Selective inhibition of HDAC6 regulates expression of the oncogenic driver EWSR1-FLI1 through the EWSR1 promoter in Ewing sarcoma

Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is an aggressive bone and soft tissue tumor of children and young adults in which the principal driver is a fusion gene, EWSR1-FLI1. Although the essential role of EWSR1-FLI1 protein in the regulation of oncogenesis, survival, and tumor progression processes has been described in-depth, little is known about the regulation of chimeric fusion-gene expression. Here, we demonstrate that the active nuclear HDAC6 in EWS modulates the acetylation status of specificity protein 1 (SP1), consequently regulating the SP1/P300 activator complex binding to EWSR1 and EWSR1-FLI1 promoters. Selective inhibition of HDAC6 impairs binding of the activator complex SP1/P300, thereby inducing EWSR1-FLI1 downregulation and significantly reducing its oncogenic functions. In addition, sensitivity of EWS cell lines to HDAC6 inhibition is higher than other tumor or non-tumor cell lines. High expression of HDAC6 in primary EWS tumor samples from patients correlates with a poor prognosis in two independent series accounting 279 patients. Notably, a combination treatment of a selective HDAC6 and doxorubicin (a DNA damage agent used as a standard therapy of EWS patients) dramatically inhibits tumor growth in two EWS murine xenograft models. These results could lead to suitable and promising therapeutic alternatives for patients with EWS.Research in the E.D.A. lab is supported by Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC), the Ministry of Science of Spain-FEDER (CIBERONC, PI1700464, PI2000003, RD06/0020/0059)S. D.G.D. and L.H.P. are supported by CIBERONC (CB16/12/00361). D.G.D., M.J.R. and L.H.P. are PhD researchers funded by the Consejería de Salud, Junta de Andalucía (PI-0197-2016, ECAI F2-0012-2018 and PI-0013-2018, respectively).Peer reviewe

Stability and Hydrolyzation of Metal Organic Frameworks with Paddle-Wheel SBUs upon Hydration

Instability of most prototypical metal organic frameworks (MOFs) in the presence of moisture is always a limita- tion for industrial scale development. In this work, we examine the dissociation mechanism of microporous paddle wheel frameworks M(bdc)(ted)0.5 [M=Cu, Zn, Ni, Co; bdc= 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; ted= triethylenediamine] in controlled humidity environments. Combined in-situ IR spectroscopy, Raman, and Powder x-ray diffraction measurements show that the stability and modification of isostructual M(bdc)(ted)0.5 compounds upon exposure to water vapor critically depend on the central metal ion. A hydrolysis reaction of water molecules with Cu-O-C is observed in the case of Cu(bdc)(ted)0.5. Displacement reactions of ted linkers by water molecules are identified with Zn(bdc)(ted)0.5 and Co(bdc)(ted)0.5. In contrast,. Ni(bdc)(ted)0.5 is less suscept- ible to reaction with water vapors than the other three compounds. In addition, the condensation of water vapors into the framework is necessary to initiate the dissociation reaction. These findings, supported by supported by first principles theoretical van der Waals density functional (vdW-DF) calculations of overall reaction enthalpies, provide the necessary information for de- termining operation conditions of this class of MOFs with paddle wheel secondary building units and guidance for developing more robust units

Cancer stem cell metabolism

Cancer is now viewed as a stem cell disease. There is still no consensus on the metabolic characteristics of cancer stem cells, with several studies indicating that they are mainly glycolytic and others pointing instead to mitochondrial metabolism as their principal source of energy. Cancer stem cells also seem to adapt their metabolism to microenvironmental changes by conveniently shifting energy production from one pathway to another, or by acquiring intermediate metabolic phenotypes. Determining the role of cancer stem cell metabolism in carcinogenesis has become a major focus in cancer research, and substantial efforts are conducted towards discovering clinical targets