JARID1B Expression Plays a Critical Role in Chemoresistance and Stem Cell-Like Phenotype of Neuroblastoma Cells

PLoS One. 2015 May 7;10(5):e0125343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125343. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common neural crest-derived extracranial solid cancer in children. Among all childhood cancers, NB causes devastating loss of young lives as it accounts for 15% of childhood cancer mortality. Neuroblastoma, especially high-risk stage 4 NB with MYCN amplification has limited treatment options and associated with poor prognosis. This necessitates the need for novel effective therapeutic strategy. JARID1B, also known as KDM5B, is a histone lysine demethylase, identified as an oncogene in many cancer types. Clinical data obtained from freely-accessible databases show a negative correlation between JARID1B expression and survival rates. Here, we demonstrated for the first time the role of JARID1B in the enhancement of stem cell-like activities and drug resistance in NB cells. We showed that JARID1B may be overexpressed in either MYCN amplification (SK-N-BE(2)) or MYCN-non-amplified (SK-N-SH and SK-N-FI) cell lines. JARID1B expression was found enriched in tumor spheres of SK-N-BE(2) and SK-N-DZ. Moreover, SK-N-BE(2) spheroids were more resistant to chemotherapeutics as compared to parental cells. In addition, we demonstrated that JARID1B-silenced cells acquired a decreased propensity for tumor invasion and tumorsphere formation, but increased sensitivity to cisplatin treatment. Mechanistically, reduced JARID1B expression led to the downregulation of Notch/Jagged signaling. Collectively, we provided evidence that JARID1B via modulation of stemness-related signaling is a putative novel therapeutic target for treating malignant NB.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Gene Silencing
  • Humans
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases / genetics*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology*
  • Neuroblastoma / drug therapy*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Prognosis
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases
  • KDM5B protein, human

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Science Council of Taiwan (NSC-101-2314-B-038-010-MY3). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.