Silencing of histone deacetylase 6 decreases cellular malignancy and contributes to primary cilium restoration, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition reversion, and autophagy inhibition in glioblastoma cell lines

Glioblastoma multiforme, the most common type of malignant brain tumor as well as the most aggressive one, lacks an effective therapy. Glioblastoma presents overexpression of mesenchymal markers Snail, Slug, and N-Cadherin and of the autophagic marker p62. Glioblastoma cell lines also present increased autophagy, overexpression of mesenchymal markers, Shh pathway activation, and lack of primary cilia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of HDAC6 in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma, as HDAC6 is the most overexpressed of all HDACs isoforms in this tumor. We treated glioblastoma cell lines with siHDAC6. HDAC6 silencing inhibited proliferation, migration, and clonogenicity of glioblastoma cell lines. They also reversed the mesenchymal phenotype, decreased autophagy, inhibited Shh pathway, and recovered the expression of primary cilia in glioblastoma cell lines. These results demonstrate that HDAC6 might be a good target for glioblastoma treatment

Promoter Methylation of RASSF1A Associates to Adult Secondary Glioblastomas and Pediatric Glioblastomas

While allelic losses and mutations of tumor suppressor genes implicated in the etiology of astrocytoma have been widely assessed, the role of epigenetics is still a matter of study. We analyzed the frequency of promoter hypermethylation by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) in five tumor suppressor genes (PTEN, MGMT, RASSF1A, p14ARF, and p16INK4A), in astrocytoma samples and cell lines. RASSF1A was the most frequently hypermethylated gene in all grades of astrocytoma samples, in cell lines, and in adult secondary GBM. It was followed by MGMT. PTEN showed a slight methylation signal in only one GBM and one pilocytic astrocytoma, and in two cell lines; while p14ARF and p16INK4A did not show any evidence of methylation in primary tumors or cell lines. In pediatric GBM, RASSF1A was again the most frequently altered gene, followed by MGMT; PTEN, p14 and p16 showed no alterations. Lack or reduced expression of RASSF1A in cell lines was correlated with the presence of methylation. RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation might be used as a diagnostic marker for secondary GBM and pediatric GBM. Promoter hypermethylation might not be an important inactivation mechanism in other genes like PTEN, p14ARF and p16INK4A, in which other alterations (mutations, homozygous deletions) are prevalent

Epigenetic regulation of human hedgehog interacting protein in glioma cell lines and primary tumor samples

Glioma constitutes one of the most common groups of brain tumors, and its prognosis is influenced by different genetic and epigenetic modulations. In this study, we demonstrated low or no expression of hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP) in most of the cell lines and primary glioma tumor samples. We further proceeded to promoter methylation study of this gene in the same cell lines and primary tumor samples and found 87 % (7/8) HHIP methylation in glioblastoma cell lines and 75 % (33/44) in primary tumor samples. These methylation pattern correlates with low or unexpressed HHIP in both cell lines and primary tumor samples. Our results suggest the possibility of epigenetic regulation of this gene in glioma, similarly to medulloblastoma, gastric, hepatic, and pancreatic cancers. Also, HHIP might be a diagnostic or prognostic marker in glioma and help to the detection of these tumors in early stages of disease

The synergistic effect of DZ‑NEP, panobinostat and temozolomide reduces clonogenicity and induces apoptosis in glioblastoma cells

Current treatment against glioblastoma consists of surgical resection followed by temozolomide, with or without combined radiotherapy. Glioblastoma frequently acquires resistance to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Novel therapeutic approaches are thus required. The inhibition of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2; a histone methylase) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) are possible epigenetic treatments. Temozolomide, 3-deazaneplanocin A (DZ-Nep; an EZH2 inhibitor) and panobinostat (an HDAC inhibitor) were tested in regular and temozolomide-resistant glioblastoma cells to confirm whether the compounds could behave in a synergistic, additive or antagonistic manner. A total of six commercial cell lines, two temozolomide-induced resistant cell lines and two primary cultures derived from glioblastoma samples were used. Cell lines were exposed to single treatments of the drugs in addition to all possible two- and three-drug combinations. Colony formation assays, synergistic assays and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis of apoptosis-associated genes were performed. The highest synergistic combination was DZ-Nep + panobinostat. Triple treatment was also synergistic. Reduced clonogenicity and increased apoptosis were both induced. It was concluded that the therapeutic potential of the combination of these three drugs in glioblastoma was evident and should be further explored

APR-246 combined with 3-deazaneplanocin A, panobinostat or temozolomide reduces clonogenicity and induces apoptosis in glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma is the most malignant brain tumor and presents high resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide are the only treatments against this tumor. New targeted therapies, including epigenetic modulators such as 3‑deazaneplanocin A (DZ‑Nep; an EZH2 inhibitor) and panobinostat (a histone deacetylase inhibitor) are being tested in vitro, together with temozolomide. The present study combined APR‑246 with DZ‑Nep, panobinostat and teomozolomide in order to explore the possibility of restoring p53 function in mutated cases of glioblastoma. Following the Chou‑Talalay method it was demonstrated that APR‑246 acts in an additive manner together with the other compounds, reducing clonogenicity and inducing apoptosis in glioblastoma cells independently of p53 status

Silencing of histone deacetylase 6 decreases cellular malignancy and contributes to primary cilium restoration, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition reversion, and autophagy inhibition in glioblastoma cell lines

Glioblastoma multiforme, the most common type of malignant brain tumor as well as the most aggressive one, lacks an effective therapy. Glioblastoma presents overexpression of mesenchymal markers Snail, Slug, and N-Cadherin and of the autophagic marker p62. Glioblastoma cell lines also present increased autophagy, overexpression of mesenchymal markers, Shh pathway activation, and lack of primary cilia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of HDAC6 in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma, as HDAC6 is the most overexpressed of all HDACs isoforms in this tumor. We treated glioblastoma cell lines with siHDAC6. HDAC6 silencing inhibited proliferation, migration, and clonogenicity of glioblastoma cell lines. They also reversed the mesenchymal phenotype, decreased autophagy, inhibited Shh pathway, and recovered the expression of primary cilia in glioblastoma cell lines. These results demonstrate that HDAC6 might be a good target for glioblastoma treatment

Aggressive pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: current practices, controversies, and perspectives, on behalf of the EANS skull base section

International audienceAggressive pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (APT) account for 10% of pituitary tumors. Their management is a rapidly evolving field of clinical research and has led pituitary teams to shift toward a neuro-oncological-like approach. The new terminology "Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors" (PitNet) that was recently proposed to replace "pituitary adenomas" reflects this change of paradigm. In this narrative review, we aim to provide a state of the art of actual knowledge, controversies, and recommendations in the management of APT. We propose an overview of current prognostic markers, including the recent five-tiered clinicopathological classification. We further establish and discuss the following recommendations from a neurosurgical perspective: (i) surgery and multi-staged surgeries (without or with parasellar resection in symptomatic patients) should be discussed at each stage of the disease, because it may potentialize adjuvant medical therapies; (ii) temozolomide is effective in most patients, although 30% of patients are non-responders and the optimal timeline to initiate and interrupt this treatment remains questionable; (iii) some patients with selected clinicopathological profiles may benefit from an earlier local radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy; (iv) novel therapies such as VEGF-targeted therapies and anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD1 immunotherapies are promising and should be discussed as 2nd or 3rd line of treatment. Finally, whether neurosurgeons have to operate on "pituitary adenomas" or "PitNets," their role and expertise remain crucial at each stage of the disease, prompting our community to deal with evolving concepts and therapeutic resources