Mice Null for the Deubiquitinase USP18 Spontaneously Develop Leiomyosarcomas

USP18 (ubiquitin-specific protease 18) removes ubiquitin-like modifier interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) from conjugated proteins. USP18 null mice in a FVB/N background develop tumors as early as 2 months of age. These tumors are leiomyosarcomas and thus represent a new murine model for this disease

Evidence for Tankyrases as Antineoplastic Targets in Lung Cancer

Background: New pharmacologic targets are urgently needed to treat or prevent lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer death for men and women. This study identified one such target. This is the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, which is deregulated in cancers, including those lacking adenomatous polyposis coli or β -catenin mutations. Two poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) enzymes regulate canonical Wnt activity: tankyrase (TNKS) 1 and TNKS2. These enzymes poly-ADP-ribosylate (PARsylate) and destabilize axin, a key component of the β -catenin phosphorylation complex. Methods: This study used comprehensive gene profiles to uncover deregulation of the Wnt pathway in murine transgenic and human lung cancers, relative to normal lung. Antineoplastic consequences of genetic and pharmacologic targeting of TNKS in murine and human lung cancer cell lines were explored, and validated in vivo in mice by implantation of murine transgenic lung cancer cells engineered with reduced TNKS expression relative to controls. Results: Microarray analyses comparing Wnt pathway members in malignant versus normal tissues of a murine transgenic cyclin E lung cancer model revealed deregulation of Wnt pathway components, including TNKS1 and TNKS2. Real-time PCR assays independently confirmed these results in paired normal-malignant murine and human lung tissues. Individual treatments of a panel of human and murine lung cancer cell lines with the TNKS inhibitors XAV939 and IWR-1 dose-dependently repressed cell growth and increased cellular axin 1 and tankyrase levels. These inhibitors also repressed expression of a Wnt-responsive luciferase construct, implicating the Wnt pathway in conferring these antineoplastic effects. Individual or combined knockdown of TNKS1 and TNKS2 with siRNAs or shRNAs reduced lung cancer cell growth, stabilized axin, and repressed tumor formation in murine xenograft and syngeneic lung cancer models. Conclusions: Findings reported here uncovered deregulation of specific components of the Wnt pathway in both human and murine lung cancer models. Repressing TNKS activity through either genetic or pharmacological approaches antagonized canonical Wnt signaling, reduced murine and human lung cancer cell line growth, and decreased tumor formation in mouse models. Taken together, these findings implicate the use of TNKS inhibitors to target the Wnt pathway to combat lung cancer

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Mice null for the deubiquitinase USP18 spontaneously develop leiomyosarcomas

Antibodies used for immunohistochemistry studies. Table S2. Immunohistochemical staining of USP18 in clinical leiomyosarcoma samples. Figure S1. A: Dystrophic calcifications in USP18 null mice. A representative image of a USP18-/- mouse is shown. B: KHC-2 cells with reconstituted USP18 expression maintained expression for the duration of growth in mice. Immunoblot analysis of protein isolated from 4 control and 4 USP18 overexpressing independent orthotopic sarcomas harvested from mice. The immunoblot showed representative analysis of KHC-2 cells and this finding was also seen in KHC-1 cells (data not shown). Figure S2. USP18 null leiomyosarcoma cell lines are sensitive to treatment with the JAK2-STAT3 inhibitor, JSI-124. A: Immunoblot analysis of pSTAT3, STAT3, CDK4 and USP18 levels in KHC-1 cells with and without stably restored USP18 activity. B: Growth analysis of KHC-1 cells with JAK2-STAT3 inhibitor, JSI-124. Similar effects were seen in KHC-2 cells (data not shown). Validation of JSI-124 repression of JAK2-STAT3 pathway C: Immunoblot analyses of phosphorylated JAK2 (pJAK2), JAK2, and actin with relative level of pJAK2/JAK2 calculated relative to control. D: Immunoblot analysis of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3), STAT3, cyclin D1 and actin levels. Figure S3. USP18 null leiomyosarcoma cell line KHC-1 and human leiomyosarcoma cell line SK-LMS-1 growth in response to interferon-β (500Units/ml IFNB) or doxycycline (0.2ΟM Dox) treatment over 3 days. Results expressed as fold relative to vehicle treated cells. Each experiment was performed in triplicate 3 separate times. Figure S4. USP18 null leiomyosarcoma cell line KHC-1 with restored USP18 expression did not affect response to IFNb (500Units/ml). Results expressed as fold relative to vehicle treated cells. (N.S. = not significant). (PPTX 2131 kb

Additional file 2: of Mice null for the deubiquitinase USP18 spontaneously develop leiomyosarcomas

Mice Null for the Deubiquitinase USP18 Spontaneously Develop Leiomyosarcoma. (DOCX 115 kb