2. Academic Validation
  3. Targeting glioma stem cells through combined BMI1 and EZH2 inhibition

Targeting glioma stem cells through combined BMI1 and EZH2 inhibition

  • Nat Med. 2017 Nov;23(11):1352-1361. doi: 10.1038/nm.4415.
Xun Jin 1 2 3,  Leo J Y Kim 1 4 5 6,  Qiulian Wu 1 6,  Lisa C Wallace 1,  Briana C Prager 1 4 5 6 7,  Tanwarat Sanvoranart 1,  Ryan C Gimple 1 4 5 6,  Xiuxing Wang 1 6,  Stephen C Mack 1 8,  Tyler E Miller 1 4 5,  Ping Huang 1,  Claudia L Valentim 1,  Qi-Gang Zhou 1,  Jill S Barnholtz-Sloan 9,  Shideng Bao 1 7 9,  Andrew E Sloan 9 10,  Jeremy N Rich 1 6 7 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
  • 2 Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, P.R. China.
  • 3 First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China.
  • 4 Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
  • 5 Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
  • 6 Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
  • 7 Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
  • 8 Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
  • 9 Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
  • 10 Department of Neurological Surgery, University Hospitals-Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
PMID: 29035367 DOI: 10.1038/nm.4415
Abstract

Glioblastomas are lethal cancers defined by angiogenesis and pseudopalisading necrosis. Here, we demonstrate that these histological features are associated with distinct transcriptional programs, with vascular regions showing a proneural profile, and hypoxic regions showing a mesenchymal pattern. As these regions harbor glioma stem cells (GSCs), we investigated the epigenetic regulation of these two niches. Proneural, perivascular GSCs activated EZH2, whereas mesenchymal GSCs in hypoxic regions expressed BMI1 protein, which promoted cellular survival under stress due to downregulation of the E3 ligase RNF144A. Using both genetic and pharmacologic inhibition, we found that proneural GSCs are preferentially sensitive to EZH2 disruption, whereas mesenchymal GSCs are more sensitive to BMI1 inhibition. Given that glioblastomas contain both proneural and mesenchymal GSCs, combined EZH2 and BMI1 targeting proved more effective than either agent alone both in culture and in vivo, suggesting that strategies that simultaneously target multiple epigenetic regulators within glioblastomas may be effective in overcoming therapy resistance caused by intratumoral heterogeneity.

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