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. 2010 Jul 23;142(2):218-29.
doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2010.06.004.

NF1 is a tumor suppressor in neuroblastoma that determines retinoic acid response and disease outcome

Michael Hölzel  1 , Sidong Huang, Jan Koster, Ingrid Ora, Arjan Lakeman, Huib Caron, Wouter Nijkamp, Jing Xie, Tom Callens, Shahab Asgharzadeh, Robert C Seeger, Ludwine Messiaen, Rogier Versteeg, René Bernards
Affiliations

NF1 is a tumor suppressor in neuroblastoma that determines retinoic acid response and disease outcome

Michael Hölzel et al. Cell. .

Abstract

Retinoic acid (RA) induces differentiation of neuroblastoma cells in vitro and is used with variable success to treat aggressive forms of this disease. This variability in clinical response to RA is enigmatic, as no mutations in components of the RA signaling cascade have been found. Using a large-scale RNAi genetic screen, we identify crosstalk between the tumor suppressor NF1 and retinoic acid-induced differentiation in neuroblastoma. Loss of NF1 activates RAS-MEK signaling, which in turn represses ZNF423, a critical transcriptional coactivator of the retinoic acid receptors. Neuroblastomas with low levels of both NF1 and ZNF423 have extremely poor outcome. We find NF1 mutations in neuroblastoma cell lines and in primary tumors. Inhibition of MEK signaling downstream of NF1 restores responsiveness to RA, suggesting a therapeutic strategy to overcome RA resistance in NF1-deficient neuroblastomas.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. A genome-wide RNAi screen identifies NF1 as a critical determinant of RA sensitivity in neuroblastoma cells
(A) Schematic outline of the RA resistance barcode screen performed in SH-SY5Y cells. Human shRNA library polyclonal virus was produced to infect SH-SY5Y cells, which were then left untreated (control) or treated with 100 nM all-trans retinoic acid (RA). After 4 weeks of selection, shRNA inserts from both populations were recovered, labeled and hybridized to DNA. (B) Analysis of the relative abundance of the recovered shRNA cassettes from RA barcode experiment. Averaged data from three independent experiments were normalized and 2log transformed. Among the 44 top shRNA candidates (M>1.5 and A>7.5), two independent shNF1 vectors (in red) were identified. (C) Validation of independent shRNAs targeting NF1. The functional phenotypes of non-overlapping shNF1 vectors are indicated by the colony formation assay in 100 nM RA. The pRS vector and shGFP were used as controls. The cells were fixed, stained and photographed after 14 days (untreated) or 21 days (RA treatment). The knockdown ability of each of the shRNAs was measured by examining the NF1 mRNA levels by qRT-PCR and the NF1 protein levels by western blotting. Error bars denote standard deviation (SD). See also supplemental figure S1. (D) RA resistance by NF1 RNAi was dependent on RA signaling. Proliferation curves according to the 3T3 protocol of SH-SY5Y cells expressing shNF1 vectors, shGFP or pRS, in the absence and presence of RA (100 nM). Error bars denote SD.
Figure 2
Figure 2. RAS signaling linked to RA response in neuroblastoma cells
(A) NF1 deficiency in SJ-NB10 (NB90-9) cells. NF1 mRNA and protein were undetectable by qRT-PCR and western blotting. SH-SY5Y cells were included as a positive control. Error bars denote SD. (B) SJ-NB10 cells are insensitive to RA. SJ-NB10 and the control SH-SY5Y Cells were grown in the absence or presence of RA (100 nM). Treated and untreated dishes of each cell line were fixed, stained and photographed at the same time. SH-SY5Y cells were harvested after 14 days and SJ-NB10 cells after 28 days. (C) Enforced-expression of NF1-GRD in SJ-NB10 cells leads to growth inhibition in the absence of exogenous RA and enhanced responses to RA. Cells expressing pQCXIP-vector, -GFP or -NF1-GRD were grown in the absence or presence of RA (100 nM) for 28 days, after which cells were fixed, stained and photographed. Relative cell growth was then measured by crystal violet quantification. Fold inhibition values were normalized to cells infected with pQCXIP vector. Error bars denote SD. (D) Relative NF1-GRD mRNA levels in SH-SY5Y cells and SJ-NB10 cells expressing pQCXIP-vector, -GFP or -NF1-GRD. Error bars denote SD. (E) Ectopic-expression of KRASV12 in SH-SY5Y cells leads to RA resistance. Cells expressing pBABE-vector or -KRASV12 were grown in the absence or presence of RA (100 nM). The cells were fixed, stained and photographed after 14 days (untreated) or 21 days (RA treatment). (F) The RAS protein expression levels in SH-SY5Y cells expressing pBABE-vector or -KRASV12. (G) Endogenous KRAS is required for the RA resistance driven by NF1 knockdown. SH-SY5Y cells expressing pRS, shNF1 plus pRS or shNF1 plus shKRAS were grown in the absence or presence of RA (1 μM). The cells were fixed, stained and photographed after 14 days (untreated) or 21 days (RA treatment). Relative cell growth was then measured by crystal violet quantification. Fold inhibition values were normalized to cells infected with shNF1 plus pRS, in the absence or presence of RA. Error bars denote SD. (H) The KRAS mRNA levels in SH-SY5Y cells expressing pRS, shNF1 plus pRS or shNF1 plus shKRAS. Error bars denote SD.
Figure 3
Figure 3. NF1 loss inhibits transcriptional response to RA
(A) NF1 RNAi inhibits activation of a RARE-Luciferase (RARE-Luc) reporter gene by endogenous RAR/RXR in response to 24 hours of 100 nM RA stimulation in SH-SY5Y cells. Normalized luciferase activities shown are ratios between luciferase values and Renilla internal control values. Error bars denote SD. (B to E) NF1 knockdown or ectopic expression of KRASV12 suppresses transcriptional activation of endogenous RA target genes in response to RA. mRNA expression analysis of RA target genes RARβ (B), CRABP2 (C), TGM2 (D) and RET (E) in SH-SY5Y cells expressing controls, shRNAs targeting NF1 or pBABE- KRASV12 after 100 nM RA stimulation for 7 days. Error bars denote SD.
Figure 4
Figure 4. NF1 loss suppresses RA response by downregulating the RAR/RXR coactivator ZNF423
(A and B) NF1 RNAi leads to down-regulation of ZNF423 mRNA and protein levels. SH-SY5Y cells expressing controls and shRNAs targeting NF1 were grown in the absence or presence of RA (100 nM) for 7 days. A) ZNF423 mRNA levels are suppressed in NF1 knockdown cells. (B) ZNF423 protein levels are also reduced n NF1 knockdown cells. See also supplemental Figure S2 and Table S1. (C) Re-expression of ZNF423 reverses the RA resistance driven by NF1 knockdown. SH-SY5Y cells expressing MSCV control or MSCV-ZNF423 were retrovirally infected with viruses containing pRS or shNF1, and were grown in the absence or presence of 1 μM RA. Cells were then fixed, stained and photographed after 12 days (untreated) or 14 days (RA treatment). Relative cell growth was then measured by crystal violet quantification. Fold inhibition values were normalized to cells expressing both MSCV control and shNF1, in the absence or presence of RA. Error bars denote SD. (D) The NF1 and ZNF423 protein levels in SH-SY5Y cells described in Figure 4C. Cells were grown in the presence of 1 μM RA for 14 days. (E and F) Re-expression of ZNF423 restores activation of the RA target genes TGM2 and CRABP2 in NF1 knockdown cells. Error bars denote SD.*p<0.01 (t-test for comparison of three independent biological experiments) (G) ZNF423 expression and RA responsiveness in neuroblastoma cell lines. ZNF423 mRNA levels from a panel of 26 different neuroblastoma cell lines were determined by qRT-PCR. The relative viability in 100nM RA was determined by the ratio of cell growth of treated versus untreated cultures measured by crystal violet quantification after long-term colony formation assays. A significant association between ZNF423 expression and RA sensitivity was determined by Spearman rank correlation analysis. See also supplemental figure S2.
Figure 5
Figure 5. NF1 expression predicts outcome of neuroblastoma and the combined expression status of NF1 and ZNF423 is a powerful prognostic marker
(A) Kaplan-Meier analysis of the AMC cohort (n=88) documenting increased progression-free survival (PFS) of neuroblastoma patients with tumors that have high NF1 expression (NF1 high) versus patients with tumors that have low NF1 expression (NF1 low), using the NF1 cut-off value determined as described in the text. See also supplemental Table S2. (B) Kaplan-Meier analysis of PFS for the AMC cohort classified by the combined expression status of NF1 and ZNF423. The NF1 cut-off value was the same as above and ZNF423 cut-off value was as described previously (Huang et al., 2009). (C) Kaplan-Meier analysis of PFS for a second independent set of 102 patients diagnosed with metastatic neuroblastomas lacking MYCN amplification from CHLA (Asgharzadeh et al., 2006). These patients were classified using the same NF1 cut-off value determined from the AMC cohort. (D) Kaplan-Meier analysis of PFS for the CHLA cohort classified by the combined expression status of NF1 and ZNF423. The cut-off values for NF1 and ZNF423 were the same as above. (E and F) Kaplan-Meier analysis of PFS for the Oberthuer cohort (validation set, n=126) classified by the expression status of NF1 (E) and the combined expression status of NF1 and ZNF423 (F). The cut-off values for NF1 and ZNF423 were determined in the Oberthuer training set (n=125).
Figure 6
Figure 6. NF1 mutations in neuroblastoma
(A) NF1 protein levels in a panel of 25 neuroblastoma cell lines as determined by Western blotting. See also supplemental figure S3. (B) Schematic representation of genomic aberrations in the NF1 gene in neuroblastoma cell lines. Vertical lines in the NF1 locus correspond to exons and horizontal arrows depict regions of hemizygous or homozygous deletions. See also supplemental figure S4. (C) Schematic representation of genomic aberrations in the NF1 gene in primary neuroblastomas. Vertical arrows indicate the position of the identified NF1 mutations. Horizontal arrows depict regions of hemizygous or homozygous deletion and dashed lines indicate the regions affected by the duplication of 17q. See also supplemental Figure S4.
Figure 7
Figure 7. Restoration of RA responsiveness
(A) Constitutively active RAF (BRAFV600E) and MEK (MEK-DD, MEK1S218D,S222D) recapitulate resistance to RA caused by KRASV12. SH-SY5Y cells expressing pBabe vector control or the indicated active alleles of RAS effector pathways were cultured for 12 and 20 days in the absence or presence of 1μM RA and then fixed, stained and photographed. (B) Level of phosphorylated ERK and AKT in the SH-SY5Y cells described in figure 7A. (C) Activation of the RA target gene TGM2 in SH-SY5Y cells described in figure 7A. Cells were grown for 14 days in the absence or presence of 1μM RA. (D) MEK inhibition restores RA sensitivity in NF1 knockdown cells. SH-SY5Y cells expressing shGFP control or shNF1 were grown in the absence or presence of 1 μM RA for 13 and 18 days. Cells were additionally treated with or without the MEK inhibitor U0126 at various concentrations. Cells were then fixed, stained and photographed. (E to G) Inhibition of MEK signaling and re-expression of ZNF423 and TGM2 in NF1 knockdown cells treated with MEK inhibitor U0126. SH-SY5Y cells expressing shGFP control or shNF1 grown in the presence of 1 μM RA for 9 days and then additionally treated with or without U0126 for 2 days. Levels of phosphorylated ERK were detected by Western blotting (E). ZNF423 and TGM2 mRNA expression was determined by qRT-PCR. Error bars denote SD. **p<0.001 (t-test for comparison of three biological independent experiments). See also supplemental figure S5.
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