Targeting Glioblastoma Stem Cells through Disruption of the Circadian Clock. 2019

Zhen Dong, and Guoxin Zhang, and Meng Qu, and Ryan C Gimple, and Qiulian Wu, and Zhixin Qiu, and Briana C Prager, and Xiuxing Wang, and Leo J Y Kim, and Andrew R Morton, and Deobrat Dixit, and Wenchao Zhou, and Haidong Huang, and Bin Li, and Zhe Zhu, and Shideng Bao, and Stephen C Mack, and Lukas Chavez, and Steve A Kay, and Jeremy N Rich
Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California.

Glioblastomas are highly lethal cancers, containing self-renewing glioblastoma stem cells (GSC). Here, we show that GSCs, differentiated glioblastoma cells (DGC), and nonmalignant brain cultures all displayed robust circadian rhythms, yet GSCs alone displayed exquisite dependence on core clock transcription factors, BMAL1 and CLOCK, for optimal cell growth. Downregulation of BMAL1 or CLOCK in GSCs induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that BMAL1 preferentially bound metabolic genes and was associated with active chromatin regions in GSCs compared with neural stem cells. Targeting BMAL1 or CLOCK attenuated mitochondrial metabolic function and reduced expression of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes. Small-molecule agonists of two independent BMAL1-CLOCK negative regulators, the cryptochromes and REV-ERBs, downregulated stem cell factors and reduced GSC growth. Combination of cryptochrome and REV-ERB agonists induced synergistic antitumor efficacy. Collectively, these findings show that GSCs co-opt circadian regulators beyond canonical circadian circuitry to promote stemness maintenance and metabolism, offering novel therapeutic paradigms. SIGNIFICANCE: Cancer stem cells are highly malignant tumor-cell populations. We demonstrate that GSCs selectively depend on circadian regulators, with increased binding of the regulators in active chromatin regions promoting tumor metabolism. Supporting clinical relevance, pharmacologic targeting of circadian networks specifically disrupted cancer stem cell growth and self-renewal.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1469.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001932 Brain Neoplasms Neoplasms of the intracranial components of the central nervous system, including the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum. Brain neoplasms are subdivided into primary (originating from brain tissue) and secondary (i.e., metastatic) forms. Primary neoplasms are subdivided into benign and malignant forms. In general, brain tumors may also be classified by age of onset, histologic type, or presenting location in the brain. Brain Cancer,Brain Metastases,Brain Tumors,Cancer of Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Tumors,Neoplasms, Intracranial,Benign Neoplasms, Brain,Brain Neoplasm, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Benign,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Primary Malignant,Brain Tumor, Primary,Brain Tumor, Recurrent,Cancer of the Brain,Intracranial Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasms, Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Brain,Neoplasms, Brain, Benign,Neoplasms, Brain, Malignant,Neoplasms, Brain, Primary,Primary Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Tumors,Benign Brain Neoplasm,Benign Brain Neoplasms,Benign Neoplasm, Brain,Brain Benign Neoplasm,Brain Benign Neoplasms,Brain Cancers,Brain Malignant Neoplasm,Brain Malignant Neoplasms,Brain Metastase,Brain Neoplasm,Brain Neoplasm, Benign,Brain Neoplasm, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Primary,Brain Tumor,Brain Tumors, Recurrent,Cancer, Brain,Intracranial Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Intracranial,Primary Brain Neoplasm,Primary Brain Tumor,Primary Brain Tumors,Recurrent Brain Tumor,Recurrent Brain Tumors,Tumor, Brain
D002952 Citric Acid Cycle A series of oxidative reactions in the breakdown of acetyl units derived from GLUCOSE; FATTY ACIDS; or AMINO ACIDS by means of tricarboxylic acid intermediates. The end products are CARBON DIOXIDE, water, and energy in the form of phosphate bonds. Krebs Cycle,Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle,Citric Acid Cycles,Cycle, Citric Acid,Cycle, Krebs,Cycle, Tricarboxylic Acid,Cycles, Citric Acid,Cycles, Tricarboxylic Acid,Tricarboxylic Acid Cycles
D004357 Drug Synergism The action of a drug in promoting or enhancing the effectiveness of another drug. Drug Potentiation,Drug Augmentation,Augmentation, Drug,Augmentations, Drug,Drug Augmentations,Drug Potentiations,Drug Synergisms,Potentiation, Drug,Potentiations, Drug,Synergism, Drug,Synergisms, Drug
D005909 Glioblastoma A malignant form of astrocytoma histologically characterized by pleomorphism of cells, nuclear atypia, microhemorrhage, and necrosis. They may arise in any region of the central nervous system, with a predilection for the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, and commissural pathways. Clinical presentation most frequently occurs in the fifth or sixth decade of life with focal neurologic signs or seizures. Astrocytoma, Grade IV,Giant Cell Glioblastoma,Glioblastoma Multiforme,Astrocytomas, Grade IV,Giant Cell Glioblastomas,Glioblastoma, Giant Cell,Glioblastomas,Glioblastomas, Giant Cell,Grade IV Astrocytoma,Grade IV Astrocytomas
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014411 Neoplastic Stem Cells Highly proliferative, self-renewing, and colony-forming stem cells which give rise to NEOPLASMS. Cancer Stem Cells,Colony-Forming Units, Neoplastic,Stem Cells, Neoplastic,Tumor Stem Cells,Neoplastic Colony-Forming Units,Tumor Initiating Cells,Cancer Stem Cell,Cell, Cancer Stem,Cell, Neoplastic Stem,Cell, Tumor Initiating,Cell, Tumor Stem,Cells, Cancer Stem,Cells, Neoplastic Stem,Cells, Tumor Initiating,Cells, Tumor Stem,Colony Forming Units, Neoplastic,Colony-Forming Unit, Neoplastic,Initiating Cell, Tumor,Initiating Cells, Tumor,Neoplastic Colony Forming Units,Neoplastic Colony-Forming Unit,Neoplastic Stem Cell,Stem Cell, Cancer,Stem Cell, Neoplastic,Stem Cell, Tumor,Stem Cells, Cancer,Stem Cells, Tumor,Tumor Initiating Cell,Tumor Stem Cell,Unit, Neoplastic Colony-Forming,Units, Neoplastic Colony-Forming
D015854 Up-Regulation A positive regulatory effect on physiological processes at the molecular, cellular, or systemic level. At the molecular level, the major regulatory sites include membrane receptors, genes (GENE EXPRESSION REGULATION), mRNAs (RNA, MESSENGER), and proteins. Receptor Up-Regulation,Upregulation,Up-Regulation (Physiology),Up Regulation
D015972 Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in neoplastic tissue. Neoplastic Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Neoplastic,Regulation, Gene Expression, Neoplastic
D045744 Cell Line, Tumor A cell line derived from cultured tumor cells. Tumor Cell Line,Cell Lines, Tumor,Line, Tumor Cell,Lines, Tumor Cell,Tumor Cell Lines

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