Antisense oligonucleotide therapy for H3.3K27M diffuse midline glioma

Zhang, Qian, Yang, Lucia, Liu, Ying Hsiu, Wilkinson, John E, Krainer, Adrian R (April 2023) Antisense oligonucleotide therapy for H3.3K27M diffuse midline glioma. Science Translational Medicine, 15 (691). eadd8280. ISSN 1946-6234

Abstract

Diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs) are pediatric high-grade brain tumors in the thalamus, midbrain, or pons; the latter subgroup are termed diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG). The brain stem location of these tumors limits the clinical management of DIPG, resulting in poor outcomes for patients. A heterozygous, somatic point mutation in one of two genes coding for the noncanonical histone H3.3 is present in most DIPG tumors. This dominant mutation in the H3-3A gene results in replacement of lysine 27 with methionine (K27M) and causes a global reduction of trimethylation on K27 of all wild-type histone H3 proteins, which is thought to be a driving event in gliomagenesis. In this study, we designed and systematically screened 2'-O-methoxyethyl phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that direct RNase H-mediated knockdown of H3-3A mRNA. We identified a lead ASO that effectively reduced H3-3A mRNA and H3.3K27M protein and restored global H3K27 trimethylation in patient-derived neurospheres. We then tested the lead ASO in two mouse models of DIPG: an immunocompetent mouse model using transduced mutant human H3-3A cDNA and an orthotopic xenograft with patient-derived cells. In both models, ASO treatment restored K27 trimethylation of histone H3 proteins and reduced tumor growth, promoted neural stem cell differentiation into astrocytes, neurons, and oligodendrocytes, and increased survival. These results demonstrate the involvement of the H3.3K27M oncohistone in tumor maintenance, confirm the reversibility of the aberrant epigenetic changes it promotes, and provide preclinical proof of concept for DMG antisense therapy.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: bioinformatics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > DNA expression
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification
diseases & disorders
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics
diseases & disorders > neoplasms
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification
diseases & disorders > viral diseases
organism description > animal
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > antisense
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes
diseases & disorders > cancer > cancer types > glioblastoma
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > histone
organism description > animal > mammal
organism description > animal > mammal > rodent > mouse
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > oligonucleotide
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types
organism description > animal > mammal > rodent
diseases & disorders > viral diseases > coronavirus > therapies and treatments
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Krainer lab
CSHL Cancer Center Program
CSHL Cancer Center Program > Gene Regulation and Inheritance Program
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Animal Services
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Histology Service
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Microscopy Service
SWORD Depositor: CSHL Elements
Depositing User: CSHL Elements
Date: 12 April 2023
Date Deposited: 20 Apr 2023 14:08
Last Modified: 09 Feb 2024 16:32
PMCID: PMC10263181
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/40878

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