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@ARTICLE{Herter:304111,
author = {S. Herter$^*$ and M. Emperador$^*$ and K. Smyrilli$^*$ and
D. Kocher$^*$ and S. Celikyürekli$^*$ and C. Zeiser$^*$ and
X. Gerloff$^*$ and S. Kreth$^*$ and K.-O. Henrich$^*$ and K.
K. Maaß$^*$ and J. Rettenmeier$^*$ and T. Grünewald$^*$
and H. Peterziel$^*$ and F. Westermann$^*$ and A.
Hamacher-Brady and O. Witt$^*$ and I. Oehme$^*$},
title = {{H}igh content-imaging drug synergy screening identifies
specific senescence-related vulnerabilities of mesenchymal
neuroblastomas.},
journal = {Cell death $\&$ disease},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
issn = {2041-4889},
address = {London [u.a.]},
publisher = {Nature Publishing Group},
reportid = {DKFZ-2025-01774},
pages = {644},
year = {2025},
note = {#EA:B310#LA:B310#},
abstract = {Neuroblastomas encompass malignant cells with varying
degrees of differentiation, ranging from adrenergic (adr)
cells resembling the sympathoadrenal lineage to
undifferentiated, stem-cell-like mesenchymal (mes) cancer
cells. Relapsed neuroblastomas, which often have mesenchymal
features, have a poor prognosis and respond less to
anticancer therapies, necessitating the development of novel
treatment strategies. To identify novel treatment options,
we analyzed the sensitivity of 91 pediatric cell models,
including patient-derived tumoroid cultures, to a drug
library of 76 anti-cancer drugs at clinically relevant
concentrations. This included 24 three-dimensionally
cultured neuroblastoma cell lines representing the range of
mesenchymal to adrenergic subtypes. High-throughput
ATP-based luminescence measurements were compared to
high-content confocal imaging. With machine
learning-supported imaging analysis, we focused on changes
in the lysosomal compartment as a marker for therapy-induced
senescence and assessed the basal lysosomal levels in a
subset of untreated mesenchymal versus adrenergic cells. We
correlated these findings with pathway activity signatures
based on bulk RNA and scRNAseq. Comprehensive image-based
synergy screens with spheroid cultures validated the
combined effects of selected drugs on proliferation and
cytotoxicity. Mesenchymal models presented high basal
lysosomal levels correlating with senescence-associated
secretory phenotype (SASP) and sphingolipid metabolism
pathways. Chemotherapy treatment further increased lysosome
numbers, indicative of therapy-induced senescence.
Furthermore, the mesenchymal subtypes correlated with MAPK
activity and sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibitors.
Lysosomal and SASP signaling is druggable by inhibitors of
lysosomal acid sphingomyelinase (SLMi) or senolytics,
including BCL2-family inhibitors. Especially the sequential
combination of MEK inhibitors (MEKi) with BCL2-family
inhibitors was the most effective on relapsed neuroblastoma
cell lines. Gene expression analysis of 223 patient samples,
drug sensitivity profiling of five patient-derived fresh
tissue cultures, and in vivo zebrafish embryo neuroblastoma
xenograft models confirmed these findings. Inhibition of
MAPK signaling in combination with BCL2-family inhibitors is
a novel treatment option for patients suffering from
relapsed neuroblastomas.},
keywords = {Humans / Neuroblastoma: pathology / Neuroblastoma: drug
therapy / Neuroblastoma: metabolism / Neuroblastoma:
genetics / Cellular Senescence: drug effects / Cell Line,
Tumor / Animals / Antineoplastic Agents: pharmacology / Drug
Synergism / Mesenchymal Stem Cells: drug effects /
Mesenchymal Stem Cells: metabolism / Mesenchymal Stem Cells:
pathology / Cell Proliferation: drug effects / Lysosomes:
metabolism / Lysosomes: drug effects / Zebrafish /
Antineoplastic Agents (NLM Chemicals)},
cin = {B310 / HD01 / B087 / B062 / B410},
ddc = {570},
cid = {I:(DE-He78)B310-20160331 / I:(DE-He78)HD01-20160331 /
I:(DE-He78)B087-20160331 / I:(DE-He78)B062-20160331 /
I:(DE-He78)B410-20160331},
pnm = {312 - Funktionelle und strukturelle Genomforschung
(POF4-312)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-312},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
pubmed = {pmid:40854877},
pmc = {pmc:PMC12379013},
doi = {10.1038/s41419-025-07933-1},
url = {https://inrepo02.dkfz.de/record/304111},
}