCML2 and YAP1 interaction is biologically functional, and the degree of their interaction may play a critical role in PC progression downstream of dysregulated androgen/AR signaling.
 Citation Format: Ava M. Boston, Abdulrahman M. Dwead, Marwah M. Al-Mathkour, Kezhan Khazaw, Bekir Cinar. Upregulation of the polycomb group protein SCML2 contributes to aggressive prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5303.

Abstract 5303: Upregulation of the polycomb group protein SCML2 contributes to aggressive prostate cancer

Abstract 2275: Interaction and Interplay between YAP1 and Polycomb protein SCML2 determines cell fate

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) regulate all aspects of RNA biogenesis from transcription, splicing, translation to degradation, and they have a critical role in cellular homeostasis and functional diversity. Recent studies have indicated that altered expressions of RBPs are associated with many human diseases ranging from neurologic disorders to cancer. The transcriptional coregulator yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP1), a critical nuclear effector of the mammalian Hippo pathway, regulates cell fate, cell contact, metabolism, and developmental processes. This study aims to demonstrate a link between YAP1 and nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) protein. NPM1 is an RNA‐binding protein that regulates many cellular activities, including ribosome biogenesis, RNA processing, chromatin remodeling, DNA repair, and genomic stability. Using proteomics approaches, we identified NPM1 from YAP1 protein complexes of androgen‐responsive human cancer cells. Our proximity ligation assay demonstrated that YAP1 and NPM1 physically interacted with each other. The interaction between YAP1 and NPM1 occurred in cell nuclei and was regulated by androgen hormone signaling. In addition, our GST‐pulldown assay demonstrated that NPM1 formed a protein complex with the proline‐rich domain of YAP1. Furthermore, our enhanced RNA interactome capture (eRIC) assay showed that androgen also regulated the interaction of RBPs to polyA+ mRNA within the cell. Consistent with this observation, our eRIC assay combined with the mass spectrometry method enabled identifying distinct RBP patterns in human cancer cells that are genetically related but phenotypically different. These observations indicate that global alterations of RBPs under changing environmental conditions may have important roles in cellular physiology and disease biology.

The Transcriptional Coregulatory Protein YAP1 Interacts with RNA Binding Protein NPM1

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