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Palbociclib releases the latent differentiation capacity of neuroblastoma cells.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Ferguson, Kirsty M 
Gillen, Sarah L 
Chaytor, Lewis 
Poon, Evon 
Marcos, Daniel 

Abstract

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in infants, arising from developmentally stalled neural crest-derived cells. Driving tumor differentiation is a promising therapeutic approach for this devastating disease. Here, we show that the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib not only inhibits proliferation but induces extensive neuronal differentiation of adrenergic neuroblastoma cells. Palbociclib-mediated differentiation is manifested by extensive phenotypic and transcriptional changes accompanied by the establishment of an epigenetic program driving expression of mature neuronal features. In vivo palbociclib significantly inhibits tumor growth in mouse neuroblastoma models. Furthermore, dual treatment with retinoic acid resets the oncogenic adrenergic core regulatory circuit of neuroblastoma cells, further suppresses proliferation, and can enhance differentiation, altering gene expression in ways that significantly correlate with improved patient survival. We therefore identify palbociclib as a therapeutic approach to dramatically enhance neuroblastoma differentiation efficacy that could be used in combination with retinoic acid to improve patient outcomes.

Description

Keywords

CDK4, CDK6, cell cycle, differentiation, neuroblastoma, palbociclib, retinoic acid, Animals, Mice, Humans, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Differentiation, Tretinoin, Neuroblastoma, Adrenergic Agents, Piperazines, Pyridines

Journal Title

Dev Cell

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1534-5807
1878-1551

Volume Title

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (203151/A/16/Z)
Wellcome Trust (203151/Z/16/Z)
Cancer Research UK (A25636)
Wellcome Trust (212253/Z/18/Z)
Medical Research Council (MC_PC_17230)
Cancer Research UK (25636)
Cancer Research UK (20411)